Stacey Kent - The Boy Next Door (2003)

1. The Best Is Yet To Come
2. The Boy Next Door
3. The Trolley Song
4. Say It Isn't So
5. Too Darn Hot
6. Makin' Whoopee
7. What The World Needs Now Is Love
8. You've Got A Friend
9. I Got It Bad
10. Ooh-Shoo-Be-Doo-Bee
11. People Will Say We're In Love
12. 'Tis Autumn
13. All I Do Is Dream Of You
14. I Get Along Without You Very Well
15. You're The Top
16. Bookends

Wrapping her sweet voice around songs by male singers she admires, Stacey Kent delivers another pleasant and low-key album with The Boy Next Door. Kent's tribute choices range from traditional pop (Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett) to mainstream jazz instrumentalists (Dave Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespie) to the softer side of rock (James Taylor, Simon and unmentioned in the liner notes Garfunkel). With a gentle conviction akin to early Blossom Dearie without the cheeky flair, the album makes for breezy listening. The 16 tracks don't differ enough in tone, making the album a bit too long, but individual moments of warm openhearted excellence make it worthwhile. The sentimentality of "Bookends" or "'Tis Autumn" suit her precious delivery well, while the sly moments of "Makin' Whoopee" feel out of the singer's reach.

The bandmembers stay out of the way for the most part, waiting for their solos rather than interacting much with Kent. Drummer Matt Home's light but lively style is especially accommodating and guitarist Colin Oxley's percussive take on "Too Darn Hot" ends up being the album's greatest moment. ~ Jeff Jeffries

Personnel: Stacey Kent – vocals; Jim Tomlinson – saxophones, backing vocals; Curtis Schwartz - backing vocals; Colin Oxley – guitar; David Newton – piano, keyboards, backing vocals; Dave Chamberlain – double bass; Matt Home - drums.

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