12 Top Hits

Diana

12 Tops Hits
Jack Hansen Orchestra with Fred Freda, Glora Clark, Tom Wood and John Clayton
Masterseal Records 129
1957

Chris Montez

Chris Montez
A&M Records SP 4115
1966

I stumbled across this album yesterday. I'd never heard of Montez. Apparently this was his "comeback" album after releasing a successful rock song titled Let's Dance Monogram 1962.

He was talked into making this "middle of the road, soft ballad" record instead of a rock follow up to Let's Dance. The single Call Me did very well and has been used, according to his wiki page, many times in movies. However, this album isn't listed on his website discography.

All that aside, I would say this is a light pop/jazz album and not at all "middle of the road". The vocals are hard to describe... but up here in The Atomic Attic... if you follow the stuff that I like to post... this album is worth searching out. It is unique and cool. I generally prefer female vocals, but Montez stylings are so different and light and at times almost... but not exactly "bubble gum" that I'll listen to this one again soon (something I don't usually do because I have so many records in the pile that I need to spin).

Stereo Action - Crazy Rhythm By Guitars Unlimited Plus 7

Crazy Rhythm

Stereo Action

The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow
Crazy Rhythm By Guitars Unlimited Plus 7
Produced By Marty Gold
RCA Victor LSA-2371
1961

It's been a while since I've found a Stereo Action album. This is a nice space age package. The series of Stereo Action albums was RCA's way of promoting "stereo" when the technology was new(ish). The jackets are lavish numbers featuring interesting die-cuts that allowed the heavy gloss inner sleeve art to peek through.

On this album the stereo effects aren't pushed to the point of annoying. The sound and engineering is a bit like a good Command ping pong album (the successful competition).

Expresso
Diga Diga Doo
Lady Of Spain
Anitra's Dance
The Can't Be Love
The Donkey Serenade
Nola
La Rosita
Glow Worm
Air Mail Special
Puppet On The String
Crazy Rhythm

Organ Magic - Al Bollington

Quiet Village

Blue Hawaii

Organ Magic
Al Bollington At The Wurlitzer Electronic Theater Organ
Concert Recording - Lynwood, California
CR E029

From the back cover: The cover shows Al seated at the Wurlitzer Electronic Theatre Organ at his home in Woodland Hills which is about 10 miles west of Hollywood, California.

Bollington made an album on Dot (Organ Hues In Hi-Fi) and one on Decca (Presenting Al Bollington At The Conn Organ). There is a reference on the back cover to another album titled What A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening, which is also on Concert Recording. I'm not sure how this LP fits into Bollington's timeline although this effort doesn't seem like Dot or Decca material.

The cover photo was worth the price of the album.

Lover's Holiday

Hawaiian Love Chant

Lover's Holiday
By The Colortone Studio Orchestra
Featuring Great Piano Stylists
Colortone C3304920

Total budget easy listening... but featuring a charming vintage photo on the jacket and one odd-man-out... "Hawaiian" tune with vocals on the vinyl.

Hawaiian Wedding Song

Chanting Waves

Hawaiian Wedding Song
Sammy Laului Orchestra
Diplomat D-2327

Weird how some budget records like this one seem to be online for download everywhere and others are not. Anyway, this album is another in the long line of dime store LPs pressed when everybody and their mother was doing The Hula next to their backyard Tiki Bar. The songs are more western swing than "island" swing except for the few filler songs Diplomat threw in that do not sound like western swing.

Sentimental Guitar - Tony Mottola

You Go To My Head

Sentimental Guitar
Tony Mottola And His Orchestra
Originated and Produced by Enoch Light
Command Records RS 864 SD
1964

Mottola's warm and very laid back guitar stylings blended with easy and touches of jazz.

From the back cover: Sentimental Guitar is Tony's answer to these requests – an answer that follows in the footsteps of Romantic Guitar part of the time and at other times expands on it by adding an intimate group of unobtrusive strings and woodwinds.