Didn't know where to put this one... Just got mint copies of the Brazilian box sets Lonely at the Top and The Jazz Sides. Gave them both quick previews. The sound is REALLY good. Plus...a real BONUS on The Jazz Sides...there is some "session stuff" on "I Love You" which consists of chat and 2 aborted takes prior to Take 3. It is in much better sound than the bootleg CD I have from those sessions (which sounds pretty good). You just never know what goodies you will come across in this compilations from other countries than the US.
So, just curious: I was reading on @MLutthans excellent page for All Alone: I can add that my reissue of Great Songs From Great Britain contains Roses of Picardy as a bonus track. I haven't visually checked the track, but it has to be the MONO mix of the song. As I'm switching between stereo and mono on my music system, there is no difference. Was this typical of the Warner reissues from Japan? Did all the extra tracks from this series appear in mono?
Well, at least some were not in actual mono, as SINATRA AND STRINGS and ALL ALONE had bonus tracks in extremely narrow stereo....but still technically in stereo. It's weird, that's for sure. What other Japanese LPs of that time period had unreleased tracks? What years?
I continue to enjoy the journey as I make my way through Matt's tremendous analysis of these wonderful Sinatra albums. As it's April, and because I'm a lunatic, I've loaded up my iPod (yes, yes, I know, ist verboten) with a Sinatra In April playlist. I've been listening to an album that, truthfully, I don't listen to all that often. I speak of L.A. Is My Lady. I bring this up because as I listen to this particular CD, I recall many years ago that the consensus was it was the best recording Sinatra had ever received. Honestly, I'm reluctant to express any thoughts on the sound because I think my lack of enthusiasm for the album would color the whole thing. I realize you're still in 1962, Matt, but one of these days I'd love to hear your take on L.A. And if anybody else wants to throw their two cents in, that'd be a gas.
LA was a rush job of something that could have turned out much better all the way around. Mr. S was not fond of it and publicly spoke of it with Larry King. Sounds nice to me but I have a Japanese HQ vinyl copy.
One thing that is a big turn-off for me about LA Is My Lady, is Frank singing, at points, like a randy senior citizen, whose frontal-lobe functioning is gone. It's embarrassing when your Dad or Uncle or Grandfather does it, and it's the same when done by Francis Albert. Teach Me Tonight is cringe-worthy at times - and I really like that song [the Mills Brothers two versions are definitive]. Frank was way too old to play Pass The Salami by this time.
Yes. L.A. Is My Lady also has some weird production decisions, like added synths to the end of Teach Me Tonight and just an overall uninteresting sound-scape. It's not a dynamic record. Also, I think there are synths on Stormy Weather. Urgh. Orchestrations are wonky, throughout. And Frank just sounded tired on most of those tracks. BUT, After You've Gone is just magical. Lionel Hampton quoting his vibraphone solo off of his recording of Moonglow with the BG Quartet in 1937 is splendid. And so is George Benson's guitar solo. How Do You Keep The Music Playing is also commendable. Sinatra wouldn't nail Mack the Knife in the studio, although there are many awesome live versions worth seeking out. Personally, I seek out recordings from the 1984 tour because I like to hear unfettered versions of songs like Stormy Weather. Sounds much better live, even if I'm listening to an audience recording.
Agreed. He definitely did these songs better live, at least in my opinion. I wish I could agree. The sense I've always after listening to it is, "Damnit, if he JUST had a better arrangement of this song he'd knock it out of the park." His interpretation is right on the money but I think the chintzy arrangement isn't giving him what he's looking for. Another instance of Don Costa being missed. I think this sums up my feelings. There are moments where I'm feeling this dynamite band---what a freakin lineup---and then moments where I'm wondering why they sound...I don't know if flat is the right word, but something seems to be missing. And yeah, Sinatra sounds tired---although I'm less sure that's due to the recording dynamics as opposed to the fact that he often seems like a guest on his own recording.
That seems to happen with "All Star" musical line-ups too often - playing things a little safe, not really catching fire like if any of those stars were leading as they would in more typical settings. Like in many of those ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME award ceremonies where they all get on stage and perform together at the end of the show. It should be great on paper, though it's merely good more often than not. I find the results from the first recording session for the album to be very good. The other two(?) sessions are just OK...nothing bad, though overall not spectacular. Re the sound...as Matt notes above, it's done "modern" style. For that sort of recording, I think it sounds fine, though my preference is for the older "Capitol" style of mostly sectional mic-ing, with some closer mics just as really needed. When comparing them in the past, I remember the LP sounding better than what's on the 20 disc set, though I like Frank's '86 redo of his vocal for "Mack the Knife" better, which is CD only.
True and I forgot about that...thanks Ron. I'd imagine that set is just CD masters cut to vinyl though...
Well, I still have literally never heard this album, aside from seeing the "video album" or some such thing on (IIRC) HBO a couple of times about 30 years ago. Can't say I was all that impressed, but I'm also 30 years wiser (or at least older) now, so who knows? A few years ago, I did buy a sealed original LP, but have still yet to pop the seal and play the danged thing. Sorry, @paulmock ! One of these days....
One of these days when there are absolutely no possibly "different" copies of Only the Lonely left for you to buy.
I have had this LP for years, played it, maybe twice. I never see it in Discographies, but, I see "Gunga Din " all the time. Anyone know the story behind this
Loved this post. So true. I recently received a copy of the Australian LP, The Rarities Volume 2 (I know, it's Capitol), shattered into many pieces. The package looked like a packing crate had fallen edge first longwise across the middle. Although quite demoralized, I appreciated the irony of the LP's title and reflected that it would be a LONG time before I found another copy. It took less than two weeks. Also, a few weeks after I'd thrown the broken LP out, I saw a website where a guy makes drink coasters out of the label areas of LPs. The label on my broken copy had been intact... Luckily, I received an intact copy of the mono WLP FA&EK yesterday. I've been looking for that LP since I first read this thread, at least two years ago. Would have been devastated if that one had been damaged in transit. My turntable is still packed in the mover's shipment so at this point I can only hope the LP plays well.
Regarding this picture: Same outfit? According to the caption, that photo of Frank & Frank Jr. is from the first Reprise/Sinatra session, if that matters, December 19, 1960. Another:
Looks to be Felix Slatkin sitting on the floor. Is that maybe the session at Sound Enterprise, for "The Last Dance"/"The Second Time Around"/"Tina"? Due to Nelson Riddle being under contract with Capitol, Felix was credited with the arrangements for those songs in the past, even though Nelson wrote them. It's been said (even by me) that Frank recorded those songs at Sound Enterprise because it was a place Nelson would be able to conduct that wasn't high profile like United. *If* this picture is of that session, I wonder if Felix actually conducted it, with maybe Nelson there without handling the baton?
Well Sept of My Years is an obvious choice. It is clearly more specific of a concept than any Capital album other than Come Fly with Me. I think Ol Blue Eyes is Back is highly underrated. Its much more consistent than people realize and it's feels very natural. I think its version of Send in the Clownsis better than the narrated intro version on the box set.
I always looked at LLIML as Sinatra's last album. Duets to me is a cash in, a abomination of the highest by his son. That album should have never been made, the man's voice was in such bad shape that a Fairlight was used to keep him in key. If you think that Sinatra sings "like a randy senior citizen, whose frontal-lobe functioning is gone" wait until you hear "Solos". "Solos" is a bootleg CD derived from the UN-doctored/UN-touched master-tapes from the "Duets" sessions that will make you cringe. There is no Kenny G, no Buffet, no Streisand, no Bono, no late 80's-early 90's hacks from the "where are they now" column. The only singer heard is Francis Albert Sinatra crooning off key like a tired old man at a karaoke bar after one too many, it's sad but true. You can see why the other singers were used, to cover up parts where either Sinatra's voice is cracking, or slurring words. After the whole Duets/Solos debacle, I welcome LA Is My Lady with open arms.
It's freaking hysterical, I as PO'ed that it was left off the box. I wonder if it was payback for the whole "On The Road To Mandalay" brouhaha in the UK where FS had problems with the Kipling estate. If you never heard it, Sinatra reads the first two lines of the poem and then (cue to :40) Then FS reads the last line to more bugles and gunshots.
