«What about the original soundtrack albums?»
All of these songs are wonderful, but ... when will Capitol finally reissue Frank's great soundtrack albums from the '50s, namely "High Society," "Pal Joey," and "Can-Can"? We get bits and pieces of them in collections like this, but they deserve to appear in complete form, with 24-bit remastering. "Pal Joey" is especially great. Yet the only CD containing all five FS songs from that album -- the ones recorded with Nelson Riddle in the Capitol studios, not the inferior Columbia sound stage versions heard in the movie -- is the out-of-print "Sinatra Sings the Select Rogers and Hart." C'mon, Capitol. Why keep recycling the same stuff when you've still got some prime cuts sitting in the vaults?
[Wednesday, August 27, 2008]
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«fine album of movie ballads--BRAVO, FRANK SINATRA !!!»
Sinatra At The Movies has some great movie songs performed by Frank Sinatra. Sure, they may not be the exact songs sung in the movies--but since when has Frank let us down? The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is beautifully done as well.
"(Love Is) The Tender Trap" starts the CD as Frank sings this so very well; his voice is strong, confident and very vibrant. Frank never sounded better and that's fantastic! The musical arrangement uses the brass very well and that's great. "From Here To Eternity" features Frank Sinatra front and center--and how wonderful it is! Frank massages the lyrics to this tune and it makes for a sublime performance--awesome! In addition, Frank Sinatra does a brilliant job on "I Love Paris." "I Love Paris" is a number I have always loved and I truly believe that Frank Sinatra's delivery of this ballad is THE definitive rendition of "I Love Paris."
"How Deep Is The Ocean" is a classic love song that so many artists have sung; but when Frank Sinatra sings this he really makes it shine so brightly! Frank handles the complicated tempo and key changes like the pro he was and still remains; and the music gets a very sensitive arrangement. "All The Way" has another wonderful treatment from The Chairman Of The Board as he delivers this with panache; and this impresses me greatly. I'm sure you'll like Frank singing "All The Way" if you haven't heard this before.
"Young At Heart" is a beautiful tune with a catchy melody and the strings sound beautiful on this number. Frank Sinatra's delivery is totally flawless--and how many artists could sing "Young At Heart" as well as Frank?
"High Hopes" is a cute number that Frank sings with a darling children's chorus; Frank sings this without a superfluous note and the children's choir was chosen with care so that they could harmonize to perfection--and beyond! In addition, "The Lady Is A Tramp" amazes me as Frank Sinatra sings this like a champ; "The Lady Is A Tramp" is clearly another timeless tune and this is also a major highlight of this album. "Chicago" gets a wonderful upbeat arrangement that fits in so well with Frank's vocals; and listen for "Three Coins In The Fountain;" this song from the movie of the same name really sparkles when Frank performs this with feeling, heart and soul. Great!
"C'est Magnifique" again puts Frank in the spotlight and this love song is truly another highlight of this album. "Just One Of Those Things" features Frank swinging brightly to make this number a wonderful treat with a big band style arrangement; and the CD ends so well with Frank Sinatra singing "To Love And Be Loved." "To Love And Be Loved" is a very pretty ballad which makes this a fitting end for this exceptional album.
Frank Sinatra could sing just about any song; and this album proves it. This is a must-have for Sinatra fans and people who enjoy songs from Hollywood movies will want this album, too.
[Monday, May 19, 2008]
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«Francis Albert Sinatra Remembered »
"Throughout my career, if I have done anything, I have paid attention to every note and every word I sing - if I respect the song. If I cannot project this to a listener, I fail." ~ Frank Sinatra ~
Today marks the 10th death anniversary of a legendary musical icon, Francis Albert Sinatra. This review is my very own way of paying respect to his greatness as an artist, not merely a singer but an exceptional artist at that!
Sinatra's unparalleled greatness as an artist had earned him accolades that he truly deserved, to mention a few - awards from Golden Globe, Academy, Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award, and several other honorary and humanitarian awards. Likewise, he had earned his eternal star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And not to mention the most current honor given to him by the US Post Office - a US commemorative postage stamp that was launched just yesterday.
Released only a month ago, "Sinatra At The Movies" is another great collection of 20 theme songs from various unforgettable motion pictures recorded under Capitol Records. I'm the type of a collector who doesn't shy away from compilation CDs especially if the material is impressive and outstanding. And this CD is not an exception for it represents some of the best songs ever recorded and my all-time favorite Sinatra staples.
This collection starts off with "Love Is The Tender Trap" from the movie of the same title, and ends with "To Love And Be Loved" (Some Came Running). Although I have enjoyed listening to all the tracks here from the various CDs each song was taken from, I still find this CD a worthy addition to my Sinatra collection. A special treat and one of the rarities from Sinatra's body of work is an all-time favorite of mine, "C'est Magnifique" (Can Can). For more breathtaking tracks, listen closely to "All The Way" (The Joker Is Wild), "How Deep Is The Ocean" and "All of Me" (Meet Danny Wilson), "I Could Write A Book" (Pal Joey), "From Here To Eternity" (same movie title) and "I Love Paris" (Can Can).
This is a worthy addition to your Sinatra collection. With my heartfelt recommendation for your listening pleasure forever.
"May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine." ~ Frank Sinatra ~
[Wednesday, May 14, 2008]
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