Frank Sinatra - Best of Capitol Years (20 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Truly the Chairman of the Board

Candace Scott | Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA | 07/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I bought this collection in 1991, I was not a Frank Sinatra fan. I much preferred Bing Crosby in style and substance and just tossed off Sinatra contemptuously. Boy, was I wrong and this collection single-handedly turned me into a Sinatraphile. Now I have over 100 of his CD's. If you don't know him or haven't listened to him seriously, you must buy this record, it will change your life.Prior to buying this CD, my only listening experience with Frank were a half dozen 45's of "New York, New York," "Strangers in the Night" and a few of his other hits from later years. This CD introduced me into the real Sinatra, not the Top 40 Frank.No one has ever phrased a lyric like his man. No one. You feel his pain, his pathos, his happiness, his despair and his loneliness. It is a completely joyous experience to listen to this man sing.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 collection epitomizes his glory years. I also highly recommend the more complete three-disc "Capitol Years" collection, for even more great music."

Frank proves why he was the Chairman...

C. E. Miles | O'Fallon, IL United States | 07/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I still remember standing in the record store flipping through the CD's trying to find something new. I sat next to an older fella at work, who hummed and whistled Sinatra tunes all day, so I picked up this CD.I got it home, popped into the stereo, and Sinatra jumped into my living room! The opening track "I've got the world on a string" grabbed my attention, and still hasn't let go. Frank is dynamite with each tune, and adds his unique style to each song. My personal favorites are "South of the Border" and "Learning the Blues". This was my first real introduction to Sinatra, and for me it was like opening a door to a whole new world of music. If you have never listened to a Sinatra record then this is a perfect one to start with. I have since gone on to buy many more Sinatra albums, but this one is my favorite, and I know that it could be yours as well."

You can't go wrong!

Holly La Pat | Victorville, California | 03/13/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're not sure which Sinatra CD to buy first, this is a great place to start. He really did get his style buffed to a high polish in the 50s, with a perfect balance of swing and romance. This collection highlights the best. I love the craft in the lyrics of songs like "Witchcraft," "How Little We Know" and "The Tender Trap"; the sheer enjoyment of "Learning the Blues"; the great build-up in the arrangement and performance of "I've Got You Under My Skin." I can't find a way to say it that isn't cliched: Frank Sinatra was a master. Just listen and see if you're not knocked off your feet. If you get as hooked as I am, you may eventually end up with all these tracks on other albums and collections, but you'll never regret this introduction."

Whatever "Pluperfect" Means, This Sinatra CD Is IT

Anthony G Pizza | FL | 03/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In his liner notes for Frank Sinatra's box set "The Reprise Collection," author William Kennedy mentioned his "pluperfect" Sinatra tapes, where each song "made you climb the wall every time out." He even mentioned the tapes when he visited the singer after a Carnegie Hall concert, aware that Sinatra's labels had done the same compiling throughout his career.It's hard to imagine a collection more "pluperfect" than "The Best of the Capitol Years." Distilled from the label's 1992 3CD set, it covers a career chapter as musically and culturally important as the artistic periods of any artist or author. Speaking of which...far better writers than I have addressed the musical quality here (among them Will Friedwald, whose essay in the set is essential Sinatra reading). But the sonic clarity, how you hear those precious Billy May, Gordon Jenkins, and Nelson Riddle arrangements, fulfills at least part of the promise the CD revolution was meant to keep. Next to meeting your spouse or best friend, "The Best of the Capitol Years" is one of the finest introductions anyone could make to anyone else. It will begin a deep, rich relationship not only with Sinatra but with, as Friedwald put it, "the three-layer cakes" of classic songcraft from popular music's finest years. HIGHEST recommendation."

The Man With the Golden Voice !

paperbackriter | USA | 05/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A great starting point for anyone putting together a Sinatra collection, "Selections from the Capitol Years" provides a wonderful insight into the career of the 20th Century's greatest singer. What a voice -- tender, tough, vulnerable and honest! No wonder Sinatra's career spanned half a century. Culled from a large box set("The Capitol Years"), "Selections" trims the fat and provides the listener with a continuous array of classics. Highlights include: "Young at Heart", "I Get a Kick out of You", "Come Fly wiith Me" and "Night and Day". Many fans consider Frank's Capitol Years (mostly the 1950's) to be his finest. His golden voice was at its peak and the songs he covered, timeless beauties penned by the likes of Sammy Cahn and Cole Porter, were arguably the strongest of his illustrious career. Overall, "Selections" is a top-notch collection. While Sinatra completists will no doubt opt for the complete "Capitol Years" box set, casual fans will surely be satisfied with "Selections". This is, quite simply, some of the greatest popular music of all time. Highly recommended."

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