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
Every single thrift store have a copy or more of the stereo version of this LP
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