Higherby Anonymous

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March 03, 2005: I have the feeling that maybe less than 10,000 copies of this album will be sold in the U.S., and that's a real shame. Roch Vosine has had a successful singing career for over 10 years, garnering an extensive and loyal following along the way. Unfortunately his notoriety is confined mainly to his Francophone audience in Europe and Quebec, and his attempts to crack the American market (this is his 2nd or 3rd English-language effort) have been disappointing to say the least. Making a name for himself in Montreal, he simply has never been able to take root here-(I submit that the French thing often acts like repellant). The regret is that he is a superb singer who produces rather enjoyable pop CDs. This one is no different. Typical of his French work, on "Higher" Voisine co-wrote almost all of the selections. They are not intricate or complex, ranging from those with danceable grooves to soft ballads, but they make for good listening. Probably the best of the up-tempo tracks is the title song "Higher," which features an interesting and appealing turn around on a chord progression for the chorus. Of the quieter, more tender compositions,"Closer Than Skin" deserves strong mention. Indeed, while Roch can rock (no pun intended) with the best of them, his forte is the poetic, romantic tale of love gained or lost (or unrequited). Capable of providing such pleasant fare, however, for whatever inexplicable reason, Voisine fancies himself a cowboy, and without fail there is usually a song or two devoted to that theme on each and every one of his albums (yes- even the French ones!). This time, the dubious entry is "Virtual Cowboys;" my advice is that it should simply be avoided. Overall, though, if you're looking to hear contemporary adult pop sung by someone who does it fairly well, snatch this up. Having said that, like my comment about his record's sales above, I think that few of you will even stumble onto this page, and even fewer still will heed my recommendation. Pity.

This review was written about the CD edition.