Michael Bolton - A Symphony Of Hits (2019) [Hi-Res]

Given the late-2010s influx of symphonic easy listening albums reviving old rock and R&B records, it's not surprising that a living, breathing singer would take advantage of this trend. Michael Bolton is the one who steps into this breach, issuing A Symphony of Hits in early 2019. Recorded with the West Australian Philharmonic Orchestra, the album still contains hints of slick adult contemporary -- there's nary a string to be heard on a stiffly funky "Soul Provider," the whole thing has a patina of radio-ready gloss -- yet it delivers what it promises: it has Michael Bolton singing with an orchestra. What's surprising about the set is that Bolton sounds at home here. Maybe it's due to the wages of time, but he doesn't push his voice to the extremes. This may be Bolton's most nuanced vocal performance to date, and that is reason enough for the album to exist. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine