Definition of Love
The seemingly ageless Hump bills this as his 35th anniversary album, but that fudges the numbers just a bit. In fact, it celebrates the year the former Arnold Layne Dorsey segued spectacularly from rock & roll also-ran to romantic balladeer with his massive hit cover of "Release Me," the record that broke theBeatles' own record streak of 12 No. 1 singles in their native England. The Big E celebrates that moment here with a good-natured, if typically laconic cover of "Penny Lane," the song his own budding success stalled at No. 2. While the remainder includes other standards and favorites from his live act (including "Volare," "This Guy's in Love with You," "Brazil," "If"), the veteran crooner invests himself most fully in the originals (highlighted by the title track and "How Slow We Go," a song cowritten by his daughter Louise) and newer material. The Hump's rock roots are revisited on "Nothing a Little Love Won't Cure," one of four tracks livened by the presence of his longtime touring band in the studio. The singer also puts his distinctive vocal stamp on Diane Warren's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing,"Robbie Williams's "Angel," and "If Tomorrow Never Comes" byGarth Brooks. Kitsch king to some, romantic balladeer extraordinaire to others, Humperdinck delivers it all on this emblematic contemporary collection.--Jerry McCulley