Sir Christopher Scott - More Switched on Bacharach
LP released in 1973
Words and music by Burt Bacharach and Hal David
Arranged and conducted by Dave Mullaney
Production co-ordinator: Harry Meyerson
I stumbled onto a copy of this at one of my favorite local antique stores. When I saw the title, I wasn't even aware there was a "Switched on Bacharach" album much less a "More Switched on Bacharach" album until the time I laid both my eyes and hands on a copy. Unfortunately, the original Switched on Bacharach was nowhere to be found onsite. But that is okay for now, I can make due with this one. This is an album of Burt Bacharach and Hal David tunes played with a Moog. (question: If Hal David was Bacharach's partner and seemed to have done much of the work writing the songs, how come isn't this called More Switched on Bacharach and David?) The music is mainly Moog with human wordless vocals, drums, and guitars making brief appearances. The music is performed capably by someone named Sir Christopher Scott who I suppose fancies himself as knighted or maybe he did get knighted for playing cheesy Moog music. How cool would that be if that really happened?
The liner notes say this about the first Bacharach album: Last time out, Sir Chris switched on his equipment and Bacharach's melodies, and the result was one of the brightest albums of popular music to land on the scene in many a moon. A full program of Bacharach sparkled and crackled with wit and musical surprises in that album.
As for this album: Sir Christopher digs into his plugged-in bag for some electro-brilliance on some of the great Mr. B's finest hits. ... What he does is magic, but it's always music. And you just want to let the listening to it go on and on and on.
I'll be darned if this guy is not already knighted in real life.
Tracklisting:
Side One
1. Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head {2:42}2. Wishin' and Hopin' {3:05}
3. (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me {3:30}
4. (They Long to Be) Close to You {3:24}
5. Everybody's Out of Town {2:50}
Side Two
1. Paper Mache {3:09}2. A Message to Michael {2:38}
3. I'll Never Fall in Love Again {2:59}
4. Reach Out for Me {2:44}
5. Promises, Promises {1:56}
6. Trains and Boats and Planes {2:55}
The Electronic Concept Orchestra - Electric Love
Happy friggin Valentine's Day!
About this LP according to the liner notes:
The incredible electronic instrument, the Moog Synthesizer has been combined with a "Greatest Hits" collection of romantic songs and the wonderous string arrangements of Bob Schiff to produce "Electric Love" by the Electronic Concept Orchestra. Far from being a sterile, austere mish-mosh of electronic circuitry, the Moog as performed by Eddie Higgins, now becomes an expressive and entirely musical voice in the world of romantic listening.
I wanted to post another sleazy LP for this special day, but I lost track of some of my stuff during the hard drive crash of 2010. Instead, I am stuck with this collection of sweet, sappy, sentimental tunes. No special somebody in my life, no special sleazy record in my life = the story of my life. Enjoy your special day with some special music while I wallow in self-pity with a bucketful of delicious chocolate candies to stuff my face with.
Tracklisting: (link will be back soon)
Side 1
1. Goin out of My Head {4:04}
2. The Look of Love {2:28}
3. Je T'aime...Moi Non Plus {2:03}
4. Misty {3:23}
5. Romeo & Juliet Theme {2:48}
6. Like a Lover {3:13}
Side 2
1. Wichita Lineman {3:16}
2. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me {2:52}
3. Stella by Starlight {3:43}
4. Love is Blue {3:18}
5. This Guy's in Love with You {4:53}
The Moog Machine - Christmas Becomes Electric
Here's some more Christmas cheer. Not only that, it's more Christmas synthesizer musik courtesy of The Moog Machine. By the way, their rocking Switched-On Rock LP was posted earlier this year here in The Basement. On this LP, The Moog Machine bring warm sentimental heartfelt renditions of everyone's favorite traditional Christmas tunes.
Info about The Moog Machine: The Moog Machine is a three-man organization. All the performances are by Kenny Ascher. Alan Foust wrote the arrangements. Norman Dolph produced the album and tuned the synthesizer.
Tracklisting:
Side 1
1. Jingle Bells {2:00}
2. Little Town of Bethlehem {1:51}
3. We Three Kings {1:30}
4. Deck the Halls {0:55}
5. Silent Night {2:07}
6. Joy to the World {1:03}
7. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear {0:59}
8. O Come, All Ye Faithful {0:55}
9. Carol of the Bells {2:15}
Side 2
1. The Little Drummer Boy {2:55}
2. O Holy Night {2:40}
3. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen {1:50}
4. Patapan {0:56}
5. The First Noel {1:24}
6. We Wish You a Merry Christmas {1:17}
7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing {1:30}
8. Twelve Days of Christmas {3:49}
Sy Mann - Switched On Santa
It's that time of the year again. I guess no one liked the disco Christmas album I posted last year. I can't imagine why. Here's another Christmas album this time with the music being played with a Moog synthesizer. You may not like disco (understandably so), but it's hard to resist Moog synthesizer Christmas music. Even the legendary Jean-Jacques Perrey is involved with this album. You can't go wrong here (or am I wrong?).
I know most of the sharity sites are posting Christmas music of some sort and some of you are probably tired of all this Christmas music that's being blared from your favorite sites, the radio stations who decide to inundate the airwaves with only Christmas music instead of the usual overplayed popular soft rock pap and just about all of the retail stores whose employees for some reason say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". If you're not into all this Christmas music posted everywhere, too bad. I'm posting it here too because we at the Basement appreciate Christmas especially the one who blesses us with his blessings. That's right I'm talking about the one and only St. Nick (also known as Santa Claus in some parts of the world). If the opening bars during the first few seconds of Sy Mann's verson of "Jingle Bells" or his rendition of "My Favorite Things" doesn't send chills up your spine then either you're a socialist commie waging war against Christmas or you just don't like electronic music. I think the former is much more likely.
We love this time of year where we get to shop and consume without a care in the world. Not only are we engaging in the All-American activities of shopping and consuming, but we are doing it while somehow bringing hope and joy to others who lack hope and joy. Black Friday sales rule. So do those baskets with the artifical processed cheese, the berry jellies, and the summer sausage made up of several mystery meats (I think). Those things especially rule as they do not even have to be refrigerated. Neighborhoods with lots and lots of lights and kitschy lighted fixtures and nativity scenes also rule. I love me some Christmas lights especially if other people do it so I don't have to. Putting up lights myself takes up too much time. The extra time I have leaves me with more time to devote to this blog and my other blog. I think it works well with me blogging and other people decorating.
I am willing to admit that I do not enjoy the process of wrapping gifts that I bought for other people. It seems tedious and perhaps I just lack the ability, patience, and desire to beautifully wrap things with wrapping paper (with Christmas decor of course). I know I can get gifts wrapped at the various retail establishments, but since I'm a cheapskate, I end up doing the wrapping myself. I think I've already spent enough money on the damned things even with everything 10% off the regular price. I do really enjoy the unwrapping process as it is the greatest moment of the holiday season as I am shimmering with ecstatic anticipation in the hopes that what I asked for is underneath the wrapping paper. Either the thing I desire is unwrapped or it's something I absolutely do not want such as socks or underwear or worse cologne. Depending on what is unwrapped I am either overcome with joy or overcome with disappointment and asking St. Nick "What did I do to deserve this? I already have too much cologne from the past several years that I do not have a need for especially that Tommy Hilfiger stuff. Why do people think I need or want cologne? I've been good for most of the year so what gives? I think I would rather have a gift card to Wal Mart or Arby's instead. Seriously."
Getting back to this LP, I posted it last year in another online project that is on hiatus at the moment. Out of the usual spirit of generosity I thought I would post it again this year. There may be several other sites that are posting this too. I am not totally sure and I do not really care. It's Christmas. If I can give this to one person whose only Christmas music is, let's say the atrocious "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer" and save this person by providing this wonderful Christmas music then I will have done my part in providing hope and joy.
Tracklisting:
Side 1
1. Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer {2:11}
2. Jingle Bells {1:43}
3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town {2:02}
4. Tijuana Christmas {1:58}
5. My Favorite Things {2:24}
6. The Little Drummer Boy {2:37}
Side 2
1. Christmas Bells {1:52}
2. White Christmas {2:51}
3. Joy to the World {1:04}
4. When Christmas Comes {2:30}
5. Angels We Have Heard on High {1:42}
6. Silent Night {2:04}
7. What Child is This {2:04}
The Moog Machine - Switched-On Rock
I found this LP at an antique store several years ago. I was really thrilled with the find as I was hunting for any ol 1960s or 1970s Moog or other synth LPs, hoping to nab at least a few no matter how cheesy or absurd they are. Recently, I came upon this in my collection when I was going through my LP collection to pick which LPs I wanted to purge. No, this did not go in the purge pile. It has been years since I heard it and decided to give this another spin. At the same time this LP was spun, it was ripped to my hard drive.
Basically, this LP is a collection of covers of hit songs from the late 1960s from the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Zombies, The Fifth Dimension, The Beatles, etc. The instruments used are only a Moog (as you can figure out from the title) and real drums. Of course, these covers are more fun to listen to than the originals. Producer Norman Dolph, who wrote the liner notes, wants to emphasize that "the music is human music, and, most important, it is music, not Moog effects" and "this album is supposed to be a chuckle." It certainly is and it rocks.
Tracklisting:
Side 1
1. Spinning Wheel {3:17}
2. Jumpin' Jack Flash {3:15}
3. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) {2:38}
4. Get Back {2:36}
5. Yummy Yummy Yummy {2:24}
Side 2
1. The Weight {2:21}
2. Time of the Season {3:41}
3. Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In {3:09}
4. You Keep Me Hangin' On {2:23}
5. Hey Jude {3:43}
Gil Trythall - Country Moog: Switched On Nashville
I found this LP at my local favorite antique store and paid only a dollar for it. As you can tell by the title, the album is a collection of country music hits performed using only the Moog synthesizer. I can't imagine this LP being well-received by country purists plus the LP doesn't even give off any "my dog died, my wife left me and I'll go drown my sorrows in whiskey" vibes. It is fun entertainment throughout its 28 minutes including the ballads. I would rather listen to this LP than listen to anything by Toby Keith and just about anything else played on Clear Channel-owned country music stations. Seriously. So if you're looking for some tunes to play at the next hootenanny, but with robots or a retro-futuristic theme, Country Moog is the one to bring. Yee haw!
Tracklisting:
Side I
1. Foggy Mountain Breakdown {2:07}
2. Folsom Prison Blues {3:12}
3. Last Date {2:29}
4. Harper Valley P.T.A. {2:38}
5. Cattle Call {2:13}
6. Gentle On My Mind {2:26}
Side II
1. Wildwood Flower {1:58}
2. Orange Blossom Special {2:18}
3. Walking the Floor Over You {2:23}
4. Little Green Apples {3:58}
5. Yakety Moog {2:26}
