By Il Divo, 2006

Japanese-only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD) pressing of this album. SHM-CDs can be played on any audio player and delivers unbelievably high-quality sound. You won't believe it's the same CD!Sony/BMG 2009.Siempre, Il Divo's third swipe at the snobs who aim to relegate classical crossover to retirement community socials and suburban dentist offices, is as apt to snare listeners as either of its first two multimillion-selling discs: the singing is as rich and romantic, and the material as warm and enveloping.

If there's anything missing, it's an overdue sense of adventure--tracks like "Nights in White Satin" and "Somewhere," like "Unbreak My Heart" and "All by Myself" before them, provide enough adult-contemporary swagger to keep anyone who has owned a couple of Streisand CDs in his or her day happy, but they come at the expense of a full-on exploration of classical no man's land; which may be this prefab, Simon Cowell-helmed act's ticket to getting out from under critics' boot heels. "La Vida Sin Amor," "Un Regalo Que Te Dio La Vida," and "Una Noche"--Siempre's three boldest tracks--provide a taste, but for now Il Divo seems content to follow a safe-bet formula. Fans won't be disappointed--overall, this is a lush, wholly unblemished disc.

But those who have been taken to task by high-minded music bullies before shouldn't be surprised if they feel the need to keep the mute button handy once again. --Tammy La Gorce Il Divo Photos     More Il Divo Ancora Il Divo The Christmas Collection Encore (DVD) Il Divo 2007 Calendar Time of Our Lives, Part 1

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