This album is worth it even if only for "Puttin' On the Ritz"! This truly is some of the kitschiest stuff you will ever find on CD. It really brings to mind images of the way things used to be and the way people perceived space and the future back in the '50s. Now, sadly, it's just a fun novelty, but back then this was serious stuff, and "THE SOUND OF THE FUTURE!" If you listen long enough, you feel like you've gone back in time and find yourself imaging the future this way too. It's really cool how this CD in a way functions as a...great big time capsule.
From the opening of "Gay Spirits," you're pulled in. Those first notes make you see pictures like the one of the Milky Way at the beginning of "The Jetsons."
The incomparable Les Baxter, who seemed to excel in whatever he tried, was the pioneer of space-age exotica before he got into the jungle exotica that's found on other U-L volumes. His spacey stuff is the very epitome of futuristic kitsch, and it's irresistible to listen to. "Moon Moods" will show you that. And get a load of the jumping orchestral piece "Saturday Night on Saturn," with its lush, swirling strings and its bongos and trumpets--it rivals "This Room is My Castle of Quiet" as the best piece on the CD.
Dean Elliott heard as one big cartoon. Take a listen to his two offerings. Cole Porter's "You're the Top" complete with ringing phones and a host of FX that sound like they were mined from the Hanna-Barbera sound library. And the disc is closed with the fantastic, swinging "Lonesome Road" with the gargling, car horns, coughing, popping bubbles, crashes, tinkles, whistles, high heels, slamming doors, pops, and baby noises. Very infectious, indeed!
For more kitsch, there's the pizzicatto choir on "Holiday for Strings" - listen for when they go "Zing-boom, zing-boom...". Tak Shindo has a very funny and Oriental-sounding "Stumbling," Baxter serves up a crazy "Sabre Dance" from his 'Wild Guitars' album, and Felix Slatkin features chimes on "I Get a Kick Out of You." If you have, by chance, ever played the classic "Earthbound" for Super NES, "Satan Takes a Holiday" will remind you of music from that game. Very oddish-sounding, it's somehow effective.
Space, like most things, can be jazzed up, as is evident in the light vibes on "Lover." Vibes are also prominent on "Power House," probably one of the best-recognized tunes ever. It doesn't sound like space to me, but "Drivin' Round the Block!"is good. That beat is inescapable! " Puttin' On the Ritz," didn't fail to please - a big band, a swinging arrangement, bongos, vibes, guitars, and even castanets all work together for a really slam-bang number. Swing fans, see if you can catch the part where the band samples from "Sing, Sing, Sing!" "Istanbul" is a strongly jazzy version that is the best ever. This is largely due to the boisterous trumpet player, sounding like Satchmo gone Latin. From the flamenco flourish at the intro to the last naughty growl, you're hooked. The version that follows really leave something to desire, not being able to leap the bar that the first left.
The standout piece is Billy May's eerie "This Room is My Castle of Quiet." It'll keep you listening for hours. The melody is played by a theremin, recognized by most as that odd vibrating whistle used in old sci/fi movies when the aliens attacked. It's so effective, and makes the haunting melody linger in your mind long after the song has ended. But there was only one theremin track!
Track Listing:
1. Gay Spirits David Rose
2. Lover Richard Marino & His Orchestra
3. Moon Moods Les Baxter
4. Power House Bobby Hammack
5. Drivin' Around The Block Dickie Harrell
6. Calcutta Les Baxter
7. Holiday For Strings The Voices Of Walter Schumann
8. You're The Top Dean Elliott & His Big Band
9. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) Part I/Istanbul (Not Constantinople) Part II (Medley) Joe "Fingers" Carr
10. Stumbling Tak Shindo
11. Sabre Dance Les Baxter
12. This Room Is My Castle Of Quiet Billy May & His Orchestra
13. I Get A Kick Out Of You Felix Slatkin
14. Satan Takes A Holiday Jack Malmsten
15. Puttin' On The Ritz Terry Snyder
16. Blues In The Night Alvino Rey
17. Saturday Night On Saturn Les Baxter
18. Lonesome Road Dean Elliott & His Big Band
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