Frederik Doci
Canterina
Blue November Records

Frederik Doci seems like he belongs there with all what that implies. His repertoire is a mix of songs by Anna Vissi from Greece, Bizet and the now-defunct October Project.

The press-release claims "Doci has electrified the stage all over the world with the voice of Caruso, the heart of Elvis Presley and the soul of a gypsy". That's opera in its entire exaggerated splendor. No wonder the genre is seen as a little corny at times.

Despite all this I'm quite fond of it. Because of all its inherent drama and exaggerated emotion. Doci's a fine exponent of it. He has the voice to carry the songs and the sincerity that goes with the territory. Thus we get the Spanish-sung "Corazon de Cristal" with Doci singing his heart out. It's got lovely Spanish guitar and a mood that puts my cynical reservations aside. An old Marlene Dietrich song gets revamped. "Falling in love Again" sounds just as apt when its about a male seducer. "Girls cluster to me like mouths around a flame" he sings. The first of the two discs ends with a October Project's lovely "Return To Me".

The second CD of the set features the song by Anna Vissi who sang in the last Eurovision. There's also a tune by Rossini. The liner notes describes it being about "the succulent madness of lust and passion". With the net cast this wide there's always a risk of the results being too disparate to match, but all of Doci's passion for these songs holds them together. His singing is always utterly entrancing. The genre, whatever it is, is too much, too dramatic, too passionate and so on. But so is opera and that's all part of its appeal. If you like that this is for you.

Copyright © 2006 Anna Maria Stjärnell