DICK HYMAN "THE AGE OF ELECTRONICUS" (1969)

«Joe Carlton, Command Records president, is moving on several roots to advance the field of electronic pop music. He is proposing to guitar companies that they manufacture a guitar synthesizer which, he believes, will be the perfect device for electronic rock. On another level, he is working with key chains such as E. J. Korvette, Sears, Roebuck, Whitefront and others to establish a separate category for electronic music, with separate browsers and racks. Carlton added: "We have plans for a synthesizer which will go beyond Moog. The present Moog synthesizer, both monophonic and polyphonic, is based on a keyboard instrument approach... But the biggest contribution of the rock musicians derives from their guitar rather than keyboard technique... Use of a guitar synthesizer would be superior to the present method of taking a hard rock performance on conventional guitar and putting it through the keyboard synthesizer." Carlton, who has produced such hits as "Moog: The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman" and the single "The Minotaur", says that this music, because it is new and futuristic, appeals to all young and old and black and white. He added, "As electronic music comes to the fore, as it becomes more familiar, people will recognize its artistic values." He pointed out that the sounds of Stravinsky, Charles Ives and other pioneers were initially attacked but today they are celebrated. "This is the beginning of the world of electronic music," he said.»

[from "Carlton's Electronic Pop Music Campaign on Move", Billboard, August 9, 1969]



Richard "Dick" Hyman (born March 8, 1927, New York City) is an American Jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer, best known for his versatility with Jazz piano styles. Over a 50-year career, he has functioned as a pianist, organist, arranger, music director, and, increasingly, as a composer. His versatility in all of these areas has resulted in well over 100 albums recorded under his own name and many more in support of other artists. [1]

Hyman's career is pretty intimidating in its achievements and scope. He has scored, arranged and/or performend for Broadway, movies, television and live radio, and he's recorded in every format, from 78s to CD-ROMs. He's got a whole gamut of music genres covered, from Jazz and Blues to Classical to Pop and Electronic Psychedelia. Hyman is exceptionally renowned as a professional musician, and was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1995. His articulate and wry anecdotes, commentary on the business, and techniques of making music have been published along with sheet music in a series of books. [2]



Beginning in the mid-1950s he started recording with his own name for MGM. His cover of "Moritat", on harpsichord with his trio, sold over a million copies in 1956 and was the most successful recording of the tune until Bobby Darin did it as "Mack the Knife". He was the musical director of The Arthur Godfrey Show from 1958 to 1961. He was an early staple of Enoch Light's Command label, for which he recorded light classical, swinging harpsichord, funky organ, and "now sound" combo albums. He also demonstrated his continuing interest in new keyboard instruments, releasing two of the earliest Moog albums. Hyman has stayed in demand as much as any musician around, working for TV, scoring film soundtracks for Woody Allen, and, more recently, as a Jazz pianist and organist. [3]

So, here comes the last chapter in Hyman's Electronic / Experimental triptych. The 1963 masterpiece "Moon Gas", credited to him and Mary Mayo, was covered on Stereo Candies both in mono and stereo some time ago. More recently it was the turn of the seminal "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman", an album of original compositions and improvisations recorded in late 1968 using mainly the Moog Modular. Now it's time for "The Age of Electronicus", his second - and last - Moog album on Command Records. More of Hyman's recorded output will be featured on these pages in the future, now let's take care of this primordial little jewel of Electronic Pop Music.

Sources:

[1] from Wikipedia

[2] from the introduction to an interview with Dick Hyman conducted by Michael David Toth, published on Cool and Strange Music!, issue #7, 1997

[3] from Space Age Pop Music

"The Age of Electronicus" outer gatefold reconstruction

"The Age of Electronicus" inner gatefold reconstruction

The following liner notes, written by Dick Hyman and entitled "Working with the Moog Synthesizer", are included in the inner gatefold of "The Age of Electronicus". They give a hint about how the album was made - basically by recording one different sound at a time on a multitrack reel-to-reel system that you can see pictured on the inner gatefold of the album, probably an Ampex AG440-B - and the way he approached this work.

«It is a lot of work; it is painstaking, repetitive, and even frustrating work. And yet the results, when they come off, are a kind of music, very much worth all that effort. I began working with the Moog Synthesizer when Joe Carlton, the head of Command Records, assigned me to produce the album prior to this one, "Electric Eclectics". Walter Sear, the expert programmer with whom I work, initiated me into the electronic intricacies of Synthesizer sound, and gradually I learned some of the things that the Synthesizer can do.

The Moog Synthesizer is a new instrument and, like many new things, it is somewhat misunderstood. I think of it as a super-organ which offers the player vast new possibilities in tone production, and which at the same time requires him to organize his thoughts in a serial way, as opposed to creating an entire performance at one sitting. In other words, it is not all done at once. Successive lines of tones are recorded in conjunction with a multi-track recorder. The Synthesizer is not analogous to a player piano, nor will it make up its own arrangements. It is very much a played device, and the programming which is involved relates to the production of individual tones (their timbre, duration, attack, decay, etc.). It is the arranger-composer, not the Synthesizer, who groups these tones into the desired musical organization exactly as he would do if he were playing a conventional instrument or writing a score.

Another common misunderstanding about the Synthesizer is the notion that it is a perfect substitute for all instruments and types of orchestras which have preceded it in musical history. The Synthesizer is not about to replace any of these instruments or orchestras. It is not nearly as efficient, although it can do some pretty imitations. An orchestra sounds more like on orchestra than a Synthesizer can, and a lot more quickly and economically too. But when the Synthesizer is used to create its own thing, the new aural events are remarkable for both the player-arranger and the listener. The new sounds (unlike those which any orchestral instrument can produce), the unexpected alterations of the old sounds, the convenience of being able to play them on a keyboard and have them recorded directly on a multi-track recorder — these are the factors which encouraged an imaginative and programmatic approach to the arrangements in the present album.»

"The electronic soul of Command", reconstruction of a double-page spread advert originally published on the August 9, 1969 issue of Billboard

"The Age of Electronicus" contains the following tracks:

01. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (2:48)
02. Give It Up or Turn It Loose (3:13)
03. Blackbird (3:12)
04. Aquarius (2:49)
05. Green Onions (7:53)
06. Kolumbo (7:42)
07. Time Is Tight (3:08)
08. Alfie (3:44)
09. Both Sides Now (3:04)

Bonus tracks:

10. Green Onions (Single Edit, Stereo Version) (3:08)
11. Strobo (Simulated Stereo Version) (2:58)
12. Lay, Lady, Lay (Simulated Stereo Version) (3:18)

All tracks were remastered in October 2018 from the original vinyl records, except "Give It Up or Turn It Loose", "Kolumbo" and "Time Is Tight" which were remastered from the expanded CD version of Hyman's "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman". They are available in FLAC lossless format along with complete artwork reconstruction and printable PDF files.

As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download links.

Dick Hyman, circa late '60s / early '70s

Here's the complete credits and personnel list of the album:

Dick Hyman - Moog Modular synthesizer, Baldwin electric harpsichord, Lowrey organ, Maestro Rhythmaster unit, Echoplex tape delay unit, triangle

Billy LaVorgna - drums

Arranged and Produced by Dick Hyman.

Programming by Walter Sear.

Mixing: Fred Christie at Fine Recording

Mastering: Lee Hulco at Sterling Sound

Cover and Liner Design: Byron Goto / Henry Epstein

Photos: Roger Pola / Eric Goto

Coming just months after the successful "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman", "The Age of Electronicus" was released by Command-ABC Records in August 1969 with catalogue number 946-S. The album was also released as a Reel-To-Reel stereo tape with catalogue number X 946, and was preceded by a 7" single containing two of its most favourable tracks, namely the covers of the well-known "Green Onions" by Booker T. & The M.G.'s and "Aquarius" by The 5th Dimension.

When the LP was released, the previous "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman" was still in the Billboard Top 100 LP Chart. Surprisingly, "The Age of Electronicus" failed to repeat the success experienced by its predecessor, even though everything was apparently made to enhance its accessibility and Pop charm.

Coming in a colourful gatefold cover, "The Age of Electronicus" was released as part of an Electronic Pop Music series which, as you can see from the Command Records advert featured in this post, also included Walter Sear / The Copper Plated Integrated Circuit's "Plugged In Pop" and Richard Hayman's "Genuine Electric Latin Love Machine". Both these albums will be investigated at a later date here on Stereo Candies.

The main difference between Hyman's two Moog albums is that "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman" is entirely made of original compositions and improvisations created by Hyman himself, while "The Age of Electronicus" is mostly based on the re-elaboration of successful Pop tunes with the only exception of "Kolumbo", a more experimental track someway similar to the now legendary "The Minotaur", also by Hyman: that was the track which got picked up by radio stations months earlier and was fundamental to the success of the previous album, becoming the very first single featuring a Moog synthesizer to chart.



Another significative difference between the albums is that the tracks on "The Age of Electronicus" don't feature any regular instrument except Billy LaVorgna's great drumming on selected tracks: most of the sounds are generated by the Moog and a few other devices as detailed on the album credits and the liner notes that follow.

The album only spent 11 weeks in the Billboard Top 200 LP Chart - peaking at #110 - and the poor performance of the "Green Onions b/w Aquarius" single, which peaked at #126, didn't help the LP to reach the success I think it deserved. Furthermore, by the time "The Age of Aquarius" was released, record shops were also offering many other Moog albums and, despite the hype and curiosity surrounding the all-new electronic instrument, without the help of another groundbreaking single the record failed to make a difference.

Hyman's memories about the recording of "The Age of Electronicus" and "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman" are available in a great piece written by Thom Holme for the Bob Moog Foundation website. Pictures of a Moog Modular system very similar to the one used on these albums are available here.

The following track-by-track commentary is a slightly edited version of the original liner notes included in the inner gatefold of the album.

"Green Onions / Aquarius" single, Side A

Side 1 opens with "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", originally by The Beatles. The song features a not-quite piccolo sound, a sort-of bass clarinet sound, and a spitting-tobacco kind of sound in which the timbre changes as an individual tone is sustained. A Baldwin electronic harpsichord provides the plectrum effect. The rhythm section, recorded after the Synthesizer tracks were completed, is composed of Billy LaVorgna on drums and the arranger on triangle. The by-play among the three 'horns' is the result of recording each line separately on the multi-track recorder and is particularly effective here in giving the impression of the kind of playful communication three musicians might have with each other.

"Give It Up or Turn It Loose" is an experiment in Electronic Soul, specifically that of James Brown, whose recording is the basic model for this arrangement. The excitement of James Brown's singing and dancing is expressed electronically by the Synthesizer in swooshes, sweeps, and explosions of what engineers call, ironically, 'white noise'. Live drums play along with the Maestro Rhythmaster, a metronome-like mechanical drum device.

"Blackbird" is arranged as an electronic orchestration of the Beatles' recording. The Synthesizer elaborates on the original sparse elements and dwells unexpectedly on a section of bird calls. The sound of the Baldwin electronic harpsichord was fed through the Synthesizer to provide the moving tenths.

"Aquarius" demonstrates the Synthesizer's impression of how the Inhabitants of Saturn might perform the hit song from the musical "Hair". It should be emphasized that the inhabitants of Saturn are an extremely smooth-skinned race, but they do their best. Bill LaVorgna, however, who is quite hirsute, is added on drums. The arranger plays electronic harpsichord and Lowrey organ in addition.

"Green Onions" takes as its premise the classic recording by Booker T. & the M.G.'s and goes on from there. The organ-like sound of the first soloist becomes unexpectedly slippery as the Synthesizer's portamento possibilities are explored. The second and third soloists join in until a feeling of New Year's Eve in Times Square reaches us. After some frantic polyphony, we return to Booker T. in Memphis. (Lowrey organ, drums and electronic harpsichord added).

"Green Onions / Aquarius" single, Side B

Side 2 starts with "Kolumbo", an original number created by Dick Hyman. This track was performed simultaneously on the Synthesizer and the Maestro Rhythmaster, the mechanical drum device, the tones of which were fed through an Echoplex tape reverberation unit. Not only the duration and the frequency of reverberation but the fundamental rhythms were altered during the improvised performance, so that there is an effect of a battery of African drummers following an improvising soloist. The listener can provide his own scenario of what seems to be a musical battle, as a second soloist abruptly materializes, challenging the first man. At the end, the original soloist states a brief epilogue, packs up his horn, and splits.

"Time Is Tight", a song by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, begins with a banjo-like effect obtained by running the sound of the electronic harpsichord through the tape reverberation unit. The Synthesizer states the melody by means of a sine wave programmed to develop an increasingly wide vibrato. (There is a resemblance to a certain type of girl singer who used to work with the big bands). The other 'soloist' is expressed by use of a pulse wave programmed to incorporate a gradual timbral change. Live drums are added.

In "Alfie" the melody undulates over a shifting landscape as the two moons of Mars inscrutably look down. The title translates into Martian as, "What's it all about, Alpha Centauri?" This is my favourite track from the album, it took hours of work to properly clean it from but it was worth every single second!

"Both Sides Now", the Joni Mitchell song, developed into a program piece which postulates what might happen if a bagpiper wandered into an orchestral performance of some characteristic nineteenth century music. The Synthesizer constructs a cartoon symphony, playfully adding to its impression of standard instrumentation a honky-tonk piano (actually the electronic harpsichord). "After an elaborate exposition", as Deems Taylor would have explained, "the main theme returns in a grand Wagnerian finale, our undaunted bagpiper skirling above the orchestral tutti". As mentioned here, this is Hyman's favourite track from the album.

"Strobo / Lay, Lady, Lay" promotional single, Side A

My remaster of "The Age of Electronicus" also includes three bonus tracks:

"Green Onions (Single Edit, Stereo Version)", as the title implies, is an edit of the longer version originally included on the album. In brief, the structure of this edit is the same that was released as a single but uses a stereo mix instead of the mono mix.

"Strobo (Simulated Stereo Version)" and "Lay, Lady, Lay (Simulated Stereo Version)" are enhanced versions of the tracks that originally appeared on the "Strobo / Lay, Lady, Lady" promotional single released in late 1969, which I have already featured here months ago. Basically, I tweaked the Eq of the left and right channels of the mono versions and used the subtle differences between them to assign different pan positions to groups of frequencies achieving a pseudo-stereo effect. This is the first time I experiment with such possibilities, so I would be quite pleased to know what you think about the result.

Here's what I wrote about these two tracks in the original post:

"Strobo" is an original number written by Hyman himself. In a similar fashion to the hit "The Minotaur", recorded in late 1968, the track is built on the top of a dense rhythm played by the Maestro Rhythm Unit, probably feeded through an Echoplex. Some people describe this music as Proto-Techno and others even catch a glimpse of Drum 'n' Bass in its skittering beat. Whatever your view on the subject is, "Strobo" was pretty ahead of its time and its shrill keyboard lines undeniably have a futuristic charm.

"Lay, Lady, Lay" is an instrumental version of the song written by Bob Dylan which was released months earlier on his "Nashville Skyline" album. Hyman replaces the original vocal lines with the Moog, giving the song a very strong imprint. The acoustic rhythm section in the background adds to the value of this cover, creating a somewhat pleasant alienating effect. As much as I enjoy "Strobo", I must admit that this piece induces me in a compulsive state, and I can't help to press the repeat button again and again...

"Strobo / Lay, Lady, Lay" promotional single, Side B

The following clips offer a complete preview of the remastered album, enjoy!

More information about Dick Hyman, "The Age of Electronicus" and the Moog Modular synthesizer is available here:

http://www.dickhyman.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Hyman

http://www.spaceagepop.com/hyman.htm

http://www.discogs.com/artist/15443-Dick-Hyman

http://moogfoundation.org/moog-a-history-in-recordings-dick-hyman-master-stylist-of-the-moog-modular/

http://tapeop.com/interviews/92/dick-hyman/

http://tapeop.com/articles/92/dick-hyman-bonus/

https://www.moogmusic.com/news/happy-birthday-dick-hyman-0

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dick-hyman-the-beat-goes-on-dick-hyman-by-chris-m-slawecki.php?page=1

https://www.discogs.com/master/view/195522

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/dick-hyman/the-age-of-electronicus/

http://taylorjessen.blogspot.com/2014/03/dick-hyman-age-of-electronicus.html

https://www.whosampled.com/album/Dick-Hyman/The-Age-Of-Electronicus/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moog_modular_synthesizer

https://www.flickr.com/photos/matrixsynth/sets/72157602368600280/

If you have any other useful information about Dick Hyman and "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman" - especially corrections and improvements to this post - or if you spot any dead links, please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!

DICK HYMAN "STROBO / LAY, LADY, LAY" (1969)

Richard "Dick" Hyman (born March 8, 1927, New York City) is an American jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer, best known for his versatility with jazz piano styles. Over a 50-year career, he has functioned as a pianist, organist, arranger, music director, and, increasingly, as a composer. His versatility in all of these areas has resulted in well over 100 albums recorded under his own name and many more in support of other artists. [1]

Hyman's career is pretty intimidating in its achievements and scope. He has scored, arranged and/or performend for Broadway, movies, television and live radio, and he's recorded in every format, from 78s to CD-ROMs. He's got a whole gamut of music genres covered, from Jazz and Blues to Classical to Pop and Electronic Psychedelia. Hyman is exceptionally renowned as a professional musician, and was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1995. His articulate and wry anecdotes, commentary on the business, and techniques of making music have been published along with sheet music in a series of books. [2]

Beginning in the mid-1950s he started recording with his own name for MGM. His cover of "Moritat", on harpsichord with his trio, sold over a million copies in 1956 and was the most successful recording of the tune until Bobby Darin did it as "Mack the Knife". He was the musical director of The Arthur Godfrey Show from 1958 to 1961. He was an early staple of Enoch Light's Command label, for which he recorded light classical, swinging harpsichord, funky organ, and "now sound" combo albums. He also demonstrated his continuing interest in new keyboard instruments, releasing two of the earliest Moog albums. Hyman has stayed in demand as much as any musician around, working for TV, scoring film soundtracks for Woody Allen, and, more recently, as a jazz pianist and organist. [3]

Hyman is best remembered among the Spage Age Bachelor Pad Music aficionados for his 1963 album with Mary Mayo - who provided otherworldy wordless vocals - the aptly entitled "Moon Gas" masterpiece, which was already covered here on Stereo Candies both in mono and stereo. His seminal album "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman", recorded in late 1968 using mainly the Moog Modular, was also covered by yours truly here and its follow-up "The Age of Electronicus" is also going to be featured very soon.

In the meantime it's time to take care about another precious little gem...

Sources:

[1] from Wikipedia

[2] from the introduction to an interview with Dick Hyman conducted by Michael David Toth, published on Cool and Strange Music!, issue #7, 1997

[3] from Space Age Pop Music

Dick Hyman, 1969

Here's the track list for this 7" single:

01. Strobo (2:58)
02. Lay, Lady, Lay (3:16)

Both were remastered in June 2018 and are available in FLAC lossless format, along with scans of the original release.

As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download links.



Bearing catalogue number 45-4136, the "Strobo / Lay, Lady Lay" promotional 7" single was released by Command-ABC Records sometime around mid 1969, probably in July or August. Housed in a company sleeve, the record offers exclusive mono tracks that are not featured on the two aforementioned Hyman's Moog albums released the same year.

Available in two different versions, a commonly found item coming with the usual black and white promo labels and a rarer variant with coloured center labels, the single was not commercially released, at least as far as I know.

The choice of using exclusive promotional tracks seems odd to me... Maybe these pieces were intended for a cancelled release, who knows... Anyway, I'm glad that they exist in some form and I can't help to wonder if other material recorded around the same time was shelved and/or lost.

This article informs us that, after taking part to the realization of "Moog - The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman" and "The Age of Electronicus", Walter Sear did not program the Moog Modular used on these new recordings, he just rented out the synthesizer to Hyman.

I managed to create pseudo-stereo versions of these pieces, they will be available soon as bonus tracks to my remaster of "The Age of Electronicus".



So, on Side A we find "Strobo", an original number written by Hyman himself. In a similar fashion to the hit "The Minotaur", recorded in late 1968, the track is built on the top of a dense rhythm played by the Maestro Rhythm Unit, a primitive drum machine, probably feeded through an Echoplex.

Some people describe this music as Proto-Techno and others even catch a glimpse of Drum 'n' Bass in its skittering beat. Whatever your view on the subject is, "Strobo" was pretty ahead of its time and its shrill keyboard lines undeniably have a futuristic charm.

The flipside presents an instrumental version of "Lay, Lady, Lay", a song written by Bob Dylan originally released months earlier on his "Nashville Skyline" album. Hyman replaces the original vocal lines with the Moog, giving the song a very strong imprint. The acoustic rhythm section in the background adds to the value of this cover, creating a somewhat pleasant alienating effect.

As much as I enjoy "Strobo", I must admit that this piece induces me in a compulsive state, and I can't help to press the repeat button again and again...

The following clips offer a complete preview of the remastered single, enjoy "Stroboo" and "Lay, Lady, Lay"!

More information about Dick Hyman, "Strobo / Lay, Lady, Lay" and the Moog Modular synthesizer is available here:

http://www.dickhyman.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Hyman

http://www.spaceagepop.com/hyman.htm

http://www.discogs.com/artist/15443-Dick-Hyman

http://moogfoundation.org/moog-a-history-in-recordings-dick-hyman-master-stylist-of-the-moog-modular/

http://tapeop.com/interviews/92/dick-hyman/

http://tapeop.com/articles/92/dick-hyman-bonus/

http://robertjaz.com/2014/06/happy-birthday-dick-hyman/

https://www.moogmusic.com/news/happy-birthday-dick-hyman-0

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dick-hyman-the-beat-goes-on-dick-hyman-by-chris-m-slawecki.php?page=1

https://www.moogfoundation.org/thom-holmes-the-rarest-of-moog-modular-recordings/

http://officenaps.com/now-sound/moogs/

https://www.discogs.com/Dick-Hyman-Strobo/master/1297969

http://www.45cat.com/record/454136us

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moog_modular_synthesizer

https://www.flickr.com/photos/matrixsynth/sets/72157602368600280/

If you have any other useful information about Dick Hyman and "Strobo / Lay, Lady, Lay" - especially corrections and improvements to this post - or if you spot any dead links, please get in touch with me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!

A.A.V.V. "STEREO COCKTAIL VOLUME ONE"

Well, many factors currently prevent me from working on new masters from vinyl records; the situation should settle down in the coming months, so bear with me. Meanwhile, I thought about treating you with the first volume in a new series of compilations.

So, graced by gorgeous Eve Meyer on the cover, here comes "Stereo Cocktail Volume One"; it contains songs and a few instrumentals taken from some of the albums that I enjoyed the most during this long hot summer.

There's definitely a flavour of americana spread across the tracks, but in the true spirit of this blog many genres have been considered and juxtaposed with each other. Althought the music on offer here spans about forty-five years the final result sounds mostly cohesive to my ears, I truly hope you will enjoy!

Here's the tracklist of "Stereo Cocktail Volume One":

01. EURO BOYS - Deliverance (8:20)
02. BOB DYLAN - To Be Alone With You (1:52)
03. FRIENDS OF DEAN MARTINEZ - Twilight Sleep (4:52)
04. GLEN CAMPBELL & MICHELLE SHOCKED with TEXAS TORNADOS
      - Wichita Lineman (3:50)
05. JOSEPH ARTHUR - Honey and the Moon (4:24)
06. PRIMAL SCREAM - Struttin' (Edit) (4:59)
07. SORT SOL - Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town (2:52)
08. AL STEWART - On the Border (3:10)
09. IMANI COPPOLA - La Da Da (4:10)
10. JAY-JAY JOHANSON - A Letter To Lulu-Mae (2:35)
11. LEONARD COHEN - Darkness (4:09)
12. BECK - We Live Again (2:59)
13. BABY HUEY - Running (2:51)
14. THE DURUTTI COLUMN - Friends (5:39)
15. SCOTT WALKER - Montague Terrace (In Blue) (3:23)
16. TERRY CALLIER - I'd Rather Be With You (6:33)
17. THE SEA AND CAKE - Sound and Vision (3:36)

All selections were compiled and mixed in September 2016 and are available in FLAC lossless format along with printable artwork.

Before burning this compilation to CD-R using the provided CUE file you must convert the original FLAC audio file to WAV format using an appropriate software. Please have a look here if you need some help.

As usual, please have a look at the comments for the download link.

A note for the readers: most of the biographic details below were taken from various Wikipedia articles; I believe it is useful to have all the pertinent information about this compilation gathered in one place.

01. EURO BOYS – Deliverance
original CD/2LP issue: Long Day's Flight 'Till Tomorrow, Virgin (1999)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Euro Boys is a Norwegian band. They were formed in 1990 under the name Kåre and The Cavemen, but changed it to Euro Boys in 1997 for releases outside of Norway. In 2000 they changed their name to Euroboys for all releases including inside Norway. Yes, I know this looks a little bit strange... Anyway, "Deliverance" is the opening number from their second album, which is a small masterpiece. Almost entirely made of instrumental tracks, it is a perfect companion for driving through the night and has kept me good company for quite many journeys. Guitarist Knut Schreiner also plays lead guitar with Turbonegro. More information about the band is also available here.

02. BOB DYLAN – To Be Alone With You
original LP issue: Nashville Skyline, Columbia (1969)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Dylan needs no introduction. As Wikipedia recites, "Nashville Skyline" is his ninth studio album and was released on April 9, 1969. Building on the rustic style he experimented with on "John Wesley Harding", the album displayed a complete immersion into country music. Along with the more basic lyrical themes, simple songwriting structures, and charming domestic feel, it introduced audiences to a radically new singing voice from his author, who had temporarily quit smoking - a soft, affected country croon. The result received a generally positive reaction from critics, and was a commercial success. "To Be Alone With You" is a simple love song; it was the first one Dylan recorded for the album.

03. FRIENDS OF DEAN MARTINEZ – Twilight Sleep
original CD issue: Atardecer, Knitting Factory Records (1998)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friends of Dean Martinez is an instrumental rock / post-rock band featuring members of Giant Sand, Calexico, and Naked Prey. Their music may be described as a combination of americana tunes with bits of electronica, ambient, lounge and psychedelia intertwined with surf rock inspired lead guitars. Originally called The Friends of Dean Martin, they were forced to change their name after the actor refused to give them his blessing... "Twilight Sleep" is taken from "Atardecer", the band's third full-lenght release, a postmodern instrumental rock album which is a good illustration of different ways to conjure imaginative reverbed and acoustic guitar lines.

04. GLEN CAMPBELL & MICHELLE SHOCKED WITH TEXAS TORNADOS - Wichita Lineman
original CD issue: A.A.V.V. - Lounge-A-Palooza, Hollywood Records (1997)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I guess that at least hundreds and hundreds of compilations were released during the lounge / space age pop / cocktail music revival of the mid 90s (...ooops, looks like that with "Stereo Cocktail Volume One" we're just twenty years late...). Among the ones that I purchased then, "Lounge-A-Palooza" is still one of my favorites. As the liner notes put it, the album «is the heart and soul of a new generation of Martini-sipping swingers»... Well, Martini is not exactly my cup of tea, so to speak, but I can only bow in front of the cosmic forces that have brought together Glen Campbell, Michelle Shocked and Texas Tornados for this great version of Campbell's signature song "Wichita Lineman".

05. JOSEPH ARTHUR - Honey and the Moon
original CD issue: Redemption's Son, Real World Records (2002)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Arthur is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. Combining poetic lyrics with a layered sonic palette, Arthur has built his reputation over the years through critically acclaimed releases and constant touring. He was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-'90s, and signed to Gabriel's Real World as the first North American artist on the label's roster. Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer; his artwork has graced most of the sleeves of his entire discography. "Honey and the Moon" is my favourite song from his third studio album and is a quite fine example of the man's artistry.

06. PRIMAL SCREAM - Struttin' [Edit]
original CD/2LP issue: Give Out But Don't Give Up, Creation Records (1994)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow. The band were a key part of the mid-1980s indie pop scene, but eventually moved away from their more jangly sound, taking on more psychedelic and then garage rock influences, before incorporating a dance music element to their sound. Their 1991 album "Screamadelica" broke the band into the mainstream. The following album "Give Out But Don't Give Up" - from which this edited version of "Struttin'" is taken - was released in 1994 and was a massive departure from their previous output. Where "Screamadelica" was primarily a psychedelic album, this new effort was influenced by classic rock and blues... That's exactly what is needed to beef up this compilation a little bit right now.

07. SORT SOL - Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town
original 12" issue: Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town, Medley Records (1985)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sort Sol is a pioneer rock band from Denmark. The group was formed in 1977 as a punk rock outfit, originally under the name Sods. The name Sort Sol was taken in the early 1980s. It translates to English as 'black sun' and is named after a nature phenomenon particular to their Country, where huge bird flocks gather in the sky and appear to block out the sun. I first fell in love with this band thanks to their Joy Division-influenced album "Under en Sort Sol" released sometimes in 1980. "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town" - a song originally performed by Johnny Darrell in 1967 - is taken from the 12" EP of the same name released in 1985, which is entirely made of covers of famous American songs.

08. AL STEWART - On the Border
original LP issue: Year of the Cat, RCA Victor (1976)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Al Stewart is a Glasgow-born singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician who rose to prominence as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s. He developed a unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of characters and events from history. Stewart is best known for his 1976 hit single "Year of the Cat", the title song from the platinum album of the same name. "On the Border", which is included here, was the second single excerpted from that album. It offers some quite seductive Spanish guitar riffs and is an example of Pop perfection for sure. My older brother listened to this album for months when it was released. I was just six years old then, so I guess that this is one of my earliest favourites.

09. IMANI COPPOLA - La Da Da
original CD issue: Chupacabra, Columbia (1997)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What a pleasant discovery I made tonight! I remember to have bought "Chupacabra" some fifteen years ago in the bargain bin of a second-hand records shop out of curiosity, but in the end I never searched for information about its author until now.. I'm quite happy to learn that Imani Coppola has released many other albums after her 1997 debut and that she is still active today as part of the Little Jackie duo. I must admit that I'm not a huge fan of pure hip hop music, but the beats and samples scattered all over "Chupacabra" and its implicit pop feeling always strike a chord in me. "La Da Da" is a lovely mellifluous track and comes at the end of the album. As you have already guessed, it is the one that I like the most.

10. JAY-JAY JOHANSON - A Letter To Lulu-Mae
original CD issue: Tattoo, BMG Sweden / RCA (1998)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jay-Jay Johanson is one of my heroes. Yes, no less than that. So, what can I add? I remember the very first time I watched the promotional clip for his first single "It Hurts Me So" back in 1996: what a coloured and strong voice in such a pale and frail body! The lyrics and general atmosphere of the song have instantly entrapped me in melancholy and I never recovered since then... No, seriously, I have thought about it many times and now I would like to publicly state that, in this life, Jay-Jay is the only worthy artist that I discovered stumbling by chance upon MTV at 3:00 a.m., really! Since then I enjoyed each and every album he has made, and I strongly encourage you to check him, you won't regret it. "A Letter To Lulu-Mae" is taken from his second album entitled "Tattoo", which is a trip hop M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E that can easily stand between Portishead's first two albums without being ashamed.

11. LEONARD COHEN - Darkness
original CD/LP issue: Old Ideas, Columbia / Sony (2012)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Bob Dylan needs no introduction, then why Leonard Cohen should? As Bruce Eder puts it, «Cohen is second only to Dylan (and perhaps Paul Simon) in terms of influence, he commands the attention of critics and younger musicians more firmly than any other musical figure from the 1960s who is still working at the outset of the 21st century.» I agree with that, well, maybe except the bit about Paul Simon, but I understand that each one of us loves to make his/her own charts. Unfortunately, during the years I lost track of Leonard Cohen, you know, twenty-four hours a day are never enough for everything... My fault! I was lucky enough to watch the second season of "True Detective" (...and I can't help to mention that, just like almost anyone else in this planetary system, I enjoyed the first one much more...) and the use of Cohen's "Nevermind" - off his latest album "Popular Problems" - as theme song was a welcome surprise. The bluesy "Darkness" is taken from his 2012 album "Old Ideas", which is delightful too.

12. BECK - We Live Again
original CD issue: Mutations, Geffen Records (1998)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beck is an American singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his sonically experimental and lo-fi style, and became known for creating musical collages of wide genre styles. While playing some open mic events, he got noticed by a small local label, Bong Load Custom Records. In 1993, "Loser" was released to the world in a limited pressing of 500 copies and sent out to radio DJs across the U.S. The song became quite popular, and Geffen signed him in November of 1993, giving him the freedom to work with independent labels and to make 'uncommercial' music. Today, he musically encompasses folk, funk, soul, hip hop, alternative rock, country and psychedelia. "We Live Again" is an evocative ballad that will give shivers from here to eternity to anyone who has a heart, and is taken from the album "Mutations".

13. BABY HUEY - Running
original LP issue: The Baby Huey Story - The Living Legend, Curtom (1971)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Ramey, better known as Baby Huey, was an American rock and soul singer. He was the frontman for the band Baby Huey & the Babysitters, whose sole LP for Curtom Records in 1971 was influential in the development of hip hop music. Due to a glandular disorder, he weighed about 350 pounds (160 kg). His size contributed to his stage presence, but also to health problems. By 1970, he had developed an addiction to heroin, and his weight had increased. In addition to the heroin problem, he was also drinking... Baby Huey was in the midst of recording tracks for his debut album when he died as a result of a heart attack. Some time lapsed before his manager Marv Stuart and Curtis Mayfield took what had already been recorded, added some instrumental tracks that had been recorded previously, and managed to gather up enough material for the album's release. A quarter century later, the record went on to become a cult classic among soul musicians and hip hop fans and has been sampled many times. "Running", written by Mayfield, was released as "You've Got Me Running" by The Impressions in 1967. Baby Huey's version is much stronger than the original in my opinion.

14. THE DURUTTI COLUMN - Friends
original CD-R issue: Chronicle, Kooky Records (2011)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is a project of guitarist and occasional pianist Vini Reilly who is accompanied most of the times by drummer Bruce Mitchell. Since its inception, the band has been associated with Factory Records, until the label's collpase in the early 1990s. Let's put it simple: The Durutti Column are my favourite band of all times, full stop. I've been listening and supporting them for about thirty years now. Althought still partly incomplete, my collection of Durutti's releases is wide enough to include some sought after rarities, just like the "Chronicle" limited edition CD-R for example. The music on the album was premiered at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on 30 April 2011 and the disc was sold on such occasion. Although I couldn't attend the concert, a few copies were sold directly from Kooky Records the following May. The official release of the album was delayed until June 2014 when it was finally made available as "Chronicle XL". In the meantime "Friends" was given a different - and shorter - mix and re-entitled "Fanfare Reprise". I am more inclined to appreciate the original version, that's why you can listen to it here.

15. SCOTT WALKER - Montague Terrace (In Blue)
original LP issue: Scott, Philips (1967)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Born Noel Scott Engel on 9 January 1943 in Hamilton, Ohio, and gifted with a really interesting voice, that later will evolve into the contradistinctive baritone timbre, the young Scott Walker started with television appearances in 1957 and became a worldwide acclaimed star after moving to London and releasing for Philips as part of the The Walker Brothers. For some months the group even overshadowed The Beatles in popularity becoming icons always followed by a crowd of adoring fans. From 1967 the Walkers disbanded and Scott started to produce his first solo albums, the critical acclaimed "Scott", "Scott 2", "Scott 3", "Scott Sings Songs From His T.V. Series" and "Scott 4". For three years Walker worked in strict collaboration with the expert arranger John Franz, Philips A&R man, the young engineer Peter Olliff, and classical-trained directors like Wally Stott, Reg Guest and Peter Knight. "Montague Terrace (In Blue)" is taken from his debut solo album, and is a suggestive masterpiece full of lyricism and pathos.

16. TERRY CALLIER - I'd Rather Be With You
original LP issue: What Color Is Love, Cadet Records (1972)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012), was an American jazz, soul and folk guitarist and singer-songwriter. His debut album, "The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier", released in 1965 on Prestige, included eight traditional songs and established that he was quite difficult to categorize. In 1970 he joined Jerry Butler's Chicago Songwriters Workshop and in 1972 he released his first self-penned album entitled "Occasional Rain", which was soon followed by "What Color Is Love". During the 1970s he released three more albums on Cadet and Elektra, but by the end of the decade his career had slowed down. Soon after recording a single, "I Don’t Want to See Myself (Without You)", which he paid for himself, in 1982 he quit music... He re-emerged from obscurity in the late 1980s when his music attracted a cult following among British soul music collectors and DJs. In the late 1990s Callier began his comeback to recorded music, collaborating with Urban Species and Beth Orton, before releasing the album "TimePeace" in 1998, which was followed by many more releases until his untimely departure. "I'd Rather Be With You" perfectly sums up Callier's approach both to life and music.

17. THE SEA AND CAKE - Sound and Vision
original CD/LP issue: One Bedroom, Thrill Jockey (2003)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Sea and Cake is an indie rock band with a jazz influence based in Chicago. The group formed in the mid-1990s from members of The Coctails, Shrimp Boat and Tortoise. Starting with 1997's "The Fawn", the group has relied on electronic sound sources, such as drum machines and synthesizers, to color its music, but has retained its distinctive post-jazz combo style. Contrary to his multi-instrumentalist role in Tortoise, John McEntire almost exclusively plays drums in The Sea and Cake. The cover art of their albums are largely created by members Eric Claridge (paintings) and Sam Prekop (photographs). Their most recent studio album, entitled "Runner", was released in 2012. "Sound and Vision" is taken from "One Bedroom", an album released by Thrill Jockey in 2003. The song was originally included on David Bowie's "Low", released in early 1977. Closing the compilation with this small tribute seems fair to me.

All your inputs are more than welcome, if you feel so inclined you can reach me at stereocandies [at] hotmail [dot] com or leave a comment in the box below, thank you!