Engelbert Humperdinck – Faithfully

A Legendary Voice Takes a Walk on the Wild Side

Reviewed by Glen Parkes

Now, this isn’t necessarily the kind of album we would normally find ourselves reviewing at Jace Media Music. Our pages tend to lean towards rock, blues, metal, Americana and the heavier side of the musical spectrum. But occasionally an album comes along that demands a little flexibility — and when that album is from a singer who has kept going for more than six decades, it feels only right to give it the attention it deserves.

Engelbert Humperdinck’s Faithfully, released today, August 28th via Cleopatra Records, is certainly an interesting proposition. Take one of the most recognisable voices of the 1960s and 1970s and place him in front of songs associated with Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, KISS, Aerosmith and other rock royalty. On paper, it could go spectacularly wrong. Thankfully, it doesn’t.

Instead, Faithfully is an intriguing meeting of two musical worlds. Humperdinck’s unmistakable, smooth vocal delivery remains firmly at the heart of everything, while orchestration, strings and some seriously heavyweight musicians provide the rock credentials.

Opening with Journey’s “Faithfully”, featuring Journey’s Jonathan Cain and Keven Eknes, the album immediately establishes what Humperdinck is attempting. This isn’t a rock album in the traditional sense; it is a collection of classic songs filtered through the voice and performance style of an artist who knows precisely how to deliver a melody.

“Take My Breath Away”, featuring Al Di Meola, is beautifully presented, while “More Than Words” with Eric Gales gives the project another dimension. Gales’ guitar work provides some welcome grit beneath Humperdinck’s refined vocals, creating one of the album’s more interesting combinations.

Then comes “Something”, followed by KISS’ “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” with Harvey Mandel. It is here that the album becomes particularly fascinating. These are songs embedded in rock history, yet Humperdinck doesn’t attempt to imitate the originals. Instead, he makes them his own.

“Mama, I’m Coming Home”, “Drive”, and “Feel Like Makin’ Love” continue the journey, with Ian Anderson and Bob Daisley adding further pedigree to proceedings. There is an undeniable sense that Humperdinck is having fun with the material.

The guest list is impressive throughout. Sonny Landreth appears on “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”, Rick Wakeman joins “Beth”, Steve Morse and Jonathan Cain feature on “Alone”, while George Lynch lends his talents to “I Won’t Back Down.” For a publication such as ours, those names alone are enough to make you sit up and take notice.

Perhaps the most important track, however, is “Always My Love.” Unlike the covers surrounding it, this newly composed song gives Humperdinck something personal to inhabit. It feels like a statement rather than simply another interpretation.

There is also something rather admirable about Faithfully. Humperdinck could quite comfortably continue trading on his enormous catalogue of established hits, but instead he has chosen to step into unfamiliar territory. At a point in his career when many performers would understandably be content to look backwards, he has created something that looks sideways — towards rock music and a new generation of listeners.

Is Faithfully going to convert every hard-rock fan? Probably not. But that’s missing the point. This is an album about voice, longevity, interpretation and musical curiosity. The arrangements are grand, the production is polished, and the collection of guest musicians adds genuine credibility. Most importantly, Engelbert Humperdinck still sounds like Engelbert Humperdinck. And after more than sixty years in the business, that in itself is something worth celebrating.