Customer Reviews

In the Wee Small Hours

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is Frank in his "I lost Ava Gardner" period. Never before was he su vulnerable, lonesome or as brilliant. No one has ever phrased a lyric like his man. No one. You feel his pain, his pathos, his despair and his loneliness on this album. It is a completely joyous experience to listen to this man sing particularly on this moving collection of wistful ballads.

The title track is an old standard, sung hundreds of times by other singers. But no one can sing it like Sinatra, it's as if you are listening and understanding the lyrics for the first time.

Others had greater range or greater voices. None had the inimitable gift that Frank Sinatra possessed and that was allowing you to understand a lyric and feel it deep down in your soul. There is only one Sinatra and this ablum epitomizes his vocal range and showcases his beautiful genius with a ballad.

Listen to "Mood Indigo" and "Deep in a Dream..." they will send goosebumps through you. For anyone who appreciates Sinatra or just great music, this is a must have.

In the Wee Small Hours is a perfectly arranged collection of ballads from the early peak of Sinatra's Capitol era. It is far less devastating than the 'cry in your sleeve' anguish of Only the Lonely and less string-heavy than the classic Where Are You collaboration with Gordon Jenkins. The cover art sets the mood for a quiet, late night listening.

As always in the 1950s, Sinatra and Nelson Riddle create the definitive recordings of great standards. Apart from the title song, itself a classic, there is plenty of substance here from Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen and other composers from the era when songs really had lyrics. Duke Ellington's 'Mood Indigo' gets heartfelt lyrics here, and others like 'I Get Along Without You Very Well' show how completely Sinatra made these songs his own -- he's acting the role as much as singing the song.

This is certainly a 'mellow' album, not the finger-snapping sophistication of 'Songs for Swingin' Lovers' or 'A Swingin' Affair' (both stunning albums in their own right), but thoughtful orchestrations and meaningful lyrics. Sinatra had by this time mastered the art of breath control and could perform the long phrasing on these tracks without chopping up the verses. To see how hard this is, try reciting the lyrics out loud as Sinatra sings and try not to breathe in a way that calls attention to your breathing.

The five-star rating seems moot. 'Wee Small Hours' is a piece of history.

Did anyone at the label listen to this before it was issued? The previous 1991 CD sounds vastly superior to this- the high frequencies are all but obliterated, and there's a strange echo that is'nt heard on either the original LP or the 1st CD. The other remastered editions of Sinatra's 16 Capitol/Reprise are excellent (with the exception of Songs for Swingin' Lovers). Do yourself a favor and pick up the still readily available 1991 CD instead. Capitol, this classic of American popular music deserves better!

As I get older, prejudices that used to prevent me from enjoying many different artists and genres of music are melting away. Case in point: I picked up a copy of the latest remaster of "In the Wee Small Hours" a few weeks ago, and now I'm hooked on Sinatra. Obsession followed, and I'm now trying to put together the best sounding collection of Sinatra I can afford, so I picked up the two Mobile Fidelity titles that are currently in print, and I'm buying the latest Capitol and Reprise remasters.

While I loved the music and singing, I was disappointed in the sound of "In the Wee Small Hours". It sounded like they were too heavy-handed with the noise reduction. In fact, the latest remasters of all the Capitol titles I've acquired so far sound like they have all been subjected to excessive noise reduction that has sapped the ambiance from the recordings in varying degrees. Some suffer more than others. The Reprise titles that I've acquired so far don't have this problem. And while they were unfortunately remastered too loudly, resulting in some audible clipping, overall they sound pretty good.

In the pursuit of audio nirvana, I purchased a used copy of the original CD release of In the Wee Small Hours and it was a welcome improvement over the remaster, although when I tried the same thing with a couple of other titles, I didn't get the same gratifying results. Maybe MFSL will attempt to remaster the remaining Capitol titles in the future, but at least for now, some relief can be had in the original CD release.

Frank Sinatra possessed the great wisdom to see the new LP record album as an opportunity to create a "concept album" of songs all about one topic. In The Wee Small Hours offers us a track set of songs all about love gone wrong and unrequited love. Frank sings with panache and his somewhat deepened voice reflects a vocal maturity that few singers ever attain. This CD proves it all.

The CD begins with the title track, "In The Wee Small Hours." "In The Wee Small Hours" deals with the consequences of a love gone bad--Frank sings of a man who sadly remembers his one true love who left him. The musical arrangement by Nelson Riddle enhances the beauty of this number and Frank delivers this with strength; and the vulnerability in his voice ironically makes his performance much, much stronger and beautiful.

"Mood Indigo" follows; and this song again reflects the usual high level of quality control Sinatra always maintained. He sings "Mood Indigo" passionately and the slow tempo of the arrangement works remarkably well. "I Get Along Without You Very Well" begins with a haunting musical intro and when Frank Sinatra comes in his voice is in excellent form as it is throughout this entire album. Frank delivers this with a degree of sensitivity that I rarely hear from any singer.

"Can't We be Friends" explores the thorny issue of a woman asking Frank if they could now just be friends instead of the lovers they once were. Frank focuses on the frustration and angst he experiences when their love goes wrong. In addition, many people say that "When Your Lover Has Gone" is both an excellent number and a reference to the pain Frank Sinatra felt after Ava Gardner ended their romance and marriage. Frank sings this with the greatest passion and the unmistakable sadness in his trembling voice convinces you he really IS thinking about Ava as he performs this number. Powerful stuff!

"Last Night When We Were Young" again laments a love gone wrong; Frank delivers this number without a single superfluous note. "I'll Be Around" explores the theme of a man waiting for his woman just in case her latest male lover leaves her. The musical arrangement for "I'll Be Around" is played very softly in the background; and this infuses this number with sublime elegance.

"Ill Wind" has a haunting quality to it with its musical arrangement and the incredible pain in Frank's voice; Frank projects the emotional pain of dealing with a lost romance very well. In addition, "Dancing On The Ceiling" approaches the topic of lost love from a different angle--this time Frank fantasizes about his woman dancing on the ceiling as he gazes up at his ceiling after he is in bed for the night.

The track set ends with "This Love Of Mine;" Frank delivers this flawlessly. Frank Sinatra sings so beautifully of how his heart will always belong to his one true sweetheart. "This Love Of Mine" will touch you with its graceful beauty.

The liner notes contain a great essay by Pete Welding. You also get the song credits and recording dates for each song. Larry Walsh at Capitol Recording Studios did a fantastic job of digitally remastering these singularly exquisite ballads.

Frank Sinatra will always remain a legend in the entertainment industry. When Frank sang, you listened--and you listened closely, too, because few singers could ever merely just begin to approach what Frank could do with seemingly little effort. We are all better off for his sharing his talent with us; and this CD will be an automatic "must-have" for Sinatra fans. People who love classic pop vocals and easy listening vocals will treasure this CD forever.

Bravo, Frank!!!

The man never fails to impress, even after being long gone. "In the Wee Small Hours" is one album that reminded everyone that Frank was much more than a one-sided lively swinger. Sure, anyone could turn to "Songs for Swingin' Lovers" (a superb album in its own right and the perfect counter-listen) or any of his more commercial hits in his later years and be mildly entertained. However, Frank showcased his abilities to the fullest with his sad concepts, conveying a sense not seen in any singer before or since.

Every track creates a unified somber sound that perfectly accents the cover art (Frank standing outside alone under street lights late at night, the imagery he popularized). The opening notes of the title song will draw you in and lead you into Duke Ellington's infamous 'Mood Indigo' and the rest is just as good to listen to. The album never skips a beat and there are absolutely no fillers to be found here. The love gone wrong ballad concept may be the case, but whether you relate with the Gardner-Sinatra relationship or not, you will still enjoy the music just the same.

Okay, so Frank wasn't a songwriter, but if it weren't for his signature touch, the mood just wouldn't have had that same feel. The songs simply can't be sung by another person. It's what makes "In the Wee Small Hours" one of the best of all ballad collections by anyone. You won't be disappointed. Prepare for some amazing late-night listening. Although Ava left Frank with sad thoughts in mind, what resulted arguably turned out to be his finest moment.

Thoreau used the phrase "quiet desperation" to describe the way most men live their lives. Frank Sinatra gave voice to the pain and triumphs of so many people, especially during his artistic peak of the mid-to-late 1950s. "In The Wee Small Hours" captures songs that convey their pain with dignity and wisdom. It is almost unheard of that anyone could draw on nearly 50 years worth of classic standards, joining them with empathetic arrangements and stilletto sharp singing to create an album both sadder and wiser; a soft, elegant scream. That is "In The Wee Small Hours," Frank Sinatra's best original album.

Frank Sinatra was a tough guy, no question. Brash, swinging, the consumate king of cool...you know the story. But on this, perhaps his greatest album among a host of great albums, Frank displays a vulnerability that cuts to the quick. Frank sings for everyone who has experienced loss or loneliness. Of course, this being Frank, he's not going to be whiny or maudlin about it. His tender side is still pretty gritty, but even though he's toughing it out, you can hear the genuine hurt in his soul. The title track is a certifiable masterpiece and sets the mood for a blue journey into pre-dawn emptiness. "Mood Indigo" and "Glad to Be Unhappy" are two sides of the same coin...one focusing on the feeling of a lonely man; the other on his thought process. The latter contains some amazingly sharp, wry observations. You can definitely hear the heartbreak in "When Your Lover Has Gone," and the longing in "Last Night When We Were Young." Periodically, Frank picks up the mood a bit, but overall, the sense of loss informs virtually every cut. It's an incredibly consistent and cohesive statement, and Frank's performance is priceless throughout. Nelson Riddle's orchestrations are spot-on perfect and gorgeous, but they never dominate the proceedings, giving Frank plenty of room to articulate.

As the first Nelson Riddle-arranged 12-inch LP that Sinatra recorded (Songs For Young Lovers/Swing Easy is a compilation of two 10" albums), this record marked the start of that amazing cycle of Capitol albums that still stand as the artistic peak of Sinatra's career. This could also be thought of as the first concept album, composed entirely of ballads pertaining to loss, loneliness, yearning, regret, and sadness. (Or, put another way, white blues for the WWII generation.) A quiet, late-night album, epitomized by the noir-kitsch of the cover painting----Sinatra was already proving adroit at exploiting the 'saloon-singer' iconography. So In the Wee Small Hours is certainly pivotal, but also very worthwhile on it's own merits. I might prefer to throw on Swingin' Affair, or Songs For Swingin' Lovers, or Swingin' Session more often (it's hard to beat Sinatra in an 'up' mood), but these are some of the best ballads that Sinatra ever did in the studio. "Deep In A Dream" is one of the finest perfomances of this type by anyone, but it's the cumulative impact of the well-programmed sixteen songs here that is truly remarkable.

Also, it's nice that there are no 'bonus' tracks included. The original 16 are plenty, heard without distracting additions. When I was growing up, we searched for imports of Beatles albums because they often had 14 songs, as opposed to 11 on the chopped-up American versions. Odd to think that shortly after the birth of the LP record, Sinatra was giving people a 16-song album that was also a well-thought-out artistic whole. Most people wouldn't catch on to doing albums this way for another dozen years or so, and even then, most wouldn't succeed this well.

For phrasing, tone control,the ability to "set the scene" and involve the listener these performances cannot be beaten. Sinatra seems to know instinctively when to interpret the music and when to let the let the song speak for itself. His breathing allows him to sing a legato line at a slow tempo that most singers simply could not sustain. This artist really "sings the words". Ten stars!