In the Wee Small Hours, the first collection of songs Sinatra
recorded specifically for an LP, sustains a midnight mood of loneliness
and lost love -- it's a prototypical concept album. From the title track,
brought in on the bell tones of a celesta, through a trenchant recast of
"This Love of Mine," a hit from his Tommy Dorsey days, Sinatra
-- reeling from his breakup with Ava Gardner -- is never less than superb.
His voice rarely hits the same downbeat as his languorous rhythm section,
yet they're locked in a fluid step. Put your ear close to the speaker and
you can hear the soft intake of his breath. (Rolling Stone)
Total album sales: 700,000
Peak chart position: 1