A Man Alone – FRANK SINATRA***

A Man Alone/Night/I’ve Been To Town/From Promise To Promise/The Single Man/The Beautiful Strangers/ Lonesome Cities/Love’s Been Good To Me/Empty Is/Out Beyond The Window/Some Travelling Music/A Man Alone(Reprise)

This album of songs composed by Rod McKuen appears to have divided Frank Sinatra fans as to its merits. A Man Alone includes the UK No. 8 hit single Love’s Been Good To Me. (US:30 UK:18)

“Not only was Frank in excellent voice for this album, but his poetry readings were amazing. Given his acting ability he delivers palpable sentiment and captures the essence of Rod McKuen’s theme of being alone and being lonely, something Sinatra conveys like no other. This is very much a mood piece which deftly alternates song and poetry. Don Costa's orchestra provides a delicate balance of soaring strings and bluesy saxophones.”

“Sinatra seemed to be recording anything he liked in the late 60s and this set of Rod McKuen songs is a prime example. The spoken interludes set a dark atmosphere so this is not for casual listening. Sinatra’s performance is once again perfectly respectable; Don Costa’s arrangements turn back the clock to the Capitol torch song era perfectly.”

“This 1969 offering is something of a curio in the Sinatra oeuvre. Much unloved among Sinatra purists for its alleged mawkishness and sentimentality, it did create a whole new audience for him. The album was largely ignored by Sinatra's traditional audience and only got into the top 30 on the basis of its appeal to the new youth market. Serious critics derided the occasional banality of McKuen's prose, and were unconvinced about the extensive spoken word sections on some of the tracks.”

“For those who enjoy the simple, direct and unadorned songs of Rod McKuen, offered in the simple and direct manner as Frank Sinatra does here, then I highly recommend this album. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

“This album was especially written for Frank by McKuen. The album is not for casual listening, since it has great moments of sadness and disappointment.”

“Squares don't get it. This is incredible, heartbreaking, deep and spiritual. He's in fine voice. He's having a crack at new material. Don't fence him in, just dig it.”