Frank Sinatra – In The Wee Small Hours (Album Review)

Widely regarded as a masterpiece, In The Wee Small Hours is one of the smoothest Sinatra albums while simultaneously being one of the most depressing. Its moodiness is arguably it’s appeal but I generally prefer Sinatra’s more upbeat recordings, similar to those heard on Come Fly With Me. That isn’t to suggest that In The Wee Small Hours isn’t an incredible album, just that you’ll get the most value out of the album when listening in a reflective mood. 

While I’ve often considered picking up a copy on vinyl, the somber nature of the recording has always deterred me and, subsequently, when I choose to enjoy In The Wee Small Hours, I turn to streaming services and to be completely honest, while I know vinyl aficionados will lament this opinion, the Apple Music stream, an Apple Digital Master, sounds absolutely stunning. The Apple Music edition is smooth and warm, albeit not as warm as vinyl would be, but for a lossy digital presentation, most people, myself included, would need nothing more than this release as it really is that good. 

In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning is a delicately beautiful opening song and sets the tone for the entire album. Somber, yes, but delightful! 

Mood Indigo is a gorgeous easy listening tune that I could listen to on repeat indefinitely. They simply don’t make music like this anymore, do they? Few interpretations live up to Sinatra’s recording, or Duke Ellington’s original, but Vince Jones’ interpretation is one rendition that I encourage you to check out.

Glad To Be Unhappy works well within the album structure, but Glad To Be Unhappy simply doesn’t have a sonic element that will hook you in and become memorable. It really is, pure filler!

I Get Along Without You Very Well is an astonishingly good track. Over the years it’s become one of my favourite jazz standards. As with Mood Indigo, Vince Jones performs the song masterfully with a little more upbeat tempo than Sinatra and who can forget Diana Krall’s gorgeous interpretation on The Look Of Love?

Deep In A Dream is an adequate album track, but it’s nothing to write home about. 

I See Your Face Before Me flows beautifully from Deep In A Dream and is a lovely song in its own right.

Can’t We Be Friends? Is a great song; I love it! However, I consider the Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong rendition to be the gold standard. 

When Your Lover Has Gone is somewhat lacklustre as there is a little too much brooding to be heard and while Sinatra performs it well, it simply isn’t a standout song. 

What Is This Thing Called Love? has a gorgeous musical backing and is a lovely song.  

Last Night When We Were Young is another song that works well within the sequencing of the album, but it’s another tune that simply doesn’t stand out and become memorable. 

I’ll Be Around isn’t a bad song at all. Not a standout by any means, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Ill Wind is an interesting song. I like it, but I can’t tell you why. Is it the song title? Sinatra’s vocal styling? The musical element that is prominent throughout? Perhaps it is none, or all of the above, yet Ill Wind remains a favourite of mine and sometimes we don’t need a reason for liking something, do we? 

It Never Entered My Mind is a lovely song, but simply isn’t memorable and makes me question why an album, with so many non-standout tracks, receives such reverence.

Dancing On The Ceiling is a little off-beat, but the musicality is compelling as is Sinatra’s vocal presentation. 

I’ll Never Be The Same is a beautiful song. 

This Love Of Mine closes out the album nicely but In The Wee Small Hours is one record that I rarely find myself listening to on repeat, for I prefer a more positive musical outlook. 

In The Wee Small Hours may not be at the top of my list when it comes to Sinatra albums that I want to sit down and listen to in a relaxing setting, but I can’t deny that it has its appeal and that based on my mood, my interest in this album shifts accordingly. Is it an essential album? Well, no! I feel it is overrated and while lovely in places fails to be as compelling as albums such as Come Fly With Me, Swing Easy!, or Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back.

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Barbra Streisand – Higher Ground (Album Review)

Released in 1997, Higher Ground was Barbra Streisand’s twenty-seventh studio album and despite selling over 5 million copies, I completely overlooked this release at the time. Thankfully, due to the flexibility of streaming, I’ve been able to enjoy this masterpiece in recent years and consider it amongst Streisand’s greatest recordings as each song is worthy of inclusion. 

Listening via Apple Music, Higher Ground is presented as an Apple Digital Master; a mastering process that aims to deliver studio-quality sound. Even if I wanted to listen to the album via the CD-quality offered by TIDAL Hi-Fi, Higher Ground is sadly absent from that platform but as the Apple Digital Master often trumps the CD-quality stream, such an omission is only disappointing because it deprives music-lovers of experiencing all there is to offer from an artist’s collection. Nevertheless, the Apple Music stream delivers a soundstage that is enveloping, ensuring the album can be thoroughly appreciated as you get a sense of Streisand being in the room with you as the speakers disappear and you’re at one with the music.

I Believe/You’ll Never Walk Alone is a lovely melody-based opener that immediately captivates the soul from the very first note and highlights Streisand’s gorgeous vocal. That said, as much as I enjoy the melody aspect, both songs in their own right are exceptional, I wonder if the transition could have been a little more seamless as it almost sounds as if they are two separate tracks, just  without the 2-second pregap. 

Higher Ground is a stunning title track that is unassuming and thoroughly relaxing.

At The Same Time is a song I love, although I must admit that I would have left the children’s vocal choir out of the mix as it detracts from the musicality. Yes, I acknowledge the connection to the lyrical element, I just feel the mix wasn’t right. Perhaps it could have been corrected in the studio, but the choir’s inclusion simply sounds detached. 

Tell Him (Duet With Celine Dion) is an absolute masterpiece!

On Holy Ground is a beautiful song, but it could be argued that any song would have suffered following Tell Him. It is a case of incorrect sequencing, in my opinion, but I’m the type of person that would suggest a song like Tell Him would be best served as being the final song on the album as to not detract from any other song. 

If I Could is a lovely tune. 

Circle is simply magnificent and while I don’t normally appreciate music for its lyrical interpretation, instead considering the vocal as an instrument, lyrics are difficult to ignore in Streisand’s works as she pronounces every word so perfectly and the meaning behind the song is touching and remains even more relevant today than it arguably did when it was originally recorded. 

The Water Is Wide/Deep River is the second melody on Higher Ground and it doesn’t disappoint. 

Leading With Your Heart is another beautiful, unassuming, song and, if anything, Higher Ground represents a series of songs that are hidden gems and shouldn’t be overlooked. 

Lessons To Be Learned is one of Streisand’s greatest vocal performances. Yes, that could be said about so many of the songs she’s recorded over the years, but Lessons To Be Learned is a sonic joy, with a perfect mix, meaning that I often play Lessons To Be Learned as loud as comfortably possible as well as playing it on repeat. A stunning performance!

Everything Must Change is a lovely song, but there’s a little distortion in the right channel, especially noticeable when listening via headphones, that is distracting to this otherwise exceptional recording. I can’t say for certain where the distortion entered the mix as I question if it would have been overlooked in the original recording process, but the distortive element that occurs around 2:44 and again at 2:50 is also present on the Spotify stream. 

Avinu Malkeinu is a gorgeous Jewish prayer to close the album with, and while I have suggested that Tell Him would have been perfectly repositioned as the final song on Higher Ground, Avinu Malkeinu is worthy of its position and is arguably the perfect closer to one of Streisand’s greatest albums. 

Higher Ground is simply exceptional, without a B-side to be found. Having only become aware of this masterpiece in recent years, it has fast become one of my most treasured albums, for it really is that good. If you too missed checking out Higher Ground, remember that it is never too late to appreciate timeless classics such as this. 

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