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He may not have been the Chairman of the Board, but Dean Martin has always been my favorite member of the Rat Pack. But I’m not alone here. Even Elvis acknowledged that Dean was the King of Cool. His smooth voice and classic songs are absolutely timeless—and they’re just as cool now as they were back when he recorded them. So it seems perfectly natural to remix some of the old favorites with the music and vocals of some of today’s artists, from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to Dave Koz to Kevin Spacey.
The mixing on Forever Cool really is amazing—eerie, even. It’s so seamless, in fact, that it’s hard to believe that Dean wasn’t in the studio, singing along with the other artists who collaborated on this album. According to executive producer Jane Ventom, the result is “like a cocktail party on an album.” And I couldn’t agree more. The album feels just like a bunch of people got together for drinks at Dean’s place and ended up gathering around the piano and singing a few songs. It feels casual and fun and laid-back.
Of course, as you might expect, some songs (and some artists) just work better than others. The instrumentalists (like saxophonist Koz and the Capital Studios Orchestra), in general, just work perfectly. But when it comes to the vocalists, some fit with Martin and some don’t. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s big-band swing style, for instance, is a no-brainer. And, their opening track, “Who’s Got the Action?,” is definitely the album’s strongest—not to mention my own personal favorite. It’s a song that I can’t seem to get out of my head, no matter how hard I try (not that I’ve tried very hard). Actor Kevin Spacey also has the perfect style—and the perfect voice—to complement Martin’s. In fact, there are times during his two numbers (“Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” and “King of the Road”) that it’s nearly impossible to tell who’s singing when.
On the other hand, the women on the album seem to have a hard time matching Martin’s style. Joss Stone’s smoky, breathy vocals on “I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me” seem out of place, as does Martina McBride’s twang on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” In fact, the only female vocalist who really works is Paris Bennett, who manages to keep up the cool on “Baby-O.”
Though it has its ups and downs, Forever Cool is mostly a solid—and solidly cool—album. It’s one that both old fans and young—hipsters of all ages—will be able to agree on.
