Rating:
Genre:
Vocal Music
Release Date: 09/08/1998
Run Time: 40:59
Combining
Frank Sinatra's first two ten-inch albums for
Capitol, the compact disc
Songs for Young Lovers/Swing Easy! not only contains some of the best music
Sinatra recorded, it captures a turning point in popular music.
Songs for Young Lovers was the first album
Frank Sinatra recorded for
Capitol, as well as his first collaboration with
Nelson Riddle. It was also one of the first -- arguably the very first -- concept album.
Sinatra,
Riddle, and producer
Voyle Gilmore decided that the new album format should be a special event, featuring a number of songs arranged around a specific theme; in addition, the new format was capable of producing a more detailed sound, which gave
Riddle more freedom in his arrangements and orchestrations.
Songs for Young Lovers is a perfect example of this. Supported by a small orchestra,
Sinatra and
Riddle create an intimate, romantic atmosphere on the record, breathing new life into standards like
"My Funny Valentine," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "I Get a Kick Out of You," and
"A Foggy Day." There is a breezy confidence to
Sinatra's singing, and
Riddle's arrangements are more complex than they initially appear.
Sinatra and
Riddle expanded this approach on his second
Capitol album,
Swing Easy! As the title implies, the record concentrates on up-tempo swingers. Again, the songs were all standards --
"Just One of Those Things," "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams," "All of Me" -- that benefited from the new thematic setting, the new arrangements, and, of course,
Sinatra's increasingly playful and textured vocals.
Sinatra plays around with the melodies without leaving them behind, delivering each line with precision. It ranks as one of his most
jazzy performances, as well as one of his most fun and carefree records.
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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