Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis jun: Eee-O Eleven

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

(Herald rating: * * * *)

It's inevitable, given the Ocean's Eleven remake, that a compilation of the three singing members of the Rat Pack would spring from the vaults. As the cover sticker says, it's the first official collection to put Sinatra, Martin, and Davis together.

But there have been plenty of live albums from their heyday. They tended to rely on boozy bonhomie - and bullying Davis - rather than the music. There are some jokes in the well-appointed liner notes, while the music is a pick and mix of 18 studio tracks. Martin's are especially familiar, Sinatra's are a mix of touchstone songs and less common offerings; but the revitalising factor is on Davis entertaining duets with Frank (Me and My Shadow) and Martin (Sam_s Song), as well as his ultra-swingin' high-drama solo numbers such as The Birth of Blues.

By comparison Davis made his pals sound like couple of rich white Italian guys singing in a bar. A worthy addition to the revival. Play it back to back with David Holmes' excellent Ocean's Eleven soundtrack or while reading Shawn Levy's excellent Rat Pack Confidential. But do not, under any circumstances file it next to Swing When You're Winning.

(Capitol)