The short of it all…
People have been asking that I bring these back, so I figured why not?!
The goal…
To share albums which I think are awesome for one reason or another - they might be old, forgotten classics or new releases nobody has heard of.
So let’s start off with this month’s music recommendation!
Seth MacFarlane - Holiday For Swing!
This is the second full-length studio album done by Seth MacFarlane and was only released a little while ago. Regardless of what you think of Mr. MacFarlane’s other projects or the cringe worthy artwork, this is an amazing album.
The albums as a whole is a throwback to the old days of when famous crooners like Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole would release holiday themed concept albums. The most famous out of all of these is probably Bing Crosby’s Christmas Album.
Certainly, this concept is nothing new and is far from being on the short list of mimicry. It seems almost every artist has released a Christmas/Holiday themed album. However, what sets this album apart is the musicians, the orchestrations and recording techniques, as well as the conservative mastering.
While most modern day artists are simply happy to jump into a vocal booth and autotune their way into holiday cheer, Seth MacFarlane did no such thing. In fact, Seth MacFarlane tries to remain as true to the old school albums as possible and this includes his musicians. It contains not only Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles, but also Chuck Berghoffer. Who is Chuck Berghoffer? Well, he is only the bassist who used to accompany Frank Sinatra. In my book - that’s awesome.
In addition to the recording talent, Seth MacFarlane has been adamant about recording these things the proper way and you can certainly tell in the orchestration and recording quality of the album. The music was orchestrated by Joel McNeely. Joel McNeely does a fantastic job of remaining original while reminding the listener of when this type of music was orchestrated by people like Nelson Riddle and Billy May. There are parts that seem to be orchestrated to make the most use out of the stereo soundstage, with parts of the orchestra shining through when needed and spotlighting soloists when required. The opening note on Christmas Dreaming, the second track on the album, are simply delightful and are sure to bring a smile to many an audiophile who loves a good arrangement and proper recording techniques for a 65 piece orchestra. Even the weakest track on the album is still great.
As we all know in this hobby, names, arrangements, and recording techniques mean diddly is the mastering is off. THANKFULLY, the mastering on this album is very conservative based on today’s awful standards. There are some signs of compression being used, but the usage is actually tasteful and doesn’t spoil the overall sound of the album. EQ wise, the album sound very good. It’s not perfect, but if you compare it to the typical album released these days, this album is way, way above par.
In the modern era, it’s extremely difficult to find someone who takes these old concept albums this seriously. Ironically, this great album comes from a comedian. You can tell Seth MacFarlane simply adores this type of music and has a high amount of respect for the art form. Regardless of what you think about his sitcoms, his comedy, or his movies, this is Seth MacFarlane at his very best. This reminds of Mozart pleading with the king in the movie Amadeus when Mozart says….”
Forgive me, Majesty. I am a vulgar man! But I assure you, my music is not.” I think this quote perfectly fits this album. This is one damn fine classy album for the upcoming holiday season. Get it now!
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TL; DR - PIRATE CONCLUSION
This be great matey. Music and mastering be mighty fine. Plunder yer local music store for this here booty and enjoy with yer wench in a low light setting while drinking ye ol’ scotch and smoking a fine cigar this holiday season.
MUSIC (Scale of 1-10)
10
SOUND QUALITY (Scale of 1-10)
8.5
