An audiophile edition of a 1955 monaural recording by even a powerhouse as legendary as Frank Sinatra may feel like overkill to some. However, there is much to love about this idyllic pressing of his iconic In the Wee Small Hours, recently issued through Universal Music’s acclaimed Blue Note Tone Poet reissue series. Widely considered one of the first “concept” albums (if not the first!), this timeless, bluesy, late-night song cycle of introspection, broken hearts, and wistful reflection sounds better than ever.
Mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, with 180-gram vinyl pressed at top-ranked RTI (Record Technology Incorporated), the whole package is very dee-luxe, featuring an expanded gatefold cover design and a glossy, laminated jacket (akin to vintage jazz albums on Impulse! and Verve). Period-accurate charcoal-colored Capitol Records labels are reproduced, and each LP comes in an audiophile-grade, plastic-lined inner sleeve. The pressing quality is outstanding: dead quiet and well-centered.
The big question for most readers of this review is whether you “need” a $40 audiophile version of this classic. I offer a resounding “yes.” Here’s why…
Enormously popular, In the Wee Small Hours spent 18 weeks on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 2. So there is no shortage of vintage copies on the used market. However, finding a genuinely clean original is the challenge. Back in 1955 (and into the 1960s), most people didn’t own audiophile-grade turntables. Thus, when you find these albums out in “the wilds” of collecting, they are, at best, in what I graciously call “well-loved” condition, with surface scuffs and distortion toward the inner grooves from misaligned tonearms and styli.
Music marketplace Discogs offers a handy barometer of availability, showing plenty of older copies but few in mint condition (and those command high asking prices). So, if you aren’t prepared to dig through endless crates or scour the internet for pristine originals, the Blue Note Tone Poet edition of In the Wee Small Hours makes a great deal of sense. If you’re thinking of buying a more recent reissue from one of the dubious “gray market” labels (rather than an official Capitol Records release), you’ll spend almost as much for potentially far inferior quality, possibly mastered from a CD.
I got needle-in-the-haystack lucky about a year ago at a garage sale, finding an almost mint 1959-era copy (for $2!) featuring the early rainbow-ringed label design (with “spires” emanating from behind the Capitol logo).
The more I listen to this Blue Note Tone Poet edition of In the Wee Small Hours, the more I appreciate it over my vintage copy. The music is less compressed and sounds more three-dimensional, especially on Nelson Riddle’s orchestral strings and other instrumental cameos. Sinatra’s voice is right there in your living room, up front, sounding much rounder and richer. A keeper, I’ll most certainly be purging my old copy, which is the best compliment I can offer.
In The Wee Small Hours is available online for at Amazon for $38.98.
Our Ratings
★★★★★★★★★★ Music
★★★★★★★★★★ Sound
★★★★★★★★★★ Packaging
Where to Buy:
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
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