"AUDIOPHILE AUDITION - web magazine for music, audio & home theater.
Likes as all youse Dino-philes will soon discover as you imbibe Robbie's wondrously wise words of potent praise for both our Dino gifts and talents as entertainer extraordinare in general, and in his recordin' of the 1960 classic Capitol al-b-um This Time I'm Swingin'," Gerson is a knower and a lover of our main man.
Robbie begins his awesomely astute review by sharin' a bit of the life and times of our Dino and we deeply digs these truer then true Dino-reflections...."he had something unique, coolness. His charisma was significant and followed him in every endeavor." One by one Mr. Gerson offers salient thoughts on just 'bout each and every croon in this ever-cool collection of Dino-croons. It is clear that Robbie as done his homework well in lettin' us readers in on all the huge huge highlights of this most masterful Dino-recordin'.
Gerson believes that..."The re-mastering of This Time I’m Swinging to SACD is flawless," and youse just knows he musta be right on the Dino-mark 'cause his powerful prose is flawless." We certainly hopes that we will have the pleasure of readin' many many more Dino-reviews by Mr. Robbie Gerson 'cause he is truly truly a man in the know when it comes to music in general and our Dino in particular.
ilovedinomartin gratefully salutes Mr. Robbie Gerson for his excellent efforts in the cause of our most beloved Dino and we can't wait to get our hands on the re-masterin' of our masterful Dino's This Time I'm Swingin'. To checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram. Dino, only, Dino, DMP
Dean Martin – This Time I’m Swingin’! – Capitol (1960) / Mobile Fidelity
A very relaxed Dean Martin in a thoroughly pop album.
Published on November 5, 2015
Dean Martin – This Time I’m Swingin’! – Capitol (1960)/ Mobile Fidelity UD SACD 2135 stereo and mono, 34:10 ****:
(Dean Martin – vocals; featuring arrangements and orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle)
Although his career was iconic, Dean Martin will not be remembered as an iconic singer. In the 1940s the crooner teamed with comedian Jerry Lewis to form the greatest entertainment duo of all time. At their zenith, Martin & Lewis was the biggest act in show business, appearing in countless movies, nightclubs and television shows. After they split, Martin became a film star and hosted a successful television show. But, Martin was in his element as a singer. His low-key, self-effacing technique followed in the footsteps of singers like Bing Crosby and Perry Como. However, he had something unique, coolness. His charisma was significant and followed him in every endeavor. He eschewed the concentrated interpretation of Sinatra and Tony Bennett to create a sophisticated, amenable vibe.
Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs has re-mastered the vintage Martin album, This Time I’m Swingin’. Recorded in three 1960 sessions, these are precise songs with a distinctive feel. The opening track, “I Can’t Believe You’re In Love With Me’ contains the essence of Martin’s relaxed style and Riddle’s muscular arrangements. Strings, horn charts and a well-timed tenor saxophone produce a full sound. Taking on “True Love” (performed by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in High Society), Martin adopts a medium swing groove to separate from the “other” crooner’s signature take. Martin’s future TV theme (You’re Nobody “Till Somebody Loves You”) has a finger-snapping elegance with impressive string and horn/reed interludes. Martin (not unlike Crosby) does not possess a vocal prominence like Sinatra and uses his restrained delivery to create his own approach. The orchestra gets to stretch with punctuated flourishes. The music is accessible and mellow.
As with many singers in this era, Broadway songs are commonplace. “On The Street Where You Live” (My Fair Lady) is less a ballad, but more swaying cool. Martin’s vocal licks are subtle and never attempt to outshine the instrumentals. Occasionally there is a slower tempo (“I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face”, also from My Fair Lady) but any overt sentimentalism is avoided. The album is content with its formulaic method. This is unabashed pop music. Martin is effective on covers like “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” and “Someday (You’ll Want Me To Want You)”. Perhaps the greatest alchemy of Dean Martin and Nelson Riddle is the saucy “Just In Time”. Martin unleashes some of his crooning licks against the big band structures. And there is a terrific bonus track (recorded in mono, all of the other cuts are in stereo). “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head” might be the quintessential Dean Martin performance. His vocal phrasing and hipness made this a hit. It was the musical highlight of the 1960 Rat Pack film, Oceans 11.
The re-mastering of This Time I’m Swinging to SACD is flawless. The stereo separation is excellent and captures the pristine tonality of the instruments. Right channel piano is distinct in the mix. Martin’s soft voice is prevalent and not overpowered by the orchestra. While it does not equal the artistry of Riddle’s collaborations with Frank Sinatra or Linda Ronstadt, the production is superior and reflects the high level studio aesthetics at Capitol Records in its heyday.
TrackList: I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me; True Love; You’re Nobody ‘Till Somebody Loves You; On The Street Where You Live; Imagination; (It Will Have To Do) Until The Real Thing Comes Along; Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone; I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face; Someday (You’ll Want Me To Want You); Mean To Me; Heaven Can Wait; Just In Time; Ain’t That A Kick In The Head
—Robbie Gerson
This dude def i nate ly knows his music & WITHOUT A DOUBT digs himself some Dino! My kinda dude! Haha!!
ReplyDeleteHey pallie, likes Danny-o, it is always so so special to read Dino-adulation from 'nother in the Dino-know! Keeps lovin', keeps sharin' our most beloved Dino!
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