Doc Martian's Lounge: May 2012

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Sinatra's Capitol Concept Albums

This remains one of the best bargains in essential modern music. I mean if there are 5 most influential recorded oeuvres in the 20th century, it'd be Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens, Frank Sinatra's Capitol albums, The Beatles, and then probably Enrico Caruso, with like a three-way tie between Elvis, Hank Williams, and Duke Ellington for 5th most influential. Elvis didn't exactly push the envelope as far as the medium, Hank didn't either, but then Duke wasn't as groundbreaking, except in the overwhelming skill as a performer/composer he possessed. Michael Jackson is up there somewhere too, but while he was innovative and influential, he didn't display the stamina that those other guys had. I mean we're talking a minimum of 100 tracks or so (Hank who died at 30). Bob Wills? Most people don't know who that is. Billie Holiday? Man, I know, but she didn't push the river, even though she made it shimmer like the moon. And me? I gotta talk to some guy about how brilliant Rush is. puh-leeez.

http://www.amazon.com/Capitol-Records-Concept-Albums-Sinatra/dp/B000BWI70W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336813816&sr=8-1