Album Review: Anthony Callea - Thirty

Having survived the Idol hype and a tilt at dance music, Callea strikes back with a fairly weighty attack on the mainstream charts. Thirty celebrates not only his birthday but a return to the more mature style of songwriting he so obviously admires. With a voice that borders on an operatic style it's hard to see where he truly sits in the music scene so this album still see's Callea finding his feet.

The songs on Thirty are aimed at the heart and it's a kind of fantasy world that Callea creates. The Flame is the most well-known cover here having been a big hit for Cheap Trick. Callea turns it into a middle of the road number while adding little to the original. Where he shines is on the Italian epics, which once again are closer to opera than pop music. His originals are also quite touching and allow him to explore his emotional side. My All was written for his partner and it goes for the emotional jugular.

The move to recording an album for a mature market is quite a sensible move for Callea as there are so many other acts from Australian Idol or The Voice who are having success at that end of the pop charts. If anything, Callea would probably be more at home in the world of musical theatre where the epic style of his vocals would really impress.

Thirty is an album that grabs for anything that may work with a chance of hitting the mark. There are some quality songs here and he comes a lot closer to really impressing an audience that is hard to please with so many choices.