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Project: Comstock
Music From Outer Space
Frank Comstock
Warner Brothers W 1463 (1962)
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If you know other
work by Comstock, you know how imaginative yet restrained his arrangements
for the traditional orchestra can be. As far as I know, this record is
his only documented attempt at blending the new electronic instruments
of the time with his trusty orchestra.
Electronic violin
is played by Elliot Fisher. A custom built theremin is played by Paul Tanner.
Buddy Cole and Bobby Hammack handle the novachord and hammond organ. Allen
Reuss and Trefoni Rizzi add electric guitar.
Standards such
as Out of This World and Stella by Starlight sit nicely amongst original
compositions with titles like On the Dark Side of the Moon, Journey to
Infinity, and Galaxy. This is luscious melodic fare with an electrosonic
twist. While the tempo is consistently ballad like, there is not a bad
cut to be found. It never fails to bring a mercury laden tear to a few
robots' lenses.
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Shangri-La
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Robert Maxwell
Decca DL4421 (no date given)
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Robert Maxwell
has produced a myriad of adventurous yet easy listening albums. The title,
Shangri -La suggests an excursion into some form of exotica.
The generous
use of electronic organ mixed with reverb enhanced harp glissandos and
shimmering vibraphones pushes this collection of cocktail standards solidly
into the robot aesthetic.
While lacking
any direct references to space travel, the ethereal qualities of Maxwell's
arrangements of Old Devil Moon and Strange Music quite easily feel at home
with landscapes not of this earth. Outer space, or certainly, being on
an alternate planet, figures large in robots escape fantasies.
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Subliminal Sounds
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Leo Diamond
ABC-Paramount ABC 303 (no date given)
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Here harmonica
virtuoso, Leo Diamond, goes over the top by creating an interplay of overdub
recordings of his specially designed harmonicas against theremin and/or
electric organ melodies as arrangements of mostly acknowledged cocktail
standards. Each harmonica part was recorded twelve times over on motion
picture sound film. Taped sound effects such as wind, ocean waves, crickets,
drops of water, lambs mewing, and train whistles appear liberally throughout
the arrangements.
Juxtaposing the
sound of a locomotive over the haunting theme of "Laura," may at first
seem peculiar, but it works. In fact, every idea on this album could be
viewed as "eccentric" at first glance, but there's not a bad cut to be
found. There's a consistent mellow surrealness that cannot fail to work
the robot circuit.
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The Twilight Zone
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Marty Manning
Columbia CL 1586 or CS 8386 (1960)
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Marty Manning
performs on Martenot and Ondioline. Besides traditional woodwinds, piano,
trumpet, and drums, this collection of outer space music features Jerry
Murad on harmonica, Harry Breuer on vibraphone, Lois Hunt's wordless vocals
and special effects by Attilio J. Macero. Other exotic instruments used
were the serpent, the bazzimba, tuned logs and tuned bongos.
Somehow the dramatic
introductions and percussive and drifting to dissonant melody lines manage
to level out to the sublime. In particular, a reverberated harmonica passage
midway through "Invitation," is particularly goose-bump inspiring. This
is a strong group of genre arrangements and should be used with diplomacy.
No DJ wants a robot revolution on their hands.
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Futura
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Bernie Green
RCA Victor LSA-2376 (1961)
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The slip sleeve
from the handsome die cut cover of Futura begins it's liner notes with
the following statement from the composer. "What will music sound like
in 1970? In this album we are probing with both ears for full Stereo Action
perception. We intend to foreshadow the future sounds and techniques of
popular music recording." - Bernie Green circa 1961. This is, after all,
Bernie Green's contribution to RCA's Stereo Action series.
Mixboard gymnastics and tape splicing/looping experiments
account for most of the futuristic tinge found on this masterpiece. Occasionally,
one finds Ferrante and Teicher like prepared piano sounds. A "hush-hush"
new sound processing device called the "tonalyzer" is employed on a trumpet
melody for Mr. Green's arrangement of "Under Paris Skies." (It sounds something
like a cross between a ring modulator and a phase shifter with a healthy
dose of reverb.) Otherwise, all instruments are those common to the traditional
orchestra. They are simply presented in a new way.
Most are useable cuts for robot parties, but I recommend
mixing it up with gentler fare. Bernie Green is very serious about what
he is doing here and sometimes steps beyond easy into intentionally cerebral
listening. (err...actually all the music reviewed here works on both levels.)
My favorite cuts are of his own pen, "Futura" and "Futura (reprise)," but
they are not necessarily the most appropriate for backdrop to electronic
relaxation.
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White Goddess
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Frank Hunter
Kapp KL-1136 or KS-3019 (stereo)
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White Goddess
by Frank Hunter is an expression of the exotica style that crosses over
to the space age by incorporating new electronic instruments of the time.
Orienta inspired instruments like chromatic bongos and log drums, bazimba,
and Chinese bells sit with wordless female swoons and Ondioline in a small
orchestra, conceivable only in robot heaven. With sounds as colorful as
these, Hunter's essential approach to arranging works to full advantage.
The unknown, as seen through the eyes of a space
ship wrecked survivor or the high ball soaked neuro sponge of an automaton,
takes on Frank Hunter's personal interpretation of nirvana. Every single
cut works for robot attended gigs. Eight (8) are original compositions.
Standards like "Poinciana," and "Jungle Drums" feel at home with Hunter's
tunes. That should give an indication of the quality of the work.
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More
Robot Music - Strings For A Space Age - Bobby Christian
and His Orchestra, Electronic Music - The Electrosoniks, Music
In Orbit - Ron Goodwin and His Orchestra, Music Out of the Moon/Music
for Peace of Mind - Les Baxter/Harry Revel, Music from Out of Space
- Harry Revel, Soundproof - Ferrante and Teicher
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