Frank Sinatra's Landmark 1958 Album 'Only The Lonely' (60th Anniversary Edition) Recently Released Worldwide in 2 CD, 2 LP Vinyl, Digital, and 1 CD Packages -- Just in Time for the Holidays! (Review)

Disclosure:  I was sent a review copy from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

Buy the 2 CD Set from Amazon for only $21.54

One of my all-time favorite musicians is Frank Sinatra.  Even though he is no longer around, CDs and LP vinyls continue to be released containing some of his greatest hits, as well as some remastered tracks.  Back on October 19th, the Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely (60th Anniversary Edition) was released in various formats for fans of the crooner to enjoy.  

I was excited when I went to the mailbox on Friday and found my review copy had arrived.  After hearing about this upcoming release last month, I reached to see about getting a copy to review, and include in my holiday gift guide, as I know I am not the only Frank Sinatra fan around.  What is go great about his music is that his career spanned generations and is loved by people of all ages.  My parents grew up listening to Frank Sinatra, and I remember many summer months driving up north to our summer place listening to the different Sinatra cassette tapes my parents had.  And, when I started to buy and start my own CD collection years later, I found myself picking up a handful of Sinatra CD's including his popular "Only the Lonely" one to enjoy.

Do you have a favorite Sinatra song?  While it is hard to choose just one, many of my tops songs come from the "Only the Lonely" album and include "Angel Eyes" "Good-Bye" and "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)".  This evening after I finished watching a Christmas movie while blogging, I popped this new 2 CD set SI was sent from Capitol Records to listen to, and found myself reminiscing about summers in the car with my family.  Oh how we had fun singing these songs and pretending to talk like Frankie.  No one could ever get his voice down right, but it sure was fun trying. And, his songs really helped make the long car rides go by so fast.  Now, years later, as I sit on my couch writing, I am finding myself enjoying this wonderful collection of Frank Sinatra songs yet again, and falling in love with them all over again.  This was truly one of his best albums and one I was happy to see celebrated again -- 60th years later.

More about this recent 60th Anniversary Edition release, available now:

"Frank Sinatra's intimate 1958 opus, Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely, has been newly mixed in stereo for an expanded 60th Anniversary Edition to be released worldwide on October 19 by Capitol/UMe and Frank Sinatra Enterprises. 'Only The Lonely' (60th Anniversary Edition) will be released in a Deluxe 2CD package, in 180-gram 2LP vinyl and 1CD configurations, and in two digital album versions. Starting tomorrow, "Angel Eyes" (2018 Stereo Mix) will be available for streaming and for immediate download with digital album pre-order.

'Only The Lonely' (60th Anniversary Edition)'s 2CD Deluxe package pairs the album's remastered original 1958 mono mix with a new 2018 stereo mix by Larry Walsh. Four bonus tracks from the mono session recordings are also featured, including studio takes making their release debuts: "Angel Eyes" (alternate session takes – May 5, 1958) and "Lush Life" (session takes – May 29, 1958). The album's original mono mix makes its digital release debut in an expanded digital collection pairing the remastered album mix with the four bonus session recordings, while the 1CD, 2LP vinyl, and standard digital album configurations feature the album's 2018 stereo mix. The new edition's audio was mastered by Ron McMaster at Capitol Studios.

'Only The Lonely' was recorded as both a mono and stereo presentation," explains Larry Walsh in his notes for the 60thAnniversary Edition. "The mono was the focus as that was the chief format of the day. The stereo was recorded with two microphones suspended high over the studio orchestra. Frank Sinatra's voice was recorded onto a third track. With the stereo recording being mid-side decoded, the depth of the studio is revealed."

For 'Only The Lonely,' Sinatra recorded evening sessions at Capitol Studios in May and June 1958, joined by an orchestra and his frequent collaborator, conductor and arranger Nelson Riddle. Sinatra delves deeply into love, pain, and loss across the album's songs of heartbreak and yearning, including "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)," "Angel Eyes,"' and "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry." 'Only The Lonely' reached No. 1 on Billboard's albums chart and remained on the charts for 120 weeks. At 1959's inaugural GRAMMY Awards® ceremony, the album won the award for Best Recording Package."

"The ones that stick in my mind are 'Only The Lonely,' 'Wee Small Hours,' and 'Come Fly With Me,' because I think the orchestrator's work and my work came together so well." – Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely (60th Anniversary Edition)

2CD Deluxe

CD 1:  Original 1958 Mono Mix + Bonus Tracks1.  Only The Lonely
2.  Angel Eyes
3.  What's New?
4.  It's A Lonesome Old Town
5.  Willow Weep For Me
6.  Good-Bye
7.  Blues In The Night
8.  Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
9.  Ebb Tide
10. Spring Is Here
11. Gone With The Wind
12. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
Bonus Tracks (Mono)13. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (alt take – May 5, 1958) 
14. Angel Eyes (alt session takes – May 5, 1958) - previously unreleased

CD 2: New 2018 Stereo Mix + Bonus Tracks1.  Only The Lonely
2.  Angel Eyes
3.  What's New?
4.  It's A Lonesome Old Town
5.  Willow Weep For Me
6.  Good-Bye
7.  Blues In The Night
8.  Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
9.  Ebb Tide
10. Spring Is Here
11. Gone With The Wind
12. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
Bonus Tracks (Mono)13. Lush Life (session takes – May 29, 1958) - previously unreleased
14. One For My Baby (test track – June 24, 1958)

Expanded Digital Album (Mono)Original 1958 Mono Mix + Bonus Tracks
1.  Only The Lonely
2.  Angel Eyes
3.  What's New?
4.  It's A Lonesome Old Town
5.  Willow Weep For Me
6.  Good-Bye
7.  Blues In The Night
8.  Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
9.  Ebb Tide
10. Spring Is Here
11. Gone With The Wind
12. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
Bonus Tracks (Mono)13. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (alt take – May 5, 1958)
14. Angel Eyes (alt session takes – May 5, 1958) - previously unreleased
15. Lush Life (session takes – May 29, 1958) - previously unreleased
16. One For My Baby (test track – June 24, 1958)

1CD; 2LP Vinyl; Digital Album (Stereo)New 2018 Stereo Mix

2LP Vinyl side splitsSide A:
1.  Only The Lonely 
2.  Angel Eyes
3.  What's New?
Side B:
4.  It's A Lonesome Old Town
5.  Willow Weep For Me
6.  Good-Bye
Side C:
7.  Blues In The Night
8.  Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
9.  Ebb Tide
Side D:
10. Spring Is Here
11. Gone With The Wind
12. One For My Baby

-----

About Frank SinatraThroughout his seven-decade career, Frank Sinatra performed on more than 1,400 recordings and was awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three double platinum, and one triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Association of America. Sinatra demonstrated a remarkable ability to appeal to every generation and continues to do so; his artistry still influences many of today's music superstars. The Oscar® winner also appeared in more than 60 films and produced eight motion pictures. 

Sinatra was awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Recording Academy, The Screen Actors Guild and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Today, he remains a legend and an inspiration around the world for his contributions to culture and the arts.

For more information about Frank Sinatra, visit sinatra.com.

Social Channels:

facebook.com/sinatra | twitter.com/franksinatra | instagram.com/sinatra