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Nat King Cole · 2013

31 min · 11 tracks · jazz

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Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

70 /100
Treeline
Higher than 50% of albums we've rated

The selected songs offer strong melodies and durable performances, but this compilation’s stylistic jumps and seasonal closer do not form a distinctive album sequence.

What we noticed

  • The sequence opens with the brisk, compact swing of “L-O-V-E,” then moves through ballads such as “Unforgettable” and “Mona Lisa” before returning to the jump of “Straighten Up and Fly Right.”
  • The closing run shifts from “A Blossom Fell” to the holiday setting of “The Christmas Song,” making the final track feel more like a seasonal add-on than a culmination.
  • The songs span distinct periods and styles in Cole’s catalogue; the tracklist gathers familiar singles rather than building a continuous album-length arc.
Composition 25% of the score
8/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
8/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
8/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
3/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
4/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 1/10

Little footprint beyond its audience. 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.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole 2:33
  • 2 Unforgettable - Nat King Cole 3:11
  • 3 (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 - Nat King Cole 3:01
  • 4 Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole 3:14
  • 5 Send For Me - Nat King Cole 2:29
  • 6 (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons - Nat King Cole 2:53
  • 7 Looking Back - Nat King Cole 2:26
  • 8 Too Young - Nat King Cole 3:11
  • 9 Straighten Up and Fly Right - Nat King Cole 2:25
  • 10 A Blossom Fell - Nat King Cole 2:31
  • 11 The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) - Nat King Cole 3:10

What to play next

The Nat 'King' Cole Story Vol. 2: Stardust (Remastered)
Listen next

The Nat 'King' Cole Story Vol. 2: Stardust (Remastered)

2014
The Definitive Nat King Cole Collection, Vol. 3
Go back to

The Definitive Nat King Cole Collection, Vol. 3

2009
Full Nat King Cole discography Where to start with Nat King Cole Artists like Nat King Cole Which Nat King Cole albums to start with
jazz

Reference: MusicBrainz