Jonathan & Charlotte // Perhaps Love

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After the release by the Syco label last year, Jonathan & Charlotte have moved (probably next door) to Sony Classical. So does this move make their latest offering, Perhaps Love build on the foundations of their debut release, Together?

The answer is...we don't really know what to make of the album. Opening with Perhaps Love, a beautiful little, string driven ballad before moving into the well known (Arms of an) Angel. In a first for this album, we have solo performances and the first comes from Jonathan in the form of Santa Lucia.

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from The Phantom Of The Opera gives Charlotte her first solo on the album before the pair join up again on Falling Slowly bringing us memories of their last offering to the table. Next we have the oddity that is You've Got The Love and we say oddity because it seems Charlotte doesn't know what voice to use.

Another solo excursion for Jonathan on the classic O Sole Mio that is delivered with power and passion. Another solo from Charlotte in the form of Caro Mio Ben. The classic Lionel Richie & Diana Ross duet Endless Love comes next but sadly, there is nothing here on the original.

Another solo for Jonathan in Va Pensiero, again, beautifully delivered utilising his voice once more before giving way for Charlotte's rendition of It Must Have Been Love. The last two tracks bring the pair back together though in our opinion, When A Child is Born suits more Jonathan while O Holy Night is more towards Charlotte.

As we said, we're not entirely sure what to make of this album. There are safe choices here in songs you could call traditional standards in the classical crossover genre meaning really, there's nothing new there. But sadly, the attempt to bring well known 'pop' songs over, sadly doesn't work well either, feeling at times, a bit of a train wreck, particularly with You've Got The Love.

There is a positive side to this. Sang predominantly in English this time around, we start to hear another sound from Jonathan. It's a sound of confidence not just singing in Italian, but also English. Sadly though it feels at times that Charlotte is over pronouncing words that makes it feel a little unnatural and more often, more of a pop edge to her voice. Placing both this and their debut side by side, Together is easily the better album. Something's been lost in the year between the two albums. Perhaps Love?

Rating: 2/5