In terms of musical gravitas, style and general swag, Peter Andre ain’t no Frank Sinatra. He’s not even a Michael Bublé, but like Strictly Come Dancing in which the pop star is currently appearing (and which, by superfluous marketing cohesion, this album is released alongside), Come Fly With Me kind of sweeps you up and bounces you around a bit. Like a shop-bought cocktail from a squeezy metallic pouch, it's sweet and slightly fake, but it does the job.
With all the very best tunes to watch girls go by – "Fly Me To The Moon", "I’ve Got You Under My Skin", "Come Fly With Me", "Mack The Knife", "You Make Me Feel So Young" et al – I defy you not to hum along. You will, despite your preconceptions about Mr Andre and his alleged fake six-pack, and all the other unfortunate things you know about him thanks to his public personal life that will haunt his musical career forever.
Speaking of those musical associations, I tried, so hard – so very, very hard – not to go down the "Hasn’t he come so far from the lascivious days of 'Mysterious Girl'..." road. But then I get past nine of the 11 tracks on this new album and BOOM: after laying down some pretty serious Rat Pack covers there is an actual. Swing. Version. Of "Mysterious Girl". I jest not. Unfathomably, I am loving it so hardcore I can barely cope. The 14-year-old inside me is hysterically rejoicing even though she is trying to be quelled by the sensible 35-year-old trying to write a judicious review, but I’m not going to lie – this is the happiest I’ve been since I had his topless poster on my wall. The man’s a genius. He has turned the worst pop song ever written into the worst swing song ever produced, but one that is so gloriously attached to our musical entrails, it will strike a chord somewhere so deep inside most women won’t even be aware of what’s a-ringing. By the time I hear Andre seductively whisper “This is my jam”, the last line of track "Turn It Up" (which is coasting on the snazzy toe-tapping vibes of Bruno Mars’ "Uptown Funk"), I am euphoric.
To be fair, this is a new, grown-up sound for Andre, made respectable by Oscar-nominated producer Nick Southwood for this, his first release with East West Records and Warner Music. Let’s not get crazy about the depths of his bravery – it’s hardly a Damon Albarn-deep departure from the norm (the former Blur frontman once wrote a traditional Chinese opera), but I’d definitely download Come Fly With Me to teach my other half how to foxtrot around the lounge after watching Strictly. It might not be legit swing, but it’s got a whole lot of zing.
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