The Way Podcast 12/20/2012: The Monkees "HEAD" OST Vintage Vinyl

On tonight's podcast I played the entirety of the Monkee's innovative soundtrack to their heavily psychedelic 1968 film HEAD. The soundtrack consists of six Monkees songs interspersed with dialogue and sound-effect samples from the film. The soundtrack was partially edited and mixed by a young Jack Nicholson, who also wrote the script for the film, purportedly under the influence of LSD. I used my original vintage vinyl copy and it sounded great!

Stream the podcast here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/archive-complete/1356048001.mp3

Simon & Garfunkel: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme MONO CL 2563

I played this album on the podcast a few weeks ago, but it really deserves to be shared. There isn't much more that can be said about S&G's majestic 3rd LP. The album finds them at their most psychedelic, with songs like the Indian flavored "Patterns" and the marijuana anthem "Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine", but also at their most serene with sparkling folk ballads "For Emily" and "The Dangling Conversation". However, Simon's sharp pop sensibilities remain though with tunes like "Cloudy", "Homeward Bound" and "59th Street Bridge Song".

The version I am presenting here is an original mono LP that is very hard to find despite it being released in 1966 when mono LPs were still being pressed in numbers comparable to their stereo counterparts. The mono mix of this record I believe is superior to the stereo format, mostly because the instrumentation, mainly the rhythm section, spring to life in ways the stereo mix can't replicate. Particularly on "Cloudy", the brushed drums and the high organ tones seem much more in the pocket alongside S&G's vocal harmonies. The complexity of the instrumentation in "59th Street Bridge Song" becomes much more apparent in the mono version as well.

Ripped to HQ .mp3 @ 320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and dbpoweramp w/ LAME 3.97. Flat transfers, no pop removal, surface noise reduction or EQ changes.

Get the album HERE

The Monkees: The Monkees (1966) MONO Vintage Colgems LP Transfer

Here it is, the Monkees terrific debut album in it's original MONO format, straight from a vintage Colgems vinyl pressing. Sure, the Monkees didn't do much more than sing on this record, but Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, the producers and writers behind the vast majority of the tunes on this record made sure that the music was concise, catchy and played by top notch session musicians who weren't just there to phone it in and get their check. The instrumental tracks are full of razor-edged jangly guitars, wild drums and just the right amount of psychedelia and fuzz sprinkled throughout. And you can't forget to include the fantastic vocal performances from Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones. The result is a dizzying cocktail of bubblegum, garage rock and pop balladry that gave the group major chart and commercial success.

Ripped to HQ .mp3 @ 320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and dbpoweramp w/ LAME 3.97. Flat transfers, no pop removal, surface noise reduction or EQ changes.

Get the album HERE

Enjoy!

-Casey

The Monkees: "More Of The Monkees" & "Headquarters" in MONO Vintage Vinyl Rips

It's been a while since I've done a podcast so I thought I'd share something in the meantime. I recently ripped to mp3 my vintage vinyl copies of the Monkees 2nd and 3rd albums More of The Monkees and Headquarters, respectively. Both albums here are presented in their original and superior mono mixes. More of The Monkees in particular sounds miles better than my remastered CD copy, Jeff Barry's crisp pop production really comes to life on these vintage vinyl pressings in ways CDs can't quite replicate . Chip Douglas's production on Headquarters was never that great to begin with but the sound of the original vinyl pressing is significantly less dulled down than the CD reissues. However, Douglas's production would improve tenfold on the Monkees next album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., which is generally considered to be among the best Monkees LPs.

Ripped to HQ .mp3 @ 320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and dbpoweramp w/ LAME 3.97. Flat transfers, no pop removal, surface noise reduction or EQ changes.

Get the More of the Monkees HERE

Get Headquarters HERE

Enjoy!

-Casey

The Way Podcast: Paul Revere & The Raiders "Revolution", The Rainy Daze "That Acapulco Gold"

On tonight's show, get your kicks from Bubblegum Proto-Punks Paul Revere & the Raiders. I played tracks from their excellent 1967 LP Revolution! where they were once again teamed up with producer Terry Melcher who gave the band a muscular but crystal clear sound. I also played songs from Denver Soulful/Psych Garage Rock outfit The Rainy Daze's one and only LP That Acapulco Gold. The link to stream the podcast is below the pics. Enjoy!

THE WAY 11/19/2012

The Way 11/8/2012: Every Mother's Son Back Vinyl, The Cyrkle "The Minx" OST

On tonights show I played my vinyl copy of Every Mother's Son's 2nd and final LP called Every Mother's Son's Back, which came out just six months after their first LP was released in early 1967. I played the entire album after showcasing a few tunes from their excellent bubblegum debut. Technical glitches around the 11 to 12 minute marks didnt allow me to play the first 2 tracks from Back so I used my .mp3 copies for those two tracks before I could get the turntables working again. But the sound quality is just as good and I was able to play the rest of the album from my vintage vinyl copy after the turntable fiasco (probably a bum cartridge).

After EMS I played select tracks from the Cyrkle's soundtrack to the X-rated 1969 film "The Minx". The album essentially constitutes as the 3rd Cyrkle LP after Red Rubber Ball and Neon. The soundtrack is performed and written entirely by the group and their trademark mellow soft-pop/psych sound remains very much intact. Links to stream or download the podcast are below the pictures, enjoy!

THE WAY 11/8/2012

The Way Podcast 11/1/2012: Simon & Garfunkel "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme" MONO MIX, plus rare Cyrkle Tracks

On tonight's show I played my vintage, rare vinyl record of Simon & Garfunkel's majestic 1966 folk-pop LP Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, in it's original mono format. The mix is significantly different from the more circulated stereo mix, the complexity of the instrumentation is more noticeable, the vocal harmonies are tighter and the bass levels are higher. All in all, it makes for a much better listening experience in my opinion, yet another record that benefits from that "punchiness" that only mono sound can provide. I played the entirety of the album, and I think most of you will be impressed with the sound quality as the vinyl copy I found is exceptionally clean.

I played some rare singles and B-Sides from the soft-pop group The Cyrkle after I finished playing the Simon & Garfunkel record. Not sure if any of these off-album singles had any chart success or if they were intended for a follow-up record to Neon but they are great songs. The link is below to stream the podcast, or right-click on the link and hit "save as..." to download as an .mp3. Enjoy.

The Way 11/1/2012

The Way Podcast: 10/26/2012 Return To Form; Jangle, Bubblegum, Garage and Psych

Tonight's episode was a welcome return to the original format of the show, playing my favorite obscurities from the Psychedelic Pop era of the 1960s. Tonight's set leaned heavily on jangly bubblegum acts like the Monkees' Headquarters (presented here in mono sourced from original vinyl), Every Mother's Son and early Grass Roots, Chicago garage-popsters like New Colony Six and the Cryan' Shames, and more psych oriented stuff from the Five American's Progressions. Links to download and stream the podcast are below the pics. Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2

The Way Podcast, Oct. 4th: The Clash Mk. II; Out Of Control

In 1984, the newly reformed line-up of the Clash embarked on the now legendary "Out Of Control" tour. Gone was Mick Jones, the excessive stoned grooves, the arty electronic-dance-rock they had begun to pioneer. Strummer and co. vowed to get back to basics and play Punk Rock music.  The band featured two new guitar players, Nick Sheppard on lead and Vince White on rhythm. The Clash's most technically skilled drummer to date Pete Howard had replaced Terry Chimes in 1983 and remained in the group after the firing of Mick Jones. Although many dismissed this version of the Clash as a shell of the former line-up, the Clash Mk. II were a fantastic band in their own right. Strummer kept his promise to rid the band's sound of excess,  they played blazing fast, razor sharp Punk, with a somewhat "post-apocalyptic" edge that only the Reagan/Thatcher reign in the mid 80s could inspire.

The Clash Mk. II

On the show I play songs from the Clash II's early demos recorded in Winter of '83, tunes from their live tour in 1984 all the way to their only album statement, the vastly underrated electro-punk freakshow Cut the Crap (1985). No Mick? No problem. Listen here: The Way: October 4th

The Way Podcast 9/13: The Hired Hand OST Cut W/ Film Dialogue + Alex Cox's Straight To Hell OST Mash-Up

On this week's episode of the Way I explore Peter Fonda's directorial debut The Hired Hand (1971), a hallucinatory Western starring the aforementioned Fonda and the legendary Warren Oates, who gives one of his best ever performances. The two play best friends who give up their drifter ways to head back to Harry Colling's (Fonda) family ranch, which he had abandoned years ago. Although the story and acting are quite fine, it's the hypnotic cinematography and the haunting, hallucinatory film score composed by Bruce Langhorne that make the movie something special. The twisting, kaleidoscopic visuals coupled with the sparse score move the film along at a drifitng, stream-of-consciousness pace that is very striking. On the podcast, I play a mash-up of dialogue from the film played along side Langhorne's magnificent score.

The second half of the show is another western mash-up of dialogue of soundtrack and dialogue this time from Alex Cox's notorious 1987 cult western Straight to Hell. The film is almost the polar opposite of something like The Hired Hand. Gritty, plot-less, endlessly violent and noisy as hell, Straight to Hell was the result of director Alex Cox and his punk-rock buddies Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, the Pogues, and others hanging out on old film sets in the desert in the south of Spain and shooting what has to be one of the most bizarre, yet entertaining movies I've ever seen. The soundtrack is excellent as well, think Ennio Morricone gone Punk. Major contributions from a group called Pray For Rain, who do soundtrack work exclusively, in particular for Cox's movies. The Pogues, Joe Strummer, Zander Schloss and Elvis Costello also contribute to the soundtrack as well. The mash-up was done improv, on the fly so the result is much like the movie, chaotic and noisy. Hope you enjoy it all the same though. The link to stream the episode is below, and you can right click and hit it "save as" to download as a .mp3.

The Way: September 13th, 2012

The Way Podcast: August 23rd, 2012; Outlaw Pop/Rock

On tonight's episode of the Way I play some of my favorite songs about "outlaws" (still on an Old West kick apparently). Songs range from the Byrd's "Pretty Boy Floyd" to Dylan's "Drifter's Escape", the Bobby Fuller Four's classic crime anthem "I Fought The Law" and Old West-Retropop from Harper's Bizarre. A rare Monkees outtake is also included with Michael Nesmith's somber country-rock ballad "Nine Times Blue". The music here is mostly acoustic and has a distinct rustic and pastoral quality. Most of the tunes were recorded from the early to mid sixties and not all are explicity about outlaws, but most of lyrics and music suggest characters, experiences and stories from dusty old Southwestern towns. Click the link below to listen to stream the podcast or right-click the link and press "save link as..." to download it in .mp3 format to your computer. The show starts in at about the 3 minute mark. Enjoy:

The Way: August 23rd

The Way Podcast: 8/16; The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Mash-Up/Joe Strummer's "Walker"

In keeping with the theme of last week's show, this week I explore the ultimate Western soundtrack, Ennio Morricone's iconic score for Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly but with a new twist. Instead of relying on the original theatrical trailers for dialogue to superimpose on to the music, I used the actual film for the source of all the dialogue and sound effects. I basically mixed the entire set live on the fly so there are some moments where there is some clashing audio, but I'm mostly pleased with the result. The mash-up took up about the first half-hour of the show and the rest of the show I played tracks from Joe Strummer's soundtrack for Alex Cox's '87 Neo-Western Walker. Strummer's soundtrack is rustic and melancholy and often very pretty, clearly influenced by Dylan's soundtrack for Peckinpah's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. The show is a bit different from what I've done in the past, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, it was a fun challenge for me. Listen to the stream by clicking the link below and right click and hit "Save As" to download it. Enjoy!

The Way, August 16th

The Way Podcast: August 10th; Art-Western Soundtracks

Probably one of my favorite shows I've done recently, and one of the more "conceptual" shows I've attempted, this week's episode was dedicated to my some of my favorite Western movie scores from the 60s and 70s. I interspersed each set of three film scores with bits of dialouge from the original theatrical trailers from the movies and try to give some background on the songs being played and what kind of scenes the songs were used in. The movies chosen were "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid", with a score from Burt Bacharach, "Once Upon A Time In The West", with a score from Ennio Morricone and my personal favorite movie and score, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid", with a beautiful soundtrack from Bob Dylan. The link to stream the podcast is below, enjoy!

The Way: August 10th, 2012

The Way Podcast: 8/2/2012, "Cosmic Americana" A Sampler of Rootsy California Psychedelia

On this week's show I provide a sampler of what I refer to as "Cosmic American Music", a term first coined by the late Gram Parsons in reference to his band the Flying Burrito Brothers. While I think it's a good description of that band, I also think it's a label that fits a lot of other Los Angeles and California based pop/rock acts that successfully merged elements of country, rock 'n roll and psychedelia. I played some of my favorite latter-day Byrds and Moby Grape tracks and also some RARE Curt Boettcher songs that were originally intended for a solo album he would have released on the ill-fated Together Records label, that he and Gary Usher had founded in 1969. The tracks would later end up on the Curt Boettcher compilation "Misty Mirage". To listen to the podcast, click the link below:

The Way: August 2nd, 2012

The Way Podcast: 7/26 "One Hour Of Optimism": An Interview With Sandy Salisbury

On this weeks show, Sandy Salisbury of the legendary Psych-Pop super group the Millennium was nice enough to come on my show to do an in-studio interview. We discussed his early music career in LA, collaborating with Curt Boettcher and Gary Usher, his unreleased solo album, his book career and most importantly of all, we preview his new material which he is releasing under the name 'Little Johnny Coconut' based off of a character from his book series "Calvin Coconut". The new material is VERY good, and Sandy was about as nice a guy as you could meet. It was such a thrill. Big thanks to Sandy Salisbury! Listen to the interview below:

The Way Podcast: 7/19: Rare Psych/Garage Rock Sampler

I noticed I had been doing alot of pop-oriented psychedelia on the show lately and this past week I decided to switch it up. This past week's show is a wild and freaky set of my favorite obscure garage, acid and psychedelic rock songs. Legendary LSD prophets 13th Floor Elevators (in rare mono!), Texas prog-punk from Bubble Puppy, British blues-rockers Apple, Bob Klose-era Pink Floyd and more rare treats! Listen here:


https://s3.amazonaws.com/archive-complete/1342036801.mp3

The Way Podcast: 7/05/2012; American Psychedelic Pop Sampler

Last week was British Psych Pop, this week it's American Psych Pop, its the day after the 4th so why not? Languid art-psych from the infamous Los Angeles project the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, tracks from the Midwest's resident Sunshine Pop group Spanky & Our Gang's conceptual 3rd album, cheery acid-bubblegum from Boettcher-ites Eternity's Children and dreamy space-psych from J.K. & Co. Enjoy the podcast by clicking the link below. 

THE WAY: July 5th, 2012

P.S. Don't forget to tune in to my interview with Millennium member and Curt Boettcher collaborator Sandy Salisbury on July 26th, in studio, on The Way!!

The Way Podcast: 6/28/2012; British Psychedelic Pop Sampler

On tonight's episode of my weekly one hour podcast The Way, I explored the catalogs of my 4 favorite British Psychedelic Pop artists, fairy-tale folk rockers Kaleidoscope, acid-popsters July, the Bill Wyman produced The End, and the soaring, orchestral prog of The Moody Blues. I love the whimsical nature of the Brit's take on psychedelia and wanted to create a nice showcase to display some of my favorite English-Psych tunes. The link to the stream is below, Enjoy!

https://s3.amazonaws.com/archive-complete/1340928001.mp3

Interview With Now Sound Records' Steve Stanley On "The Way", June 21st 2012

Today I interviewed Steve Stanley, the founder of Now Sounds Records on the podcast incarnation of The Way, on KPSU, Portland's College Radio. Now Sounds Records have reissued some of my favorite psych/sunshine pop records ever in the last few years including MONO re-issues of the first four Association albums and the first two Harpers Bizarre albums, as well as the Critter's Project 3 recordings and the Parade's lost album. Steve was a great guest and we talked all things Harpers Bizarre, Association, Brewer & Shipley, Mono vs. Stereo, and even some Enoch Light talk. Big thanks to Steve Stanley for taking his time to join me.

Listen to the interview here, it starts at just about the 7:00 minute mark:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/archive-complete/1340323201.mp3

Tony Mottola: Warm, Wild & Wonderful (1968) Original Project 3 Quadraphonic Vinyl Transfer (Stereo Reproduction)

Enoch Light's go-to guitarist for nearly all of his studio work, Tony Mottola released several instrumental albums of his own on Light's Command and Project 3 labels, but none better than his 1968 Project 3 release Warm, Wild & Wonderful. Although Mottola did not often write material of his own, the cover song selections here are fantastic and perfectly suited to Mottola's silky smooth jazz playing. The material chosen here ranges from the adult pop of Bacharach and also brilliant covers of label-mates the Free Design (in fact, Free Design leader Chris Dedrick helped arrange several of the songs on this record and background vox are performed by his bandmates). Highlights are the fantastic renditions of the classic Bacharach tunes "This Guy's In Love With You", and the Warwick hit "Do You Know The Way To San Jose". Mottola's carefully and precisely played guitar mimic the song's vocal melodies and Enoch Light adds the perfect soft, orchestral touches to the jazzy guitar playing. But the standout track has to be his take on Dedrick's "Kites Are Fun", a Free Design classic that Mottola turns in to an even blissful and breezier tune than the original. Wondeful stuff.

This rip is from the 1973 Quadraphonic re-release that Project 3 issued in response to the new Quadraphonic phase, that infamously fizzled within a matter of years. This Quad release is also compatible with regular stereo sets, and in comparison to the original stereo mix samples I've heard there isn't a whole lot of difference that I can hear besides maybe an enhancement in clarity. The rip is flat transferred from the '73 release to .mp3 @ 320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed using dbpoweramp and LAME 3.97. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?mg5qclzhd572lhr

-Casey

Enoch Light & The Light Brigade: Spaced Out (1969) Original Project 3 Vinyl Transfer

The last of my Enoch Light themed posts, this album is perhaps Light's most notorious, but also his most celebrated work. Enoch Light & The Light Brigade take their sound innovations up out of the stratosphere with tripped out interpretations of Bach, the Beatles and Burt Bacharach songs featuring Enoch's favorite new toy, the Moog Synthesizer. And just when you thought it couldn't get any cooler, the Free Design do all the background vocals. Here's an entertaining liner note excerpt from the back cover:

"In this new album, Enoch Light explores the new age of Supersound. You will hear all of today's musical and electro-musical discoveries that have sky-rocketed stereo into a new, exciting dynamic direction: Far out and Light years away.


This "Spaced Out" record spearheads the entire sound spectrum. With side trips into some turned-on tonal zones. Like the mind-bending Moog, electric harpischords and flipped out flugelhorns.


The songs we recorded are all established hits covering a period of more than 250 years: From Bach to Bacharach and the Beatles.


We believe you'll enjoy the hip harmonics we adapted for these familiar melodies; then recorded with the most advanced electronic instruments.


The result, we think, is a total in-put of spectacular stereo reproduction.


Lift Off!"


Ripped from my original vinyl LP using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed to .mp3 @ 320vbr with dbpoweramp and LAME 3.97. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?o4jc7khi6558w4i

-Casey

The Free Design - Heaven/Earth (1969) Original Project 3 White Label Promo Vinyl Transfer

They were dream pop and twee 20 years before the terms even existed. The masters of soft-pop, this East Coast family foursome, made up of siblings Chris, Bruce, Ellen and Sandy Dedrick, has gained a well deserved cult following 40 years after their brief lifetime. Their light-as-air vocal harmonies and jazz-pop arrangements were too complex for teens, but too sugary and innocent for adults, and thus, the Free Design never found the success they deserved. Other reasons also were a factor, namely their producer Enoch Light and his Project 3 label's confusion on how to promote a young, self-contained vocal group, as opposed to the label's usual output of instrumental and easy listening records which were aimed squarely at adults and audiophiles. It's unclear to me whether this record was recorded on the 35mm film that Enoch had started to use some years prior to the recording of this album. I know that the first two Free Design LPs, Kites Are Fun (1967), and You Could Be Born Again (1968), were indeed recorded on 35mm film as indicated on the album cover, like all Project 3 LPs were back then. But on this record, their third for Project 3, 1969's Heaven/Earth, there is no mention of the recording process or what kind of tape or film was used for the master recording and I know that he eventually did stop using 35mm film because of it's high price tag.

Regardless, this is their best album by a long shot. This record found the group easing away from the child-like themes of the earlier albums (kites, umbrellas, little brothers...), and on to more adult themes like the music business, romance and self-discovery. The haunting arrangements by principle songwriter Chris Dedrick are the best he would ever conceive and the male-female vocal interplay among the group is as sharp as ever. The covers here are the most mature the group would attempt, covering standards like Gershwin's "Summertime", as opposed to their earlier records where they covered contemporary pop acts like Simon & Garfunkel, and the Turtles. Dedrick's originals steal the show though, with masterpieces of jazzy sunshine-pop like "My Very Own Angel", the bitingly cynical "2002 - A Hit Song", and the absolutely beautiful and haunting choral piece "Dorian Benediction" on which Enoch Light's session musicians lay down some of their best jazzy touches over the group's, reverb drenched, cathedral-like vocal parts. Enoch Light's production is absolutely wonderful and spacious, and he gets great help from Command/Project 3 staple Tony Mottola and awesome engineering from the brilliant Phil Ramone. Fantastic record.

This album is only available for a very limited time on this blog because this record is currently in print. Light In the Attic, a Seattle-based re-issue label has released all the Free Design's albums on nice sounding CDs. Use this rip as a preview and buy the reissue for yourself on Amazon, or go the extra mile like I did and find an old, vintage used copy of an original LP, which this rip is sourced from. Flat transferred from an original promotional vinyl copy using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed to 320vbr .mp3 using dbpoweramp and LAME 3.97. Enjoy and grab it while you can, cause it'll be gone soon:

EDIT 5/30/2012: As of May 30th, this LP rip is no longer available to download because it is still in print in CD format, issued by Light In The Attic records. See the amazon.com link above to order a copy!

-Casey

Enoch Light Presents: Patterns In Sound Volumes 1 & 2 (1966, 1967); Original Project 3 LP Transfers

As I've been on a massive Enoch Light kick recently, I decided to post a special two-fer of Light LPs. 1966 found Enoch Light heading a new label, Project 3, after his Command Records label had been bought and sold by ABC-Paramount in '65 or early '66 (I believe). As discussed in previous posts, Light had recently began experimenting with the use of master recording his records on 35mm film rather than tape to achieve maximum sound quality, or as Light called it, "total sound". He had released an LP of film themes and scores as early as 1962 that were mastered on 35mm film. He continued his experiment on Project 3, by producing a slew of records featuring his usual line up of "All-Star" session musicians and orchestral accompaniment, one of the most prolific periods of Lights recording career. By end of year 1966, Light had enough material released on his still brand new label that he began to compile what he considered to be the label's best material, and the best examples of "total sound". The result was Patterns In Sound: An Emotional Experience In Musical Communication, a series of compilations that would eventually reach nine volumes in total. Presented here are the first two, which were probably the most commercially successful of the series, although they did not chart.

The music here is typical Enoch Light, cinematic, bold, swinging and sweeping, as the first track on Volume 1 sets the stage for whats to come perfectly with a rousing take on "April In Portugal", with propulsive strings and and crisp, clear bongo rolls. The sound quality, as expected, is fantastic throughout both volumes, Enoch Light fans will certainly enjoy these records. Note: I removed two tracks (5 and 6) from Volume 1 by the Kissin' Cousins because they are already included on my earlier post here: http://caseysway.blogspot.com/2012/05/enoch-light-presents-kissin-cousins.html

These LPs were flat transferred to .mp3 @ 320vbr by using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed with dbpoweramp using LAME 3.97. Enjoy:

Vol.1: http://depositfiles.com/files/ocdv0c0sx

Vol 2: http://depositfiles.com/files/gz8l5spxe

-Casey

The Mystic Moods Orchestra: Mexican Trip (1967) Original Phillips Records Stereo Vinyl Transfer

Another fun Easy Listening record, this time from audiophile and found-sound innovator Brad Miller (not to be confused with the former NBA center of course...). A couple years before this record had come out, Miller and the Mystic Moods released an album called One Stormy Night a mostly instrumental album with orchestral covers of jazz tunes mixed with sounds of real rain and thunderstorms that Miller had recorded himself with primitive portable recording equipment. For the time it was quite innovative in terms of it's concept and ended up selling surprisingly well.

In 1967 the Mystic Moods Orchestra released their 3rd found-sound infused Easy Listening record, with the theme of the record being the sounds of Mexican beaches, villages and town squares, all mixed in with a Latin-esque orchestral pop sound ala Herb Alpert. Gorgeous strings, luxuriant flamenco guitars, mariachi trumpets setting the stage a midst a backdrop of the sounds of crashing waves and the bustle of Mexican city life indeed make this an easy, and fun, listen. The material here is a mix between traditional Mexican music and Mystic Moods originals, written by the Orchestra's conductor and arranger Don Ralke. Is it a bit cheeseball at times? You bet your ass it is. But it's a fun concept, and immaculately arranged and performed. A must have for fans of the Mystic Moods material and the A&M Latin pop acts like Alpert and the Baja Marimba Band.

This vinyl rip was flat transferred to .mp3 @ 320 vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed using dbpoweramp and LAME 3.97. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?bm8y39aux1d6fe5

-Casey

Enoch Light Presents: The Kissin' Cousins Sing with Lew Davies And His Orchestra (1966) Original Project 3 Records Vinyl Transfer

An excerpt from the liner notes:

"THE KISSIN' COUSINS...a new vocal group with arrangements by one of America's greatest innovators in pop music development; Lew Davies enjoys the enthusiastic cooperation of the "top pros" who perform on this record. The exposé of musical patterns and the development of harmonic ideas will, we believe, give you the great pleasure of personal involvement in performances of unusual color.


All the essentials of good stereo are brilliantly present...sharp definition of solos and sections...warm presence of musical colors and instrumental characteristics...plus the excitement of "in-depth," Total realization of orchestration and dynamics."


In 1966, Enoch Light began the infamous record label Project 3, which would take his audiophilic obsessions to new heights. This time he recorded all the master reels on 35mm magnetic film, as opposed to the traditional 12.65mm (10 1/2 inch) Ampex tape that was the standard for most audio recording back then. Here's Light's explanation for the use of 35mm tape, given on the back of the LP jacket:


"Project 3 albums are master recorded on 35mm magnetic film. In spite of the fact that the film is fifteen times more expensive than most studio tape, the advantages of recording on film are irrefutable. The use of 35mm magnetic film recording equipment, because of its sprocket-driven, closed-looped recording, insures driven extremely stable , flutter-free sound. The film, with it's wider tracks, allows for improved signal to noise ratio; and the substance and solidity of the magnetic film completely eliminate print-through, a form of distortion."


Yes, that's a hell of a lot of technical jargon to be on the back of a record sleeve in 1966, or any year for that matter. This Enoch Light guy fascinates me, he was already approaching 60 when this record came out and he was still obsessed with refining the studio recording process to achieve what he called "Total Sound", the idea of having recorded music sound like it was being played live, in front of you. This record is definitely an odd one, even for Enoch Light. Most of his work up until this point was instrumental, Big-Band based pop music, but this record incorporated the Kissin' Cousins, a studio vocal ensemble that bares more than just a wee bit of resemblance to the Ray Conniff Singers. The singers old timey male-female harmonies are fine, but the instrumental textures are where this record stands out. The percussion is beautifully clear and precise in typical Enoch fashion and the brassy punches from the sax and trumpet players add just the right amount of that classic Light Big-Band flavor, seen on Provocative Percussion to things. Tony Mottola's guitar hasn't sounded better to my ears than on this record, a bit of warm tremolo is added to his already rich sound and it really adds the perfect accents to these jazz-lite pop songs. Pretty positive Light's favorite studio musicians, the All-Stars, were all present on this recording.


The material I'm not familiar at all with. These are probably standards from the 30s and 40s, or show tunes but I really haven't done much research so any help identifying the tunes would be awesome. Overall, it's just a fun record and a great listen for those who are as enchanted with Enoch Light as I am. I think this record represents the transition between Light's Big-Band driven material and the more modern pop sound he tried to capitalize on with the Free Design and the Critters, both of whom were signed to Project 3 Records a year after this record was released. 


This LP was flat transferred to .mp3 @320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed using dbpoweramp with LAME 3.97. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?gamdwdddudmah2v


-Casey

Enoch Light: Provacative Percussion Vol. 1 (1959) Original Command Records Stereo Vinyl Transfer

Perhaps Enoch Light's most famous releases, the Provocative Percussion series weren't so much albums as they were an experiment in exploring the possibilities of stereo sound, as I alluded to on my previous post. Enoch Light was a notorious audiophile and went to the greatest lengths possible to achieve top sound quality. The liner notes on the LP sleeve, where typically some record label promo guy would wax poetic about the content of the record, is instead filled with details on which microphones were used to the record the instruments, which kind of tape head and amplifiers were used to cut the master reel, and directions on how to properly weigh and calibrate your turntable as to not damage the record.

The music itself is deceptively simple, the record is mostly comprised of jazz standards and instrumental versions of show tunes. The selections are immaculately arranged and performed but they sometimes feel as though they are merely an excuse to show off Light's high tech studio wizardry. There's an almost sparse feeling to the songs as Enoch Light typically shows off one instrument at a time, almost like a demonstration for the listener to hear how incredible the clarity of each individual sound is. The clarity is indeed stunning, the brass play very loud and yet there's zero evidence of clipping or distortion, quite a feat for a recording studio in 1959. And as the album title suggests, crystal clear bongo drum rolls, shakers and scratchers zip back and forth between the left and right channels seemingly at random as a further demonstration of Light's prowess with the newly discovered stereo format. Tony Mottola's guitar is as smooth and silky as ever, as he picks the perfect spots to put his precise, jazzy touches on.

Highlights are the Cole Porter cover "You're the Top", "Somebody Loves Me" and "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps."

The LP was transferred to .mp3 @ 320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed with dbpoweramp using LAME 3.97. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?lvv8bo1w7x2606j

-Casey

Enoch Light: Big Band Bossa Nova: The New Beat From Brazil (1962) Command Records RS33-844 MONO Vinyl Transfer

The legendary audiophile, record producer and band leader Enoch Light released this Bossa Nova-influenced big band record on his very own Command Records in 1962. Light had built a reputation as one of the first true audiophiles in the era of recorded music by going to extreme lengths to achieve what he would later call "total sound", an attempt to replicate the experience of actually listening to music live in person. He used cutting edge studio technology and top of the line microphones, and was one of the first producers to explore the possibilities, and limitations, of stereo sound.

This album found Light, who was in his 50s at this point in his life, dabbling in Bossa Nova, while still keeping true to his Big-Band roots at the same time. The result is a fun, bold and brassy record, perfect for hot summer evening drives. The songs, a mix of traditional Brazilian jazz tunes and Light originals, are performed superbly by Command Record's staff musicians, the Command All-Stars. The blasting trumpets are crystal clear along side the thick sax lines and the crisp guitar playing of Tony Mattola. The rhythm section stands out in particular though, with the All-Stars using all the slappy, echoey percussive tools they could get their hands on.

The sound quality of the recordings is obviously fantastic. But the mix of this record I'm presenting here is the rare mono edition of record, which was printed in smaller numbers than the stereo mix due to Light's desire to show off his proficiency at mixing sound in the newly developed stereo format. And while Light was certainly a pioneer in the field of stereo recording, he often mixed things so hard left and right that it makes for a sometimes clumsy listening experience, especially on headphones. This mix proves Enoch's productions sounded just as fantastic in a mono mix as it did in stereo. The thing that stands out the most to me about the mono mix, this sucker is one LOUD record. But despite the volume, the clarity remains intact, a very impressive feat, especially for the era in which this was recorded. A very satisfying, and fun, listen. Highly recommended for fans of the Exotica and Space Age Pop music genre's.

Ripped by EAC's .WAV editor and converted in to 320vbr .mp3 with dbpoweramp using LAME 3.97.
Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?xxxdo909x34gdwh

-Casey

Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass: Whipped Cream & Other Delights (1965) MONO MIX Original A&M Records Vinyl Transfer

The definitive Easy Listening album, this record swept the nation in 1965 with it's provocative cover art and breezy, brassy pop songs. This album also transitioned Alpert away from the faux mariachi sound he had developed with the early Brass, and more toward an LA studio-pop sound that Herb's label, A&M, would soon be so known for. The songs here are as lightweight, and as fun, as they come. Alpert's punchy trumpet is responsible for carrying most of the songs summery, Latin-esque melodies and the rhythm section does an excellent job of adding just the right amount of swing to the proceedings. Highlights are the sweeping samba numbers "A Taste of Honey" and "Bittersweet Samba", and the haunting "Tangerine" with it's laid back groove and Spector-like percussion. But it's the drop-dead gorgeous "Ladyfingers" that steals the show here, with it's sorrowful, lilting melody, delicate vibraphone playing and ghostly strings. The most stunningly beautiful song the Brass ever did.

This mix I'm presenting here is the original mono mix which has been out of print for over forty years. I found a decent copy at my local record store recently and wanted to share this now rare mix of this classic record. There are some noisy spots, but overall it's a nice way to hear the mono version. For the audiophiles out there, if this record is too noisy, I would recommend checking out your local record or thrift store for a copy of it, it sold in the millions back in the 60s and is easy to find in the bargain bins.

Ripped from vinyl to .mp3 @ 320vbr (this one is mono so LAME ended up encoding it around 200kb/s in actuality) using EAC's .WAV editor and LAME 3.97. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?y4voszvcf3ahp0e

-Casey

Burt Bacharach: Reach Out (1967) Original A&M Records Vinyl Transfer

Burt Bacharach's first album for A&M was Reach Out released in 1967, it mostly contains jazzy, orchestral instrumental arrangements of songs that he had written prior to releasing this record for other artists or for film soundtracks and plays. Don't let the Easy Listening tag fool you, this album is full of sophisticated and exquisite moments, lots of time changes, different movements within songs and gorgeously clear production. The soulful opening number "Reach Out For Me" is an immediate highlight, a blast of orchestral pop amid the serene and jazzy chord changes, with a fantastic instrumental blend including clarinet, piano, strings, trumpets, harpsichord, booming drums and the sultry "Bacharach Singers" (who sound like a more adult version of the Ronnettes). The record's best moments are in a similar vein, "Bond Street" turns from a bouncy jazz tune to a string laden, symphonic jewel in a matter of minutes. The arrangement of Bacharach's most famous song "What The World Needs Now Is Love" is absolutely brilliant. The unmistakable piano chords ring out loud and clear among Bacharach's orchestral and horn arrangements as the song suddenly takes a turn in to a be-bop styled jazz number mid-way through, only to return to the crashing and thunderous chorus with a Spector-esque touch.

This record is very different from the other material I've posted here. It's probably the music farthest removed from rock 'n' roll I've shared on the blog, and it's probably the most "adult oriented" music as well, as this music was not intended for the teen audience, or even the young adult audience. Some may find it bland, but it's anything but, Bacharach's arrangements are truly remarkable and always interesting. This copy is ripped from an original A&M Records vinyl pressing @ 320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and LAME 3.97. No EQing, no pop removal, just a flat transfer. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?3qodb2f8d154bai

-Casey

Spanky & Our Gang: Without Rhyme Or Reason B/W Anything You Choose (1969) Original Mercury Records Vinyl Transfer

This record really surprised me. I had only given Spanky and the Gang a few listens, mostly from my 45s of the Sunshine Pop hits "Sunday Will Never Be the Same" and "Sunday Morning". I hadn't ever really dove into their LPs though, for some reason I kinda assumed they were mostly full of filler padding their hits (I was wrong). But I did some research on their 3rd LP, Without Rhyme Or Reason B/W Anything You Choose, and was really intrigued by the reviews I'd read. So, being the vinyl junky I am, I went out on the inevitable hunt for the album, and after rummaging through a couple record stores, I managed to find a nice, near mint copy.

The record is substantially better than I imagined it would be. Essentially, this album is a concept record, except with no real concept, much like the Harpers Bizarre's The Secret Life, or Boyce & Hart's It's All Happening on the Inside. But it flows much like a concept album with each song flowing in to the other with some very clever editing and even, on a few occasions, excerpts of dialogue, not unlike the Monkee's Head. However, the music is really where the album shines. Like a shot of adrenaline, the first track "Leopard Skin Phones" bursts out of the speakers at a frenetic pace, a scintillating piece of psych pop with big harmony vocals, a fuzz guitar solo and really cool stereo sound effects. The song quickly disintegrates, the next track "But Back Then" is a dialogue excerpt of an old time jazz cat talking about how things used to be in the music world when suddenly the conversation ends and "Mecca Flat Blues" an appropriately bluesy New Orleans style Ragtime tune takes center stage. The title track, "Without Rhyme or Reason" is a more updated sounding song, an equally jazzy but more contemporary LA styled soft-pop tune with lush vocals and instrumentation. "Jane" is a bouncy folk influenced bossanova-esque sunshine pop tune with a sparkling acoustic guitar pattern and jaunty flute runs. The jazzy theme continues with the haunting, orchestral conclusion to side one, "Since You've Gone", with ethereal "ba-baa" harmonies and a beautiful string arrangement.

Side 2 kicks off with the other title track, "Anything You Choose", a rocking, brassy R'n B number, done Spanky style, with some folky guitar work and broadway harmonies. The next track "And She's Mine" is definitely a standout tune, one of the more straightforward tracks on the record, just a simple sugary folk-pop melody dressed up with the Gang's big vocal arrangements and dreamy production. But I think the most  obvious highlights come in the last 2 or 3 tracks of the album, starting with "Hong Kong Blues", an eastern flavored retro-pop tune with great tack piano, a fantastic horn section and frantic vocals from the whole Gang. The track segues into finale "Give a Damn", a grandiose slice of psych-folk, with more big brass, airy harmonies and a gorgeous and dreamy jazz fade-out that signals the close of the record.

Very good album, I'd say side one flows more as conceptual piece, whereas the songs on side 2, while they still flow together, stand out more on an individual basis. One of the better LP statements by a Sunshine Pop band, the speed at which this record flies by is very impressive, clocking in at around 40 minutes, it feels like it goes by much shorter. The heavy pop-jazz accents are very tasteful and suit the band very well.  Highly recommended for fans of Harpers Bizarre, Roger Nichols and the Free Design.

I believe some of these songs are available on various compilations but the album has never been re-issued in it's original form, outside of a Japanese CD issue that is long out of print. The vinyl has obviously been OOP for over forty years, so I thought I'd share it here, as we wait for a proper reissue. I transferred my clean, original vinyl record, issued on Mercury, to .mp3 using EAC's .WAV editor and dbpoweramp (using LAME 3.97) @ 320vbr. No EQing or pop-removal, just a flat transfer. I did not seperate the tracks individually, as this album is intended to be listened to from start to finish by the listener. I know that's not the most convenient way to listen, but it's certainly the most effective way to get the most enjoyment out of this record. http://www.mediafire.com/?jh9d18soyx0g9z2

-Casey