Recently, I had the opportunity to review the intriguing, experimental Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There. Heading into the experience I knew I was going to be at a disadvantage. Why? Because, while I am familiar with a little bit of Dylan's music, I am very much ignorant when it comes to his life. The movie took a very different approach to the material, presenting us a Dylan that was broken down into six different incarnations, with none bearing the name of Bob Dylan! It was lyrical in execution, if a little tough to crack considering my lack of knowledge in the area.
What does this have to do with Sinatra at the Movies? Do you really need to ask? Sinatra is another one of those artists with whom I have had very little exposure. When I got into music, I was fed a steady streak of Def Leppard, Nirvana, and Metallica, nary a Sinatra, a Martin, or a Crosby in sight.
The same could be said about my exposure to Sinatra's films. I have seen The Manchurian Candidate, and I am sure I saw From Here to Eternity at some point, but that is about it, so I don't even have that to fall back on as I listen to this collection. Kind of makes me a less than ideal choice to be reviewing it right? Well, yes and no. If you are looking for a new take on Sinatra using plenty of examples from his songbook, you'd best look elsewhere. However, what I can bring to the table is a perspective from a newbie, someone who is getting a fresh listen with ears that are open to a new experience. In fact, I had been meaning to get some Sinatra in my collection for some time (my Nana would be proud).
I will say that Sinatra at the Movies is not exactly the best place to start for newbies, myself included. Why not? For one thing, it is not really a hits collection. For someone like Sinatra, I think it would be best to start with the hits and then expand into the catalog. So, perhaps this would be better as a second or third step rather than the first. Still, when it comes to Sinatra, it becomes apparent early on that it is hard to end up mired in a bad chunk of tunes. Seriously, his voice is absolutely amazing, so much so that it is hard to go wrong.
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