The singer’s new album is filled with an intriguing range of songs designed to showcase the versatility of Groban’s voice.
This album does exactly what the title suggests: introduces the listener to a range of songs that have previously not been released by Groban – or at the very least very rarely heard.
‘Hidden Gems’ opens with ‘The Constant’ – the only original track on the album. Co-written by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (La La Land), you can get a real sense of the Broadway musical quality of the song. Every aspect is filled with strong musicality and Groban’s vocals really wrap around the lyrics perfectly. But this being said, it does feel as though there is one too many effects that are slightly distraction.
There is a real delicacy and thoughtfulness to the album as a whole – particularly when it includes songs such as ‘My Heart Was Home Again’ that is really rich emotionally, its minimalistic style doesn’t fail to charm, while his rendition of ‘Smile’ which was originally written for Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 film, “Modern Times” has a wonderful poignancy and sensitivity to it.
Yet there is also aspects of a darker and moodier side to the album as well, captured well on ‘Remember’ (taken from the film ‘Troy’ ) that has the feel of an epic Hollywood film complete with a dramatic climax. Meanwhile, ‘Everything You Needed’ offers a wonderful poetic quality that is filled with contrasts that make it a standout alongside ‘Signs’ that feels more in keeping of what we expect from Groban, mixing a classic element with a more broader sound that soars brilliantly.
On the other hand, because there is such a broad range of genres that are explored on this album, it can feel slightly lacking in coherency. This is particularly showcased in the way in which the album closes with the unexpected ‘Empty Sky’ which is a beautiful uplifting song but doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the album.
What is clear about Hidden Gems, these are all songs that Groban is proud of and by bringing them out front and centre it offers a new opportunity to see just how versatile of a performer he is. It just would have been nice to have a bit more a consistency in terms of tone.
By Emma Clarendon
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Hidden Gems is available to buy now.