The Voice

1	Nella Fantasia
2	Amor ti Vieta
3	Ricordo Ancor
4	Caruso
5	Miserere
6	Panis Angelicus
7	Non ti Scordar di me
8	La Donna E Mobile
9	Saylon Dola - Marie Brennan
10	Someone Like You - Cleopatra Higgins
11	Bridge Over Troubled Water
12	Vienna
13	Funiculi - Funicula
14	Barcelona - Shaun Ryder
15	Nessun Dorma!

Barnes & Noble

Factory laborer turned pop star Russell Watson breaks into the classical crossover world with his debut album, The Voice. A working-class lad from the north of England, Watson refers to his voice in the third person (hence the title), and it is a fine instrument -- full and resonant, yet unforced -- for someone so young and relatively unpracticed. Showing the promise of this rising star, the album's eclectic program puts Watson's voice to the test by drawing on Italian songs ("Funiculí -- funiculá," "Non ti scordar di me," "Nella fantasia") and pop standards ("Bridge over Troubled Water," "Vienna"). Two other inclusions, "Caruso" and "Miserere," have both been recorded by Andrea Bocelli and hold their own against crossover's other heartthrob tenor. A pair of celebrated opera arias are thrown into the mix as well -- Verdi's "La donna è mobile," Puccini's "Nessun dorma," as an encore -- and show Watson's potential to match the vocal powers of those famous tenors three. The album moves in other directions, too, with "Pelagia's Song" from the movie Captain Corelli's Mandolin and a series of duets. New age diva Marie Brennan (Enya's sister) joins him for the ethereal "Saylon Dola"; English R&B star Cleopatra Higgins adds some vocal power on the multilingual ballad "Someone Like You"; and Happy Monday frontman Shaun Ryder lends some hip attitude to the dazzlingly ornate, Freddy Mercury-ish "Barcelona." Watson may be a bit green around the edges -- his Italian would never be mistaken for a native's. But his voice is undeniably good, and a bit more time spent with a vocal coach will make him a smooth proposition indeed. Watch out, Brightman and Bocelli: Russell Watson is here. EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

The liner notes to the powerful tenor's overwhelmingly emotional debut begin with the assertion that "Russell Watson is a freak." Well, he looks like a normal 27-year-old from a working-class town in England, but what makes him "freaky" is having such an intensely powerful voice at such a young age (and his grip of operatic Italian is a bit unusual, too). Most likely, the promotional efforts -- which find the handsome singer looking like he's in a GQ ad -- will focus on getting this classic opera material to be heard and appreciated by a younger crowd. The concept here is "opera with a twist," a happy idea where "Nessun Dorma" and "Amor Ti Vieta" play comfortably alongside pop standards like Freddie Mercury's 1992 Olympic theme "Barcelona" (a rock-influenced duet with Shaun Ryder) and "Vienna," a number two hit for Ultravox in 1981. Compared to his effortless tackling of so much challenging material -- not to mention the beautiful swells by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra -- a cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" comes across as a bit staid, but it's still a version that brings out as much emotion as possible. Other featured material includes "Nella Fantasia," "Ricordo Ancor" (from Captain Corelli's Mandolin), and duets with Maire Brennan and Cleopatra Higgins. Even if the thought of opera makes you cringe, Watson is still an amazing artist who might just convert you for an hour or so. Jonathan Widran