Most irritating Exotica album and song

Should this post be threaded, I forsee some heated differences of opinions. But so what? How else can we avoid certain albums and songs, at the same time become educated by them? And who knows, some folks may be turned onto something that they actually think is quite lovely. Anyway, this will be a good thing, and a fun thing.

'What, in your opinion, is the most irritating Exotica album and song that you've heard?', says I.

'Let me do the honour of starting', says I in return.

Most Irritating Exotica album:

Michel Magne 'Tropical Fantasy'.
Granted, there is one -- possibly even two -- acceptable and quite, dare I say, nice tracks. But overall this album ranks very high in the audio irritation department. And those high pitched bird whistles, screeches, bells, xylophones, cartoon-quality tympanis, unharmonic and possibly even drunk females yelling. EEEECH!!! My ears! My island for a pair of ear plugs!

Most Irritating Exotica song: 'Tsetse Fly' by Martin Denny. (I don't want to overkill the Michel Magne, so I chose to expand the artist repertoire.) Actually, Mr. Denny has QUITE A FEW in this category -- even worse than this one; and although I know there are worse songs by other Exotica artists (especially those who merely jumped on the trend by putting out an album), I feel it necessary to point out that the Father Of Exotica did have it in him to do wrong.....and he did. Ouch!

How about you?

[ Edited by: DJ Terence Gunn 2007-03-10 19:21 ]

Interesting topic DJ.

I grew up listening to Jean Jaques Perrey since I was 5 years old so I have an affection for fun, whimsical, sound effects that is displayed throughout the Tropical Fantasy album. I can see how it could be irratating to some people though. It really is crazy and the sound effects are extreme but that's what sets him apart from the rest.

I agree that the fly in Tsetse Fly is annoying but that because it was made to sound annoying. It would have been great if they ended that track with the sound of a fly swatter hitting that damn fly. That would have topped it off.

As far as any irritating Exotica records I cannot think of too many albums that would make me run to the stereo yelling nooooooo! I agree that some of the band-wagon jumper albums are bad. Not irritating just BAD.

I wrote an article on Electronic Exotica which will be in the next issue of Tiki Magazine. Some people may think this form of Exotica to be irritating as well while others may enjoy the tranquil effects of lush tropical soundscapes.

It all comes down to personal preference when traveling down this road.

The BEST kind of Exotica has the ability to transport the listener and change his environment no matter what kind of instrumentation they use.

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

I agree 100% on "Tse-Tse fly"..can't stand that buzzing! There is another one on the same album I have, forgot the name, but it has decending chords, and then a woman's high pitched scream. I don't find it to be very relaxing. It scares me too much!

Martin Denny's "Stone God" has such a cool name, but is incredibly annoying.

Anything that is supposed to be Exotica but has a lot of Latin drums pounding away in the background. I mean, it's either Latin drums or it's Exotica, not both.

Les Baxter's songs with Bas Sheva, that's probably the one you're talking about Lucas, take your pick they're crazoid and make everybody really uncomfortable. Les was a mad genius to do them, though.

To bring things up to date, how about Don Tiki's bad ones? Some of their stuff is great, but does anybody actually like "Da T'ing He Grow" or their other over-sampled junk? I mean, what the... were they thinking?

My vote goes to Arthur Lyman, and the song '76 Trombones' from the LP/CD 'The Legend of Pele' Overall a wonderful LP, which creates a truly exotic mood - but then why ruin that mood by including a song from 'The Music Man' -- which is set in River City, Iowa. One moment you are dreaming of hula girls and Pacific Islands, the next you are thinking about marching bands, red coat uniforms, and 1910 era con-men.

Sure, the arrangement of the song is perhaps the most exotic version you will hear, but the rhythm still sounds like high school band marching music, especially with the snare drum rolls. Even the title alone is bad -- how can one think about exotica with visions of 76 trombones in one's mind.

Talk about a mood killer. I will not play this LP or the CD when I have visitors, just because the last song changes the atmosphere so much.

Vern

Jeff Central: I grew up listening to Jean Jaques Perrey since I was 5 years old so I have an affection for fun, whimsical, sound effects that is displayed throughout the Tropical Fantasy album. I can see how it could be irratating to some people though. It really is crazy and the sound effects are extreme but that's what sets him apart from the rest.

DJ Terence Gunn: The music, the arrangements, and the sound effects certainly are childlike, so I can definitely see how you'd find affection in that, if you'd been raised on such music. Nearly everybody loves their childhood, so it's difficult to be subjective of musical taste/quality based on nostalgia.

Jeff Central: It would have been great if they ended that track ['Tsetse Fly'] with the sound of a fly swatter hitting that damn fly. That would have topped it off.

DJ Terence Gunn: I would love to have heard such a thing! I wouldn't like the song any more than I would without such an ending (it's not just the buzzing of the fly I dislike -- its the music, too; and musically there are more irritating Denny songs), but I would feel justified in having had to listen to it all the way through. I wonder if 'Tsetse Fly' ever appeared on Dr. Demento.

Jeff Central: As far as any irritating Exotica records I cannot think of too many albums that would make me run to the stereo yelling nooooooo! I agree that some of the band-wagon jumper albums are bad. Not irritating just BAD.

DJ Terence Gunn: Neither can I -- hence this topic. But does 'I cannot think of too many' mean 'none'? As far as the meaning of bad (and I'm not talking James Brown here), bad to me IS irritating, so you've lost me there.

Jeff Central: I wrote an article on Electronic Exotica which will be in the next issue of Tiki Magazine. Some people may think this form of Exotica to be irritating as well while others may enjoy the tranquil effects of lush tropical soundscapes.

DJ Terence Gunn: Although I do like some songs within the genre, I don't like electronica AS a genre, so I will be one who finds such Exotica irritating. The song 'Exotic Moog' I think is brilliant (minus the Donald Duck effects), but I don't care for the rest of the album. (This has more to do with the material Denny chose rather than the implementation of the moog. Basically, there's absolutely nothing exotic about this album. Weird, far out, groovy, spacey -- yes. Exotic? No.) Electronics interspersed for atmosphere and effect (as long as they're not presented in a silly, humour-provoking way) in some late 1960s/early 1970s Exotica recordings, I quite like. But does that make such songs 'early electronica'? or in other cases moog albums 'moog'? I never understood that. Many of the early moog artists used guitar, bass, drums, percussion, etc. on their 'moog recordings'. The moog was a lead instrumentation at times, as well as provided atmospherics, but it didn't dominate the music. Now Walter (Wendy) Carlos -- THAT's moog. Tomita -- THAT's electronic.

Jeff Central: The BEST kind of Exotica has the ability to transport the listener and change his environment no matter what kind of instrumentation they use.

DJ Terence Gunn: Yes and no. Exotica music must sound exotic (hence the name of the genre), not just goofy or weird. And there's nothing exotic sounding about electronics. Atmospheric and ethereal, yes. Exotic, no. Sure a synthesiser can immitate a natural sound, but it does not create a natural sound. As far as Electronic Exotica, I feel a more accurate term would be Synthetic Exotica or Progressive Exotica.

Anyway, I've a feeling you and I, Jeff, could debate, analise, and banter for hours, probably loving every minute of it; and I certainly look forward to your article in Tiki Magazine. But what I'd really like to see posted is what some TCers think is the most irritating Exotica album and song. ('Course, one of these may well turn out to be an electronic exotica album, so who knows?)

On 2007-03-11 07:48, DJ Terence Gunn wrote:

Anyway, I've a feeling you and I, Jeff, could debate, analise, and banter for hours, probably loving every minute of it; and I certainly look forward to your article in Tiki Magazine. But what I'd really like to see posted is what some TCers think is the most irritating Exotica album and song.

I agree. Maybe if you get enough irritating Exotica songs together you could compile a CD that no one wants to listen to!

Call it "Exotic Irritainment"

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

Vern I totally agree with the "76 Trombones" song. What were they thinking?

[ Edited by: jeff central 2007-03-11 10:18 ]

Ah, yes. Those are some good choices for irritants.

'Stone God' is pure record fodder. 'Goony Birds' ranks higher over 'Stone God' in the irritant factor, though. Haven't heard it? It's off of Denny's 'Forbidden Island'. Track it down, listen, be irritated; it'll be good fun.

Bas Sheva's 'Lust' is unnerving. Perhaps it is supposed to be, but does that make it good, exotic music? I applaud Mr. Baxter for his guts and creativity, but otherwise see no point to making such music. Bas Sheva and Yma Sumac -- all irritating. At the same time, I'm simply amazed how many Yma Sumac albums there were/are!

'76 Trombones' is, indeed, ikitnrev, ridiculous. I can't imagine Mr. Lyman got many requests during his live performances for this rendition!

Another winner is 'Rush Hour In Hong Kong', off of Denny's 'Exotica II' album. The song sounds like an alternate recording for the Mr. Roger's Neighbourhood trolley going into the land of Make-Believe.

It's funny and ironic, Jeff, but I was some time ago thinking of putting such a compilation of Exotica tunes together, just for kicks. I'm sure nobody would wish to buy such a thing, but my idea was to charge for the cost -- cost of the CD, postage, etc. However, I wouldn't need any suggestions for material, as I could easily make a nigh 80 minute CD without any. Nevertheless I'm still all eyes and ears! And should I put together such a compilation, I shall call it 'Exotic Irritainment' (an excellent suggestion for a title).

I'd certainly like to see some suggested irritants off some of the other Exotica albums other than Baxter's, Denny's, & Lyman's, though; as well as nominations for most irritating album. I have a good deal of Exotica in my collection, and though there are a few close runners-up, I have never come across a more irritating album than Magne's 'Tropical Paradise'. I'm sure there's one out there, though!

How about Dick Hyman's 'Voodoo' album? I've never heard that one.

OKONKULU.

You guys are dissin on all my favorite tracks!

I, for one (and it sounds like I maybe the only one) happen to love the shit out of Tsetse Fly and Stone God. Also, I really like Da T'ing He Grow & Pinakbet. You gotta be kama'aina to understand the humor in those two DT tunes, I think.

I was actually bummed that we didn't play either of those tunes at the Hawaiian Hut shows the summer before last. I was all ready to chant: FORTUNATO TOLD ME HOW! HE SAID YOU JUS' KAUKAU (DA BUGGAH!!!)

"Da T'ing" is like a faster, narrated, modern "When First I Love." For me what makes the track is the fast guiro going throughout. And the pidgin.

OKONKULUKU,
Prof. Humming Flowah of WAITIKI

IN FACT ... I'd be more than happy to fill the next public WAITIKI show with all four of those tunes I just mentioned. And a couple of other so-called irritating ones. Hahahahaha.

Lymans 'Cotton Fields' is pretty excruciating...as well as any WEST SIDE STORY medley or Dylan cover...most of the japanese related tunes can get pretty tricky and wreck a nice mellow mood.
The EXOTICA SUITE with its good (trad Exotica) and BAD (horn based near Dixieland CRAPOLA) is a good example of fairly non-essential stuff--coolest cover EVER though--REAL rattan!!!

On 2007-03-12 07:42, bb moondog wrote:
The EXOTICA SUITE with its good (trad Exotica) and BAD (horn based near Dixieland CRAPOLA) is a good example of fairly non-essential stuff--coolest cover EVER though--REAL rattan!!!

Are you referring to Martin Denny & Si Zentner's album 'Exotica Suite'?

one & the same....I lucked out cuz I found a .25 copy before having to cough up 7 + shipping on ebay--its an OK lp but ESSENTIAL? not so much

another POTENTIALLY irritating song is 'Hawaiian eeYYYYY-UGH!!!' from the show of the same name...its funny at first but OUCH after repeated listenings

I love Exotica and all things Hawaiiana, but I cannot stand the song "Aloha Oe." Maybe it's a beautiful melody the first 95 times you hear it, but I have no patience for it any more. If you take a random sampling of 100 Exotica and Hawaiian records, you will find about 85 versions of Aloha Freakin' Oe. It also has the same melody as the hymn "How Great Thou Art," which annoys me to no end.

Another song that will always irritate me--"Stranger In Paradise." There might be more versions of that song than any other, done in just about any genre you can imagine--including and especially exotica. I think it was public domain (based on Borodin's Polovetsian Dances) so every second rate group on any third rate record label was bound to cover it at one time or another. I can't even begin to tell you how many records I have that include BOTH "Aloha Oe" and "Stranger in Paradise."

On 2007-03-12 07:42, bb moondog wrote:
The EXOTICA SUITE with its good (trad Exotica) and BAD (horn based near Dixieland CRAPOLA) is a good example of fairly non-essential stuff--coolest cover EVER though--REAL rattan!!!

I gotta disagree with this assessment by the way, I love Exotica Suite, I think it's totally essential! I'm not usually a big fan of Si Zentner but the mix of big band and bongos on this record works great, IMHO. The entire thing composed by LES BAXTER by the way--kickass! "Tiki" is one of the best tracks ever put on wax.

Look at early Denny’ s songs like Quiet Village, Flotsam And Jetsam, or Paradise Found then pick up a copy of Arthur Lyman’s Sonic Sixties cd which is clashing of exotic styles, pop, and rock music to songs like Hey Jude, Hang On Sloopy and With A Little Help From My Friends.
It reminds me of When Tony Bennett was trying to reach out to a younger hipper crowd with his Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today (with pinstriped bellbottom album cover) . And for the record I’ve played Lyman’s Hawaii 5-0 cut to 3 non “tiki” people and heard them giggle to themselves at the arrangement.
Let's hope Don Tiki doesn't start covering The Pussycat Dolls.

On 2007-03-12 15:23, Quince_at_Dannys wrote:

On 2007-03-12 07:42, bb moondog wrote:
The EXOTICA SUITE with its good (trad Exotica) and BAD (horn based near Dixieland CRAPOLA) is a good example of fairly non-essential stuff--coolest cover EVER though--REAL rattan!!!

I gotta disagree with this assessment by the way, I love Exotica Suite, I think it's totally essential! I'm not usually a big fan of Si Zentner but the mix of big band and bongos on this record works great, IMHO. The entire thing composed by LES BAXTER by the way--kickass! "Tiki" is one of the best tracks ever put on wax.

I would have to agree with your disagreement of the previous assessment. Exotica Suite's only real fault is its inaccurate title. And there's no Dixie Land jazz; just swing jazz, which fits entirely for this concept, and is THE JAZZ for the Lounge scene. And the song 'Tiki' is definitely the best version I've heard of that song. And what's not to LOVE about 'Stolen Idol' and 'Lotus Pool/Tribe Of The Moon'?

Perhaps this album isn't to one's musical taste, and one would be correct in not classifying this album as Exotica (even though there are a few tracks), but this album is hardly irritating; it's swingin', baby!

Check out Werner Müller's Hawaiian Swing for another big-band oriented exotica album--although there are parts that can annoy, depending on your mood at time. Probably the simultaneously best AND most annoying (if those two concepts can coexist) version of "Hawaiian EYYEEE-UGH" ever recorded. Lots of excellent Alvino Rey/Esquivel-inspired "electric guitar on a spring" BA-BOING sounds.

I may have to change my 'handle' to Hawaiian EYEEEEEE-UGH! after this forum topic plays out

Martin Denny's moog version of Quiet Village makes me cringe.

I guess with that one ---all you can think is WOW--we NEEDED a MOOG version of this? I bought that coupled with the Les Baxter Moog--I think i played the WHOLE THING TWICE--and will probably revisit it ONCE a year to remind myself...
ELP--probably the only moog style stuff with legs and EVEN THAT is highly debatable. For those of us 40+ folks whose lives CLOSELY paralled That 70s Show, ELP were S$&*# hot.
Sometimes TIPSY grinds on me a little bit..as does most cartoony music

From this thread I get the feeling that Exotica listeners today are a totally different breed than ten years ago.

KK

OK, I've mentioned this a couple times before with no response, but maybe this is the proper thread for it. Yma Sumac's album, Miracles. Although the album is not exotica, Yma is the goddess of the genre, and I love her work. Except Miracles. I've tried, believe me, but I just can't stand it! Does anyone else have problems with this practically unlistenable 70's experimental freeform acid rock nightmare like I do,, or should I go back, lock myself in a dark room with some LSD and listen repeatedly 'til I'm a convert?

Thanks for the thread Terrence. It's a good one.

As much as I love Exotica, and all it's offshoots and back alleys, there's some really horrible stuff out there. I'm sure many of us have had the experience of having friends over, who you're trying to win over to the wonderful world of weird music. A song will come on that you might've perhaps always overlooked or tolerated, but you suddenly you see the pained expression on your friends faces, and you realize,, there are just some songs that should never be played to the uninitiated !!!

my story--believe it or not...
In 1991 I was employed by a certain notoriously religious department store chain located only in Utah in their graphics dept. designing ads. Despite the fact that the state of Utah is a strange mecca for the odd Christian cult known as Mormons, our department was a breeding ground for diversity & short-term insanity. The only sound system a tiny room of 15 designers & production artists had was an Audivox cheapo radio/turntable/8-TRACK from the 70's--the
mgmt. wouldn't pony up a CD player or ANYTHING remotely modern for us, and pay was low enough that no one wanted to buy one for collective use. Four of us who were fairly young and punky decided one day to go to the local record shop & put the crappy turntable to use-we instigated PUNISHMENT MUSIC AFTERNOON comprised of the booty from visiting the '10 for $1' vinyl section--HUGE BINS full of your mom & dads worn & torn LP's from the 50s/60s that were collecting dust among the new Duran Duran or Guns & Roses releases(remember--this WAS '91-92).
So armed with releases from Wayne Newton, Jim Nabors, Happy Pierre, bogus Hawaiian music, the OLE INDIAN(the most nuclear of the lot), Del Rubio triplets and many Martin Denny/Arthur Lyman releases, we lay WASTE to the concept of LISTENING FOR PLEASURE and created what can only be described as a Pavlovian aural scene; when one of us stepped near the turntable, certain humorless members of the area would cringe in hate in anticipation of what NEW FRESH HELL of listening dementia we would subject them to. This went on unchecked for about a year; it was FINALLY judged out of control when this major nerd stole & hid the OLE INDIAN and got his car keys taken in retaliation. Funny, though...collectively everyone always kinda enjoyed the fake Polynesian
tunes no matter how often we played them....THEN Esquire ran an article about the 'new lounge scene' and VOILA!! RECOGNITION

Thanks for all the comments, Folks! However, some of the comments are getting off track from the initial post. I'm not talking about non-Exotica albums ('Hawaiian Eye' soundtrack, Werner Muller's 'Hawaiian Swing' -- both of which I love and which I place in the colloquial category of Lounge music) and/or songs performed by artists that are associated primarily with the Exotica genre. I'm talking about Exotica albums and songs -- the ones primarily put out in the late 1950s through the early 1960s, when Exotica was a musical genre and trend. Of course, there some later ones -- 'Exotica 1970' by the Kokee Band, 'Jungle Obsession' by Nino Nardini & Roger Roger, etc.

And remember the genre of Exotica is of far off, non-European places (even if fictional ones), not just Hawaii.

I'm looking to learn as much as everyone else through this thread -- of what else is out there that I don't have, and perhaps don't want to have.

Keep 'em coming, Folks!

On 2007-03-13 09:30, Kawentzmann wrote:
From this thread I get the feeling that Exotica listeners today are a totally different breed than ten years ago.

KK

There are always and always will be new people discovering this music. I'm fairly new to TC, but I first started delving into Lounge music in the early 1990s -- nearly 17 years ago. I first started DJing Lounge music in public in 1995. During these earlier times there was no trend happening, no official 'scene'; but the seed of what was to soon follow, and grow at a rapid rate, had been planted. It was unbelievable, all those CD compilations and re-releases that came out at that time, all trying to cash-in on the craze. And there were 'scenes' in Vancouver, B.C., L.A., and San Francisco that were as unaware of the scene here in Seattle, as we were of them. Zines and travelling helped solve this issue. The internet wasn't as much, as available, or as popular a thing back then as it is today. To that today's 'scene' has more an advantage.

Back then Exotica music was a mere component in Lounge music, along side 1950s/'60s Latin, Easy Listening, Swingin' Pop Jazz vocals and instrumentals, Calypso, Spy & Sleuth, Soundtrack themes and cuts, Go-Go (or EZ), even Surf and vintage Western, etc., etc. Combustible Edison always called it 'Cocktail Nation'. I abhored that title, and used the term 'Cocktail Culture' -- a term invented by my friend Russ Scheidelman, who published a zine back then called 'Organ & Bongos'. I always used the term attached to my public and weekly theme nights, and soon the term caught on world wide.

But it wasn't until I met Otto Von Stroheim in early 1996, that I had ever met anyone who was so obstinate about Exotica, Hawaiian, and Surf being in a class of their own. I didn't care much for the narrowness of such a scope, myself, but I nevertheless was impressed by the integrity and conviction of his taste. His pools were less in number and smaller than mine, but he knew his pools very well. He was dedicated. He was a man on a mission; and, dare I say, he inspired many people, who in turn inspired many others, to embrace this new old culture.

The tikiphiles of today (of which I'm not; I'll always be a Lounge guy through and through, to the bitter end) I don't think are much different from those of old. But many still have yet to blossom; to determine if this is just a passing fad for them, or a culture they will live and die with.

Great topic! At first I was skeptical, because it's always easier to explain why you don't like something rather than explain why you like something. But your post has brought up some interesting insights from folks. Thanks for doing this.

I'll have to think about the original question some more, but one thing I couldn't let pass without comment is your choice of "Most Irritating Exotica album." Magne's Tropical Fantasy may be one of the top Exotica lPs of all time. And I say this for the very reasons you don't care for it -- high pitched bird whistles, screeches, bells, xylophones, cartoon-quality tympanis, unharmonic and possibly even drunk females yelling -- yeah, it's "difficult listening-hour" aspects are what make it great! Think of the intensity of his version of Tabu. The percussion and xylophones really conjure up the bones of skeletons, almost marching skeletons, crossing a windswept, moonlight plain. The combo of the spooky voices and instruments really push the melody up your spine, and that weird juxtaposition between Haitian Zombie attack and middle-eastern harem-scarem is beautiful. The bongos seem to be the only thing holding the whole thing together. All the best exotica has a scary and/or madness side. Baxter definitely understood this. Magne really takes it up a frightening notch (on Tabu for sure, as well as Sahara, Bahia, Congo Biem, and to a lesser extent Tropical and Peanut Vendor). It's up there with Johnny Richard's Rites of Diablo -- but that LP I really think was actually conceived to scare the bejesus out of your neighbor, so it's hard to compare the two.

Just my 2 cents. Again, thanks for the great post, and the thoughful comments.

~glen

[ Edited by: I, Zombie 2007-03-13 17:40 ]

I haven't really encountered much exotika that I didn't like...but I couldn't stomach Don Tiki's "Adulterated" (the remix album). I don't even know if that would remotely count as exotika really...I love the band, but when I want to feel like I'm on a tropical island (or exotic bar), not like I'm at a rave. I never was able to finish listening, and I think I sold it off later.

Just my two cents.

I'm not a fan of the buzzing fly, or screeching females, but my vote for "worst""exotica" album of all times has to go to disk #4 of the Reader's Digest Pop Organ Varieties.

I guess you could call this one a "bandwagon" release. The other three disks span genres from latin to polka to ragtime. But the fourth platter is all about the South Sea Island Magic. Maybe it's not "exotica" by some standards, but it sure tries to spin a mood.

A friend once told me that he won a contest to find the worst album ever by finding this one. He spent a good portion of a party guarding the turntable as it spun through all four LPs of magic. It must have been a pretty good party not to have been completely defused by his audio terrorism. My guess is that everyone moved to other rooms.

Having said all this, I must confess that I truly LOVE this album. The whole set. If you've ever seen Wallace and Gromit in The Wrong Trousers, you may remember the music that the evil penguin played all night to drive Gromit crazy. Pop Organ Varieties is cut from that exact same cloth. It's like the music you might have heard at a roller rink before top 40 took over.

It also has the most fantastic version of Hawaiian War Chant I've heard outside of the tiki room.

I have purchased this set at least four times. It's hard for me to see it and not pick it up. There's always somebody whose life I can brighten by dropping this in their lap. That's a lot of love for under $5. You have to wonder what price was paid back in the day by those who sent away for this gem.

On a final note, the guy I originally got my first copy of this from managed to rip it all on to mp3 recently. Unfortunately, there's a high pitched squeal just barely audible over everything. I'm still on the fence as to whether or not this really hurts the experience, or merely updates it for these modern times...

MUGS MUGS MUGS!!!
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZrum_demonQQhtZ-1
http://www.rumdemon.com

[ Edited by: Rum Demon 2007-03-14 17:00 ]

edited for redundancy

[ Edited by: Mateotiki 2007-03-14 15:22 ]

Demon I love that story -- esp. the guy guarding the turntable all night. I think I've BEEN that guy at a few parties over the years!

I'm gonna have to keep an eye out for that box set at the local thrifts. Seems like the kinda thing that'll show up there.

~glen

On 2007-03-13 16:57, I, Zombie wrote:
Magne's Tropical Fantasy may be one of the top Exotica lPs of all time. And I say this for the very reasons you don't care for it -- high pitched bird whistles, screeches, bells, xylophones, cartoon-quality tympanis, unharmonic and possibly even drunk females yelling -- yeah, it's "difficult listening-hour" aspects are what make it great! Think of the intensity of his version of Tabu. The percussion and xylophones really conjure up the bones of skeletons, almost marching skeletons, crossing a windswept, moonlight plain. The combo of the spooky voices and instruments really push the melody up your spine, and that weird juxtaposition between Haitian Zombie attack and middle-eastern harem-scarem is beautiful. The bongos seem to be the only thing holding the whole thing together. All the best exotica has a scary and/or madness side. Baxter definitely understood this. Magne really takes it up a frightening notch (on Tabu for sure, as well as Sahara, Bahia, Congo Biem, and to a lesser extent Tropical and Peanut Vendor).
~glen
[ Edited by: I, Zombie 2007-03-13 17:40 ]

Thank you for your input, Glen!

However, on this subject, I've met more folks who dislike Magne's album than do. And what most folks don't know is that Magne's 'Tropical Fantasy' (and 'Orienta') was meant to be farcical and a mockery, cashing in on the Exotica trend, like many of the other composers who wished to, or were commissioned to (which was largely the case in most of the one or two-off Exotica records), put out an album of Exotic Jazz or the like. The instrumental components and many Exotica cliches are present, but there's no heart and soul in it. This album sounds like a joke and it is a joke. Magne didn't understand the music he was tackling, nor did he probably care. He was paid to put out an Exotica album. And there are far, far better Exotica albums of the copy-cat nature, that do have some heart and soul in them. For example.....

'Exotica' by Ted Auletta -- full of the usual Martin Denny cliches but still a wonderful album and one of the best versions/arrangements of 'Quiet Village' I've heard.

'Exotic Island' by The Surfmen -- a piece of audio heaven in my top 5 Exotica album picks, up there with Frank Hunter's 'White Goddess' and Don Ralke's 'The Savage & The Sensuous Bongos'.

Now granted these two examples of Exotica are perhaps not as daring as Magne's 'Tropical Fantasy' (particularly Auletta's), but they are nevetheless soothing and exotic and atmospheric.

There's certainly a humouress and campy side to 'Tropical Fantasy', but it is far from mad and scary. And to say the best Exotica albums are mad and scary is simply your opinion, not a mood pre-requisite for guaging the quality and genuine-ness of an Exotica album; especially when a great deal of the original Exotica music by Baxter (or one could even say Maurice Ravel) is soothing, lush, romantic, mysterious, and...well, exotic. 'Tropical Fantasy' is closer in spirit to Carl Stalling and Spike Jones than it is to Les Baxter and Martin Denny; and if it deserves to belong in any musical category, 'Incredibly Strange Music' is the most appropriate category.

I haven't heard Magne's other album 'Orienta - An Exotic Adventure In Sound'. But should it be anything like 'Tropical Fantasy', I will avoid it like I would a disease-carrying tsetse fly.

In any case, Glen, do you not have a pick for most irritating Exotica album and/or song that you'd like to share with us?

Hi DJ,

I hadn't heard that Magne's LP was meant as a joke -- though I'm not sure if the intent of an artist means that much, especially as the years roll on, and the context in which things are heard has changed so radically. But I'm probably in the minority on that opinion. (Ex: when I found out Martin Denny "ghosted" many of his LPs, it didn't really effect how I felt about his music -- even the albums he actually didn't do.)

I'll give you that Magne belongs in the "incredibly strange" category. Here's the description from spaceagepop.com that backs you up completely:

"What makes Tropical Fantasy fun is the way Magne manages to cram together into one album virtually all there is to love about space age pop music. Sound effects? Got 'em. Musique concrete? Got yer car horns and machine noises here. Tape manipulation? Backwards, forwards, speeded up, and slowed down. Bird calls and jungle shrieks? Well, it's not Augie Colon, but it's a close second. Percussion up the ying-yang? Yup--bongos, maracas, cowbells, marimbas, ratchets, bells, chimes, etc. Oddball instrumentation? Lessee--ocarina, pennywhistles, carillon, tin cans--check. All jammed into one LP recorded on two-track tape. Magnifique, Michel!"

But I still also find it to be exotica. Though I'll concede that after reading your response, I feel like I'm on shakier ground than I was before!!! (But then again, if it ain't exotica, how can it be the most irritating exotica LP?!? -- I think I'm confusing myself...)

I tend to like the creepier, foreboding tracks in the Exotica canon. Sometimes by creepy I probably should just say that I like the more "mysterious" tracks. But I also love exotica that has screeching and/or spooky voices and crazed instrumentation. So that's why I like Magne, regardless that it may have been written as a "joke." DJ what is your take on Stanley Black's Exotic Percussion or Johnny Richards The Rites of Diablo? I'd be curious of what you think of those albums.

I'm still struggling with your original question. Funny you mention Auletta. I almost was going to offer up his LP Exotica as worst in my original post, but I'm on the fence. It's very dull in spots but does it reach a level of irritation? I guess until I think of something else, I'm going to go with Auletta because of the dullness factor in many of the tracks.

Again thanks for this post. It's fun to talk about and debate this stuff.

~glen

p.s. NOW 3 years later I realize I was a fool. I really like Auletta... A LOT! His Pool of Love is sensational.

[ Edited by: I, Zombie 2007-03-15 10:04 ]

[ Edited by: I, Zombie 2010-05-25 14:22 ]

On 2007-03-11 15:31, DJ Terence Gunn wrote:

How about Dick Hyman's 'Voodoo' album? I've never heard that one.

Dick Hyman never released an album called "Voodoo" but Richard Hayman did. This album is not anywhere near as good as Robert Drasnin's "Voodoo" but still a nice Exotica album.

Cheers,
Jeff

On 2007-03-15 09:12, I, Zombie wrote:
Hi DJ,

But I still also find it to be exotica. Though I'll concede that after reading your response, I feel like I'm on shakier ground than I was before!!! (But then again, if it ain't exotica, how can it be the most irritating exotica LP?!? -- I think I'm confusing myself...)

I tend to like the creepier, foreboding tracks in the Exotica canon. Sometimes by creepy I probably should just say that I like the more "mysterious" tracks. But I also love exotica that has screeching and/or spooky voices and crazed instrumentation. So that's why I like Magne, regardless that it may have been written as a "joke." DJ what is your take on Stanley Black's Exotic Percussion or Johnny Richards The Rites of Diablo? I'd be curious of what you think of those albums.

I'm still struggling with your original question. Funny you mention Auletta. I almost was going to offer up his LP Exotica as worst in my original post, but I'm on the fence. It's very dull in spots but does it reach a level of irritation? I guess until I think of something else, I'm going to go with Auletta because of the dullness factor in many of the tracks.

[ Edited by: I, Zombie 2007-03-15 10:04 ]

Yes, 'Tropical Fantasy' -- despite the fact that some of the sound effects are not at all exotic -- is, indeed, Exotica. It could be nothing else (except Incredibly Strange Music); and it's more than obvious what the music is attempting to emulate.

I, too, like some of the creepier Exotica music (Denny's 'Jungle Madness' being one of the ultimate in this regard). But perhaps what I think of creepy is a bit different from you. For instance, the non-lyrical vocals in Exotica can be right on (Frank Hunter's 'White Goddess' and The Surfmen's 'Exotic Island' -- both featuring quite possibly the same female vocalist) or way off the mark, sounding too stiff, too Glee Club (I'm not even going to go there).

Stanley Black's 'Exotic Percussion' is for the most part very good. It isn't jungle jazz or exotic jazz, though. It almost verges on being a square easy listening orchestra experience, like Morton Gould's 'Jungle Drums', Alfred Newman's 'Ports Of Paradise' (and there ARE 3 songs off this album I think are fantastic, so don't think I'm slamming it entirely), Ray Conniff's Hawaiian album, or some syrupy selection served up by Frank Chacksfield. It seems from what you've indicated, Glen, that you have a preference towards the larger, orchestrated Exotica music. In this pool, Les Baxter and Alex Stordahl are plenty for me. Exotica to me should sound like a sound(e)scape, not a soundtrack. And I prefer mine with jazz elements, even if subtley included.

I am very curious about Johhny Richards' 'Rites Of Diablo', but have never heard it. However, knowing he did arrangements for Stan Kenton, I'm imagining this album to be totally bombastic. Still, I'm interested. Know where I can hear samples of it? I've looked online but to no avail. I'll probably have to resort to file sharing.

Auletta's album is everything but irritating, and doesn't qualify for such. In fact, it is quite the opposite; it's soothing. But, yes, Auletta's album is rather dull -- which is strange, as musically it isn't that far off from Arthur Lyman, but lacks the energy, spirit, and mood that Lyman's Exotica recordings have. Basically, it's too posed, and verging on cocktail jazz ala George Shearing (whom I love -- don't mistake me!), Frankie Carle, etc., rather than Exotica. Nevertheless it will find a higher spot within my ranking than Michel Magne's offering.

[ Edited by: DJ Terence Gunn 2007-03-15 14:11 ]

When oh when will Tiki Central allow us to post MP3 files just like .jpegs??? Then we can simply post the song and put everyone through the pain of listening to it!

Sure, you can post off site, but why should we do that? And the link is always lost eventually.

I wanna hear that organ music! You could punish your kids with it -

"Go to your room and put on that ORGAN ALBUM!"

"NOOOOO! EEEaaaaahhhg!"

Slam. 'Wa wah wa waaaah....'

On 2007-03-15 14:10, DJ Terence Gunn wrote:

Stanley Black's 'Exotic Percussion' is for the most part very good. It isn't jungle jazz or exotic jazz, though. It almost verges on being a square easy listening orchestra experience, like Morton Gould's 'Jungle Drums', Alfred Newman's 'Ports Of Paradise' (and there ARE 3 songs off this album I think are fantastic, so don't think I'm slamming it entirely), Ray Conniff's Hawaiian album, or some syrupy selection served up by Frank Chacksfield.

Whoa now... "a square easy listening orchestra experience?" Those would be fightin' words if it weren't for the fact that I tend to like a lot of square easy listening orchestra experiences. Seriously though, I'd have to rank Exotic Percussion pretty far up there, if for only one reason: the screaming delivery of the lyric "DEVIL MOON" at the end of Old Devil Moon. Gould, Newman, and Chacksfield could never have conceived of something like that! Like comparing oatmeal to the Snap, Crackle, POP of Rice Crispies (to use a cereal analogy for some strange reason).

On 2007-03-15 14:10, DJ Terence Gunn wrote:

I am very curious about Johhny Richards' 'Rites Of Diablo', but have never heard it. However, knowing he did arrangements for Stan Kenton, I'm imagining this album to be totally bombastic. Still, I'm interested. Know where I can hear samples of it? I've looked online but to no avail. I'll probably have to resort to file sharing.

DJ, PM me and I'd be happy to send it to you on disc. But be prepared: the term "bombastic" is like a password at a speakeasy run by Richards: it'll get you in the door, but after that -- look out!

[ Edited by: I, Zombie 2007-03-15 16:11 ]

For me, there's "bad" music that I really enjoy, and "bad" music that I just don't enjoy. I'm surprised no one has mentioned "Sondi Sondsai" on Liberty. It's not a cheap LP when you run across it, and I must say, although conceptually great, I find Miss Sondsai's vocals nasally and not enjoyable at all.

I am going to go off-topic a little. Since some are debating what is exotica, I have always found the following album to be completely a modern version of exotica!

http://www.jonhassell.com/earthquake.html

The album is "earthquake island" and I had it at one time. The liner notes clearly define it as being exotica, but in my opinion it is and isn't. I guess listening to it will let you decide.

I always felt that way about Hassells CITY...if ANY modern music could be interpreted as exotica. that would be IT--seems more middle-eastern than polynesian though

CHRIS & COSEYS Exotica however is definitel NOT exotica--and it IS Irritating how it TRIES to be

One of Jon Hassells recent albums was "fascinoma". He does a verion of caravan that is quite interesting.

I don't count his music as real exotica because there are no real happy themes there. It's all very serious, and basically minor key stuff. Or even Key-less stuff. With most exotica, even if it veers off to the dark and mysterious, it usually comes back to some happy jazzy home. Hassell's stuff does not.

However, his song titles and I think his general aim is to be really exotic. The songs always feature a lot of "native" style percussion. But be warned, he has a lot of electronica style stuff in there too. His main collaborater has been Brian Eno in the past.

But, I have to love an artist with the album title "the surgeon of the night sky restores dead things with the power of light" (or something like that) And that album cover shows a mangrove swamp with herons in it.

Is his style world music? probably, but he has the typical westerners approach to it, which is very much what denny-baxter-lyman were trying to do.

INMHO

On 2007-03-15 13:35, Jeff Central wrote:

On 2007-03-11 15:31, DJ Terence Gunn wrote:

How about Dick Hyman's 'Voodoo' album? I've never heard that one.

Dick Hyman never released an album called "Voodoo" but Richard Hayman did. This album is not anywhere near as good as Robert Drasnin's "Voodoo" but still a nice Exotica album.

Cheers,
Jeff

I'm confusing it with Dick Hyman's 'Voodoo Moon' -- of which, musically, there is no similarity. (I ALWAYS get those two blokes mixed up; and who can blame me? Dick is short for Richard, and Hyman is just short of a second 'a'.) I found Richard Hayman's 'Voodoo' and will get round to giving it a listen.

On 2007-03-16 08:24, bb moondog wrote:

CHRIS & COSEYS Exotica however is definitely NOT exotica--and it IS Irritating how it TRIES to be

WOW! I can't believe someone mentioned Chris and Cosey on this list. Their album "Exotica" is not Exotica music but they are definitely HUGE fans of the genre. It doesn't TRY to be Exotica but it is one of their biggest influences going all the way back to the early days of Throbbing Gristle. The intro to the title track "Exotica" is classic electronic Exotica. Sexy bass line, primal rhythms and bird sounds start the track off before going into an electronic dance track. This album was actually dedicated to both Les Baxter and Martin Denny for inspiration back in 1987. They actually introduced Exotica music to a lot of people, including myself, way before it actually became popular again.

Their latest CD entitled CABAL has even more electronic exotica without all the dance tracks and it sounds really nice. Similiar to Kavakon but much more dark with subsonic primal rhythms. One of my favorite CD's.

Cheers,
Jeff

How about this for irritating..............

"Quiet Village Idiot" by The Tards!!!!!

Anyone else heard this? The Tards released a one-shot 8" single called I'm Just Like You. It was actually a side project by industrial noise artist Boyd Rice (NON) and Adam Parfrey (Feral House). It sounds like a group of retards humming to Les Baxter's "Quiet Village." This is both irritating AND hilarious at the same time!!!

or this..........

Spike Jones "I Search for Golden Adventure in My Seven Leaky Boots." This was a parody on the whole Exotica scene at the time. It features a narrator searching for the lost world of Exotica complete with sound effects. Politically incorrect but funnier than hell. It was released on the Omnibust album in the 1960's and I think it is currently available on CD.

Cheers,
Jeff

[ Edited by: Jeff Central 2007-03-17 12:22 ]

On 2007-03-17 12:21, Jeff Central wrote:
Spike Jones "I Search for Golden Adventure in My Seven Leaky Boots." This was a parody on the whole Exotica scene at the time. It features a narrator searching for the lost world of Exotica complete with sound effects. Politically incorrect but funnier than hell. It was released on the Omnibust album in the 1960's and I think it is currently available on CD.

Thanks for bringing to attention that song! I completely forgot about that one. I wonder how many folks on TC have heard this song? If you haven't, seek it out folks! Spike Jones is a plenty on CD.

However, regarding the song as irritating, I wouldn't call it so. Funny as all get out -- yes! Irritating -- no. And I LOVE anything non-PC, and HATE anything that IS PC, so extra points for that! (After all Exotica IS non-PC in many ways, as are the lyrics to many pop jazz standards.) The song is supposed to be a mockery, of course, but then that's primarily all Spike Jones ever did -- before the Spike Jones New Band, that is. But when Spike did it, he did it with accomplished musicianship, arrangements, and vocal talent.

Perhaps if I ever get round to compiling my CD of 'Exotica's Goofy Greats' (which will come with a set of foam ear plugs for those who wish to purchase it), I'll include 'I Search For Golden Adventure In My Seven Leaky Boots' betwixt Martin Denny's 'Goony Birds' and Michel Magne's 'Bahia'.

As far as a previous post or two stating the irritation of the 'Hawaiian Eye Theme', I couldn't agree with you less on that. The song itself -- with its terrific arrangement of stops and starts, dynamics, layered percussion and string and brass -- is striking, strong, and emotive. I can certainly understand why somebody may get a bit irritated with the vocals, and perhaps the song is better off without them, but the vocals could've been worse: Yma Sumac could've been hired to sing the 'Hawaiian Eye - Ughs!' 'Course, I'm sure there are plenty of TCers out there who would welcome such a notion.

So perhaps the original 'Hawaiian Eye Theme' would be best considered for border line irritation, simply because it is mainly the vocals that irritate. The Werner Muller instrumental version of 'Hawaiian Eye' (though I do like its Esquivel dynamics, arrangements, and craziness -- Muller being the only composer/arranger out there capable of emulating/pulling off Esquivel's style) is definitely a good candidate for irritating. But once again, it is not Exotica; it's late Atomic Age/early Space Age big band pop with a Hawaiian gesture (in the form of a slide guitar).

A little off the subject, but there was an album by Sonny Lester -- part of the 'After Hours' and 'How To Belly Dance/Strip For Your Husband' series -- that was called 'After Hours Spain'. It is currently available on CD and the sound quality is direct from the master tapes. The songs are the usual Spanish standards one has heard many times, but the arrangements are jazzy enough to make them 'loungey' and a little less traditional and interesting. However, where I take issue is the shameless (or otherwise ignorant) deliberation of mistitling the CD 'Exotica - The Sensuous Sounds Of The Sonny Lester Orchestra'.

Other than the implementation of the Latin rhythms, Spanish music is not Exotica. I knew what the album was before I purchased it; and only purchased it because it's one of those rarities that has appeared on CD, and which will disappear soon, because of lack of sales. But it is obvious the marketers of this reissue onto CD are/were trying to 'cash in' on the current popularity in Exotica music by labelling it as such. But the contemporary cover -- one that fits neither 'After Hours Spain' or 'Exotica - The Sensuous Sounds Of' -- substituting the original cover confuses me to no end. This is something that's been happening for some time on CD and vinyl. Talk about irritating.

[ Edited by: DJ Terence Gunn 2007-03-23 12:22 ]

To veer briefly back on topic (with all due respect for it's poster). I also have "Tropical Fantasy", and yes, I would vote it the worst exotica LP ever. Its only redeeming quality is that a couple of cuts off of it make good Halloween music for the "Cannibal Corner" area of our annual haunted house. Eeek. (or, Ecccch.)

"Orienta" is another train-wreck, with the exception of two cuts by Gerald Fried, "Mountain High, Valley Low", which is a bit brassy with the Yma Sumac-style soprano riffs and "Rain in Rangoon" also a little bright on the rain effects, but just within tolerances to make good additions to the library.

(Oh, and JC, ever hear of "Quiet Farm"? I believe the title says it all...)

Great thread, DJ.

Cheers and aloha,
SOK

"Don't let it be forgot,
That once there was a Spot,
Where Blowfish all wore sunglasses,
and Tiki-times were hot..."

[ Edited by: Son-of-Kelbo 2007-03-24 13:05 ]

On 2007-03-23 16:03, Son-of-Kelbo wrote:

(Oh, and JC, ever hear of "Quiet Farm"? I believe the title says it all...)

[ Edited by: Son-of-Kelbo 2007-03-24 13:05 ]

I have heard of it but never actually heard it!! Any good (bad)?