ALBUM REVIEW: Tremonti Sings Sinatra – Mark Tremonti
There is no bigger fan of music than a musician. Being so enmeshed within the medium allows obsession to flourish in the healthiest of ways. There is also no bigger love than that of a father for his child. Nothing could be truer for MARK TREMONTI. The guitarist’s love of FRANK SINATRA has allowed him to take on the serendipitous project of Tremonti Sings Sinatra. Releasing this Friday, the album was curated as a gift to the National Down Syndrome Society which works to benefit those who live with Down Syndrome and their families – one of those people being Tremonti’s daughter, Stella.
For those carrying expectations into the first few spins of Tremonti Sings Sinatra, this project will quickly demonstrate just why those should be parked at the door. Recorded with surviving members of Sinatra’s touring band, there is no sign of heavy metal in sight. Instead, we’re treated to a 14 song tracklist of brass, swing, and easy listening.
Taking the music world by storm, I’ve Got You Under My Skin opens proceedings with light drums and airy brass instrumentals. The moment Tremonti’s trademark baritone voice seeps through the speakers, we’re simply blown away. His vocal resemblance to Sinatra is uncanny. Bluesy tones of Tremonti’s vocals and the instrumental fuse together beautifully for a spinetingling opener. In an upcoming feature with us, Tremonti disclosed he’d spent hundreds of hours studying YouTube footage of ol’ Blue Eyes in an effort to emulate his nuances. From the off, we can say that staggering effort has more than paid off.
An apprehension many have surrounding a covers album is that the artist will just cover the big hits and do so in less than convincing fashion. Neither are the case here. In a track list curated by Tremonti himself, Tremonti Sings Sinatra does feature some of those hits but leans further toward the deeper cuts. I’ve Got The World On A String’s jubilance allows Tremonti to exercise a side to himself we heavy music fans rarely see. Joy radiates through his lower register as his voice sizzles against the smooth brass tones. The exclamation of “What a world / What a life” gives us second-hand elation for a man living his boyhood dream. Moving forward, Wave exudes seduction with its nylon guitar and simmering woodwind. These deeper cuts are refreshing to listen to but what comes as a wonderful surprise is the extent of Tremonti’s vocal range. Shifting seamlessly through octaves his delivery borders on perfection, prompting us to rewind the track at one point in particular so we can drink it in once more.
The strongest element in Tremonti’s wheelhouse has always been the ability to evoke emotion with nothing but his voice. Across his storied career with CREED, ALTER BRIDGE, and his solo band, many a fan has been brought to tears by the simplest of inflections. This continues with the stunning I Fall In Love Too Easily. The gentle sway of the woodwind section dictates the glorious ebb and flow of this tale of heartbreak. “My heart should be well schooled” comes with a distinct crack in the vocal as Tremonti’s voice shifts front and centre. Even though there is a swell into a full big band movement, it sits at the minimalist end of the scale, allowing the full emotion of the track to come from the vocals alone. While Tremonti’s renditions of the more upbeat songs in Sinatra’s catalogue are stellar, it’s the ballads where he truly excels. Originally the title track of the first concept album, In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning is breath-taking in its simplicity. This tale of late-night isolation and loneliness sweeps sweetly through its runtime. At this point, Tremonti has more than proven his worth within this realm, but it’s this track which comes with strong recommendation. The balance between huge instrumental crescendo and Tremonti’s vocals is exquisite as no element outweighs the other.
What will draw curious listeners in are the big hits we mentioned earlier – and particularly whether or not they’ll remain faithful to their original. How does Tremonti’s voice fare when thrown into the ring with the likes of Fly Me To The Moon or Luck Be A Lady? It’ll be music to the ears of those devout Sinatra fans when they hear the jaunty lilts of Fly Me To The Moon’s piano or how the blasts of trombones become an accoutrement to Tremonti’s voice rather than overpowering the moment. You Make Me Feel So Young’s exuberance makes the entire experience of the record “a wonderful fling to be flung”. While That’s Life’s defiant attitude has Tremonti’s metal-born gritty vocals on display, it’s more than appropriate here. People may not regard That’s Life as a typically popular song nowadays but the swagger it holds in the instrumental with the charisma of Tremonti’s vocals should give it a new lease of life.
One song piques our curiosity looking at the track list. My Way has received the cover treatment a staggering 163 times. Spitting in the face of intimidation the track carries, Tremonti and the band seize the moment in the last song recorded for the album. Sticking to the tried-and-true acoustic intro, Tremonti’s voice is soft and serene. He fills Sinatra’s boots wonderfully as each nuance of every word has been considered. In a song which pulls on heartstrings at the best of times, taking Tremonti’s intention for this project into consideration gives My Way a whole new meaning. It may not come to a crescendo in a typical sense of big band and big note but it doesn’t need to. An artist’s power comes from knowing when moments like that are needed. This song and record are proof this is a man who has that knowledge in abundance.
There are few words which can summarise Tremonti Sings Sinatra. Perhaps attempting to do so will take away from the experience this record is. We’ve been shown multiple times throughout the course of this album that taking a chance can and does pay off in wonderful ways. Tremonti Sings Sinatra carries majesty in spades. In a love letter to his musical hero and his incredible daughter, MARK TREMONTI has created a “beautiful rhapsody” which is nothing short of intoxicating perfection from beginning to end.
Rating: 10/10
Tremonti Sings Sinatra is set for release on May 27th via Take A Chance For Charity.
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