1. 	"Brave"   	3:59
2. 	"False Alarms"   	4:33
3. 	"Falling Slowly"   	4:20
4. 	"She Moved Through the Fair"   	4:55
5. 	"Below the Line"   	3:28
6. 	"E ti prometterò" (ft. Laura Pausini) 	3:56
7. 	"The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress"   	3:45
8. 	"Un alma más" (ft. Arturo Sandoval) 	4:10
9. 	"Happy in My Heartache"   	3:08
10.  "Hollow Talk"   	5:34
11.  "Sincera"   	3:35
12.  "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)"   	5:58

Walter Afanasieff - Arranger, Instrumentation, Piano, Producer
Charlie Bisharat - Violin
Curt Bisquera -	Drums
Paul Bushnell - Bass
Jorge Calandrelli - Conductor, String Arrangements
Caroline Campbell - Violin
David Campbell - Conductor, Orchestral Arrangements, String Arrangements
Rob Cavallo - Arranger, Bass, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Piano, Producer, Vocal Arrangement
Matt Chamberlain - Drums
Chris Chaney - Bass
Dan Chase - Drum Programming, Effects, Engineer, Percussion, Pro-Tools, Programming, Tambourine
Ellie Choate - Harp
Carlos del Puerto - Bass (Acoustic)
Josh Groban - Composer, Drums, E-Bow, Piano, Vocals
Jerry Hey - Horn Arrangements
Sean Hurley - Bass
Abe Laboriel, Jr. - Drums, Percussion
Gayle Levant - Harp
Dane Little - Cello
Andre Manga - Bass
Lester Mendez - Arranger, Producer, Programming, Synthesizer
Jamie Muhoberac - Keyboards, Piano
Ginger Murphy - Cello
Laura Pausini - Featured Artist
Tim Pierce - Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Eric Rigler - Low Whistle, Uillean Pipes
Rashawn Ross - Horn Arrangements
William Ross - Conductor, Orchestral Arrangements, String Arrangements
Arturo Sandoval - Trumpet 

Vocalist Josh Groban's sixth studio album, 2013's All That Echoes, features more of the crossover classical music that has become his trademark, while pushing further than ever toward the pop end of the spectrum. This is largely due to producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, Paramore), who frames Groban's burnished croon in sweeping alt-rock arrangements that layer atmospheric guitar lines against grand orchestral segments. It also doesn't hurt that with every album, Groban has garnered more co-writing credits, adding to the intimate and personal vibe of All That Echoes. Tracks like leadoff single "Brave" and the dramatic ballad "False Alarms" bring to mind the yearning uplift of bands like U2 and OneRepublic, albeit helmed by Groban's crisp vocal intonation and soaring, resonant style. And as with all of Groban's releases, he has made great choices for songs to cover. Here, listeners get impassioned takes on such songs as Glen Hansard's "Falling Slowly" and Stevie Wonder's "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)." Though he's known for his mainstream appeal, Groban has never shied away from trying new and unexpected songs, and All That Echoes is no exception, featuring a moody and contemporary reworking of the traditional Celtic song "She Moved Through the Fair" as well as a truly inspired reading of Jimmy Webb's "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress," which turns the soulful ballad into a heartbreaking Broadway-style showpiece. Also adding to the album's quality are guest appearances from trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and Italian singer Laura Pausini. While all of Groban's albums are immaculately produced affairs, All That Echoes is one of his best. ---Matt Collar, Rovi

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# "Mai" (Leo Z./Andrew Sandri/Marco Marinangeli) - 4:35
# "You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)" (Thomas Salter) - first single - 4:49
# "Un Dia Llegara" (Oksana Grigorieva/Claudia Brant) - 4:18
# "February Song" (Josh Groban/Marius de Vries/John Ondrasik) - 5:12
# "L'Ultima Notte" (Marinangeli) - 4:22
# "So She Dances" (Asher Lenz/Adam Crossley) - 4:54
# "In Her Eyes" (Michael Hunter Ochs/Jeff Cohen/Andy Selby) - 4:54
# "Solo Por Ti" (Mark Hammond/Marinangeli) - 3:59
# "Now Or Never" (Groban/Imogen Heap) - 3:38
# "Un Giorno Per Noi" (Nino Rota/Lawrence Kusik/Edward A. Snyder/Alfredo Rapetti) - 5:11
# "Lullaby" (featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo) (Groban/Dave Matthews/Jochem Van Der Saag) - 2:32
# "Weeping" (featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Vusi Mahlasela) (Dan Heymann) - 4:45
# "Machine" (featuring Herbie Hancock) (Groban/Eric Mouquet/Dave Bassett) - 4:54
# "Verita" (Only available on the Special Edition) - 4:01
# "Awake" (Groban/Eric Mouquet/Dave Bassett)(Only available on the Special Edition) - 5:11

Longtime fans of Josh Groban should be pleased to know that the vocalist's third studio album, Awake, features more of the polished, well-crafted, and emotionally grand classical crossover pop he has become known for. In fact, the album is perhaps his most appealing and deviates little from his previous outings. Here listeners get a mix of original songs -- some co-written by Groban -- that trade between more classical/opera-oriented songs sung in Italian and more pop-oriented songs in English. Interestingly, the tracks co-penned by Groban are some of the most compelling, and showcase his knack for a kind of '60s Scott Walker baroque pop meets '80s Diane Warren adult contemporary vibe. This brings up the only problem with Awake, which is that as Groban's music has moved closer and closer to pop, the necessity of utilizing Italian becomes increasingly nebulous. Truthfully, barring any awkward translations, most of these songs would sound fine sung in English and generally come off as very good Italian pop songs. So, despite being quite listenable, from a mainstream pop point of view the use of Italian is great for lending the album a sheen of pan-European classical regality, but in some ways limits the emotional impact of the songs to only those who understand Italian. None of this really matters, though, to fans of Groban, who justifiably respond to his superb technique, silky tone, and bedroom eyes. It doesn't hurt either that he's brought along some unexpected guests this time around in the African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, appearing here on two tracks, as well as legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, who shows up on the angular and half-funky "Machine." It's also great to hear Groban dig into an adaptation of "Un Giorno Per Noi," Nino Rota's theme to Franco Zeffirelli's classic 1968 film Romeo and Juliet. The song, as Awake itself, is a grand collision of pop culture and co-opted classical themes from then and now, and perfectly embodies everything that has made Groban so successful. ---Matt Collar, AllMusic Review

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1. Josh Groban - The Wandering Kind (Prelude) (2:38)
2. Josh Groban - Bells of New York City (3:49)
3. Josh Groban - Galileo (Someone Like You) (3:22)
4. Josh Groban - L'Ora Dell'Addio (3:27)
5. Josh Groban - Hidden Away (3:56)
6. Josh Groban - Au Jardin Des Sans-Pourquoi (3:32)     play
7. Josh Groban - Higher Window (4:37)
8. Josh Groban - If I Walk Away (3:52)                  play
9. Josh Groban - Love Only Knows (4:43)
10. Josh Groban - Voce Existe Em Mim (5:06)
11. Josh Groban - War At Home (4:44)
12. Josh Groban - London Hymn (1:56)
13. Josh Groban - Straight to You (4:10)

Stars hire Rick Rubin for one thing: to achieve a purity of essence. When it comes to singers like Johnny Cash or songwriters like Neil Diamond -- even rock bands like Weezer -- Rubin’s approach feels natural, as he strips away the varnish that’s clouded over the years, but Josh Groban is an odd choice for the Rubin maneuver. Not a singer/songwriter in the classic sense but rather a classical singer who dabbles in pop, Groban doesn’t need to be stripped to his essence because bombast is a crucial part of the equation. Smart guy that he is, Rubin doesn’t eliminate surging melodrama from Groban’s bag of tricks but he does limit and mute the palette, making sure the strings don’t soar so high and that the singer doesn’t bellow. These subtle adjustments, which include hiring Semisonic’s Dan Wilson as a co-writing partner for Groban, wind up having a drastic effect on the flavor of Illuminations, turning it into something warm, burnished, and intimate, a spell only briefly broken by the cacophonic clatter of the Portuguese “Você Existe em Mim.” Its presence is a testament to Groban’s curiosity but Illuminations is best when he plays close to the vest, which means this is another instance where Rubin succeeds by illuminating his subject’s essence. ---Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic Review

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01. Alla Luce Del Sole (Album Version) 
02. Gira Con Me Questa Notte (Album Version) 
03. You're Still You (Album Version) 
04. Cinema Paradiso (Se) (Album Version) 
05. To Where You Are (Album Version) 
06. Alejate (Album Version) 
07. Canto Alla Vita (Featuring The Corrs) (Album Version) (Featuring The Corrs)
08. Let Me Fall (From Cirque du Soleil) (Album Version) 
09. Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) (Album Version) 
10. Un Amore Per Sempre (Album Version)
11. Home To Stay (Album Version) 
12. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring (Featuring Lili Haydn) (Album Version)(Featuring Lili Haydn)
13. The Prayer (With Charlotte Church) (Album Version)
 
Arranged By [Orchestra] – Jeremy Lubbock (tracks: 9, 11, 12), William Ross (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 10, 13)
Guitar – Dean Parks (tracks: 1, 6, 9, 11, 12), Michael Thompson (tracks: 5, 9, 10, 13)
Keyboards – David Foster (tracks: 1, 3, 6, 9 to 13) 

Producer, record executive, and songwriter David Foster has a long history of trying to wed commercial considerations to the lighter elements of pop music, and in young Josh Groban, whom he adopted as a protégé in late 1998 when the singer was 17, he is trying to get in on the classical crossover market effectively occupied by the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, and Charlotte Church (who duets with Groban on "The Prayer" here). Groban has a rich voice that falls somewhere between a low tenor and a high baritone, and Foster has here crafted or commissioned music that will sound classical to the ears of non-classical fans, much of it with lyrics in Italian to complete the effect. "Gira con Me," for example, is a slow ballad that sounds like it may have escaped from a minor opera, but in fact was composed by Foster and songwriter/producer Walter Afanasieff (best-known for his work with Mariah Carey). Groban is also given some ballads in English, with songwriting credits that include such Southern California pop-meisters as Richard Marx, Albert Hammond, Carole Bayer Sager, and Foster's wife, Linda Thompson. The result is an ersatz classical crossover record that won't fool the experts but easily could find its way into households that welcome Celine Dion and other sub-operatic emoters of her ilk. Groban is certainly not to be blamed for taking his chances with Foster instead of staying in college or pursuing a classical career, and his first album is enjoyable even if it doesn't live up to its pretensions. ---William Ruhlmann, AllMusic Review

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1. Silent Night 
2. Little Drummer Boy - (with Andy McKee) 
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas 
4. Ave Maria 
5. Angels We Have Heard On High - (with Brian McKnight) 
6. Thankful 
7. Christmas Song, The 
8. What Child Is This 
9. First Noel, The - (with Faith Hill) 
10. Petit Papa Noel 
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear 
12. Panis Angelicus 
13. O Come All Ye Faithful - (with Mormon Tabernacle Choir)

Vocalist Josh Groban delivers his first Christmas themed album with 2007's Noel. Once again produced by longtime "man behind the curtain" David Foster, the album features more of Groban's dewy, supple vocals set to Foster's cinematic orchestrations. As per the holiday theme, these are primarily classic tunes of the season including such chestnuts as "Silent Night," "Ave Maria," and, of course, "The Christmas Song." However, also included are a few lesser-known traditional songs as "Panis Angelicus" and "Angels We Have Heard on High." Similarly, while most of the productions here should appeal to longtime fans of Groban's particular classical-crossover sound, some cuts like soft rock inflected "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" and the Celtic folk leaning "Little Drummer Boy" do expand upon the Groban/Foster palette in a pleasing way. Notably, also showcased here are guest appearances by country superstar Faith Hill, R&B stalwart Brian McKnight, and perennial holiday backing band the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. ---Matt Collar, AllMusic Review

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