Frank Sinatra – Watertown (1970/2014) [HDTracks FLAC 24bit/192kHz]

Watertown is a later album by Frank Sinatra and tells a heartbreaking story in a series of soliloquies. It is the only album on which Sinatra sang over pre-recorded instrumental tracks. The songs were written by producer Bob Gaudio (of The Four Seasons) and Jake Holmes. Some of the songs from the album were later covered by artists such as Nina Simone (“For A While”) and Cake (“What’s Now Is Now”).

Watertown is Frank Sinatra’s most ambitious concept album, as well as his most difficult record. Not only does it tell a full-fledged story, it is his most explicit attempt at rock-oriented pop. Since the main composer of Watertown is Bob Gaudio, the author of the Four Seasons’ hits “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” “Walk Like a Man,” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” that doesn’t come as a surprise. With Jake Holmes, Gaudio created a song cycle concerning a middle-aged, small-town man whose wife had left him with the kids. Constructed as a series of brief lyrical snapshots that read like letters or soliloquies, the culminating effect of the songs is an atmosphere of loneliness, but it is a loneliness without much hope or romance — it is the sound of a broken man. Producer Charles Calello arranged musical backdrops that conveyed the despair of the lyrics. Weaving together prominent electric guitars, keyboards, drum kits, and light strings, Calello uses pop/rock instrumentations and production techniques, but that doesn’t prevent Sinatra from warming to the material. In fact, he turns in a wonderful performance, drawing out every emotion from the lyrics, giving the album’s character depth.

Tracklist:
01 – Watertown
02 – Goodbye (She Quietly Says)
03 – For A While
04 – Michael & Peter
05 – I Would Be In Love (Anyway)
06 – Elizabeth
07 – What A Funny Girl (You Used To Be)
08 – What’s Now Is Now
09 – She Says
10 – The Train

Personnel:
Frank Sinatra – vocals
Bob Gaudio – producer, composer, arranger
Jake Holmes – lyricist
Charles Calello – arranger, conductor

Wayne Andre, Warren Covington, Urbie Green, Jimmy Knepper (tbn); Tony Studd (b-tbn); Ray Alonge, James Buffington, Brooks Tillotson (fr-h); Phil Bodner, Wally Kane, Romeo Penque, Romeo Penque, William Slapin (wwd); Mannie Green, Max Cahn, Julius Held, Joe Malin, George Ockner, Rocco Pesile, Raoul Poliakin, Rocco Pesile, Aaron Rosand, Max Pollikoff, Tosha Samaroff, Aaron Rosand, Julius Schachter, Hemi Aubert, Mannie Green (vln); Alfred Brown, Harold Coletta, Richard Dickler, Cal Fleisig (via); George Ricci, Harvey Shapiro (vie); Margaret Ross (harp); Dick Hyman, Moe Wechsler (p); Jay Berliner, Ralph Casale, Willard Suyker (g); Stuart Scharf (classic g); Richard Davis, Russell George (b); Alvin Rogers (d); David Carey (perc)

Joe Scott – arranger, conductor
Jamie Alexander aka James Rocco and Diane Dell – background vocals
Vincent Bell: guitar
Manny Green: concert master
Lee Herschberg: digital mastering, mixing
Roy Cicala: editing, remixing
Frank Laico: engineer

Recorded: July 14, 17, 1969. Voice overdubs August 25-27, 1969.

Download:

mqs.link_FrankSinatraWatertwn19702014HDTracks24192.part1.rar
mqs.link_FrankSinatraWatertwn19702014HDTracks24192.part2.rar