So, this 1961 album is either a revelation or a snooze, and I have yet to decide on that count. It demands multiple plays. But the liner notes are unambiguous in their acclaim: "The Electro-Sonic Orchestra represents a new sound, a sound never heard before, a sound that defies all restrictions and delights in its breathtaking scope and startling dept." Sounds which are new and never heard before. How's that for redundancy? "A sound that defies all restrictions." Is that even possible? I love to make fun of liner-note puffery.
The secret of the new, never-before-heard, restriction-obliterating sound is the transducer. Which all microphones are, fundamentally (transducers), but we'll overlook that technicality and let Coral continue:
"The Transducer--an especially designed device that attaches directly to the instruments." No "open" microphones, and so we're hearing the vibrations of acoustic instruments as picked up by contact microphones, I'm presuming. We're talking piano, drum, bass violin, guitar, electric bass, cello, two violas, and six violins (Oxford comma added).
And: "This is electronic music. Not the weird machine-made sounds usually associated with the term." Yet, a vintage synth--the ondioline--and an organ (electric, presumably) are used, and so we are, in fact, getting some of "the weird machine-made sounds usually associated with the term." Hey, Coral's description, not mine!
And, when introducing a new sound never heard before--one which defies all restrictions--Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini is a playlist must!
Though this has obvious historical interest, it goes for ordinary prices, and possibly because it sold well (with umpteen copies extant). And because its gimmick didn't catch on (to my knowledge). Still, the crisp stereo separation is cool, and the constant panning (to add to the orch.'s "new" feel) is hilarious in a dated way.
DOWNLOAD: The Electro-Sonic Orchestra, c. by Dick Jacobs (Coral CRL 757381; 1961)
Volare
Cry
Hey There
Tammy
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini
Sincerely
Mack the Knife
Fascination
I'm Sorry
Little Things Mean a Lot
(Put Another Nickel In) Music! Music! Music!
That's My Desire
Lee
8 comments:
Now this is my kind of record! Thanks, Lee!
Hi Lee,
Thanks for sharing this. I really needed a new addition to my collection of:
Bachelor Pad-Space Age Pop collections. I have listened to it twice, and it will stay on my mp3 device for the foreseeable future. This is my favorite type of music, followed by the regular late 50s - mid-60s music.
Bryan,
Glad you enjoyed! And it does fit in perfectly with the popular instrumental music of that period, despite the novelty of the contact-microphone gimmick.
Will check this one out soon. Was surprised that this was not Sammy Kaye, yet the musical director of Coral Records and several Jackie Wilson hits on Brunswick is a cool start to a new year at the blog--better than Twist Around the Town on Urania like you kicked off last year's postings with. Will be looking for this one for the Easy Listening version of Brian Hyland's "Bikini" hit, written by the same composer teaam that wrote Perry Como's Catch A Falling Star. This is probably the second Easy Listening version of this tune, the other being on Roger Williamns Songs of the Soaring '60's, Volume One.
musicman1979,
I had planned on Sammy Kaye, but this showed up in my overflow rows, and since I'd been planning for year to post it (but somehow never around to it), I thought it would make a better opening. Glad you think it's a better start than my 2023 choice! Interested to hear your feedback. I'm still on the fence, but I could grow to dig this. I didn't know about the two songs' connection, and I'll have to grab that Roger Williams LP the next time it shows up in the thrifts.
muiscman1979,
Er, "planning for years," rather!
Very cool sounds with this one, Lee. Thanx ya kindly!
Glad you have operations back in order 'round here.
Testing
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