Chris Rea - La Passione (1996) {Japan 1st Press} CD-Rip

La Passione is a novelty in the Chris Rea catalog, but a nice one at that. It’s a film soundtrack to a film he wrote but it sounds like a musical at times. With orchestral string movements mixed between familiar sounding Rea songs the overall is a relaxing lounge affair that even has guest vocals from the legendary Shirley Bassey on two numbers, making one a duet. It’s funny hearing Rea’s bluesy growl amid a sixties style orchestral sweep and although he’s no Tony Bennet it’s still pleasant. If you prefer the more pop/rock Rea then this is not the place to go but if like the cinematic atmosphere then it’s a nice detour and one of the strongest of his nineties albums. It’s not essential but it’s still rewarding as an album in its own right. The film on the other hand ended up being a disappointment for Rea who spent the entire time fighting heavy handed Warner management pressure that was mainly the result of misunderstanding on their own part.