1001 Albums Summary

Louis’ voice is truly unique and is worth preserving. It frankly didn’t matter what the arrangement was, it’s that throaty rasp that Prima brought that made the song worth hearing. Just a Gigalo is a deserved American classic. Jump, Jive, n Wail was a good choice to revive swing, but as with everything on the album, it needs Louis’ voice to elevate it beyond middling jazz. Production-wise, the album rightfully focuses all it’s efforts on vocals and it’s for the best because there are some tepid, albeit competent jazz arrangements. Basin Street Blues stands out for some notable horn work. I won’t revisit the album beyond the couple tracks I already know I like. Good listen though and I never felt like I wanted to turn it off. 3.5/5

Everything that’s bad about Metallica is amplified, and the orchestrations behind the songs give them a grandiosity that strips them of any grit. Perhaps I’m jaded because metal bands playing with symphonies isn’t novel now. Was it in 99? If so, points for that. Of course the orchestra is great, it just doesn’t make any of the songs better. So, why add something if it’s not adding anything? James’s corniness is amped up to 11 and so much seems so contrived (like the maniacal laughs in The Thing That Should Not Be). Newstead was maybe the most soulless bassist they had, and it’s on display here. This performance could benefit from a little less self-seriousness. I couldn’t get through it and ended up picking the hits. But, I just simply don’t like this and see it as nothing more than a novelty. It gets a 2 because it all sounds fine and I can’t bring myself to give it a 1. I’ve grown to like Metallica after long criticizing them. There are Metallica pieces that are important. This is not one of them.