Manilow Swings Sinatra
– Barry Manilow Manilow Swings Sinatra
– Barry Manilow
1998 Arista Records
SQ
Issue: Summer 1999 - Volume 9, Issue 3
Tracks:
Newsflash!! Barry Manilow attempts to cash in on "The Swing Thing."
Manilow’s vocals are solid. However, it feels like he’s just singing. You don’t get the feeling that he feels the music. All 3 songs sound the same. His "cookie cutter" style of singing allows for no individuality in the songs. If you feel the urge to dance to this (I feel the urge to hurl my cookies), the tempos are quite suitable for both Lindy Hop and East Coast.
The band backing Manilow, which isn’t credited on the CD, is solid as well. They are tight and their sound is full.
Manilow does not "swing" Sinatra. My guess is Frank would have put a hit out on Manilow for trying to sell CD’s using the Sinatra name. If you are going to title your CD with the Chairman of the Board’s name, you better live up to the comparison. Manilow falls far short.
Manilow Swings Sinatra is The Love Boat meets ‘40s swing. In my opinion, YUCK!!
Luckily, the CD I have only has 3 tracks and I didn’t have to suffer through a full length version. I can only assume the producers put the best songs on this CD and I’m still not impressed. Hopefully, you won’t be subjected to hear this on your favorite swing radio station, but you might not be so lucky on your next elevator ride. Save your money and buy a real Frank Sinatra CD.
Bottom Line: To buy or not to buy…..DON’T BUY. If you absolutely must, you can get it here: