Paul Anka
Rock Swings

THE REVIEW

This fastidious, merely and (not even so) cunningly commercial operation (ethically, one might wonder what truly isn't/becomes, in the musical realm and whoever the author might be, "commercial/profitable," once recorded and put up for sale...) does not prevent one from appreciating the novel yet daring and mellifluous pop-swinging (covering) vocalisms contained in such a charming mass-market work; a substantial pop/rock plethora of (supposed) tracks of "our days": current, at least compared to those contemporary to the performer and those of His "antiquated" (not for this deplorable, lest there be a misunderstanding) listeners and appreciators.

Having cast aside a few kilotons of natural temporal/physiognomic signs due to advancing age and donned a splendid new set of teeth, the sprightly Paul adopts an effective audio-strategy diametrically opposite/inversely proportional to that of the enfant prodige (so to speak...) youngster-Bublé (in the media's glorification scent due to a sterile reinterpretation), who in fact is responsible for the promulgation (fault?) and implicit "sponsorship" that legitimizes, in such a macroscopically manner, this audio-resurfacing/homecoming of our more than lively (semi)seventies' crooner. A character who, in His time (for better or worse), represented, for His peers and surrounding people, what today could exemplify the recycled/reintroduced authors in this orchestrated swing collection; placed a stable, substantial yet soberly stratified and never over-the-top band (a generous sixty-four members...) any-instrument-playing, behind his renowned crooner-like and vital vocals, Grandfather Paolino ventures into the effective and agile reinterpretation of acoustically-inclined materials not originally (in origin) swing: among the most pleasant fragments I would mention the ultra-modulated "Black Hole Sun" (of Chris Cornell-memory) which became (post-Anka treatment) a sober ultra-sentimental, reflective, and aurally gratifying track, as well as "Eye Of The Tiger" (of Rocky-esque cinematic origin), "The Way You Make Me Feel" (of the most "auto-bleached" black in America: Mr. M. Jackson) or still the Bon Joviesque (aargh!!) "It's My Life," become a disorienting occasion of enjoyable (sometimes embarrassing) bewildering listening. Some re-adapted audio tracks do not fully satisfy/convince the vilified ear (notably and perhaps due to qualitative shortcomings proemial to the reinterpretation: "True" of Spandau Ballet-story, or "Eyes Without A Face" by Mr. Wild-Haired Rebel Billy Idol) for daring/forced - at least for the humble and scraped capably destructive ears - adaptation.

In conclusion (already?) a work as superficially gratifying and surprising (hearing the aged Paul who with his "Com'On" mimics the David Lee Roth of Van Halen-era, is quite amusing), as entirely "fictitious" (...but who cares, reaching that age with such verve) hence lacking constructive artistic content.

Sure, if he had swing-reinterpreted Devo, NoMeansNo, or (early) Orbital we would have surely had a lot more fun...