47 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, June 27, 2003
This review is from: Columbia Years: 1943-1952 (Audio CD)
Frank Sinatra's solo career can easily be divided into four major periods, each covered by one or two definitive box sets: the Columbia Years, the Capitol years, and the Reprise years. Of the three, the Columbia recordings, his earliest solo recordings, always struck me as the least interesting period. As a result, this was the last of his "complete" box sets that I picked up. Until now, I had settled for the four-CD abreviated set, The Best of the Columbia Years. Being the shameless completist I am, however, I finally closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and forked over the 200 bucks for this box set. Was it worth it? Absolutely!
The packaging of this set is wonderful, easily the surpassing that of the Concepts and Complete Reprise Studio Recordings sets. Since this box was released in the early '90s, we have the music packaged in 12 jewel cases (say what you will about today's extravagant packaging, the immortal jewel case is still the most practical packaging method) and is accompanied by a hardcover book which gives wonderfully detailed session information. This alone would make this box set a treasure chest for the Sinatra collector. It also boasts wonderfully remastered sound, not noticeably improved by subsequent late-90s remasterings of some of this material. The sound here is about as good as it gets. Now to the music itself....
I must stand by my prevoius opinion of Sinatra's Columbia recordings. They are definitely the most dated and least interesting of his career. That doesn't mean they're bad, though. The Voice is there. Like another teen idol who would rise to superstardom in the 1950s, Frank can take even the worst dreck (ie. "Mam'selle", "The Tennessee Newsboy") soar with his incredible singing. And this is where the main problem lies. Under the mismanagement of Columbia uberproducer Mitch Miller, Sinatra was subjected to some of the worse material written in the 1940s and early 1950s. And it's all hear in its bleeding eardrum glory. Of course, there are also many, many great songs with great performances. Two versions of the immortal "Nancy (with the Smiling Face)", the stunning patriotic recitation "The House I Live In", and the early swinger "Saturday Night (is the Loneliest Night of the Week)" just to name a few.
Other notable performances are a strong early recording of "Soliloquy" (re-recorded by Sinatra in 1963) and a surprisingly strong "The Birth of the Blues" from one of his last Columbia sessions.
Do not expect to hear the classic swinging Sinatra of the '50s and '60s in this collection. The vast majority of these recordings are standard 1940's-era big band balladry which serve to date this box set much more than other Sinatra collections. It's not until discs 11 and 12 where we start to hear what Sinatra will give the world during the Capitol years of the 1950s.
This is definitely NOT a set for someone just getting into Sinatra. Newcomers to his Columbia music will be better served by either the 4-CD Best of the Columbia Years or the new "remastered" (but doncha believe it) single-disc Essential Frank Sinatra (The Columbia Years).
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
essential Sinatra, June 7, 2001
This review is from: Columbia Years: 1943-1952 (Audio CD)
Since Sinatra's death I have really grown to appreciate his music and started collecting everything I could..first the Capitol Concept albums(what a struggle trying to find "Close To You!"),then the Reprise 20 CD set,then the James,Dorsey sets,the V Discs,the Capitol Singles collection and the 4 disc "Best of the Columbia Years"I wasn't terribly familiar with a lot of the Columbia stuff and the more I listened to the set,the more I appeciated the music,,the Stordohl arrangements, the purity of the voice and the overall sound. I knew would have to bite the bullet and spring for the 12 cd Complete recordings. It's the best move I made.The packaging is superb and that book that accompanies the set is oustanding. The information about the recording sessions is invaluable. I have the 20 CD Reprise set and that book is totally inferior to the Columbia product. It sure would have been nice to have information on allthe recordings he made for Reprise.If you are a lover of popular music and Sinatra, I can't recommend this set too highly.Sure there are a few clunkers in there,notably the Mitch Miller stuff, but that voice overpowers the material.I m very happy I sprung for this handsome collection. If you are a fan, you'll have to have this. Sinatras singing and phrasing was never sweeter.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the few indulgences in life with no regrets later., January 30, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Columbia Years: 1943-1952 (Audio CD)
One of the few indulgences in life with no regrets later is buying this lush box set. Twelve CDs with all the studio recordings FS made with Columbia. Included are dozens of tracks not available since their original issue in the Forties. Each jewel case duplicates the original cover art and each disc is well over the 60 minute mark. With glorious remastered sound, this is the most honest and accurate way to discover what the bobbysaxers knew that no one else could figure out.
Frank's voice is strong, but tender, even high pitched. His deeper, more mature delivery was jst around the corner. On these recordings we find a young man with a lovely regard for love and a smooth, caressing voice that keeps singer and listener enchanted. Axel Stordahl's lush string orchestrations are the perfect complement to Frank's voice. Most of the songs are strong, but there are a few recordings on the last discs that reveal why Frank wisely left the label once Mitch Miller took over A&R.
Go ahead, spend the money, enjoy life. Frank did.
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