I just ordered this imported (EMI International) 21-CD boxed set with all of Sinatra's Capitol Records releases.

Amazon.com: The Capitol Years: Frank Sinatra: Music

I know that Capitol released its own boxed set called Concepts. Most of the reviews I read seemed to indicate that the EMI set was a bit better. I picked it for that reason and the fact that it is still in print and the Capitol set has been discontinued.

I was wondering if there are any members here who own the EMI set and would care to comment on it. I'll be happy to add my own thoughts once my set arrives.

Thanks.

--Jerome

I'm not surprised that no one responsed as this is a fairly expensive set. I ordered it from an Amazon.com marketplace seller for $265.00 and it came in the mail today.

Here is what you get:





There really is a lot to like about this set. You get nearly all of Sinatra's Capitol Records releases, and there are no extra tracks on the CDs. They saved the extras and rarities for a seperate disc (thank God!). The only glaring omissions are Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color, A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra, and the motion picture soundtracks to Pal Joey and Can-Can. I can easily forgive those minor slights.

The truely great news is that the mastering on the CDs that I have listened to so far (Swing Easy, Songs for Swingin' Lovers, and This is Sinatra!) is superlative. I own several of these titles on vinyl and the CDs in this set are very comparable.

If you're a Sinatra fan and have the extra scratch, then I can give this collection a hearty recommendation. It is worth every penny.

--Jerome

What is the wording and date of the restoration on the back of the CDs? There were two releases of these records in the US. The first one sounded fine. The second release was digitally altered. I'm curious if these are different or the same as one or the other of the US releases.

Thanks
Steve

Steve,

This is not a US release and I don't believe they used either of the US masters. As I said this is a British import and the distributor is EMI International.

I know which masterings to which you are refering: 1987 and 1998. I still have a few of each of these (namely Songs for Swingin' Lovers, A Swingin Affair, and Come Dance with Me), and these British imports sound much better, very similar to the 1st pressings that I have of the same titles on vinyl.

--Jerome

Ok...this is interesting. On the inside cover of each CD are the words: Digital-Remaster 1998.

But....I cannot accept that these were created from the 20-bit 1998 Capitol remasters. As I said, I still have a few of those 1998 US releases and some of them, like Songs for Swingin' Lovers, are absolutely terrible.

--Jerome

It still looks like a decent investment, if nothing else.

I'll go better than that and say it is a terrific investment for Sinatra fans. So far I'm more than satisfied with the sound quality on these discs, which is much better than the 1998 US remasters that I have.

--Jerome

Quote:



I think you're right about that! It seems that the 1998 dates are just a coincidence. See this quite helpful review from your Amazon link:

"This box set of 21 CDs is simply marvelous; it is a CD re-issue of the 1984 20 LP vinyl album set of the same name but with the addition of "The Rare Sinatra", which appears for the first time on CD and with added tracks. To me, this 21 CD set is more complete than "Concepts", since it also includes the releases "This is Sinatra" and "This is Sinatra, Vol. 2" as well as other titles not available in the USA. The sound is identical to the LP versions, since they used the same masters. The track "Mr. Success" on "Sinatra Sings Of Love And Things" sounds a little "echo-ey" on both the LP and CD.

If you want a COMPLETE discography of Sinatra on Capitol, then by all means buy this box set from England, and then supplement it with: "The Complete Capitol Singles Collection", "A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra", and also from Amazon.com there is an Austrialian import of 3 CDs which comprise the soundtracks to "High Society/Pal Joey/Can-Can". That should be the entire Capitol catalog as recorded by Sinatra. Others have written about the Sinatra/Nelson Riddle partnership and how it influenced popular singing and arranging so I won't go into that here.

True fans of Sinatra would also own the 20 CD "Complete Reprise Recordings" also known as the "suitcase", the 12 CD "Columbia Years 1943-1952" in the "blue-box", the 2 CD "V-Discs", the 5 CD "Sinatra-Dorsey", and the 1 CD with Harry James. All these would be the entire Sinatra studio recordings from 1939 to 1988. There are others as well: "Sinatra Conducts the Music of Alec Wilder", "Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color", and "Sinatra Conducts Music from Pictures and Plays", which has yet to be issued on CD, but none of these have Sinatra vocals. I hope this has answered any questions about the British Capitol release."

I saw that review and it is one of the reasons I bought this set.

Let me put it another way...I took out my copy of Songs for Swingin' Lovers on vinyl. This is from an early 80s reissue, which I think sounds wonderful. I put it on my turntable and popped the CD of the same title from this set in my CD player. I then level matched them (my phono preamp has an adjustable gain control) and synched the playback.

I honestly cannot tell the difference, and that is plenty good enough for me.

--Jerome

Does it have the synthesized bass like in the 1998 remasters? They took the bass, pitched it down an octave and pasted it back in over the top of the mix. It's on key, but it muddies up the bass so you can't hear the pluck of the string any more. It sounds like an electric bass instead of a standup acoustic bass. That was my biggest objection to the 1998 remasters.

See ya
Steve

Steve,

It absolutely isn't synthesized. The song "Old Devil Moon" from Songs for Swingin Lovers! is a case in point. The bass is clean, tight, acoustic, and musical.

--Jerome

How's this for a stroke of good fortune...



This is the 12 disc set of Sinatra's years at Columbia Records in the 1940s and early 1950s. I have been trying to find it for some time but it has been out of print for a while and prices on eBay when the sets do show up have been pretty expensive. I was recently outbid on a used set that eventually sold for over $200.

I was working at a client today and when I wrapped things up I decided to take a trip to a nearby Newbury Comics to shop for some music. In the boxed set section I saw the Sinatra set sitting there in shrink wrap with a used sticker and a price of $129 on it. I took it to the counter and asked if I could check the disks to make sure they weren't scratched. Since it was marked used they said OK and cut the shrink wrap open. I opened the cover and inside I found 12 CDs still in their original shrink wrap and sealed. The book felt like it had never been opened. Very nice deal for the price.

--Jerome

Are these CDs available to buy individually? (I mean the nicely mastered ones included in this boxset of course).

I do not believe that any of the discs from the Capitol Years boxed set are sold individually. All of the CDs have labels that indicate they are from the boxed set.

I have seen individual CDs from the Columbia boxed set on eBay from time to time.

--Jerome

Bleh, the boxset is just too expensive for me right now, but I'd love some of those CDs...