friso Frank Sinatra - No one cares (1959) * my first review for jazzmusicarchives

'No one cares' is the second low-paced, bluesy, all-ballad string-album of Frank Sinatra and conductor Gordon Jenkins. After the succes of 'Where are you' (1957) and 'Only the Lonely' (1958) with Nelson Riddle yet a third album of this kind was released between the otherwise up-tempo brass arranged albums of the Capital period.

One can't help to be bit amazed about the magical environment that is your living-room whilst playing a record like this. The string arrangements, backed up by bass an chords-guitar sound great, even though this is a mono-recording from '59. Because of lack of drums, there is a more intimate sound to this album, even though the string-arrangements sound grotesque. Frank Sinatra is his prime and shines especially on the moments on which he interprets bluesy lines with his jazzy background. It's almost like acting without a screen, these performances are alive.

The atmosphere of this record is whimsical and bluesy most of the time, but some songs have a more orchestral approach, like the impressive and brilliantly arranged 'Where Do You Go?' (a personal favorite of mine) and the adventurous 'Here's That Rainy Day' with its particularly strong opening section. On other songs I get sucked up in the slow pace and the tragic vocals and lyrics "When no one cares..".

Conlusion. A very impressive bluesy low pace vocal jazz record that get's me out of my busy thinking. Just sit down and dream a while. Four and halve stars for this one.