Frank Sinatra – Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back (Album Review)

Having recorded 59 studio albums, Frank Sinatra has one of the most extensive back catalogues to explore and while I implore you to take the time to listen to all his releases, outside of his most successful 50s era recordings, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point you in the direction of Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back for it is a recording that lives up to its name. 

Despite Sinatra’s short-lived retirement in 1971, by 1973 he had returned to the studio and was in fine form, sounding the best he had in years. While the orchestral elements are spectacular in their own right, Sinatra’s vocal soars above and beyond the musicality with a mix that is utterly perfect. While Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back may have flown under the radar, especially in recent years, it is one of Sinatra’s greatest works.

Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back, I believe, would have sounded magnificent on vinyl, but there, unfortunately, hasn’t been a vinyl reissue of this masterpiece in decades. Hence, modern music lovers will need to track down a copy on CD or stream it via a service such as Apple Music. While the Apple Music stream is delivered via a lossy codec, it sounds magnificent and if you close your eyes and simply enjoy the music, you’ll quickly forget that you’re listening to a streaming version for the overall recording and mastering is nothing short of spectacular with a warm analog-like soundstage that will encapsulate you in the performance. 

You Will Be My Music is a lovely opener that sets the tone for the entire album, even if the song is a little slow to get started. That said, the closing moments are spectacular, signalling that Blue Eyes is most certainly back!

You’re So Right (For What’s Wrong In My Life) is such a relaxing tune and while it isn’t anything to write home about, it is one song that works well within the creative body of work that is Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back.

Winners showcases Sinatra in fine form and while his voice was a little sibilant on You’re So Right (For What’s Wrong In My Life), it is crystal clear here and is simply beautiful with an impressive orchestral element.

Nobody Wins is easy listening 101; sometimes that is all you need. 

Send In The Clowns (From ‘A Little Night Music’) is one of the greatest songs ever written and Sinatra performs it masterfully. I could listen to it on repeat indefinitely and as beautiful as I consider Barbra Streisand’s rendition to be, no-one does it better than Sinatra.

Dream Away is a lovely tune with a beautiful story to tell. Without a doubt, it’s one of Sinatra’s greatest recordings and is a simply stunning song from the songwriting duo of John Williams and Paul Williams. 

Let Me Try Again (Laisse Moi le Temps) is an incredible song and I don’t know about you, dear reader, but as lovely as the A-Side’s are on Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back, the B-Side’s are simply spectacular. 

There Used To Be A Ballpark is another easy listening tune that, while not a standout, is thoroughly enjoyable. 

Noah closes out the album perfectly, and while it could be suggested that it is overproduced, especially for a Sinatra song, it is thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless and compels me to listen to the album again. 

Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back is fantastic from start to finish; an absolute musical masterpiece that feels fresh and inviting and while it may not be seen as a Sinatra classic, I consider it to be one of his greatest. 

Check out more Frank Sinatra reviews by Subjective Sounds

AC/DC – '74 Jailbreak (EP Review On Vinyl, Apple Music, and TIDAL Hi-Fi)

Few EP releases are as strong as AC/DC's '74 Jailbreak. In many respects, one could call this release a mini-greatest hits had it not been for the fact that the included songs were largely unavailable to music lovers outside of Australia. Released in 1984, US audiences were able, for the first time, to conveniently hear five exceptional tracks that were never released in their region during the 70s. While it is difficult to comprehend a fan's joy upon first hearing this release, one only has to spin the record and turn the volume up to hear just how polished AC/DC was in those early years. It is an experience that must be heard to be believed. 

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Without a B-side to be found, '74 Jailbreak is one of the greatest AC/DC releases and should be in every fan's collection. Yes, the EP is short but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if you opt to listen via CD or streaming services. From my experience, the Apple Digital Master, available via Apple Music, is the gold standard when it comes to streaming and while TIDAL Hi-Fi delivers the CD-quality counterpart, from the same mastering sessions, the TIDAL Hi-Fi version isn’t any better than the edition presented on Apple Music and subsequently, in this case, I prefer the Apple Music edition as it takes up less storage when using offline play as well as being more accomodating for those of us with restrictive cellular data allowances. That said, you can rest assured that regardless of how you choose to stream ’74 Jailbreak, you’ll be hearing the very best sound that streaming has to offer.

When at home, however, I’m fortunate enough to own the 2003 vinyl reissue and to say it’s spectacular is an understatement. Vinyl rarely sounds better than this, although I don't feel that way about all the AC/DC reissues from 2003 as the inner-groove distortion on the Back In Black reissue is infuriating. Nevertheless, '74 Jailbreak has an incredible soundstage with a perfect mix that ensures the bass and drum beats remain prominent, but never overpowering. Similarly, Bon Scott's vocals have never sounded better and each percussive element is crystal clear. If you’re a vinyl fan, this is one record you should add to your wish list, and your collection, as I know you won’t be disappointed. 

Side One 

Jailbreak may not be the first song fans gravitate towards but it’s an exceptional song that has been featured in AC/DC’s live performances for decades; even if it does appear a little self-indulgent when performed live. This studio recording, however, is the perfect opener for ’74 Jailbreak as it sets the tone for what is to come and never disappoints. 

You Ain't Got A Hold On Me has an incredible rhythm, although, I’ve always thought that Scott's vocal sounds a little too thin and forward in the mix. Interestingly, you may notice when listening to Brian Johnson-era recordings, by comparison, his vocals were always mixed in a more central position in relation to the music, whereas Scott's tend to stand out in the mix. It is a minor difference, but a noticeable anomaly.

Show Business is blues-rock 101. I love it!

Side Two

Soul Stripper is a layered and complex wonderland that presents listeners with a massive soundstage. The entrance, albeit lengthy, never gets dull and Scott's vocal entry and presence in the song is nothing short of perfection.

Baby, Please Don't Go is an incredible cover that I’ve always enjoyed. Is it the best version, however? Well, that is, of course, subjective but I can only reiterate that the Aerosmith rendition is just as good and that if you want the purist recording of this song, you should check out Big Joe Williams' 1935 recording. Nevertheless, Baby, Please Don’t Go is the perfect way to close the EP, extraordinary!

From start to finish, '74 Jailbreak is an exceptional collection of blues-based rock and roll songs that are timeless and will remain part of the social consciousness for generations to come.

Check out more AC/DC reviews by Subjective Sounds

Blue Öyster Cult – Self-Titled (Album Review)

Released in 1972, Blue Öyster Cult’s eponymous debut failed to garner initial interest from the music-loving public upon release, but as with many albums that are now considered classics we look back and wonder just how such an exceptional psychedelic hard rock album could have been so overlooked, especially with that stunning ‘otherworldly’ cover art.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Bill Gawlik, billed as simply Gawlik, created the cover art that captivates me as much as the music does for there are so many possible interpretations to be read into the spherical design. I’m fortunate enough to own the Music On Vinyl (MOVLP1546) reissue and the cover’s matte finish is stunning and adds to the tactile nature of the record. The vinyl itself is housed in a high-quality anti-static sleeve, thereby preventing dust from accumulating in the grooves. It is nice to see this small additional detail as so many re-issues are presented in substandard inner sleeves in an attempt to save on costs while charging a premium price. Nevertheless, Music On Vinyl outdid themselves with this release. The record is pressed and mastered perfectly with next to no surface noise and an expansive soundstage that really comes alive throughout the entire album but specifically when listening to She’s As Beautiful As A Foot and Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll as these are songs that, if not mastered with kid gloves, can sound muddy and unappealing.

While this review is primarily based on the vinyl re-issue, many music lovers would understandably prefer the convenience of streaming and subsequently, an Apple Digital Master is available on Apple Music. How does it sound? In a word: Exceptional! As much as I adore my vinyl collection, I have to be completely honest and state that I am increasingly impressed with the  transparency of the Apple Digital Masters to the original masters that are delivered from the record label. In this situation, the mastering sounds identical to the vinyl re-issue, minus the usual warm analogue sound signature of vinyl of course. That, believe it or not, is a good thing for it is frustrating when different masterings exist of a single album. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I just want the original mastering that was intended for a specific album. 

Side One

Transmaniacon MC launches us into the album perfectly, setting the tone, while simultaneously giving the music lover a rhythm to immediately connect with. Transmaniacon MC isn’t the strongest song on the album, but I can’t think of a better opening for a psychedelic hard rock release. 

I’m On The Lamb But I Ain’t No Sheep flows near seamlessly from Transmaniacon MC and is a solid song, albeit nothing to write home about. 

Then Came The Last Days Of May is a sonic wonderland and one of the greatest songs of the 70s in my opinion. 

Stairway To The Stars is a stellar rock song. 

Before The Kiss, A Redcap has some killer guitar riffs, a brilliant rhythm, and an exceptional vocal recording that perfectly suits the song. Before The Kiss, A Redcap is all-round perfection. 

Side Two

Screams is psychedelic gold. 

She’s As Beautiful As A Foot flows seamlessly from Screams with an absolutely stunning drum element by Albert Bouchard. The overall musical style on She’s As Beautiful As A Foot is simply magical. One of the greatest songs on the album and another highlight of the 70s.

Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll has a killer drum and bass introduction that I simply adore and the incredible rhythm and overall performance simply blows my mind every time this masterpiece comes on. A perfect recording!…and, yes, you can hear a correlation between Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll and Black Sabbath’s The Wizard; a song and band which ultimately inspired Blue Öyster Cult.

Workshop Of The Telescopes flows well in the album format but it’s ultimately a song that I wouldn’t seek out on its own for it isn’t quite as strong as many of the other tunes on the album.

Redeemed is a perfect way to close the album, with a slightly more mellow tone, that encourages me to listen to this brilliant eponymous debut again. 

Overall, Blue Öyster Cult’s eponymous debut is a monster of an album and a must-own for all psychedelic hard rock music lovers. There isn’t a bad song to be heard and it doesn’t matter if you’re going for the Music On Vinyl release, or simply streaming this debut, you’re getting an exceptional musical experience that has to be heard to be believed.  

Check out more Blue Öyster Cult reviews by Subjective Sounds