Frank Sinatra’s 1969 studio album Watertown is the latest release in the programme of Frank Sinatra vinyl reissues under the new global Signature Sinatra label, encompassing special selections from across both the Capitol and Reprise repertoire strands which are remastered on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl complete with download vouchers. This release comes ahead of Sinatra’s 100th birthday celebrations.

Throughout his 60-year career, Ol’ Blue Eyes demonstrated a remarkable ability to thrive in changing times, moving deftly from the swing era to the rock-and-roll era. He performed on more than 1,400 recordings, was awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three double platinum and one triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Association of America. He also appeared in 58 films and produced eight motion pictures.

Sinatra began the golden age in which American popular music became a universal language and this extraordinary creative genius is its most articulate spokesman worldwide. His contribution to our life and times extends far beyond his music, to embrace an exuberance, a zest for life, a sense of style and a glorious self-confidence that define, for all time, what it meant to be young at heart and have the world on a string. His spirit and vision continue to be defined by the wisdom and insight from the legacy of work he left behind.

Produced by Bob Gaudio of Four Seasons fame who also co-wrote all ten numbers with Jake Holmes, 1970 concept album Watertown finds a small town narrator in the throes of being left by his wife and navigating life as a single father. Presented as a series of soliloquies with evocative arrangements by Charles Calello, Sinatra turns out nuanced and resonating performances here which wonderfully embody the loneliness and despair of the material. It’s also the only album Sinatra – who loved recording with a live orchestra – overdubbed his vocals after the orchestral tracks were already recorded.

“As wonderful as they are, I didn’t want it to be like every other album Sinatra had done. I felt the sogs needed to be treated a little more introspectively. Like the character. This was not the big city. This was a man in a small town – a very simple, unfortunate slice of life. I wanted to create as haunting a sound as possible and I think I accomplished that. It does have a lot of space, and air, and unusual things. A lot of things Sinatra had never done. Raw is a perfect description for Frank’s interpretation.” – Bob Gaudio