Around Midnight
Julie London · 1960
34 min · 12 tracks · jazz
A sultry blend of cool jazz and traditional pop, featuring intimate vocals over lush instrumental arrangements.
Top tracks — play these first
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'Round Midnight — This track opens the album with a haunting interpretation that encapsulates London's emotional depth and smooth delivery, setting the tone for the entire collection.
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Misty — London's rendition of 'Misty' highlights her ability to convey longing and vulnerability, making it a standout moment that resonates deeply with listeners.
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Black Coffee — With its melancholic lyrics and evocative melody, this track showcases London's mastery of mood and phrasing, becoming one of her signature performances.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Sophisticated interpretations of jazz standards create a cohesive and distinct listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a slow tempo on '’Round Midnight', setting a moody atmosphere that persists through most tracks.
- Each song features London’s vocals accompanied by lush instrumental arrangements, often emphasizing the piano and strings.
- Several tracks, such as 'Black Coffee' and 'Lush Life', incorporate complex chord progressions that highlight jazz harmonies.
- The final track, 'The Party’s Over', concludes with a subtle fade-out, leaving a lingering sense of melancholy.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- intimate late-night listening
- gentle emotional peaks throughout
- romantic ambiance for solitude
- warm vocal textures for relaxation
Maybe skip if you
- need for upbeat energy
- prefer longer, sprawling albums
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 1960, Around Midnight is Julie London's fifth studio album, coming after her commercially successful album, Julie Is Her Name. At this point, London had established herself as a prominent figure in the jazz and pop scenes, known for her distinctive vocal style and intimate performances.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Ella Fitzgerald· Sarah Vaughan· Nina Simone
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 ’Round Midnight 2:54
- 2 Lonely Night in Paris 2:12
- 3 Misty 3:12
- 4 Black Coffee 2:59
- 5 Lush Life 1:42
- 6 In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 2:49
- 7 Don’t Smoke in Bed 2:26
- 8 You and the Night and the Music 2:41
- 9 Something Cool 4:39
- 10 How About Me 3:08
- 11 But Not for Me 2:26
- 12 The Party’s Over 3:17
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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