Frank Sinatra
Rarities Volume 2 TIRED OF arguing with the “suits” of the music biz, Frank Sinatra founded Reprise Records in 1961, his own label that allowed him (and anyone else he chose) complete artistic freedom. This is the second entry in UMe’s series of digital releases high-lighting the best of the Reprise years, some classics plus lesserknown deep album cuts. He focuses here not only on romance, but also on close relationships with women: two songs – Nancy (With The Laughing Face) and Tina – are by-name tributes to his two daughters. I Love My Wife and Barbara are for his fourth bride. (Frank loved women so much, he kept on marrying.) Lady Day is an empathetic, bittersweet ode to Billie Holiday. Throughout is that voice in the September of its years: slightly weary, a little wiser, still utterly singular.
Michael Simmons