Sinatra and Jenkins at their dramatic best
Jon Warshawsky | San Diego, CA USA | 11/13/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Among Sinatra's favored arrangers -- the legendary Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Axel Stordahl and others -- Gordon Jenkins seems to take a few more critical blows than the others. Jenkins favors curtains of strings, lending a melancholy backdrop to Sinatra's vocals that contrasts sharply with Riddle's lighter woodwinds and reeds and May's fast brass. While Riddle and May are undoubtedly better arrangers, Sinatra clearly preferred Jenkins when he wanted to record albums of torch songs and dramatic loneliness, and this album especially bears out the singer's wisdom when it came to orchestration.This is an immensely rewarding album to listen to, in part because it was Sinatra's first stereo recording -- and very nicely engineered (the more famous 'Come Fly with Me' is almost bombastic in comparison, due to the overemphasized channel separation.) The title track is magnificent. 'Maybe You'll Be There' finds Sinatra's voice complementing Jenkins' lush strings to perfection. 'I'm a Fool to Want You' simply aches. 'Where is the One?' is especially fine, with a lyric that never fails to put a lump in my throat: "The journey's long, much longer than I reckoned. In any throng, I'd know her in a second." Perfect rhyme, perfect timing -- and set like a diamond among Jenkins' golden string section.There are other Sinatra albums that are more accessible, or popular in their style. While not all of the Sinatra/Jenkins recordings are this good, the artistry is without peer, and the intricacies of 'Where Are You?' make it extremely rewarding for those who share Sinatra's fascination with the brooding side of the lonely heart. Strongly recommended."
A Great Companion To "Songs for Only The Lonely"
Chris Walter | Modesto, CA | 11/09/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I just received this CD and am on my third consecutive listen. This is GREAT stuff. The album fits in perfectly with Songs For Only The Lonely and In The Wee Small Hours. The only thing missing is the sound of the ice-cubes tinkling in Frank's half-empty glass of bourbon..."