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"50": New Herb Alpert album in September

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"50": New Herb Alpert album in September

Though I haven't yet heard it - Amazon hasn't gotten it here yet - I'm actually thankful for a shorter album. Albums, IMHO, have gotten entirely too long over the past couple of decades. It's as though artists or producers want to fill up all of the space on a CD but artistically, I think the sweet spot is anything between 30 minutes on the short side and 45 minutes on the long side, which is what albums started out as in the original vinyl days.
I agree. Slightly off topic, if Maynard Ferguson would have left off "Jet", his "Chameleon" album would be a perfect album.
 
I'm actually thankful for a shorter album. Albums, IMHO, have gotten entirely too long over the past couple of decades. It's as though artists or producers want to fill up all of the space on a CD but artistically, I think the sweet spot is anything between 30 minutes on the short side and 45 minutes on the long side, which is what albums started out as in the original vinyl days.
👆 This right here.

I think it also explains part of the reason why we've gone from yearly releases to some artists releasing albums every three, four or five years now. They're creatively "spent" after having put all their energy into a few good songs and a lot of filler for a potential 80 minute CD. I notice most of the pop/rock albums I've ever bought from the 70s and 80s tended to land in the 35-40 minute range, with anywhere from six to ten songs (or as many as twelve songs on older albums, where songs were typically short). It's just enough. Honestly, even if an album were 45-50 minutes yet still only had eight or ten songs, it would still be just enough. I think it's asking a lot for a listener to sit for much longer than 40 or so minutes for a single album.

And yes, this did start during the CD era, thanks to an 80 minute limit. Compilations were one thing (I mean, who can resist a full CD of favorites?), but it was a stretch to expect listeners to absorb that much new music in one sitting. Especially when so much of it was filler.
 
Amazon got my copy here at about 4 PM local time, just about three hours ago.

I've had a chance to listen to the album once through and have a clear and superlative favorite: "Sh-Boom".

I and the song "Sh-Boom" go back nearly as far as my infancy. The record by The Chords that Herb has sampled here was a 45 that I played endlessly from its release in 1954. I would have been about three. My older sister was a teenager then and into the hits of the day, and "Sh-Boom" was a pretty big hit. I still own that ancient 45, though I've updated it since then with better, newer vinyl and CDs. It got many, many spins on my RCA 45 player.
shboom.jpgRCA45chgr.JPG

For those who think of the Crew Cuts when they think of "Sh-Boom", know that they were the "white group" that were given the song so it could be played on more "respectable" radio stations. That fact has made me pretty much dismiss their version as an also-ran. The history of The Chords, the CAT label and the song is an interesting one that easily obtainable on the Web. The Chords version got a bit of a renaissance when it was picked up by Disney for the movie CARS.

A recent issue of the record in DES stereo can be found on the HARD-TO-FIND-JUKEBOX-CLASSICS Volume 6.

I was thrilled when I first watched that BBC4 documentary where Herb was shown at his computer looking at his old influences and mentioned "Sh-Boom" by The Chords as being an influence on his music. Now, he's actually gone and performed with the track on this new album, and it feels like my life has come full circle. I think I can die happy now!
 
I created this account because for some reason I can’t get into my previous account and I can’t quite figure out why.

In any case, what the hell is this? Where did this come from? Where has Mr Alpert been hiding this? This is probably the best album I’ve heard in years from him. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but there’s not a bad track on this record. The album art is quite good, too.
 
Regarding "Sh-Boom" - I came of age musically in the mid '70s. Most of my previous listening had been the e-z listening collection of my grandparents, so I heard a lot of Lawrence Welk, Guy Lombardo, and a bit of Martin Denny (maybe that's where I got my love of percussion?). So, my first exposure to that song was via Sha-Na-Na, the '50s rock tribute band that was around during my teens and beyond. I think one of the older ones may have shown up in a movie or two. Herb's is my favorite though, it's the closest to a TJB sound on the new album, really.
 
Listening now and LOVE it.

I didn't know I would need another version of "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" at this late date, but I do.
 
Here's that section of the BBC documentary with the mention of The Chords' "Sh-Boom". It's at the 7:25 mark in this YouTube video if it doesn't start at that point:

 
I just bought my copy today and thankfully on Amazon I get both the physical and digital versions together and I just listened to it today and Wow this is another Winner my standout favorites so far are "Sh-boom". " Baubles Bangles and Beads" "Sleepwalk" and "Are you Lonesome tonight" so far a great Milestone album I'm referring to the digital release as my CD won't come for a few days
 
I've posted the complete album on the first page of this thread, via YouTube Music.
 
My CD copy arrived yesterday so now my set is complete I like how they show all 50 of his albums in the inner lining of the CD cover everything was very well done.
 
I have been listening to the album most of the morning and I'm stuck on Baubles and Bangles - lyrical improvisation, upbeat and a lovely band setting. Gorgeous!
One of my faves, too...sort of a disco vibe to it, and it really cooks! For my tastes, the song really needs a fast tempo to really work, and Herb's version supplies that in spades. A couple of other favorite takes on this song are Deodato's version and the classic from The Kirby Stone Four(remember them?).
 
One of Mr Alpert’s better releases in my opinion. May not be a bad track on the record though I’m not crazy for “Are You Lonesome Tonight”. Seeing van der Saag listed made me prepare for more “programmed” sound, which I detest. A little annoyed at amazon because I bought the album (cd) twice - once using some credit I had on my account and the other using predominantly points from s credit card I hold and for some weird reason they suggest that doing so in either account doesn’t qualify me for the “autorip” of the album. Mind you, I know I can rip it to my heart’s delight owning the physical cd, but I like the convenience of having that version in that library. Memo to Mr Alpert’s folks in case they want to take it up with them to support their fan base. Glad to read in the NYT interview that he is working on two more releases. He can do what he wants of course, but wouldnt it be fun if he solicited ideas for tunes to consider? Finally, love the return of clapping on one od the tracks - always loved that about tunes on the Rise “record”.
 
And let's throw Deodato in there, too:


This was the first version of Baubles Bangles and Beads I ever heard when I first had this lp in 1985-86 ish I loved it at first listen and I considered it a definitive instrumental version and Herb's version is very close to Deodato's with a few differences. I enjoy both equally
 
"Baubles..." was in the mix of tunes from "And All That Brass" from Kraft Music Hall - just about when Jackie Vernon was played on.
 
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