|
|
|
(See below for details on our CD giveaway!)
Boasting itself as the first album to ever be remixed in its entirety, this updated version of the bajillion-selling Herb Alpert classic isn't really so much remixed as remade. Sure, it incorporates samples of the original recordings, but there's also extensive new instrumentation, including plenty of new trumpet work from Herb himself. It bears saying that the guy's still got impressive chops. He's spared no expense on star power for this package, bringing some heavy-hitting remixers on board, and hiring a Guess model to wear the foam (and, not surprisingly, a lot less of it) on the cover this time.
In place of the bouncy pep that dominates the original, the primary rhythmic objective here seems to be laid-back grooves, and despite the stable of contributors the album is very consistent as a whole. Half the tracks are produced by Anthony Marinelli (apparently a film scorer by trade), who works with members of world-pop outfit Ozomatli on a couple of tracks. Ozomatli singer Asdru Sierra provides vocals for "Love Potion #9," and it's a little strange hearing vocals reintroduced to a once-instumental version of the song. Dust Brother Jon King brings some island touches to "A Taste of Honey," with Caribbean rhythms and Hawaiian slide guitar. The drum loop in Camara Kambon's version of "Ladyfingers" sounds like something I've heard on a De La Soul record before. "Peanuts" loses its big-top flavor and goes in a jazz fusion direction instead. Medeski Martin & Wood jazz up "El Garbanzo" as well, with swinging piano and stand-up bass, while Thievery Corporation infuse their languid "Lemon Tree" with some wizardy prog keyboard flourishes. "Lollipops and Roses" travels in time all the way forward to...the early 70s, driven by that distinctive Stevie Wonder clavinet sound. Mocean Worker plays up the Brazilian beats in "Bittersweet Samba," evoking, appropriately enough, a slightly melancholy Carnival. A couple of tracks have a dubby trip-hop feel: "Green Peppers" utilizes organ that sounds borrowed from DJ Shadow's Endtroducing, and the reverby bass beat of "Butterball" is straight out of the Portishead bag of tricks.
For better or for worse, these new versions stay very true to the swingin' bachelor-pad spirit of the originals. The bachelor pad music of the 60s has benefitted from the ironic detachment of time, now seeming kind of cute and quaint; these reworkings don't really have that benefit. This is cheese that hasn't properly aged yet. (mike.05.06)
rating
we're giving away this album!
We've got two extra copies of this CD to give away to two lucky people! Just contact us with your mailing address and we'll send one right out to you! Limit one per address, US addresses only, first come first served.
Why you should bother buying this "Herb Alpert Signature Series" 40th-anniversary reissue disc, when the LP can be found for $1 or less at almost any thrift store:
The digital format makes it much easier to rip MP3s for your iPod or whatever, and you'll definitely want to slot some of these tracks into your party-mix playlist. Plus, it's got 2 previously unreleased bonus tracks: the melancholy "Rosemary" and the Caribbean-flavored "Blueberry Park." Also, in lieu of LP-sized cover art, you get a mini-poster of the infamous voluptuous foam-covered lady, as well as a booklet of informative liner notes. That said, since they are so cheap and abundant, you should also get yourself a nice vinyl copy, because this just sounds better with some nice crackles and pops.
Why you should just own this album in general:
No matter how cynical or crabby you are, it's hard to resist bopping your head and tapping your toes to the more upbeat tracks. Our favorite radio DJ knows this and uses "A Taste of Honey" as the soundtrack for her daily concert calendar. If you mix this into your party playlist, clear some dance-floor space because your guests will be busting out the Pony and the Frug to tracks like "A Taste of Honey" and "Whipped Cream," and you might even catch someone doing the Carlton when "Bittersweet Samba" comes on. If the party gets too raucous, the bump-n-grind version of "Love Potion #9" might spark some scandalous behavior. To mellow things out, tracks like "Green Peppers" and "Ladyfingers" are quite soothing. Herb and company take a couple of less-enjoyable stylistic diversions, such as the Dixieland jazz of "Butterball" and the "circus goes to Mexico" oom-pah of "Peanuts," but they bring it all back home with "Lollipops And Roses," which is a near-clone of "A Taste of Honey," except that it sounds even more like a TV theme song or background music for some other kind of wacky montage. Herb Alpert's charms are such that he had 4 albums in the top 10 in 1966. It is useless to resist. Hit it, Herb! (mike.09.05)
rating
related links