FRANK SINATRA — Watertown (review)

FRANK SINATRA — Watertown album cover Album · 1970 · Vocal Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
friso
Frank Sinatra - Watertown (1970)

I became a music collector at age eighteen, collecting mainly psychedelic and progressive rock. 'Watertown' proved to be the perfect introduction in my long anticipated (but sadly delayed) venture into vocal jazz.

Thirst of all. I strongly believe this is one of the best records in my collection. I've always loved concept albums, but the combination of jazz vocals, jazz arrangements influenced by modern artistic forms of pop and a legend that makes one of his last stands with intimate and seemingly deeply moving performances is just unbelievable. But that doesn't yet make a record good, the compositions of Bod Gaudio and Jake Holmes are simply great and very sticky in a good way. The production is strong and lively in how it let's all songs follow up each other very nicely, which adds to the concept-album vibe.

The story is about a man living in the boring Watertown (Every-one knows the perfect crime; killing time) whose wife leaves him and their two kids for an exciting city life. The great opening track with it's gangster-like opening theme is a good introduction, but the first real blow comes with the well written en emotionally performed 'Goodbye' ("She reaches out across the table, looks at me and quietly says... good-bye"). The ballad 'Michel & Peter' is moving for it expresses a man's love for his family, a sentiment that is expressed not too often. 'What's now is now' stands out for it's positive energy and strong message, just before the artistic and inventive 'She Says'. The final track, 'The Train', is exciting and strongly emotional because of the strong open ending of the story.

Conclusion. A very moving concept album and qualitative entertaining experience. Somehow there are a lot of songs I carry with me. Five stars fully deserved.
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