Amore Musica

1	Amore E Musica 3:59
2	Magia Sarà 3:27
3	You Raise Me Up 5:00
4	Il Gladiatore (Based on Themes from the Motion Picture 'Gladiator') 3:46
5	I' Te Vurría Vasà 4:25
6	I Believe 4:14
7	La Fiamma Sacra 4:18
8	You'll Still Be There for Me (Based on the Theme from the Motion ...) 3:41
9	The Alchemist / Lara Fabian 5:36
10	Pray for the Love 4:54
11	C'È Sempre Musica 3:54
12	I'll Walk with God (From 'The Student Prince') 3:01
13	We Will Stand Together (Nimrod) (Based on Elgar's 'Nimrod' from Enigma 3:58

Barnes & Noble

As Russell Watson's fans surely know, this eagerly awaited album is the tenor's comeback after a risky operation on his vocal chords. Besides worrying whether "The Voice" -- as Watson's debut album was titled -- would pull through in top form, American listeners have faced a real frustration: Amore Musica has been available for almost a year overseas before finally arriving on these shores. Well, if absence truly makes the heart grow fonder, nobody is likely to hold the delay against Watson, for this album includes some of his most expressive and intimate singing to date. As the title foreshadows, love and music are the main subjects here, but faith is another; perhaps his career-threatening surgery has prompted some spiritual contemplation, for Watson sounds more sincere than ever. And as for the voice, rest assured that the qualities that made it special in the first place -- the unaffected warmth and robustness -- are still there in abundance. The songs here tend to require less operatic power than on his previous albums, but those that do, such as "Il Gladiatore" and the Mario Lanza classic "I'll Walk With God," deliver the goods. Watson doesn't hesitate to put himself in direct competition with some of his "popera" rivals on this disc (challenging Josh Groban's ownership of "You Raise Me Up" and Amici Forever's of "La Fiamma Sacra"), and the romantic pop that dominates the rest of the album plays to all of his strengths. But best of all, he sings "We Will Stand Together" -- based on the gorgeous melody from Elgar's Enigma Variations -- with enough passion to wring tears from a stone, bringing Amore Musica to an irresistibly inspiring conclusion. Scott Paulin

All Music Guide

Having enjoyed enormous success in Europe, where he was dubbed "The People's Tenor," Russell Watson soon found his career in jeopardy following the release 2002's Reprise. A growth was found on one of his vocal chords and he opted to have it removed, which is an especially frightening procedure for a vocalist -- just ask Julie Andrews. Fortunately, Watson's surgery was a success and Amore Musica is his first recording following an extended recovery. Any doubts that his voice was affected by the surgery are immediately put to rest on the opening song, "Amore e Musica," a grand pop/classical piece that allows Watson to exercise the range of his newly repaired tenor. If anything, he sounds more relaxed with a silkier tone that further embraces Amore Musica's classical crossover selections. While there are still a couple of true classical selections like an adaptation of Sir Edward Elgar's "Nimrod" entitled "We Will Stand Together," the focus is on material that will hook pop-minded adults who love a strong, romantic voice. And nothing screams louder for pop acceptance than "Pray for the Love," a new tune by mega-hit songwriter Diane Warren. Luckily, it is one of her better efforts and Watson delivers a perfect pop performance. But the song's inclusion seems like a calculated effort by Watson to obtain the massive U.S. audience that his North American counterpart, Josh Groban, has already lassoed. To further invite comparison, Watson has included one of Groban's hit songs, "You Raise Me Up," as if to say "here's my version, take your pick." Frankly, Groban's is the better choice, but that is not to say Watson can't acquire a similar following. Amore Musica may not be the disc that does this for him, since it lacks a standout signature track -- something that Groban has been blessed with twice. However, the disc is Watson's most consistent effort thus far. His choice to move further away from true classical pieces is a good decision as his tenor seems better suited to modern pieces like the inspirational "La Fiamma Sacra" or the alluring duet with Lara Fabian "The Alchemist," a theatrical song that sounds like a lost treasure from Broadway's Miss Saigon or Chess (get this man a show!). Sounding more confident than ever with a renewed voice and a new outlook, Russell Watson is moving in the right direction and Amore Musica is a welcome return. Aaron Latham