'Jersey Boys' film soundtrack arrives Tuesday

Having seen Jersey Boys for the first time last year at Le Theatre des Arts in Paris Las Vegas, I was glad to hear a film version of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical was imminent. 
 
That Clint Eastwood-directed biopic about the career of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons opened in U.S. theaters nationwide today. 

On Tuesday, Jersey Boys: Music from the Motion Picture and Broadway Musical will be released in stores June 24 via Rhino Records. Four Seasons' keyboardist/backing vocalist/songwriter Bob Gaudio produced the new soundtrack.

In a somewhat unusual move, Gaudio paired some actual recordings by Valli & The Four Seasons with ones by the film and the stage musical cast members (occasionally amid the same song). Yet it works. More than half of the 25 tracks are sung by the multiple award winning film/musical lead John Lloyd Young. His vocal resemblance to Valli is uncanny. 

During my initial listen to the CD, I was often hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two lead singers. The only signs came from a subtle phrasing nuance or punchier modern day music. A majority of the major hits are included. Young particularly excels during his sweet vocal takes on “Sherry” (the true shining moment), “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “My Eyes Adored You,” “Dawn (Go Away)”  and a spirited “Working My Way Back To You.”

Other noteworthy tunes here are Valli's original dramatic swelling ballad from 1970, “My Mother’s Eyes,” the doo-wop, an organ-driven “A Sunday Kind Of Love” (off 1965's The Four Seasons Entertain You) - which segues from Young to the group - and a mildly rocking 
Young/group hybrid “C’mon Marianne.” 

All told, the soundtrack should appeal to fans of the movie and musical.

Rhino will also put out three additional projects related to the group on July 1:

- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – The Classic Albums Box is an 18-disc set that includes the vast majority of the group’s albums in mini jackets with original artwork.
- Frankie Valli – Selected Solo Works is an eight-disc set that features many of Valli’s solo albums in mini jackets with original artwork.
- Audio With A G: Sounds Of A Jersey Boy, The Music Of Bob Gaudio is a two-disc collection of legendary songs written by hitmaker Gaudio, performed by The Four Seasons and other artists.

JERSEY BOYS: MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE AND BROADWAY MUSICAL

Track Listing

1. Prelude
2. “December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
3. “My Mother’s Eyes” – Frankie Valli
4. “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” – John Lloyd Young
5. “A Sunday Kind Of Love” – John Lloyd Young, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
6. “Moody’s Mood For Love” – John Lloyd Young
7. “Cry For Me” – Erich Bergen
8. “Sherry” – John Lloyd Young
9. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – John Lloyd Young
10. “Walk Like A Man” – John Lloyd Young
11. “My Boyfriend’s Back” – Kyli Rae
12. “My Eyes Adored You” – John Lloyd Young
13. “Dawn (Go Away)” – John Lloyd Young
14. “Big Man In Town” – John Lloyd Young
15. “Beggin” – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, John Lloyd Young, Ryan Malloy
16. Medley – John Lloyd Young
a. “Stay”
b. “Let’s Hang On (To What We’ve Got)”
c. “Opus 17 (Don’t You Worry ‘Bout Me)”
d. “Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)”
17. “C’mon Marianne” – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, John Lloyd Young
18. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” – John Lloyd Young
19. “Working My Way Back To You” – John Lloyd Young
20. “Fallen Angel” – Frankie Valli
21. “Who Loves You” – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, John Lloyd Young
22. Closing Credits: “Sherry”/”December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)” – John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza
23. “Sherry” – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
24. “Dawn (Go Away)” – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
25. “Rag Doll” – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons