Michael Bolton - One World, One Love

He has scored nine #1 hits, sold 50 million albums worldwide, won a pair of Grammy Awards and has even collaborated with Bob Dylan. Yet life has not always been easy for Michael Bolton. The American musician stumbled when he began his musical life as vocalist Michael Bolotin and then became lead singer for a heavy-metal band. His fortunes improved considerably when he changed his name and relaunched his career in 1983 with a succession of popular power ballads and r&b covers.

    Still, the heartthrob became what Rolling Stone magazine called “one of the most reviled figures in mainstream pop” for his tendency to remake classic soul songs by beloved artists like Otis Redding and Percy Sledge. Bolton fared better when he stuck to his own compositions—something he has mostly done on his 18th album. For One World, One Love, he co-wrote nine of the 12 songs and employed a refreshingly positive theme. Says Bolton: “People have enough hardships to think about right now. They need to feel good. No heartbreak songs became our mantra.”

    One World, One Love features Bolton’s co-writes with electro-pop princess Lady Gaga (“Murder My Heart”) and singer-rapper Ne-Yo (“The Best”). He also covers Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love” and Terence Trent Darby’s “Sign Your Name.” But the album’s best moments come on songs that Bolton co-wrote with Canadians Nasri Atweh and Adam Messinger: the uplifting ballad “You Comfort Me” and the infectious roots-reggae number “Ready for You.” Fresh and original, Bolton’s latest is--suprisingly--a winner.