Higher [Crystal Clear Vinyl] [Barnes & Noble Exclusive]

by Michael Buble

Overview

With his velvety voice and urbane charm, Michael Buble is the epitome of the modern crooner, ably interpreting American Songbook standards alongside modern pop covers, as well as his own ebullient originals. He further conjures this vibe on his 11th studio album, 2022's appealing Higher. One the most notable aspects of Higher is the presence of Paul McCartney, whose song "My Valentine" (culled from 2012's Kisses on the Bottom) Buble covers to fine effect here, with McCartney producing. A moody, minor-key ballad, the song evokes the work of iconic French singer Jacques Brel and recalls how McCartney (a long-avowed jazz and standards aficionado) would often bring such influences to the Beatles, further broadening that group's cross-generational appeal. It's one of the standout moments on Higher and nicely illuminates the stylistic balance between jazz, traditional pop, and contemporary pop that Buble is going for. On Higher, Buble is often at his best when taking on jazz standards, represented here in tracks like the big-band swing of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" or the orchestral romance of "A Nightingale Sang in Barclay Square." His relaxed, kitten-soft voice is a perfect match for the nuanced and sophisticated style of these songs. There's also a knowing quality about Buble, as if he's well aware of the bygone aesthetic he's playing with by being an old-school crooner in the post-modern age -- it's a persona that's wry, a little campy, and helps sell his more over-the-top choices -- like taking on the '70s show biz disco of Barry White's "You're My First, My Last, My Everything." His ironic schmooze achieves technicolor brilliance on the flamboyant 1930s movie soundtrack arrangement of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile." Replete with shimmering strings and what sounds like a backing chorus of winged angels, it ends the album but might have worked even better as an opening track. There's also an amiable duet with Willie Nelson on the country icon's classic "Crazy" that has the relaxed, in-the-moment energy of a Muppet Show performance. Of his original songs, the standout is the title track. Co-written by Greg Wells, OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder, and even Buble's eight-year-old son, Noah (who recovered from his battle with liver cancer in 2017), "Higher" is a fun, tango-influenced banger that sticks in your head. There's also the romantic "I'll Never Not Love You" and the heartfelt tribute to his mom, "Mother," all songs that (like his 2005 hit "Home") add a bit of earnest warmth to the album's overall buoyant, swinging feeling -- one that Buble has made his own. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	05/13/2022
Label:	Reprise
UPC:	0093624874010

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Michael Buble   Primary Artist,Vocals
Alvin Chea   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Natalie Leggett   Violin
Everton Nelson   Violin
Patrick Kiernan   Violin
Trevor Mires   Trombone,Trombone (Tenor)
Randy Crenshaw   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Bosco Mann   Bass
Chuck Berghofer   Bass
David Levita   Guitar
Natalia Bonner   Violin
Jeff Carney   Bass
Lyle Workman   Guitar
Charles Tyler   Celli,Cello
Rusty Anderson   Guitar
Greg Wells   Bass,Drums,Piano,Guitar,Keyboards,Percussion
Victor Indrizzo   Drums
Russ Miller   Drums
John Allred   Trombone
Neel Hammond   Violin
Josh Nelson   Piano
Alma Fernandez   Viola
Jamie Hovorka   Trumpet
Erik Kertes   Bass
Michael Valerio   Bass
Bijon Watson   Trumpet
Tommy Emmerton   Guitar
Nita Whitaker   Vocals (Background)
Sarah Thornblade   Violin
Warren Zielinski   Violin
Michael Landau   Guitar
Jennifer Wharton   Trombone
Jenni Olson   Flute
Alan Chang   Piano
Ryan Quigley   Trumpet
Andrew Duckles   Viola
Danielle Farina   Viola
Annie Beilby   Viola
Duoming Ba   Violin
Graham Dechter   Guitar
Alyssa Park   Violin
Paul Cartwright   Violin
Timothy Loo   Celli,Cello
Willie Nelson   Vocals,Featured Artist
Abe Laboriel, Jr.   Drums
Howard McGill   Flute,Sax (Alto)
Josefina Vergara   Violin
Suzanne Ornstein   Violin
Bruce White   Viola
Ryan Shaw   Bass,Drums
Monique Donnelly   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Richard George   Violin
Paula Hochhalter   Celli,Cello
Darryl Williams   Vocals (Background)
Chris Worsey   Celli,Cello
Will Wheaton   Vocals (Background)
Gerald White   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Megan Smith   Violin
Michael Pollack   Piano
David Daughtry   Vocals (Background)
Marisa Kuney   Violin
Shawn Mann   Viola
Doug Tornquist   Tuba
Roberto Cani   Violin
Kate Musker   Viola
Gregg August   Bass
Mike Smith   Drums
Ian Humphries   Violin
Joe Fiedler   Trombone
James Douglas   Celli,Cello
Gayle Levant   Harp
Greg Fletcher   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Charlie Bisharat   Violin
Jamie Muhoberac   Keyboards
Kevin Dorsey   Vocals (Background)
Shalini Vijayan   Violin
Andre Washington   Vocals (Background)
Jim Keltner   Drums
Andrew Martin   Trombone
Wendy Sutter   Celli,Cello
Ryan Walsh   Oboe
Rafael Padilla   Percussion
Clay Sears   Guitar
Jason Morales   Vocals (Background)
Alex Hahn   Sax (Alto)
Shmuel Katz   Viola
Kuan Cheng Lu   Violin
Ian Burdge   Celli,Cello
Camille Miller   Violin
Sean Hurley   Bass
Markita Knight   Vocals (Background)
David Loucks   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Tiffany Smith   Vocals (Background)
Songa Lee   Violin
Jules Buckley   Conductor
Ina Veli   Violin
Mark Frost   Trombone,Trombone (Bass)
Angela Fisher   Vocals (Background)
Pavel Vinnitsky   Clarinet
Adam Schroeder   Sax (Baritone)
Meredith Crawford   Viola
Ross Stanley   Keyboards
Mark Robertson   Violin
Hector Falcon   Violin
Reid Bruton   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Barry Perkins   Trumpet
Edie Lehmann Boddicker   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Andy Greenwood   Trumpet
Robert Schaer   Trumpet
Hillary Smith   Celli,Cello
Anne Scharer   Horn
Sarah Lynch   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Suzanne Waters   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Chris Sullivan   Sax (Tenor)
Daniel Rosenboom   Trumpet
Nicholas Daley   Trombone
Liam Burke   Clarinet
David Grossman   Bass
Krzysztof Kuznik   Violin
Heather Clark   Flute
Alison Dods   Violin
Elissa Johnston   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Mario de Leon   Violin
Tamara Hatwan   Violin
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith   Celli,Cello
Luke Maurer   Viola,Violin
Julia Bruskin   Celli,Cello
Charlie Brown   Violin
Jennifer Montone   Horn
Andrea Jones   Vocals (Background)
Yurika Mok   Violin
Martin Williams   Flute,Clarinet,Sax (Tenor)
Nick Lee   Trombone
Reiad Chibah   Viola
Sharon Youngblood   Vocals (Background)
Emily Popham   Violin
Justin Smith   Violin
Pedro Diaz   Horn (English)
Andrew Bove   Tuba
Ayo Awosika   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Jenny Sacha   Violin
Michelle Richards   Violin
Teag Reaves   Horn
Kathleen Sloan   Violin
Ian Kagey   Orchestra
Annaliesa Place   Violin
Michael Lichtenauer   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Catherine Sim   Violin
Tom Pigott-Smith   Violin
Alex Iles   Trombone
Stuart Clark   Clarinet
Dean LeBlanc   Clarinet
Magnus Johnston   Violin
Sara Perkins   Violin
David Heiss   Celli,Cello
Rich Logan   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Monica Davis   Viola
Joanna Maurer   Violin
Lemar Guillary   Trombone
Alex Frank   Bass
Clare McInerney   Sax (Baritone),Clarinet (Bass)
Mike Cottone   Trumpet
Josh Henderson   Violin
Marianne Haynes   Violin
Tom Richards   Flute,Clarinet,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Ashoka Thiagarajan   Violin
Shelley Scarr   Vocals (Background)
Alistair White   Trombone,Trombone (Tenor)
Jonathan Sacdalan   Clarinet
Stefan Smith   Viola
Erik Rynearson   Viola
Andrew Janss   Celli,Cello
Nelson Beato   Vocals (Background)
Ciaran McCabe   Violin
Katelyn Faraudo   Horn
Luanne Homzy   Violin
Benjamin Jacobson   Violin
Eric Byers   Celli,Cello
Jonathan Moerschel   Viola
Simon Marsh   Flute,Clarinet,Sax (Alto)
Anna Sheridan   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Zac Zinger   Flute
Garth Neustadter   Violin
Baraka May Williams   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Dylan Hart   Horn
Phillip Keen   Trombone
Nicholas Jacobson-Larson   Conductor,Orchestra
Rachel Mellis   Flute
David Southorn   Violin
Rupei Yeh   Celli,Cello
Laura Brenes   Horn
Allie Feder   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Kye-Young Kwon   Celli,Cello
Jon Hatamiya   Trombone
Warren Zielinksi   Violin
Julie Jung   Celli,Cello
Adam Wolf   Horn
Holly Sedillos   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Will Goldman   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Molly Carr   Viola
Dylan Gentile   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Jennifer Haydn-Jones   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Rory Mazella   Clarinet
Tom Walsh   Trumpet
Jacob Braun   Celli,Cello
Ryan DeWeese   Trumpet
Ashley Morgan   Vocals (Background)
Jonah Levy   Trumpet
Graham Decter   Guitar
Diana Wade   Viola
Amy Stewart   Orchestra
Chris Hill   Bass
Ido Meshulam   Trombone
Anthony Parnther   Bassoon,Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Daniel Krekeler   Bass
Anna Schubert   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Eric Shetzen   Bass
Briana Lee   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Arnold Geis   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Nicky Sweeney   Violin
Phillip Blake Cooper   Tuba
Michael Mitchell   Piano,Piano
Linnea Powell   Viola
Mike McCoy   Horn
Louis Dowdeswell   Trumpet
Lelie Resnick   Oboe
Toiya Barnes   Vocals (Background)
Christopher Ahn   Celli,Cello
Harris Ostrander   Trumpet
Megan Shung   Violin
Kelly Cho   Violin
Julia Choi   Violin
Dan Wions   Horn
Nichol Thomson   Trombone,Trombone (Tenor)
Adrienne Somerville-Kiamie   Viola
Eriko Kano   Violin
Hugo Valverde   Horn
Sang Wook Bahng   Violin
Tara O’Conner   Flute
Ramsey Castanedas   Sax (Tenor)
Ahra Cho   Violin
High Webb   Harp
Irene Brewslaw   Viola
Jeremy Silver   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Kay Stephan   Violin
Laurhen Beato   Vocals (Background)
Matt Richards   Sax (Alto)
Thomas Hartem, Jr.   Bass
Kaye Musker   Viola

Technical Credits

Serban Ghenea   Mixing
Paul McCartney   Composer,Producer
Bob Dylan   Composer
Bob Russell   Composer,Lyricist
Duke Ellington   Composer
Joe Chiccarelli   Engineer
Barry White   Composer
John Turner   Composer
Greg Wells   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming,MIDI Programming,Executive Producer,Digital Recording Engineer
Charlie Chaplin   Composer
Sam Cooke   Composer
John Mayer   Composer
Josef Zimmerman   Music Librarian
Ryan Tedder   Composer
Erik Kertes   Engineer,Vocal Engineer,Pre-Production Engineer
Bob Rock   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Recording
Alan Chang   Producer
Nathan Chapman   Composer
Willie Nelson   Composer
Chris Bolster   Engineer,Digital Recording Engineer
Henry Nemo   Composer
Manning Sherwin   Composer
Jason Reeves   Composer
Michael Pollack   Composer
Steve Churchyard   Engineer
Steve Genewick   Engineer,Bass Engineer,String Engineer
Eric Maschwitz   Composer,Lyricist
Michael Buble   Composer,Executive Producer
Brad Haehnel   Engineer,Digital Recording Engineer
Matty Green   Mixing
David Campbell   String Arrangements,Arranger
Jeremy Murphy   Engineer
Norman Jean Roy   Photography
Peter Radcliffe   Composer
Tony Sepe   Composer
Gina Zimmitti   Contractor
Jason Goldman   Producer,Contractor
Phil Knights   Music Librarian
Adam Greenholtz   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
Ian Kagey   Vocal Engineer
Brian Lucey   Mastering
Julian Peploe   Art Direction
Tom Richards   Arranger
Sandy Park   Contractor,Orchestra Contractor
Norman Wonderly   Creative Director
Nicholas Jacobson-Larson   Arranger,Programming,Orchestration,MIDI Programming,String Arrangements
Geoffrey Parsons   Composer
Jon Bellion   Composer
Gina Zimitti   Contractor,Orchestra Contractor
Roger Julia-Satorra   Music Librarian
Callum Au   Arranger
Edie Boddicker   Contractor,Choir Contractor
Amy Stewart   Contractor
Fraser Churchill   Composer
Laura Beck   Assistant Engineer
Dan Hayden   Assistant Engineer
Bryce Bordone   Mixing Engineer
Charlie Savage   Music Librarian
Noah Buble   Composer