June 23, 2001

9:50 PM

Groovy, luscious, retro...music to "get hip" by!Call it lounge, call it bubbly, call it bizarre, but "space age pop" music (as the site terms it) is undeniably groovy. We've all heard it before, but did you realize how popular it is (in some form or another)? You've probably got a favorite tune or two that falls into this category, and you didn't even know that this IS a category!
posted by davidmsc (7 comments total)

I've been listening to my local space age pop show for months now. Background music, mostly, but occasionally something catches my ear. Then I wish I paid attention and knew anything about anyone they play.
posted by gleuschk at 10:09 PM on June 23, 2001

One of my friends bought a Mrs Miller LP in a flea market purely on the strength of its outrageous comedy cover and gave it to another pal as a birthday gift (for a laugh). Much to peoples surprise he got into it and has been known to go so far as enthusing about her stuff in public places, not quite so animatedly as this fine nugget though 'While Elva may not replace Elvis, her rocking-chair rock features a kind of slippin' and slidin' rhythm that is uniquely her own. Her tempos, to put it charitably, are free form; she has an uncanny knack for landing squarely between the beat, producing a new ricochet effect that, if nothing else, defies imitation. Beyond that, her billowy soprano embraces a song with a vibrato that won't quit...'. I, on the other hand, am thoroughly unavailable for comment..
posted by Kino at 10:17 PM on June 23, 2001

Highly recommended: Exotica, by David Toop--a brilliant and informative book on the backgrounds and meanings of this strange and despised musical genre.
posted by Rebis at 10:52 PM on June 23, 2001

His 'Ocean of Sound' book was a refreshingly good read, as have his writings in the consistently excellent The Wire been over the years.
posted by Kino at 11:06 PM on June 23, 2001

Hey, we were listening to Les Baxter, Henry Mancini and Martin Denny at my house back in the 70's! I thank my muscally adventurous father for buying me a turntable and letting me borrow his records at age 7.
posted by black8 at 4:44 AM on June 24, 2001

Oooo...if you dig this kind of music, you must check out Mr. Lucky.
posted by webchick at 7:44 AM on June 24, 2001

Funny, but why does anyone concentrate on the cheesy to such a great extent? Just the documentation urge? A need to understand the worst of the culture before appreciating the best? Some things can be great and cheesy simultaneously, sure. But this lil' bit about the "Other Ray Charles" was rather worrisome. The other one was the guy who wrote "Letters, We Get Letters" (as in "Stacks and Stacks of Letters" that's always played on Letterman now). And they admit this guy was beyond terrible. OK.

Anyway, let's see . . . would I rather listen to the "other Ray Charles" or "Careless Love" on a drowsy Sunday afternoon, making sure to turn the latter up at the part where Ray asks listeners to moan along with him? Defines devine, I think. Not much of a choice there. The main Ray Charles also goes well with all sorts of alcoholic drinks, martinis included.
posted by raysmj at 4:02 PM on June 24, 2001