Music Review: Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons: Greatest Hits Vol 2 (1991)

 I did not care for this C.D. a great deal as kit was of their second tier of songs.  Even so there were a few songs I really enjoy.  "Rag Doll," "Working My Way Back to You," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "My Eyes Adored You" to name a few.  I l like their music for the Frankie Valli falsetto.  However, in a couple songs this was handled by others of the 4 Seasons as they were trying to differentiate from Frankie Valli's solo career.  He did sing lead on "Let's Hang On."  "We've got a lot of love between us so let's hang on."  

Musical Movie Review: **** Jersey Boys (2014)

 Jersey Boys is a film based on the musical of the same name.  It is directed and produced by Clint Eastwood.  It tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  John Lloyd Young portrays Franki Valli.  Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) and his brother Nick (Johnny Cannizzaro) and a friend Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) have a trio singing at local clubs.  Sometimes Valli would sing a song or two with them.  As a group the attempt to steal a safe, and get caught.  Tommy goes to prison for six months.  However Valli gets off thanks in art to mobster Gyp DeCarlo (Christopher Walken) who has taken an interest in him.  When Tommy gets out of prison they start their group, The Four Lovers.  They have a hard time getting traction, but are signed to sing back up for others.  

They change their name to the Four Seasons.  Nicky DeVito leaves the group and they are joined by Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen) who is a song writer.  The convince their producer to record the song "Sherry," which becomes a hit.  The follow with "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man."  All is going well until they discover the owe $150,000 plus to the mob.  Tommy has been borrowing money to keep the group going.  Tommy leaves the group, but they have to continue laying to pay off the debts, which they finally do.  

Franki Valli has issues at home with his daughter who runs off with an older man.  Valli intervenes, and promises to be more involved with his daughter.  However she dies from an overdose.  Valli seems to walk away from performing, but Guadio encourages him to go solo.  He resists but eventually records the song Guadio wrote for him, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You."  20 years later they get back together for induction into the rock and roll hall of fame.  They sing together after many years, and long for the days they sang as a quartet under a street lamp.

I enjoyed this movie.  The music is terrific.  The story is not as well done as the music.

Music Review: Frankie Valli: Romancing the 60s

There are some songs in this 1960s set that are worth remembering.  Frankie Vlli started with The Four Seasons before launching a solo career.  It appears this was recorded by Frankie Valli in 2007 of songs he like from the 60s.  Most are covers.  My favorite is "What a Wonderful World" but admittedly this isn't my favorite version of the song.   "Any Day Now" is very nice.  I really like the opening, "I'll bless the day I found you."  It is sung with great sentiment.   "Let it be Me" and "Call Me" are also in this same vein, beautiful songs.  "My Girl" is also very nice and has that special feel.  However the cream here is "On Broadway."  This song was an original for the Drifters.  This is a song that gets you moving.  "They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway.  They say there's always magic in the air."  This song gets you moving.

Christmas Music Review: The Four Seasons' Christmas Album

I must admit,  I don't much care for the Four Seasons' brand of Christmas music.  There are lots of songs here, without about half of the numbers being medleys with three or four songs.  They sing with their really high falsetto, but the slide note changes and it is really obnoxious.  However, they do sing "What Child is This?" with a cello that is really gratifying.   Frankie Valli is their lead singer, and he sings high than a female soprano.  They try a couple new songs and they both fail.  "Christmas Tears" has the premise that I am crying as you are not here this Christmas, and "Jungle Bells" is a take on "Jingle Bells" for animals.  I guess it is a kid's song.  "White Christmas" had nice vocals, but a tambourine was played throughout and it just became obnoxious.  I enjoyed them less on the secular numbers than the spiritual numbers.