Love Is The Thing cover

Released 30 years ago

Love Is The Thing

Nat King Cole · 1996

46 min · 15 tracks · jazz

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

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

74 /100
Alpine
Higher than 98% of albums we've rated

The album showcases strong songwriting and orchestration, with a cohesive romantic theme throughout.

What we noticed

  • The album features lush orchestral arrangements that complement Cole's smooth vocal delivery, creating a romantic atmosphere throughout.
  • Each track typically follows a standard verse-chorus structure, allowing for a consistent flow and familiarity across the record.
Composition 25% of the score
8/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
9/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
7/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
7/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
8/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 6/10

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.

Tracklist

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

  • 1 When I Fall in Love 3:11
  • 2 Stardust 3:17
  • 3 Stay as Sweet as You Are 3:00
  • 4 Where Can I Go Without You? 2:59
  • 5 Maybe It’s Because I Love You Too Much 2:50
  • 6 Love Letters 2:48
  • 7 Ain’t Misbehavin’ 3:18
  • 8 I Thought About Marie 3:09
  • 9 At Last 3:01
  • 10 It’s All in the Game 3:09
  • 11 When Sunny Gets Blue 2:48
  • 12 Love Is the Thing 3:02
  • 13 Someone to Tell It To 3:19
  • 14 The End of a Love Affair 3:12
  • 15 If Love Ain’t There 3:12

Reference: MusicBrainz