Tag: Traditional Pop
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Frank Sinatra ‘Songs For Young Lovers’ (1954)
When Frank Sinatra signed with Capitol Records in 1953, he was emerging from a career slump but armed with a newfound sense of confidence and artistic direction. The dude was seasoned by countless nights on the stages of Las Vegas and refined a more intimate yet sophisticated lounge jazz style. Songs for Young Lovers has…
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Buster Poindexter ‘Buster Poindexter’ (1987)
The story behind Buster Pointdexter is incredible– David Johansen was the snarling frontman of the seminal proto-punk band New York Dolls during the early days of his career. And while the smoke-filled clubs of New York City had long been home to Johansen, by the mid-’80s he was ready for a transformation. Trading in his…
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Billie Holiday ‘Lady In Satin’ (1958)
In 1958 Billie Holiday entered the studio to record Lady in Satin and was a woman bearing the weight of a lifetime of hardship and heartbreak. The years of substance abuse, turbulent relationships, and brushes with the law had taken a significant toll on Holiday, both physically and emotionally. Her once-crystalline voice now carried a…
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Ray Charles ‘The Genius of Ray Charles’ (1959)
Ray Charles’ impact on soul music cannot be understated– he almost single-handedly paved the way for soul and blues to be commercially viable and that fact in and of itself has cemented his place as an American icon. His one-of-a-kind baritone vocal melodies and brilliant piano playing legitimately transformed the way soul music was delivered…
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The Beach Boys ‘Surfin’ Safari’ (1962)
The Beach Boys occupy a pretty important niche within the lexicon of American pop music. For the majority of the band’s career they cranked out campy lively surf rock anthems which captured the essence of the early 1960s Southern California surf culture, celebrating the carefree spirit of beach life and surfing. It’s basically the audio…
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Frank Sinatra ‘In The Wee Small Hours’ (1954)
The legendary voice of Frank Sinatra played frontman to the musical march of many different types of numbers over his illustrious career– the grandiose “Strangers In The Night”, the big band ballsiness of “My Way”, the swingy playfulness of “Fly Me To The Moon”– but as the name would suggest In the Wee Small Hours…
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Peggy Lee ‘Black Coffee’ (1956)
Black Coffee was Peggy Lee’s first album but one that came well after she was already firmly established at the top of the charts. Her 1943 single “Why Don’t You Do Right?” sold over a million copies and kickstarted what would eventually become a seven-decade recording career that earned her the moniker “Queen of American…
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Tiny Tim ‘God Bless Tiny Tim’ (1968)
Tiny Tim was primarily known as a novelty act during his lengthy musical career but actually possessed a significant knowledge of vintage American pop and vaudeville songs that helped define his prodigious artistic output. His most well-known album God Bless Tiny Tim featured his hit song “Tip Toe Thru’ The Tulips with Me” and earned…
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Carpenters ‘Christmas Portrait’ (1978)
When I was a kid my mom would play Christmas music starting Halloween night after we were done trick or treating (yes, this is a true story). Her love for the holidays was infectious, filling our home with the smells of fresh-baked cookies, aromas of mulled wine slowly boiled over the stovetop, the sights of…
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Frank Sinatra ‘A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra’ (1957)
Christmas has changed a lot in America since 1957’s A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra was released. The holiday has certainly become a much more consumeristic affair, filled with month-long advertisements and shopping sprees, and by and large the holiday has effectively become a secular celebration. There’s no hiding the fact that religion’s popularity is…
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Patsy Cline ‘Showcase’ (1961)
Patsy Cline was one of country music’s most influential stars during the formative years of the genre in the early 1960’s, and left a legacy that reverberates to this day. It’s hard to fully articulate just how much Cline means to the country community– her rich and powerful voice, effortlessly punctuated with a steadily controlled…
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The Statler Brothers ‘Flowers on the Wall’ (1966)
The Statler Brothers were a gospel country quartet that rose to the prominence in the late 60’s and early 70’s, enjoying an extensive career that lasted until their final goodbye tour in 2002. Infusing their gospel music roots with traditional country instrumentation and barbershop quartet inspired vocal arrangements, the group was known for being one…
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Engelbert Humperdinck ‘A Man Without Love’ (1968)
It’s rare that I use bullet points in album reviews, but if there’s one man that deserves the honor it is the one and only Engelbert Humperdinck. A true blue crooner, Humperdinck’s wonderfully rich baritone has been dazzling audiences for over 60 years and counting. During that time he’s sold over 140 million records, became…
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