Solo/Timeless
FRANKIE VALLI
(Collector's Choice)
By the time Frankie Valli launched his solo career in 1967, he had notched 13 Top 10 hits and four No. 1's with The Four Seasons. On 1967's Solo and the following year's Timeless — captured on this two-fer reissue — he downplayed his falsetto and focused on his crystalline tenor. Solo jumps all over, from Motown to Four Seasons soundalikes, and includes one hit, "Can't Take My Eyes off of You." Timeless is more cohesive; backed by a full orchestra, Valli interprets such tunes as "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Eleanor Rigby," along with several new songs. The standout is a slow-swinging, version of Bobby Hebb's "Sunny." —ES
This article appears in Aug 6-12, 2008.