Dean Martin The Italian Love Songs: 40 Original Recordings (2-CD)

Personnel: Dean Martin (vocals); Gus Levine, Dick Stabile (conductor).

Producers: Dave Cavanaugh, Lee Gillette.

Includes liner notes by James Ritz.

Digitally remastered by Bob Norberg (Capitol Mastering).

Capitol's 2001 Italian Love Songs collection is exactly what it says it is -- a collection of 16 Italian love songs, some sung in Italian, some sung in English translations, all pulled from Dino's classic recordings from the '50s. There's one rare item here -- "From the Bottom of My Heart (Dammi, Dammi, Dammi)," appearing here courtesy of the Dean Martin Family Trust -- but it's probably not worth seeking out for anyone outside of completists. That's not to say that the recording is bad, because it isn't -- it's a first-rate collection of romantic ballads, sung by one of the masters of the Italian love song. But if you already have most of this material and aren't in need of mood music for a romantic evening (and if you don't desperately need that rare cut), this is probably not a necessary purchase. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine