ALBUM REVIEW: Frank Sinatra - The Voice of Frank Sinatra

    Francis Albert Sinatra was always an entertainer—his first stint on stage began when he was nineteen years old. Of course, that was back in 1935 with the Hoboken Four, a group whose only history is effectively being Sinatra's starting point. By 1938, he was singing on WNEW radio in New York City and boasting to friends that he would "become so big that no one could ever touch him". From there, Sinatra worked his way up from a singing waiter to playing with the Harry James Orchestra to the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, which also featured the rising start that was Buddy Rich. By 1942, Sinatra had gone solo from Dorsey after a bitter legal battle and, allegedly, his mobster godfather coercing Dorsey to drop his contract while holding him at gunpoint. By that point, he was already a star, and "Sinatramania" had become the leading trend for the bobby soxers—he signed with Columbia records the next year. Many single would follow, but Sinatra's first album wouldn't come until this here 1946 release; keep in mind, when I say "album", it's still largely referring to the collection of 10" shellac discs at this point in history. With all of the necessary background context out of the way, it's time to hit you with the simple fact; Sinatra's early material is not particularly exciting. While his voice is as good as its always been and the song collection itself isn't half bad, the reality is that much of it blends together, and I'm willing to blame it more on the album than the genre. For 1946 standards, it was probably a massive revelation, but with 2024 ears, it's just a bit of a harder sell.

    Given the album's short runtime—only eight songs and 24 minutes—it's fairly easy to break everything down in one concise paragraph. How convenient for me! The song selection itself leaves little to the imagination, albeit you can't really go wrong when you're grabbing songs from George & Ira Gershwin ("Someone to Watch Over Me"), Cole Porter ("Why Shouldn't I?"), or Bing Crosby ("I Don't Stand a Ghost Chance With You"). I could sit here and pick on individual songs as bringing down the experience—"Paradise" is anything but, and "You Go to My Head" does very little for me even after repeat listens—but these are the exception. Tin Pan Alley songs, although certainly outdated by today's standards, still largely keep their charm, and it helps that Sinatra's voice layers on it. Frank's earnest performances are the real highlight here. The songs are sung with such genuine belief and passion, most evident on moments such as "Someone to Watch Over Me" or "Try a Little Tenderness", that it makes the otherwise schmaltzy and sweet material feel more human just from association. While it seems that Sinatra's voice would only grow more rich with time, he's undoubtedly capable on this record. Then, there's the arrangements by Axel Stordahl, which unfortunately showcase the most of the album's inherent flaws. Stordahl's arrangements aren't necessarily bad, but they're thin, and almost certainly more saccharine than the songs themselves, or even Frank's performances. Particular standout moments, such the aforementioned "Try a Little Tenderness", have more capable arrangements, but much of the album doesn't go past the sounding nice to the ear point. The musicians play their instruments and let the pretty boy sing, and then they call it a day.

    It's not a failure, though, and don't let my biting comments fool you. For a 24-minute album the year after World War II ended, I think The Voice of Frank Sinatra is a perfectly fine, if completely unremarkable, listening experience. It is by no means unpleasant to the ears, and Frank's sincerity helps to carry the whole thing to the finish line. Even if you find the product insipid, at least you only wasted 24 minutes, right? Sinatra had plenty of room for growth, of course, and it's almost remarkable to see how much artistry would blossom from him in just 10 years time. Undoubtedly, The Voice of... is a solid demonstration of what Frank can do, and his inherent sense for musicality shows just a bit, but there's a long path ahead of us if we want to see the bobby soxer icon become Ol' Blue Eyes. 

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to The Voice of Frank Sinatra.