This explains why the Canadian singer’s last album, Christmas, did as well as it did. He took something traditional and made it his own, added a couple of new tracks, and sold a few million copies in the process.

To Be Loved follows the same formula, simply replacing Christmas carols with cover versions of well-known songs like Who’s Lovin’ You (by Smokey Robinson), To Love Somebody (by the Bee Gees) and Something Stupid (by Clarence Carson Parks). He adds a couple of original songs and brings in a couple of famous guest vocalists too, like Bryan Adams (After All) and burlesque group The Puppini Sisters (Nevertheless).

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The opener, You Make Me Feel So Young, tells you exactly what the album hopes to accomplish. Made popular by a certain Frank Sinatra, it was a crowd-pleaser. The thing is, after a point, all the orchestras and slick delivery starts to grate a little. It isn’t meaty enough, just a palate cleanser between albums with the potential to stand the test of time. If you like that sort of thing, this is a great collection. Just don’t look for anything other than vocal chops. Think of it as the equivalent of watching a James Bond film — one doesn’t do it for the dialogues.

— To Be Loved, Micahel Buble, EMI, Rs 395. Available at leading music stores.