Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality: "A Swingin' Affair" - 1957

I reordered the 1991 "Walsh" cd to match the original track list, before they excised The Lady Is A Tramp. Man.... it's a different record!!

Actually, to be more precise, the edge or bite of the album is more pronounced with this running order and the record becomes a lot bluer. Bluesier.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time (maybe THE most favorite) and I always loved that exciting, out-on-the-town "bite" it has. But it was never full-on bitter or bluesy. There were undertones of that, but it was just one of its many shades, that lay deep down in the grooves. Now, in this order, I feel like that story is more forward. More in the spotlight.

I'm surprised A) that I've never done this before, and B) how much it changed the show and made some of my best musical pals sound completely different. I'm not saying it's better, this is one of my all-time favorite albums mind you -- but this is cool. It's like discovering you're wife is really a blond. Or maybe not. I don't know!

 

A Swingin' Affair! (pre-release song order) - YouTube

 

Quoted for truth, laughing my head off. Norberg NR turkey being compared to Night Train/MD 20/20/Thunderbird the SHF forum quotable of the week. Truer words have never been spoken.

 

Do you -- or anyone else -- have a preference on the song order?

I'm in no position to make a call myself at this point.

 

I slammed this together as a playlist way back when I first figured it out when I posted the photo. You are right, it is a completely different feel

 

Question about: Volume dip during Sinatra's Stars Fell on Alabama ?

@Lord Rocker: “This happens on the Rainbow label UK Mono copies of A Swingin' Affair I own during the last third of this track. Does this happen on US editions? The volume doesn't seem to increase to original for the remaining tracks on side one. Very strange.”

This was once mentioned in this thread:

 

Side Logo pressings at 9 O'Clock were continuations of the 1950's Capitol mastering style. 1963, and the switch to the Top Logo rainbow labels was when the mono only titles went downhill, and the SuperSoaker highly wet reverbed style took over. A change in Capitol mastering philosophy took place in 1963. And continued on until Wally Traugot took over the mastering department at Capitol in the 1969-1970 era. Some history for you.

 

Or Chateau de Mad Dog 20/20, vintage 48 hours ago. Egad!!! Or it's alter ego Chateau de Thunderbird, vintage 72 hours ago. Refined as a hammer over your brain, and subtle as a trainwreck.