Howdy Folks! Welcome to The UnEarthed In The Atomic Attic album blog! Here you will find a wide variety of unusual Space Age Vinyl finds that feature good quality cover scans, jacket notes and audio samples for you to enjoy. I'm here to have fun and hope you will share in my process of discovery!
Shivaree A Playful Exorcising Of Imps (Mirrors, 1958)
Choreosonic Music Of The New Dance Theatre Of Alwin Nikolais
Hanover-Signature Record Coporation HM 5005
1959
The music on this album, for the most part, is made up of somewhat disjunctive percussive "sounds". The recording features a dramatic and appealing rhythm structure and there are differences enough, from track to track, to make for a listen that I found riveting.
Musicians: Torn Brown - Lead Guitar, Joe Osborn - Bass, Hal Blaine - Drums and Percussion, Larry Knechtel - Piano and Organ, Ron Wells - Rhythm Guitar and Banjo and Nancy (and Ron) Brown, vocals.
Produced by Steve Barri. Strings arranged by Jimmie Haskell.
Red Roses For A Blue Lady
The Symbols
Compose 98013
From the back cover: The Symbols - Five youngsters ranging from 16 to 21 years of age. Respective instruments: Amplified Bass Guitar, Fender Guitar, Electric Guitar, Drums and Hammond Organ.
Budget release on which the tracks butt up against one another to make room for "Over One Hour Of Music".
The cover art is misleading. The recording is made up of a curious blend of easy listening, heavy on the steel guitar which gives some of the music a "country/Hawaiian" vibe. But there are a number of good tracks on this album with a 60s groove (not to mention the surprise blues track... hope I selected the correct track title above).
Olatunji
Flaming Drums
Columbia Records
CL 1866
1962
Arranged and conducted by Fred Karlin. Produced by John Hammond
All of the Olatunji LPs I've listened to, to the best of my recollection are very good, but this one is an especially good and groovy blend of African and Western forms. The record reminds me a of a good Yma Sumac LP in that, there is a uniqueness and cohesion from track to track and a sense of drama to the sound that keeps you glued to your speakers.
Abana
African Spiritual
Uhuru
Mystery Of Love
Adofo
Hail The King
The Sounds Of Action, Romance And Violence
Somerset SF-24700
This was a pet project of D. L. Miller/Somserset. To me it appears as if Miller fixed his name to the better Somerset albums. Frequently there are musician credits to be found on the back cover, but not here. The music plays through like Somerset's 101 Strings doing a soundtrack LP. In other words, the music isn't as space age fab as the suggestion made by the comic book cover art (sorry about the shelf worn image).
Still, the record makes for a good listen. The example posted is an extended track from the B side.
Here's a promotional tool RCA created to help sell the portable stereo as pictured on the back jacket.
Promotional albums can be a sad hodgepodge of styles in the effort to create universal appeal. RCA didn't approach this set in that fashion. This is a decent space age light pop album. The tunes seem to work pretty well together, so they don't seem to be cobbled together from a variety of sources. In other words... it's seems as though these songs may have been recorded just for this album.
The example above is credited to the following artists Al Hurt, Frankie Randal, Living Guitars, Three Suns and Esquivel.
Themes From Great Films
Richard Hayman And Hugo Montenegro
Time Records 52112
1963
Here's another album usually left in the thrift store bin because of lackluster cover. But you can almost bet the recording is going to be interesting if you see Montenegro's name on the cover (even if the credit is found on the back cover).
Notable names appearing in the credits include Al Caiola - guitar and Phil Kraus - drums.
This aren't a lot of quirky space age tracks, but this is a decent set that features better sound than the quality of the cover graphic implies.
Hayman plays his harmonica on the last track, Mutiny On The Bounty.
Joanna
Arranged and Conducted by Arthur Greenslade
20th Century Fox Records
S4202
1968
I bought this one at the thrift hoping for a little 60s groovy. The soundtrack probably serves the movie well, but the approaches are many, so don't expect cohesion. There are a number of tracks that do feature a nice 60s lounge vibe.
Doing My Thing
Paul Mauriat And His Orchestra
Philips PHS 600-292
1969
Mauriat LPs are usually passed over in the thrift record bin. Granted some of the Mauriat cover art doesn't jump out at you. But more often than not you'll find the recordings worth the price if you are into mood with a touch of that space age vibe. This title/cover promised to deliver a little heavier groove but the album follows the typical Mauriat formula.
Hey Jude seems a little underpowered for Mauriat, but the second sample above (I believe Mauriat wrote this one) is pretty trippy stuff.
