CD Review

Artist: Paul Potts

Title: One Chance

Label: Sony

Released: September 18^th 2007

Official Website: www.paulpottsuk.com  

4 Stars 

Reviewed By: Kindah Mardam Bey 

Winner of Britain’s Got Talent, Paul Potts seemed to accumulate a much larger international following via the internet. Potts audition tape showing a mild mannered everyman slipping onto the stage and pronouncing he’d be singing opera, with a doubtful sideways glance from two of the judges, and then a voice that would melt ice-capped mountains came pouring out of Potts to an inspiring conclusion. Potts audition piece was Puccini’s ‘Nessun Dorma,’ and that video audition clogged up the most popular spot on YouTube for weeks. Is it a case of finding a diamond inside a piece of coal as one judge commented? Is Potts a nine day wonder? I’ll hedge my bets on the first question.  

One Chance, Potts first album, is a well thought out collection of well known contemporary classics that will have his already captivated audience adding this to the ‘stocking stuffer list.’ Considering Potts is mostly an untrained artist tackling some enormous musical feats with songs like ‘Music Of The Night’ and ‘Caruso,’ it appears that although Potts would need some training for certain aspects of singing, for others, he seems to clearly exceed all expectations. The compilation is concise and well put together. Starting with Potts trademark ‘Nessun Dorma,’ the listener gets to hear this silky Lanza-esque rendition of the classic performed with all the heart Potts has to offer it. 

One Chance has the best of everything as Simon Cowell (TV Show critic, entrepreneur, music producer, and purveyor of good taste) has taken Potts under his wing and allowed the ‘the best’ to be at Potts fingertips for his debut album. It shines through as songs are well orchestrated, performances are sharp and the compilation is really sensational. 

Potts also brings his heart to other songs on the collection like ‘Con Te Partiro (Time To Say Goodbye)’ and ‘Amapola’ but it is the REM remake ‘Ognuno Soffre (Everybody Hurts)’ that seems to be his best to offer. Potts seems to take his hard-knocks formative years and transform them into emotive delicacies like in ‘Everybody Hurts.’ Another beautiful rendition is ‘Nella Fantasia’ with a haunting pipe piece at the beginning reminiscent of Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On.’  

Try and get the bonus collection as it will get you into the festive Christmas spirit with songs like ‘O Holy Night,’ ‘Silent Night,’ ‘Panis Angelicus’ and the ever-appropriate ‘Ava Maria.’ Whether you are a newcomer to classic contemporary or it’s simply old hat, I think you will enjoy this collection as it will be the first of many CDs ultimately produced by Simon Cowell to Paul Potts illustrious future career.  

1. Nessun Dorma

2. Con Te Partiro (Time To Say Goodbye)

3. Amapola

4. Ognuno Soffre (Everybody Hurts)

5. Caruso

6. Nella Fantasia

7. Por Ti Sere (You Raise Me Up)

8. A Mi Manera (My Way)

9. Cavatina

10. Music Of The Night

11. O Holy Night (bonus track)

12. Silent Night (bonus track)

13. Panis Angelicus (bonus track)

14. Ave Maria (bonus track)