[.ca] Nice N Easy

From Amazon.co.uk:
Although Nice 'n' Easy wasn't designed with the cohesive vision of such conceptual masterpieces as In the Wee Small Hours and Only the Lonely, this "contractual obligation album" is as strong as anything Frank Sinatra ever did. The lightweight title song sets a relaxed tone that's a little misleading--just when you think you can kick back in the recliner and take it "nice 'n' easy", Sinatra plunges off the emotional deep end with "That Old Feeling". It's like waking up from an afternoon nap to find yourself afflicted by insomnia in the wee small hours. OK, so he contradicts himself. The first song is about taking your time along the smoothly paved road to romance; the second is about driving straight into the ditch of romantic obsession--the difference, say, between Mia Farrow and Ava Gardner. From this point on, the album's tone is definitely Gardner. And Sinatra's singing has never been more spine-tingling than on the next three songs, sounding unfathomable depths in "How Deep Is the Ocean", seductively cooing "I've Got a Crush on You" in his lover's ear, and unabashedly succumbing to the delirious intoxication of "You Go to My Head". You can get drunk on this record. --Jim Emerson

Fabulous end of a fabulous era at Capitol:
I own the pre-remastered CD, so I won't comment on the quality of the recently released CD. The music, however, is superb. And fans of Sinatra's entire discopgraphy will find a LOT to like here. Sinatra shed much of his romantic image when he left Columbia and signed with Capitol in '53. Sure, he recorded plenty of torch songs and melancholy ballads, but for much of the 1940s Frank was all about smoochy love songs, and he did them better than anyone. In the 1950s, FS reinvented himself has the swinger who knew what loneliness was all about. Nearly all of his Capitol albums are considered among the best popular recordings of the last century (and certainly of this one...), but the simple 'love songs' of the Forties disappeared in lieu of jet-setting swinger tunes ('Come Fly With Me'), sophisticated passion ('I've Got You Under My Skin'), raw emotion ('Night and Day') or emotional isolation ('Angel Eyes'). Nice 'n' Easy is fascinating because it brings Nelson Riddle's considerable talents to the laid-back romantic songs arranged by Axel Stordahl for Sinatra during his initial rise to stardom at Columbia. The title track is 'new' for 1960, and it works well enough. The balance of the album consists of older material, but rather than recycling old tunes Riddle and Sinatra lighten things up a bit. Yes, some of the lyrics have a 1940s naivete about them ...but the deeper Sinatra voice of 1960 makes them less quaint and more compelling. 'How Deep is the Ocean' just aches -- the ocean is damn deep, and this guy is in love like he's never been before. 'Dream' finds the singer using his voice like an instrument. The whole album holds together magnificently. Aren't the lyrics archaic? With the exception of title track, these songs were written well before 1960, and yes, some of the lyrics sound quaint (or worse) today. But Sinatra and Riddle really work their old black magic and let you lose yourself in the songs. While Gordon Jenkins takes heat for being too heavy on the strings, Riddle keeps things light -- nice and easy, you could say. Is this the best of Sinatra's concept albums at Capitol? Not by a long shot. BUT -- these albums are all classics of a kind. Taken on its own merits, Nice 'n' Easy is perhaps the last of this classic run. Even later Sinatra-Riddle efforts (Days of Wine and Roses, Strangers in the Night) don't measure up. If you enjoy quiet, relaxing renditions of standards, Nice 'n' Easy should keep you listening.

Nice 'n' Easy does it every time...if you're Frank Sinatra:
This 1960 album is far and away the lightest album Frank Sinatra ever recorded for Capitol. Most of his greatest albums were collections of swing music or bar room ballads, but "Nice 'N' Easy" breaks the mold and confirms for those few holdouts who had any doubts that Sinatra was a master of any music style he wanted to sing. These songs are ones that Sinatra sang early in his career featuring new arrangements by Nelson Riddle. Whatever they were the first time around, this time these songs are warm and cheery. I find the differences most noticeable, and most enjoyable, on the trio of Gershwin songs, "I've Got a Crush on You," "Embraceable You," and "Someone to Watch Over Me." The title song clearly sets the mood for the album. The single only made it to number 60 on the Billboard charts while the album hit number 1, but that speaks more to the temperament of the time (i.e., buy the album rather than the single). "Fools Rush In" is another stellar track on this album, but, please, feel free to pick your own favorites. "Nice 'N' Easy" is on my list of the ten essential Sinatra albums you should have in your music library. There is no reason to stop at just ten Sinatra albums, but coming up with an essential list smaller than ten is impossible with this man and his music.

Great record (5 Stars), poor digital mastering (2 Stars):
Don't be fooled by the "24-bit Digitally Remastered" hype Capital is promoting with these releases. Reprise's Sinatra catalog on CD has done a much better job of preserving the sound of the original record, which is closer to the master tape than these abominations. Bob Norberg (Capital mastering engineer) went to great lenghts to supress the tape hiss, which in turn sucked the life out of these recordings. The result is a flat and dimensionless sound as if a blanket had been thrown over your speakers. If you just want the music and care about the sound, then look for a used copy of the earlier pressing of this CD...

Certainly one of his most romantic albums...:
An often neglected and severely under-rated Capitol album, Nice n' Easy stands up well in the company of Sinatra's other, more recognized masterpieces. It's not one of his moody concept albums (which are breathless in their own right), but a stunning collection of classic love ballads performed with full attention and care from the master. Nelson Riddle's arrangements shimmer with emotion and beauty, a perfect compliment to THE singer. Simply ignore any or all who say that this album is "no 'Only the Lonely', ' Wee Small Hours', etc." That is obvious...it was never intended to be like either of those albums nor any other of his concept albums. This is an album for romance...it's "concept" is of love. Rather than shelling out bucks for the countless "greates hits" compilations from Capitol or Reprise, including the new "Greatest Love Songs", go for the original albums. If its love songs you are after...they are all here folks. This particular edition is the "24 bit" version released in 2002. While I've read that some are complaining about the remastering, I found the album to sound very warm and rich. However, I have to agree that something doesn't sound quite right with the title track. His voice seems to be too far in the background at points. All in all though, this is a very minor mention, and the rest of the album is exquisite. Another stunning example of American classic music from a truly gifted artist. Don't hesitate for a moment.

Breathless 'n Deep:
An admired but often lightly regarded Sinatra offering, it in fact is one of his best. Perhaps "Nice 'n Easy" was an unfortunate (not to mention misleading) title. I had never been a great fan of Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is the Ocean" with its 4 introductory question-phrases until Sinatra's breathtaking version. He breaks the first question into 2 parts, joins the 2 parts for the 2nd question, repeats the midway break in the 3rd question, then for the 4th question not only joins the 2 parts but links the entire phrase to the first part of the bridge: "How far is the journey from here to a star and if I ever lost you--" all as a single, seamless, thrilling phrase by the only mortal capable of suspending breathing for the sake of making a point.

• Nice 'n' Easy
• That Old Feeling
• How Deep Is the Ocean?
• I've Got a Crush on You
• You Go to My Head
• Fools Rush In
• Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)
• She's Funny That Way
• Try a Little Tenderness
• Embraceable You
• Mam'selle
• Dream
• Nearness of You \o*\c
• Someone to Watch over Me \o*\c
• Day In - Day Out \o*\c
• My One and Only Love \o*\c