Frank Sinatra

Ol' Blue Eyes. The Chairman Of The Board. Address Francis Albert Sinatra as you will, but make damn sure you credit him for being the smoothest cat to ever pick up a microphone. From the section of his vault reserved especially for hearts aflutter, The Man With The Golden Charm belts out twenty-two of his most romance-inspiring numbers.

Nearly every song on Seduction is an immediately recognizable staple from the Sinatra catalog, and is as timeless as the man himself. Frank's classic big band swing and highbrow swagger come through as intensely magical as they did the second they were set to tape on these re-mastered masterpieces. For any fan, young or old, the likes of "I've Got You Under My Skin," "It Had To Be You" and the mellow strut of "Witchcraft" need no introduction or review. An alternate version of "My Funny Valentine" and lesser-known gems "This Happy Madness (Estrada Branca)" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me" still seem larger than life, even next the cherished Swoonatra stylings of "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing."

While "Strangers In The Night" would have made this the epitome of Sinatra compilations, Seduction: Sinatra Sings Of Love is a must have for lovers and fans across the board. It wouldn’t be a bad addition to your Valentine's Day plans this year either…

—Ryan Ogle
02.10.09

Released by Rhino just in time for Valentines Day 2009, Seduction: Sinatra Sings of Love is a good collection of 22 highlights -- with an additional ten cuts on the two-disc "deluxe" edition -- from Sinatra's Reprise recordings. While there are surely some hits here -- "Some Enchanted Evening," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "I Get A Kick Out of You," "I've Got You Under My Skin" -- what's noteworthy about this collection is that it isn't just a recycling of familiar songs, it digs a little deeper into his catalog (even finding a previously unissued "My Funny Valentine") to create a compilation that isn't necessarily for aficionados, but rather Sinatra fans who already know the big tunes and want to dig a little deeper (without buying albums). In this regard, it's a worthy compilation, delivering plenty of good music that is both good and fits the seductive mood of the title. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide