Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009

Sinatra: New York

Does a singer really perform better in some cities than in others? It seems an unlikely theory — and a more likely gimmick for putting out a four-CD, one-DVD set of old Frank Sinatra tunes. But the 71 previously unreleased tracks here make a compelling case that Frank never sounded better than when he was singing in his old New York haunts. The DVD is a particularly outstanding Carnegie Hall concert from 1980, when Sinatra was 64 and still, amazingly, in his prime. Less amazing is the packaging, which includes lots of pictures of Frank and his buddies. Hang them around the house, and you can pretend you own a dry cleaner! — Josh Tyrangiel
Price: $55.99 at Amazon