Sinatra Swings – FRANK SINATRA*****

Falling In Love With Love/The Curse Of An Aching Heart/Don’t Cry Joe/Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone/Love Walked In/Granada/I Never Knew/Don’t Be That Way/Moonlight On The Ganges/It’s A Wonderful World/Have You Met Miss Jones/You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You

No fewer than three of the Frank Sinatra albums released in 1961 had the word 'swing' in the title. The original title of this LP Swing Along With Me had to be changed because of the similarity to the recent Capitol release. Sinatra Swings includes the British top twenty hit single Granada. (US:6 UK:8)

“This is Frank at the top of his game, singing twelve swinging standards that suit him to a T. His voice, timing and phrasing are in excellent shape, allowing him to unleash some of his strongest moments on record.”

“Sinatra followed the Capitol album Come Swing With Me! with the Reprise album Sinatra Swings - both with arrangements by Billy May. Here there are a couple of wonderful songs - Rogers and Hart's Falling In Love With Love and the Gershwin's Love Walked In - a couple of dreadful songs - Granada and Moonlight On The Ganges - but most are in the middle, nothing wrong with them but not that memorable: almost as though Sinatra was beginning to run out of material, having recorded all the good old songs and there not being enough suitable new ones.”

“There is a self-confidence and attitude on the Reprise recordings that you don't get on the Capitol recordings. This is a perfect example of the later Sinatra. The phrasing is more pronounced and the conviction is more mature. These are things you can only get from experience. The arrangements by Billy May are outrageous at times, but never overpower his voice."

“There is a noticeable difference in Sinatra in the last Capitol efforts and the early Reprise albums. He seems much more cut-loose uninhibited in his singing, much more daring and reassured in his execution. He is now in total control as he records on his own label. Even Billy May sounds a great deal different when ironically he had arranged the final Capitol album.”

“Sinatra is at the top of his craft and this is a great example of his maturing voice. In addition to Frank's vocal prowess, the song arrangements are fantastic.”