Casting a spell
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although tenor Andrea Bocelli is hailed as a crossover singer able to comfortably mesh both classical and modern music, his latest endeavor Incanto lacks the addictive quality that has made this Italian artist’s former albums so popular. Past albums of Bocelli’s include Italian and American pop, opera and a well-executed blend of both. He has made appearances around the the world, favored by classical-music lovers and appreciated by pianists for his ability to play and sing music – despite having never seen the written score due to an onset of blindness when Bocelli was 12 years old. This compilation specifically targets those who love a listening session of unmistakably Italian music. “Un Amore Cosi Grande” offers the album a sweeping opening and flows into other lighthearted tunes and love ballads. Of course, all are sung with the stunning soulfulness that has made this Tuscany-born singer so popular throughout Europe and North America. The one English track Bocelli presents – “Because” – particularly flaunts the high range that has put him on par with Luciano Pavarotti. But unless you are impressed by classical vocalists’ tricks, already adore Andrea Bocelli’s previous work or study Italian, this may not be the priority of your listening ambitions. To his credit, many of Bocelli’s songs on Incanto are cinematic and full of flair. If one or two of them were to show up on a film soundtrack in the near future, it would not come as a surprise.There are recognizable songs to satisfy the foreign-unfriendly, ones recalled from visits to favorite Italian restaurants. If nothing else, “Funiculi Funicula” will entice a hunger for pasta and other Italian delights. Incanto is an optimistic album and embraces the tradition of feel-good music in the Mediterranean. Whether you need cheering up or calming down, Andrea Bocelli manages to cast the kind of spell that does the job.