Prime Cuts: "Unchained Melody," "Brucia La Terra," "Moon River"
Overall Grade: 5/5
Few modern vocalists are as naturally suited for a project like Cinematic as Josh Groban. Since emerging in the early 2000s with his towering classical-pop voice and emotionally direct delivery, Groban has built a career around grandeur, elegance, and sentiment. Whether performing Broadway material, orchestral pop, or inspirational ballads, he has consistently brought theatrical instinct and sincerity to his music. On Cinematic, he creates the album he seemed born to make.
Produced by Greg Wells, the ten-track collection serves as a sweeping love letter to the emotional power of film music. Recorded in Los Angeles, New York, and London, the album feels grand in scale yet deeply personal. Rather than simply recreating famous movie songs, Groban draws out their romance, ache, nostalgia, and drama. The result feels like sitting in a classic movie palace as the lights dim and the orchestra rises.
"As Time Goes By" opens the album with warmth and timeless sophistication. Groban wisely avoids over-singing the Casablanca classic, leaning instead into restraint and emotional nuance. "Skyfall" follows with thunderous elegance, allowing Groban to balance vulnerability and power without slipping into bombast.
The album's centerpiece may be "Brucia La Terra" from The Godfather. Sung in Sicilian, the performance reveals Groban at his most operatic and emotionally fearless. The orchestration swells with tragic grandeur while his vocal delivery carries aching passion and intensity.
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" becomes a sweeping orchestral ballad filled with warmth and tenderness, while "When You Wish Upon a Star" is handled with remarkable delicacy and almost prayerful sincerity.
The undeniable showstopper is "Unchained Melody," the highly anticipated duet with Jennifer Hudson. Hudson's explosive power pairs beautifully with Groban's smoother tone, creating a performance that steadily builds toward a breathtaking finale. Their voices complement rather than compete with one another.
"Remember Me" from Coco brings one of the album's gentlest moments, capturing the bittersweet themes of memory and family with understated emotion.
"Moon River" emerges as the emotional heart of the record. Featuring a trumpet solo by Groban's father, Jack Groban, the track feels intimate and deeply personal. Groban sings softly and reverently, allowing the song's wistfulness to unfold naturally.
"Against All Odds" transforms Phil Collins' heartbreak anthem into orchestral tragedy, showcasing Groban's dramatic control and emotional depth. Closing with "Stand By Me," he avoids excess and instead delivers the classic with warmth, reassurance, and quiet conviction.
What makes Cinematic so successful is Groban's understanding of why these songs endure. They are tied to stories audiences have carried for decades, and Groban honors that legacy while making each performance unmistakably his own.
