SOUNDS LIKE: Comments and poll

[TonyCurrie]

Just got my three CDs this morning and so far I've listened to ...SOUNDS LIKE... and I've just moved on to BOTB.

I only acquired a vinyl of ...SOUNDS LIKE... a year or two back, and it's always struck me as one of Herb's best albums ( - after WHIPPED CREAM and GOING PLACES that is) so it's cool to hear it cleanly.

No gripes about the transferring here, and "Casino Royale" does indeed sound much crisper than any other CD transfer I've heard to date. Hurrah!

In fact it would be perfect were it not for the washed-out blue on the cover. I'm puzzled that the image on the Shout Factory website (from where I presume Mike took the image at the top of this page) is the blue that I reckon it ought to be, whereas my copy of nearly pink.

Which leads me to the obvious question - if Shout Factory had to scrubble around buying/borrowing (no doubt for money) old (did someone say dirty?) sleeves from MusicManMurray.com, where did they get the cover art from?

I take on board the suggestion that the artwork on the booklet is meant to look "distressed" but I really can't understand why. They haven't put crap hissy mono-from-third-generation-8 track audio on the disc; the front covers don't have deliberate fingerprints or coffee stains, so why should be have to accept the original back sleeves in a sorry state? Heck, I reckon there are at least a dozen of us on here who own crisp white virgin copies of these sleeves and would have been only too happy to lend - heck, GIVE them away in such a good cause.

But back to the front covers. Having designed more than a few CD sleeves and then wept when thousands came back from the printers looking nothing much like the original colours, I know that even in the 21st Century, colour printing is a black art. (Pun intended!) But "Ninth" looks EXACTLY like the original (and I have both US and UK copies of that - the UK of course is beautifully laminated. Never figured why you Americans always accepted matt sleeves that could so easily be spoiled when a penny's worth of laminate makes the sleeve look so good.) and is a perfect colour match.

But the following conversation might shed some light on the situation....

Last week I was talking to Tony Hatch about the box set reissue of his first six albums, each of which is inserted into a cardboard "mini sleeve" that almost matches the originals except the track listing has sides one and two removed and where the Pye logo used to be there are now a plethora of logos. The artwork for his first album looks almost like a colour photocopy, while the rest are crisp and clear. "How did you source the artwork?" I asked. "Scanned the original sleeves" he said. "Why didn't you borrow mine?", I asked. "Ah, well I was on the verge of telling Sanctuary to ask you to lend them your copies" he said " but then I thought - they'll lose them or damage them and you'd be less than happy. So I told them to go and buy copies on GEMM. And that's what they did - so nobody got upset when their precious 12" sleeve got messed up."

Perhaps the same holds true here?

 

[Maitlen]

Regarding the musical content of SL, I was shocked to read that Lonelybull finds it mediocre, other than WADE ... I'll admit, though, I had to play the LP at least 2-3 times before it grabbed me in '67, because it did sound substantially different than what had come before. Other albums, like SOB, wowed me upon the very first listen. As always, I respect the opinions of all on this forum, and the fact that I was "shocked" is not meant to imply that Lonelybull is in error in his judgment -- I just disagree.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I take on board the suggestion that the artwork on the booklet is meant to look "distressed" but I really can't understand why.

I think "nostalgic" is a better word than distressed. They're aiming for people to look at it and say, "wow, it looks just like my record album jacket did after I'd played it a couple of thousand times." The same distressed look appears on the other back covers too, but doesn't always show as much because there's so much white space on SOUNDS LIKE.

I listened to the album a couple more times over the weekend and continue to be impressed with the sound on it. This one and NINTH are the best sounding of all the releases so far, in my book, with BEAT and GOING PLACES following closely behind. (I was less impressed with SRO, which seems to have a high pitched whine in a few tracks.)

Funny how time changes things. Back in my early TJB fan days, I probably listened to SL and NINTH the least of all the albums (well, except for LONELY BULL which I never have liked all that much). But now, I am finding new goodies in these recordings that I've been missing all these years. The wait was definitely worth it!

 

[Tom]

Harry,

I love your review. I was anxious about getting my copy of Sounds Like so I could hear my favorite cut "Wade In The Water" but I'm even more excited now. Much like you, I have the old vinyl version and I've played it so much, the cut is dirty. This song has a great environment. I especially love Nick Ceroli's beat. Herb's horn is great. Hopefully my copy is sitting in my PO Box ready to be picked up today.

Tom (with fingers crossed)

 

[PartyRico]

I've read some comments regarding the image quality of the Herb Alpert Signature Series re-issues. I'd like to say that it is possible that the slight "discoloration" of the covers may be simply due to the fact that color dyes are unstable and fade over time. This applies to color negs, color slides, and color prints. Perhaps this is what we are witnessing to some extent. One of the most troubling shortcomings of CD's is that the artwork is so small, we lose the luxurious detail an 12" l.p on vinyl has to offer. I guess that what we lose in visual impact on a CD, we gain in sonic brilliance.(If it's mastered properly of course). I just got my copies of SL, 9th, and BOTB, and am thrilled by these wonderful sounds. I have not read the notes yet, but love them already! Kudos to Shout, Herb and Jerry, and the TJB. Can't wait to hear "WARM"! Warm regards to all A&Mers world wide.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I've mentioned this before but I will again just for the heck of it....

I'd like to see an opportunity to buy actual 12" album covers. They would be real reproductions of the actual covers (maybe in the case of the TJB they could be gatefolds, with more pictures inside and the liner notes). The covers would be glued on the inside to create a CD-sized pocket. (The digipaks are thin enough, they could fit right in.) I'd gladly pay, say $2 apiece for these (plus shipping of course.)

I realize the market for this kind of thing would probably be microscopic, so it'll never ever happen, but if I was a millionaire I'd do it for a tax writeoff. (Any millionaires out there looking for a tax writeoff?)

 

[PartyRico]

Ok, so the artwork seems lighter and a bit less blue. As long as our TJB music arrives in CD form, all of our blues will be lessened as well by the great Herb Alpert music enclosed!
I had not heard SL in about 25 yrs! I had forgotten just how good it is. Plus I have a new and fresh appreciation for "Town Without Pity" it's an awesome arrangement and performance! A musical "tour-de-force". The Charmer is also awesome. The whole darned album is fantabulous.
I'm just happy and grateful Randy convinced Herb to digitize the old master tapes. Now the music can be projected way into the future. Many new 40 Yr. Old + Virgin Ears may now enjoy honest, and beautiful optimistic music. I'm convinced Herb's musical legacy has been enhanced and re-inforeced by these awesome re-issues Shout! Factory has delivered. Can't wait for "WARM", and "Coney Island", etc.

 

[Tom]

I finally tracked my new "Sounds Like" album last night and was incredibly refreshed. I didn't realize how much I missed this GREAT album. I'll be honest and tell you all that I tracked it about a half dozen times. The last play was as fresh and fun as the first play. Lady Godiva really stood out. I've heard the original artists release and really didn't care for the words but the melody caught my ear. When Herb and The Brass re-did the song, I was hooked. I presume it was Herb's idea to use the banjo. Whoever had the idea, it worked great. I'm still whistling the song today. The entire album is quite fun. Almost like being at a TJB concert. My sincerest thanks to Herb, Randy, and Larry for pulling this re-release project together for us fans. Thank you all gentlemen. We very much appreciate the hard work that went into this project and we love it.

Tom

 

[Dave]

I really forgot that the "Lady Godiva" here is also the SAME VERSION that Peter & Gordon did... I'm so used to hearing it with WORDS, and especially my favorite line: ...He directs, Certificate X, and all the people are craning their necks... (...Sort of what I do, when I'm "checking someone out...")

--Definitely the "Whipped Cream" of it's time...! ...And what Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Really ...Sounds Like!!!


Dave

 

[ormandy]

This album rocks!!!
Miss Frenchy Brown is one of my favorites.
I also love the one-two punch of Wade In The Water,
into Town Without Pity. Powerful stuff

According to the forum poll, Casino Royale, Treasure of
San Miguel, Wade in the Water, Gotta Lotta Livin' To Do and
Bo-Bo would all be great on a “Tijuana Brass” anthology.
Though Town Without Pity would probably be included in my
humble opinion. Herb and the folks at Shout Factory should
get our opinion on a essential collection.

 

[ormandy]

My new favorite!

 

[alpertfan]

Great to hear "Wade In The Water" in remastered form. An interesting thing I notice when listening to the CD with headphones: On "Casino Royale", the trumpet is on one headphone, while the orchestra is on the other. Don't get the same effect through the speakers, though. I was waiting for this to come out really because of "Wade In The Water", which is my favorite track. I was also curious about how "Casino Royale" would sound, verses the tube technology on DEFINITIVE HITS.

Overall, excellent disc.

 

[ormandy]

If the family chooses to watch another syndicated re run, I‘m out of there, and enjoying another TJB re-master. Fortunately, most of these albums clock in at 30 minutes or less, so I don’t really need to cut anything. Unless I get started too late. So, if there was one song I had to skip due to time restraints it would be, Miss Frenchy Brown. It comes off a little like filler, but killer filler none the less.

If you had to skip one, what would it be?

 

[Dave]

:

...If you had to skip one, what would it be?

: Miss Frenchy Brown



Dave

 

[Mr Bill]

"Lady Godiva" and "Miss Frenchy Brown" are (along with "Treasure of San Miguel") my faves on this LP that, IMO, has NO tracks worth skipping. But if forced, I'd skip "Casino Royale" only because it;'s the track off this LP with the most exposure and I'd feel certasin that despite "skipping" it I'd hear it again sometime soon anyaway...

--Mr Bill

 

[Mike Blakesley]

This one's easy....I'd skip "Miss Frenchy Brown." It's another one of those TJB songs that has just never grown on me. The rest of this one is pretty much unskippable. The only thing I don't like about this album is the front cover...after SRO it should have had the whole band on it.

 

[Larry]

Mine to skip would be "Lady Godiva". Never really cared for Peter and Gordon's version either.

 

[Dave]

I think Lady Godiva is a good track, but not really as an Instrumental... You really gotta hear the actual words to really appreciate it! (Yes, I'm a fan of Peter & Gordon's version...)

I agree the cover should'a had the entire TjB on it, but a plain one with just Herb isn't always bad, though the back cover "collage" is a bit of a mess! A "neater" version of that might'a been a good front cover shot, then...



Dave

 

[WinkyDink]

OMG, I cannot count the times I played "Casino Royale"!! THAT is one AWESOME song!!
And the cover sleeve of the 45 is bee-yoo-tiful!

 

[JOv2]

By all accounts, Sounds Like is the last great TjB LP.

Three anomalies characterize the release:

(1) The LP is one song short of the unwritten industry directive of 12. (This magic number normally equated to an overall LP length of 24-36min – given that most pop songs of the day clocked in between 2 and 3 minutes. Apparently during ‘66-‘67 an omniscient decision was made “in the biz” to shortchange the consumer by reducing the bulk of pop LPs by one song. Of course cutting edge pop artists – e.g., The Beatles, Mothers Of Invention – were exempt from this unwritten rule. Yet, others – Brasil ‘66, for instance – had already only been issuing 10 songs.) The two obvious and immediate benefits were more dinero for the record companies – theoretically they saved 1/12 of recording production costs; and the royalties split for the recipients (based on cumulative LP units) was increased by the same fraction. In retrospect, it’s unfortunate to see that an independent like A&M jumped onto this bandwagon as I’m confident there was no timely economic need other than the usual corporate gluttony.

(2) The LP sports quite the self-indulgent cover photo. I’m not quite sure what the point of that larger-than-life shot of Herb was all about – I mean by JUN67 the only person who probably couldn’t identify a photo of Herb was Helen Keller. Seriously, a unique graphic – like the rear LP cover – would have made for more wide-appealing eye candy. (Then again, the more handsome members of the recording establishment, for instance – Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Jack Jones were routinely adorned via the 12 x 12 frame, while their equally popular but far more modest appearing colleagues – like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Vic Damone – were not.)

(3) One selection isn’t the TjB at all…rather it’s Burt Bacharach and His All-Sessionman Orchestra providing a music bed for Herb!

Be that as it may, it’s the black licorice not the wrapper that’s truly important here. SL is without doubt the most powerful sounding of the TjB albums. For the first time, most up-tempo arrangements are handedly driven by the drums (as opposed to being driven by a “trumpet-led ensemble”). Interestingly, the bass and drums never lock into a unit: clearly, Pat follows Nic’s lead. Also notable are the distinct rhythmic parts that characterizes John’s guitar throughout the release. And for the first time, the piano, presumably played by Lou, is heard in a stronger, recurring role. (In spite of what’s reported in the liner notes, there is no good case presented to suggest Lou’s lack of regular participation by this stage: obviously Lou’s a skilled instrumentalist; he IS the group’s pianist; he had to rehearse and polish all of this music for gigs; lastly, as a pianist, he would unarguably be the most well acquainted TjB musician with the compete arrangement all TjB songs. It just makes no practical sense not to use him.) As for Mr. Alpert – as he continues down his road of stylistic change we note that he’s starting to employ the second trumpet as an informal twin-lead and/or “foil” part; it’s almost as though the second trumpet part provides a running commentary in response to the lead. This is actually very innovative and presents an intriguing contrast – the technical feel of which is a universe away from the highly polished lead + harmony parts of GP and WNML.

This all sums to a more stylized LP – basically picking up right where SRO left off; yet, for the first time, definitively heading into a specific musical direction – so much so that a couple of the more cutesy numbers that traditionally adorn TjB LPs actually sound out of sync as sequenced on the LP. The principal quantifiable difference between SL and the previous LPs is the commanding authority with which the ensemble plays. With only 4 covers, SL also boasts the most original material to date of the TjB “group” LPs; best of all, the original material and arrangements continue their upward spiral ultimately rewarding the listener with yet another fine program of new material and innovative arrangements.

Gotta Lotta. Herb boldly announces his rapidly changing trumpeting style with a series of marcato “air-puffs”. Although the song begins with a buoyant ensemble feel consistent with SRO, by the ensemble break featuring an unexpected trombone descending chromatic pattern and a vibes solo, the overall feel swells into a more powerful ensemble sound. Notable, too, is the piano merging nicely with the guitar during the final section.

Lady Godiva. Arguably, the last great all-out carefree-fun performance of the TjB! Herb’s rendering legitimizes Peter & Gordon’s novelty into a fine pop song. Bud’s banjo and Lou’s piano totally spark this one – and by the second section, the addictive call and response gives the song several swirly kick to the rear (and a head smack to boot!). The voice chatter appears ambient and representative of the fun all concerned parties must’ve been having in the studio. A+

Bo-Bo. Yet another gem from ace songwriter Sol Lake, Bo-Bo may be the first TjB song that’s “in the pocket” – i.e. a “groove” song. The arrangement calls for about a half-dozen piano notes – apparently in Josh Kuhn’s world, a half-dozen piano notes equates to visions of “Latino Charlie Browns”. Nick’s double kicks are a cool percussive touch – as is the double-tracked bone on the C’--> A transition. The song structure is straight ahead: ABABCC’ – all 8-bar fragments with C only 6 (typical Sol – he always inserts a little knee jerk into his TjB songs!).

Shade Of Blue. Julius Wechter’s contribution is a moody ballad perfectly crafted for Herb’s evolving style. The arrangement employs acoustic guitar, harpsichord, trombone and vibes. It’s a dark number with a heavy ambient feel as Herb is miked “off horn” at a distance. The structure is straight ahead: Intro AABA’ Outro – the Outro is repeated twice; the Intro and Outro are actually the last 4 bars of A reworked. The swell coming out of B is reminiscent of More and More Amor from GP in its tension release. The arrangement calls for about a half-dozen reverbed acoustic guitar notes in the intro – apparently in Josh Kuhn’s world, a half-dozen reverbed acoustic guitar notes equates to visions of ‘60s psychedelia abounding with “mystical guitars”. Even Kuhn’s pseudo-acid-soaked word foible-follies can’t detract from a stellar performance. A+

Spanish Town. Thanks to Nick’s driving 3/4 and a cool piano part, Herb’s nifty take on the melody lifts this well above maudlin Mame sing-alongs. The section with the kids “singing” proves, yet again, that children should be seen and not heard. The song does not slot well between Shade of Blue and Wade In The Water – giving the LP an undeserving patchy feel. In fact, sequencing a lightweight sing-along between a dour ballad and an intense brooding piece was a critical mistake.

Wade In The Water. That newly honed doleful TjB feel that dominated side 2 of SRO flowers here. Again, it’s great to hear the piano fully contributing alongside marimba and guitar. The two extended two-chord sections are fascinating – kinda like "a TjB take" on alternating modes. Similar to I Will Wait For You from SRO, there’s a lot of room here…but rather than filling it with the expected improvisational/jazz-based solo, Herb interjects his newly developing stylistic touches of percussive attacks – he almost seems to be talking through his trumpet! Fascinating. The Class A ending – an archetypal door-slam closing of side 1 – always makes me think of Brasil ’66. A+

Town Without. Taking Work Song to the next level, this performance and arrangement exemplifies where the TjB appeared to be going as an ensemble. The delicate mandolin contributes an unexpected juxtaposition against Nick’s no-one-gets-outta-here-alive drumming! As with Lady Godiva, the voice chatter is very natural and consistent with the energy of the song. Substituting organ for piano was a fine move and may be the first obvious use of organ on a TjB LP. Listen to how Herb overlaps and alternates two trumpet parts. With such a hard drive, Herb should have considered scoring for more low brass to bring up the bottom end: up-front trombone would have really pushed the performance over the edge. Still darn-tootin’ good as it is. I mean, like, who am I to judge – I haven’t exactly sold 95 million records, nowamsain? A+

The Charmer. John’s song sounds like an American bossa standard! Sincerely, the first time I heard this I figured it was a cover of a Bacharach tune! This wonderful song should’ve been penned with some Johnny Flamingo lyrics (ha!) and subsequently scored for Claudine Longet. Dig how Herb’s trumpet “talks” during one of the B section intra-releases. The only complaint is Pat’s monotonous bass. There are no dynamics to the notes and rhythms…frankly, I don’t understand that at all. I mean, the song has only three or so chords, Pat should’ve mixed it up a bit. I mean, come on, the guy played with Kenton, he could be all over that fret board if he wanted to (or if Herb wanted him to be…)

Treasure. Herb’s signing of Roger Nichols to A&M was a great day for the label. (Why he didn’t get a 4-LP deal like the talent-challenged Montez is beyond perception?!?!) Along with Emitt Rhodes, and Boyce & Hart, A&M now had four young songwriters with talent on a par with the cutting-edge pop songwriters of the day. More than any other song on SL, Treasure exemplifies a newer, harder-edged TjB sound. I like this a great deal – an instant fave – and I truly wished that they would’ve continued in this direction. Again, all that’s missing is a big-fat bone part. A missed opportunity! The arrangement calls for a straight ahead 4/4 backbeat (including both double time and a “double-time feel” sections) – apparently in Josh Kuhn’s world, a straight-ahead 4/4 backbeat equates to funk-rock. Hey Man, Nick’s beat is up, solid and “there”; but, baby, his beat isn’t about rockin’ and it sure ain’t no funky. A+

Miss Frenchy. Like with Spanish Town, the inclusion of this song shows just how much the band has evolved since WNML. It’s a marginal piece at best that, contextually, doesn’t fit well alongside the other material.

Casino. Hey, it’s Burt Bacharach! As for the song, Herb contributes his trumpet – the highly stylized nature of which must have been the consternation of many a high school band director during the ’67-’68 school year. I don’t like the style here either. To my ears, those puffs of air at the conclusion of most phrases are of no musical value. It’s a good thing he didn’t play every song like this.

Unarguably, SL catches the TjB ensemble at its ensemble-performance peak. The LP, more than another TjB LP, reveals both a direct lineage from its predecessor and a notable maturity in content. The LP is also noteworthy for exhibiting the most overwhelming definitive direction yet heard on a TjB LP. Those hoping for a heightening of this driving sound would be greatly surprised with the next record, issued 6 months later, DEC67.

-James

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Good review, agree with most points, but:

By all accounts, Sounds Like is the last great TjB LP.

Ooh, you're gonna get some arguments from the fans on this one!

I agree totally on "Miss Frenchy Brown." It's one of my least favorite TJB songs. I'm not sure just why I don't like it, but maybe it's too cutesy.

There is actually more TJB on "Casino Royale" than you mention. There are healthy doses of Julius W. in there of course, plus Herb has stated that "some percussion" was added by him as well. The inflections at the ends of the phrases were apparently Burt's idea. Here's a quote from Herb culled from the liner notes of SL:

I received a call from Burt Bacharach who was in London recording the music for the movie Casino Royale. He was unhappy with the lead performance of the title song and asked if I would consider adding the Tijuana Brass sound. When he played the song over the phone and sang the melody to me with the inflections he wanted, I was struck by the unusual composition and was inspired to play it. The multitrack tapes of the recording were quickly sent, minus the lead instrument. We added two trumpets, some percussion, made a stereo mix and rushed the tapes back to London. That all happened within one week.

Your reviews always make me wanna go get the album and play it. So off I go.....

 

[Mr Bill]

JO, Thanks as always for the review. It doesn't matter if folks here agree or disagree with one another -- that's what a forum is all about. Your comments re: "Treasure" are spot on for me (it's my fave tune) and are 180 degrees out for "Miss Frenchy" (my second favorite).

Over all I think your comments are spot on -- especially the "Roger Nichols/Emitt Rhodes/Boyce & Hart" comment. A&M (and by association Almo/Irving) could've done real well (okay, Almo/Irving was fine, but they could've done even better) if they'd played them to their full potential...

Like Mike B, I am driven to re-listen to some CDs after reading your in-depth reviews. Thanks, my friend!

--Mr Bill

 

[rickster]

JO -- I LOVE your album reviews and track by track comments --- I was a high school trumpeter around 1967, and I can say that Herb's playing around this period was a reflection NOT so much of a conscious change in style, but of a decided LACK of practice on his horn. I just don't think at this point in his career he was putting in a lot of time on his horn, and his playing on these later albums certainly refelect this.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

By all accounts, Sounds Like is the last great TjB LP.

I don't know what accounts you're referring to, but I never considered this as a "great" album. It's okay, but I thought it was a bit of a letdown after S.R.O. overall.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captaindave]

JO -- I LOVE your album reviews and track by track comments --- I was a high school trumpeter around 1967, and I can say that Herb's playing around this period was a reflection NOT so much of a conscious change in style, but of a decided LACK of practice on his horn. I just don't think at this point in his career he was putting in a lot of time on his horn, and his playing on these later albums certainly refelect this.

I have never really been sure what to make of all this change in recorded trumpet sound that seems to gradually begin somewhere around this album and reaches a "high point" with TBAC album. But, it certainly is there; conscious or otherwise.

I heard the TJB in concert in 1968, after the BOTB was recorded. There was no such sound in concert. The trumpets at that time were clear, clean, open, and resonant - just like trumpets are supposed to sound.

What I have always speculated was the beginning of embouchure difficulty. The airiness or fuzziness in the tone on some of the recordings sounds like a lack of lip flexibility/sensitivity to vibration. Players who are having difficulty with the lips vibrating freely and with lip stiffness often have trouble with free and clear tone production. Herb says he was "burned out" by the time of TBAC, and that he put the horn away for awhile after that time.

So, I don't know. But, we are told that Herb multi-tracked/overdubbed himself in the studio to get that big, robust sound that is heard on albums like SOTB and GP. Maybe there was less of that multi-tracking on later albums. However, I have heard Herb live and on DVD, and there is none of that sound present in his performances. Although the Montreux Jazz Festival concert was many years later than this album, the trumpet sound there is outstanding. And, if you listen to some of the solo albums - especially Fandango, the tone is excellent. So whatever it was, it went away with the passage of time.

As far as SL is concerned as an album, I have always liked Wade in the Water best. To me, it is the most exciting sound on the album - maybe because it seems to me to have a little more rock type feel and drive. I can imagine it as a good concert song; however, I never heard it live.