Sinatra

Ol' Blue Eyes is directly in the glare of the downside of fame in this tell-all biography. Scott Brick handles the proceedings with intelligence and aplomb, though he seems to detach and become cooler when the story digs more deeply into Sinatra's increasingly violent and debauched behavior. Oddly, the narration veers between appreciation for Sinatra's art, gossipy smears, and stories of Mafia mayhem, making for an uneven listen. Brick never makes the mistake of becoming maudlin or judgmental in his tone--the text does all of that for him. Despite the harsh realities, lovers of Sinatra lore will savor the minutia of the singing legend's life via Brick's mellifluous delivery. D.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine