It was a terribly sad Christmas for everyone who loved Joe Dolan but he's left us with an album. And, what an album!

You'll all have to forgive my effusiveness here but for me this is the best Joe Dolan album EVER!!

Since I was 12 years old my favourite song of all time has been It Had to Be You, I've collected many recordings of it over the years, some good, some ok, some horrendous. For me, the horrendous ones are the over-orchestrated ones, good songs and good singers don't need complicated arrangements. (Ooops, I'll put the soapbox back now.) Suffice to say, that Joe's version of my favourite song, has a wonderful piano accompaniment and I LOVE IT. Mona Lisa, Volare, Spooky, The More I See You, all wonderful songs that get the Joe Dolan treatment and remind us once more that there was no style that he couldn't sing.

The whole album is brilliant, if you're a Joe Dolan fan you'll love it too, I'm sure. If you've happened on this page and don't know if you like Joe Dolan, or even if you think you don't! - click on the widget to the right and hear some samples. THEN click on the link to buy it because it'll be the best €13 you spend this year. And of course, it sadly proved to be his last new album ever..

In Ireland you can also download from Eircom but you have to have an Irish address.