Hollywood: The Deluxe EP

Recording information: Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA; Chartmakers Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Daptones House of Soul, Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY; Henson Recording, Los Angeles, CA; metropolis Studios, London, England; Mix LA, Tarzana, CA; The Warehouse Studios, Vancouver, BC; Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA.
Singer Michael Bublé's 2010 bonus material offering Hollywood: The Deluxe EP follows his 2009 full-length effort Crazy Love and features four new studio songs and four live performance tracks. Hollywood offers much to tide longtime Bublé fans over until his next studio album, not the least of which is the gleeful title cut co-written by Bublé himself. Similarly, the David Foster/Jeremy Lubbock/Richard Marx ballad "Best of Me" showcases Bublé's talent for contemporary pop crooning, as does his cover of Billy Vera's '80s hit "At This Moment." The rest of the EP is rounded out with a studio take on the classic soul tune "Some Kind of Wonderful," the melancholy orchestral ballad "End of May," and four live tracks including a performance of the Crazy Love single "Haven't Met You Yet" and swaggering take on the Philly soul classic "Me and Mrs. Jones" featuring a spirited crowd singalong on the chorus. ~ Matt Collar