Nat King Cole – Just One of Those Things (1957/2011) [AcousticSounds DSF DSD64/2.82MHz]

Nat King Cole – Just One of Those Things (1957/2011) 
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Time – 01:16:24 minutes | 3,02 GB | Genre: Jazz
Official Digital Download – Source: AcousticSounds | Booklet, Front Cover | © Capitol Records/Analogue Productions XAPP903D64
Recorded: July 10, 19, 31, August 7, 1957

This has been a totally no-expenses-spared project. Using the original 3-track work tapes from Capitol’s vaults, mastering engineers Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman along with DSD specialist Gus Skinas bring you an entirely incomparable experience. In order to master from the 3-track masters, AcousTech had to be outfitted for three-channel playback. That meant Kevin Gray had to find a third identical monitoring channel chain (including mixing board, amplifier and speaker) as well as a 3-track playback headstack and also a 3-track preview head for the vinyl cutting system. It was a massive assignment. We’ve spent a fortune to include these extra bells and whistles and to make this a truly historic reissue.

Contrasting downbeat ballads with an ironic brassy, upbeat big band attitude, the ironic Cole Porter standard Just One Of Those Things sets the tone for a distinctive, pungent experience of love and disillusionment with a swing. Brilliantly backing the intimately expressive and supremely musical voice of the incomparable Nat “King” Cole, a big band with no “strings” smolders, swings, saunters, storms, sighs and sizzles with the arrangements of the distinctive Billy May. Featuring top shelf interpretations of “These Foolish Things,” “Who’s Sorry Now?” “The Party’s Over” and more, this album is among its era’s finest recordings of popular music and its quality, style and spirit remains unexcelled.

Just One Of Those Things was recorded in finely polished monaural and more minimalistic 3-channel stereophonic versions, each with dedicated microphones, console, mix and recorders. Each offers a different sonic perspective. The monaural recording was heard on the original hit records while the stereophonic recording offers the potential for a stunning wide-range realism. The bonus track, an alternative take of “Just For The Fun Of It,” is mono only.

Just One of Those Things is a theme album comparable to one of Frank Sinatra’s uptempo swing albums of the same period (Come Fly with Me, etc.), and employs the same arranger/conductor, Billy May. Nat King Cole is a bit less effective than Sinatra at uptempo material; he tends to undersing these sprightly standards, and May saves his dramatic horn charts and percussion shots for moments when Cole is away from the microphone. Even so, by the fifth track, “These Foolish Things Remind Me of You,” May has retreated to ballad time, and though his embellishments threaten to break out behind the singer, Cole gives an assured, unhurried performance. And that’s the point: that Cole has tamed the rambunctious May does not mean he doesn’t give wonderful interpretations to some wonderful songs: “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Just One of Those Things,” “The Song Is Ended (But the Melody Lingers On).” And the light-handed swing supports those efforts well. -AllMusic Review by William Ruhlmann

Tracklist:

Stereo
1 When Your Lover Has Gone 2:32
2 A Cottage For Sale 2:59
3 Who’s Sorry Now? 2:59
4 Once In A While 2:51
5 These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You 3:50
6 Just For The Fun Of It 2:36
7 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore 3:15
8 I Understand 2:27
9 Just One Of Those Things 2:17
10 The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On) 2:48
11 I Should Care 2:49
12 The Party’s Over 2:45
13 You’ll Never Know 2:54

Mono
14 When Your Lover Has Gone 2:32
15 A Cottage For Sale 3:00
16 Who’s Sorry Now? 2:58
17 Once In A While 2:48
18 These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You 3:48
19 Just For The Fun Of It 2:36
20 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore 3:12
21 I Understand 2:26
22 Just One Of Those Things 2:14
23 The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On) 2:46
24 I Should Care 2:47
25 The Party’s Over 2:47
26 You’ll Never Know (Alternate Take 7) 2:45
27 Just For The Fun Of It (Alternate Take 3) 2:43

Personnel:
Nat King Cole, vocals
Billy May, arranger, conductor

Download:

mqs.link_NatKingCleJustnefThseThings19572001AcusticSundsDSD64.part1.rar
mqs.link_NatKingCleJustnefThseThings19572001AcusticSundsDSD64.part2.rar
mqs.link_NatKingCleJustnefThseThings19572001AcusticSundsDSD64.part3.rar
mqs.link_NatKingCleJustnefThseThings19572001AcusticSundsDSD64.part4.rar