Gilbert O'sullivan - Latin Ala G! (2015) [Hi-Res]

In a way, it's a surprise that it took Gilbert O'Sullivan until his 23rd solo album to devote an entire record to Latin music -- not because his music has displayed Latin elements before, but because there were so many times he could've hopped a ride with a Latin craze toward the top of the chart. There's no fashion for Latin in 2015, not for veteran British pop songsmiths at least, but that only adds to the charm of Latin à la Gilbert: this is something Gilbert is doing for the love of it. Although the album simmers to all kinds of Latin rhythms -- primarily but not limited to bossa nova --O'Sullivan remains himself, relying on cheeky rhymes and music hall melodies. The surprising thing is, the Latin flourishes accent his clever tunes quite nicely, turning this into one of Gilbert's most satisfying latter-day efforts: he sounds happy and relaxed, enjoying both his turns of phrases and the soft summertime vibe, so it's hard not to succumb to the mellow good times. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine