Capitol from the Vaults, Vol. 4: Love Letters

This fourth installment of Capitol Records' label retrospective, Capitol From the Vaults, is hopelessly and head-over-heels devoted to love. The label presents a cornucopia of primarily post-WW II pop tunes that have become standards over time. This collection, subtitled "Love Letters," offers up 25 tracks about love: lost, found, forgotten -- and every other applicable emotion. With amour as a backdrop, this compilation contains hits from practically every pop music genre from the mid-'40 and early '50s. Among those strongly represented on this volume are soundtrack tunes from the stage and screen. These include Mel Tormé's "Your Getting to Be a Habit With Me" which was featured in two Warner Bros. films inspired by the Big Apple -- Lullaby of Broadway and 42nd Street. Another cinematic tribute to the five boroughs is also included with "What'll I Do" by Nat "King" Cole's Trio. This Irving Berlin composition was a Top 40 hit featured in the film The Big City. As with every Capitol From the Vaults installment, the focus of the package is on the songs which made the Hit Parade. 23 of the 25 tracks on Love Letters are in fact chart hits. "Candy" featuring Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford, Margaret Whiting's "A Tree in a Meadow," and the leadoff track, "I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)" featuring the Nat "King" Cole Trio are all certified Number One hits by Billboard magazine. The sound quality continues to deliver infinitely better quality recordings than what has previously been available -- that is if consumers could find them at all. Producer Billy Vera has once again inked some wonderfully insightful liner notes. This is a cleverly compiled addition to the Capitol From the Vaults series.