Frankie Avalon Albums (8)
'Merry Christmas'
Release Date 8/20/2002
Tracks 10
Label Direct Source
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'Frankie Avalon's Christmas Album'
Release Date 1/1/1962
Tracks 12
Label Chancellor
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What The Critics Say
Frankie Avalon's Christmas Album may be a little too tied to its time -- one listen to the syrupy arrangements makes that clear -- but that's part of its charm. It's a nice artifact from the early '60s, one that will certainly appeal to Avalon's dedicated fans. There isn't too much imagination on the record, but he delivers such standards as "Blue Christmas," "White Christmas," "The Christmas Song," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" quite appealingly, and if the newer songs fall a little flat, they still make for pleasant listening. All and all, it's a nice holiday album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'And Now About Mr. Avalon'
Release Date 1/1/1961
Tracks 12
Label Chancellor
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'The Young Frankie Avalon'
Release Date 1/1/1959
Tracks 12
Label Chancellor
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What The Critics Say
This 1959 release by teen idol Frankie Avalon on Chancellor, a label with an eight-song chart run for Fabian "Turn Me Loose" Forte beginning around the same time as Avalon's "baker's dozen" hits, is quite an impressive outing for the 19- to 20-something-year-old star. He looks younger than his movies on the front cover of this follow-up to his first album, Frankie Avalon, while the nine black and white photos on the back mark the period well and make this a collector's item of sorts for pop fans of the era. Though the singer had a bevy of hits during this period -- none of the Top 40 entries are included here -- producer Peter DeAngelis and arrangers Bob Mercey and Al Caiola put their energies to developing interesting versions of Otis Blackwell's "Fever" (co-credited to his nom de plume, John Davenport) and Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So" along with DeAngelis/Marcucci co-writes like "Shy Guy" and "Too Young to Love." The emphasis is on putting the vocalist in a middle-of-the-road setting somewhere between the mature Vic Damone and the aspiring Vic Dana. This is not the pop stuff the world is used to hearing Avalon sing. It's a more conventional take on songs like "Teach Me Tonight," "Undecided," and "The One I Love." Frankie pulls it off admirably, proving that he was no fluke -- the approach far more serious than his Beach Party movies and impressive in its ability to entertain and hold your attention. The instrumental "Bella del Mondo" allegedly has Avalon on trumpet with Ray Conniff-style singers behind him. The album claims "Frankie startled the music world with his phenomenal trumpet recording at the age of 11" and, if true, puts the singer on another level. But beyond the question of who is playing the trumpet, Avalon's vocal pitch and approach to the adult material is commendable, noteworthy, and easy to listen to. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
'Swingin' on a Rainbow'
Release Date 1/1/1959
Tracks 14
Label Chancellor
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