Three (Now Eight) Upcoming Sinatra/Capitol Titles on MFSL LP & SACD*

Plus (and this has been discussed elsewhere before) that very same band...give or take 1 or 2 musicians...also made Dean's "This Time I'm Swingin'" and Rosemary Clooney's "Rosie Solves the Riddle" (or some title like that). All excellent sounding recordings.

 

Yes, just call me Mr. Flip Flop...I ordered the LP’s this evening.

 

Amazing that I like all 3 of these LP's in mono more that the stereo versions. Regardless, they're all GREAT either way!!

 

For Sinatra's Swingin' Session I prefer both mixes. It's like The Beatles albums, one needs both stereo and mono versions for maximum enjoyment. There's enough different things to hear that both are essential IMO.

That said, I am not at all surprised that Mofi chose the stereo mix for this new Swingin' Session reissue. The soundstage is HUGE, and the balance between the instruments is great. And extra aesthetic points, 'cause the mix is essentially laid out like the photo on the front cover--strings/saxes left, brass right, Sinatra center. (Detailed descriptions were helpfully provided by Matt in post #122.) I wish more of my records were recorded like Swingin' Session. If they do it right, Mofi has the chance to hit this one out of the park...

 

A big +1 on the Dean Martin album, one of my favorites!

 

Wow, thanks! I didn't expect that much detail. I'm starting to think that getting it might be worthwhile.

Does the Walsh CD have a similar mix?

 

John,

By all means, get the album in some form. It IS very well-worth it. It's a fast playing LP...only 28 or 29 minutes. Mr. S does seem at times as though he is double parked on Vine Street outside the Capitol Tower. But this album has abounding ENERGY all over it. It is High-Octane Sinatra All the Way!

BTW, Mr. S is in excellent voice, too!

 

Right, Paul. Which is why I think Will is right that they should have put both the stereo and mono mixes on it.

But, yes, he is in fabulous voice--and spirits!

 

John,

I know you are a mono guy. As you know there are a lot of the Sinatra catalogue LP's that I prefer in mono, too. This one (as well as the aforementioned Dino and Rosie LP's) just sound "right" in stereo for the very reasons Matt has mentioned.

 

No doubt, Paul. And even a mono guy like me might concede that this album sounds BETTER in stereo. But the mono is a very different and still very enjoyable listening experience that should be shared with the CD-only crowd. IMHO....

 

The Walsh is quite a bit narrowed in width. That might contribute to things blending more. It is notably both more trebly and less bassy than the old mix, though I can't remember the particulars. Also, the echo doesn't have nearly the feel and oomph of the old mix. All that said, I agree it's not a bad listen...

I have a few D2 vintage stereo copies, and one (that I played earlier) is incredible sounding. Obviously they're all the same mastering, but there must be a fresher stamper or something. To go along with that (though this can happen with any album) SWINGIN' SESSION!!! didn't seem to have been re-cut at the frequency as many of Frank's other albums were back in the day for some reason...

 

Interesting, both my favorite Swingin' Session stereo and mono copies are
vintage Capitol -D2 -D2. The audio is demo quality all around. I play the stereo copy for recording studio dudes. They get a funny look on their face, like, "how was this possible?"

 

Yes, it's really great sounding - just that one copy is a bit better than the others I have with the same cut. No two records are exactly the same, and if they used the same cut more than typical, I'd imagine that would make for more of a chance on wear on the metalwork.

I think SWINGIN' SESSION!!! is overall the best sounding Sinatra album (in stereo). It's nice to see it and the others coming out on Mobile Fidelity soon, especially the mono WHERE ARE YOU?

 

If the MFSL Where Are You? is mono, does that mean for certain it'll have the alternate Autumn Leaves?

 

The mono (edited take) version is not the alternate - that's what was approved. What's on the stereo versions is the alternate.

 

Yes, if it is truly from the "Original Master Recording" (MoFi trademark).

Correct of course, but people throw around the word "alternate" with different connotations.

Just to clarify: The original (mono) issue of WHERE ARE YOU? contained a version of "Autumn Leaves" which was spliced from TWO different takes. The stereo issue contained just ONE take, which includes the first minute or so of the mono version. Some might call that stereo version the "primary" take, and the intercut on the mono part of an "alternate" take.

It's semantics, but as Martin correctly states, the (edited) mono version was the one selected for release originally. Since the stereo version was not released until about two years later, the intercut was either forgotten or deemed unfeasible in stereo (assuming the 3-track for the intercut was even available and intact).

 

It is possible that there is a mono version of the one issued in stereo.

 

Even the stereo mix only issued on the two-track reel from 1957 still has the 'wrong' "Autumn Leaves" - meaning, it doesn't have the edits that make up the mono approved master.

 

That looks ridiculous. I know that the MFSL banner moves the Jenkins credit too close to the bottom edge, BUT......

 

I really wish MFSL had a less intrusive banner on their covers. I would much prefer a small logo instead of the ugly horizontal stripe.

 

I agree , that really ruins the cover .