908 Frank Sinatra - September Of My Years (1965)

Studio Album - Vocal Jazz

About the Act:

Frank Sinatra, sometimes known as "Old Blue Eyes" was an American singer of Italian-American descent and of huge success.  He is mostly associated with being a "crooner" in that his singing is a smooth jazz vocal style, with swing music, with many film roles, and with knowing influential people, including politicians, but allegedly also including Mafioso.

His career spans from 1946 to 1998 when he died. In that time he released around 60 studio albums, and goodness knows how many compilations. He has been one of the most successful singers ever and reputedly one of the most influential American men of the 20th century.

About the Album:

This album was released when Sinatra was about to turn 50, and came when he was having a resurgence in interest in his music. He released 3 albums in that year.

My History with this Album:

None, directly. I know the song "It Was a Very Good Year", because Robbie Williams covered it on his album "Swing When You Are Winning", which was a somewhat novelty swing album he released, but the album of his I have played most.

Review:

I have seen this album described as a "retrospective" and as a "concept album". I would argue it is more accurately a "themed" album, exploring being a man in middle age. (In my opinion, a "concept album" tells a story). The man involved is of course Frank Sinatra, and so several of the songs are full of bravado and self-congratulation, but not all, and there are elements of wistfulness and melancholy too. In this manner, I confess I enjoyed it.

As a much younger man, I would have professed my disdain at Sinatra, it was croony music for old people, and although I might not have articulated it as such, I regarded it to be "soft" or at least more about style than substance. It felt too slick, and superficial, and was easy to despise, as did most of my peers when I was fourteen. I have since realised that there are things that I like which are equally superficial: Abba, for example, and I realise now that it is more that socially, and musically, this is not music that I resonate naturally with. It reminds me of musicals and 1950s film music.

That leads me to talk about it musically. In fact this is not big band, like I thought it might be, but basically orchestral, particularly featuring strings. It does have kit drums, but the predominant feel is almost classical, very reminiscent of 50s film music in fact. It is still not music "where I live" but I am not totally un-appreciative of it.

Frank's voice is famously smooth, and it is sung mostly as if with a knowing twinkle in the eye. Of course, technically, his voice is superb. I think I was mildly surprised that the delivery is not totally lacking in connection to the words, and in fact on the extended version (which I listened to) there was a live version of one of the tracks where his voice was much less polished, but quite human and real.

So it surprised me that there was substance to this album, and that I actually enjoyed it. Not loads, and I'm not about to shell out for a copy, but it probably helps that I am at the time of life being sung about, and so, finally, maybe I do have something with which I can resonate. There is a sprinkling of honesty in the album that I did not expect, and which I can respect.

6.5/10

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3DdN3GRJj8YS0V0fiyXtbt

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc4NxDAjUWeDQUmYRs3VqQi43pKjIZXZS

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_of_My_Years