Russell Watson's Amore Musica is his first since recent throat surgery--and his fans need not worry. While his sound remains somewhat manufactured (the engineers deserve credit for equalizing his tone), he knows how to put across a heart-rending melody whether he's crooning ("cooing" would not be an inappropriate word either) or using a darker, fuller tone. The inspirational "You Raise Me Up" contains great examples of both. He's backed by a chorus in a song made up of a medley of tunes from the film Gladiator. Lara Fabian joins him in a duet called "The Alchemist." He wrings every bit of emotion out of "I'll Walk with God" from The Student Prince. A tune based on Elgar's "Nimrod" sits very high, and Watson occasionally sounds as if he's shouting. Purists might argue with the many breaks in his voice between registers, while his fans love precisely these tics, but by now those who love him will know that they want this CD and will not be disappointed. Opera lovers--or even Bocelli fans--need not apply. --Robert Levine
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