The Boy Next Door (2003)

About this title: 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 ... read more

Tracks:

1. The Best Is Yet to Come [Coleman/Leigh]
2. The Boy Next Door [Martin/Blane]
3. The Trolley Song [Martin/Blaine]
4. Say It Isn't So [Berlin]
5. Too Darn Hot [Porter]
6. Makin' Whoopee [Donaldson]
7. What the World Needs Now Is Love [Bacharach/David]
8. You've Got a Friend [King]
9. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) [Ellington/Webster]
10. Ooh-Shoo-Be-Doo-Bee [Carroll/Gillespie]
11. People Will Say We're in Love [Rodgers/Hammerstein]
12. 'Tis Autumn [Nemo]
13. All I Do Is Dream of You [Brown/Freed]
14. I Get Along Without You Very Well [Carmichael. Hoagy]
15. You're the Top [Porter]
16. Bookends [Simon]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.