Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality, etc.: "Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely" (1958)

Wonderful, Matt! I've been waiting eagerly for you to post this. Thanks so much. Can't wait to read on.

 

another award winning hoffman thread Matt, your samples and lively commentary are a gas to read and listen to...I may have something to contribute, lemme rummage around...

 

The best FS LP for me......

Evan

 

One of the best LPs of all time, period.

 

Out of the MFSL LP/CD mono copies, I like the LP, it's more natural and open sounding.

The D29 pressing, under the surface noise, is quite good, it has more of the 'puff of life' than the MFSL. If it was in clean undamaged condition, perhaps it'd be my favorite.

Looking forward to the stereo samples, and see of there are any good complete stereo versions beyond the Walsh CD, which pretty much stinks. This album does sound good in stereo, I prefer it that way, added tape hiss besides.

 

Gray label, really? A U.S. pressing? I'd like to see a picture, if possible.

 

Martin, me too! Especially since my vertical text rainbow-label is N1#2 for side 1 and N2 for side 2. This has to be a Japanese, Canadian or British copy if it's a gray label...

 

The D-29 mono was my copy. It's not a grey label. I'll double check at lunchtime but fairly sure it is left logo with vertical text.

I went back and checked the PM I had received from Scott, and it does not specify gray-label, so I will fix that on my site. (He offered "a D29 US mono, UK gray label" and something else in the list, and I let my own senility show through.)

Matt

 

Wasn't the story that Capitol tried a new brand of tape for the recording of this album, making it much more hissy than usual?

Evan

 

All the early pressings/copies I've seen of For Only The Loney were with the black 9 0'clock rainbow label. And don't all the early stereo pressing have phase issues? I think the whole album was mastered with the stereo channels out of phase.

 

I have an old Capitol LP that I picked up used. It is mono and clean it sounds pretty good. I just got the MFSL gold CD and it is excellent. The sound is very warm and liquid.

This is one of my favorite Sinatra lps, it is tied for first place along with Songs for Swingin' Lovers

 

+1. I didn't think a gray label for this existed

 

"It's a Lonesome Old Town," no other issues.

"Spring Is Here" was on SINGS RODGERS AND HART (W 1825) in 1963. (See here.) I don't know if that LP had a true stereo issue. In the US, there was a Duophonic version (DW 1825), but I also see listings for SW 1825 in Great Britain and Australia. The track also appeared on some other stereo LPs (e.g. Capitol-Pickwick JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS), but I'm not sure about dates for those.

 

Really. To my ears, the mono wins hands down. The stereo does have the advantage of making Frank sound like he's very lonely in that big old empty soundstage (IMHO).

 

That could be part of it, I like that slightly cavernous sound on Frank, in this music..

Also, Nelson Riddle's masterwork orchestrations are rendered more effectively. Instrumental textures more apparent.

 

Stereo version only. I'm guessing that the stereo version's secondary status may have contributed to not rejecting the tape stock. Still, it's ridiculous...

 

It might be correct - it's probably not far off if not. I have two copies with the oldest version of the stereo banner across the top - the one that says CAPITOL STEREO RECORD - THE FULL SPECTRUM OF SOUND, all in the same size, plain text. Later, they typeset changed, "RECORD" was removed, and "STEREO" was made large and bold. One copy is an original, the other is a 2nd - no idea if the cover was swapped on that, or an older one was paired with it originally.

 

Thank you...