Customer Reviews

Crime Scene: Ultra Lounge 7

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked this album up to help complete my Ultra-Lounge collection, and they haven't missed the mark with Crime Scene.
With jazzy and slick tunes, this one doesn't fail to please. Theme songs to TV shows and movies alike make up a refreshingly familiar and cool set of tunes.

Some reviewers have complained that themes like "Pink Panther" and "Hawaii 5-0" should be included, but this CD introduced me to some theme songs that I'd never heard before ("Walk on the Wild Side," "Search for Vulcan") and besides, "Pink Panther" is already on Mondo Hollywood.

The best part of this entire album is the last (real) track, "Music to Be Murdered By." Jeff Alexander is credited, but the track is introduced by the Master of Suspense and Macabre himself, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, who assures us that "naturally, the record is long playing, even though you may not be." It's a morbid yet pleasant surprise.

The very last track, a "bonus," continues Ultra-Lounge's long-running inside joke with the "Man About Town" soap opera series, this time a love poem (the Hammond Organ is still there).

All in all, an excellent disk for rainy days and planning your next bank heist.

It was Thursday, which didn't matter because every day is dark in this business. She walked in on a pair of gams that seemed taller than she was, stuffed down into a pair of heels that whispered a special message to my trouser occupant. Her cigarette was held by a long holder, suggesting a classy dame, but her eyes had the jaded sensibility of a street walker. She sat down and crossed her legs, letting a little more thigh than I expected peek out of the slit in her skirt. She exhaled a lungful of Lucky Strike and smirked at me. My pistol was in an uncomfortable bind, so I readjusted it and asked her what I could do for her. She asked me to play some music, so I threw on The Crime Scene CD. She looked me up and down and said "That's a nice disc." That's how the whole thing got started . . .

When I went to resubmit this under my account name, I found that my opinions about this volume have really changed. I like the CD much better. It GROWS on you, and it becomes one of the series' strongest entries, as well as the jazziest. And of all the volumes, which are themed, this one's flavor and mood carries through each track better than any of the others.

Ray Anthony's "Dragnet" starts things off just right, swinging like a Benny Goodman tune after the stodgy marching intro. "Room 43," the song it's packaged with, is highly reminiscent of something you'd hear in an old mobster or detective film. It's a great jazzy tune, not upstaged by "Dragnet" before it and building to a strong climax. Also capturing that detective mystery/film noir feel with uncanny precision are Elmer Bernstein's "Thinking of Baby" (he also helmed "Staccato's Theme" and wrote "The Silencers," both on this volume) and the gorgeous "Big Town" by Laurindo Almeida and the Dansaneros. On of the best tracks, there's just no getting tired of this one. Poetic and dreamy, yet moody, lonely, and a little bit dark, it pretty much defines the CD. And Vikki Carr's "The Silencers," from the Matt Helm film, has it all: sexy, teasing, and a little murderous. (And catch those double entendres!) Love the closing verse, with the trombone in the background!

Billy May headlines two incredible tracks this time around. First up is the taut, ominous, esplosive "The Man with the Golden Arm," rocking so hard that you get caught up in the beat. The snarling trumpets, the slurping saxophones, the blaring trombones...May always knew how to arrange a hit. That quality also comes through big time in his faithful "Mission: Impossible" cover. Although it sticks far too close to the original recording by Lalo Schifrin (down to the solo), the dramatic climax, with the strings sweeping up the melody, gets you moving every time.

The "Peter Gunn Suite" is okay, but a below reviewer had it all right when he complained about the theme being at the end. I'm guessing it was supposed to be some sort of climax (or a lure to get you to listen to the rest), but for an eight-minute, thirty-three-second track (only about 1:50 of which is the theme), it's awfully annoying to place the theme at the end of the track. Nonetheless, it's the popular Ray Anthony version, and when you do get to it, it's as hard-driving and satisfying as ever. (Note: On the U-L Fuzzy Sampler, the theme is included as a track--without the suite before it.) For a much better crime jazz suite, take a listen to the exciting "Burke's Law Suite" on Vol.13. Another TV theme shares the big spotlight here: Nelson Riddle's "The Untouchables" cover. It starts off a little weak, I know, but keep listening--it's all part of the scheme of things. When it reaches the stomping, thundering, Rockette-kicking climax, you'll know what I mean.

But, let's face it. The big draw-in for most everyone is the John Barry's timeless "James Bond Theme." Oh, yes, it is here, incredible and mind-blowing as ever. (Although this is not the original; that can be found on 'The Best of Bond...James Bond' along with all the themes up to "Tomorrow Never Dies.") The Bond theme is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most instanty recognizable pieces of music ever written, and it's easy to see why: it grabs you and never lets go. And Bond's affiliated tunes don't fare so badly, either. Elliott Fisher's flute-led "Mr. Kiss-Kiss Bang-Bang" is far better than Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey's versions combined, sounding extremely Bondian from the tense, exciting open. You can just see those female silhouettes dancing in the background... "Search for Vulcan," by Leroy Holmes, is one of the best tracks in all the Ultra-Lounge. An incredible, redo of the slow, drab original from one of the underwater sequences in 'Thunderball,' and played by a wa-wa guitar and backed by bongos, it is decribed by the liner notes as "a cocktail nation anthem waiting to be discovered." Smooth, and cool, but sometimes tough, brassy, and abrasive, this is one you can't miss. And it just doesn't get any better than the Count Basie Orchestra. And boy, they do an unforgettable job with "From Russia with Love." (This track coems from an old album called 'Basie Meets Bond,' found nowhere at all today. The only other available track is "Goldfinger," available on Volume 12. Why do they keep these things locked away! ) Classic lounge that can be listened to time and time again, this is the volume's crowning moment. A dark, intensely jazzy arrangement, this is the Bond-loving lounge fan's holy grail. Superbly played, with flawless solos, don't be surprised to find yourself snapping along with that famous Basie rhythm section!

Make no mistake about it: this is one great CD. If you become a fan of the Ultra-Lounge, set some money aside and make this one of your first additions.

This disc has a personality that hits hard and makes you like it. While the jazzy take on the Dragnet theme is not one Jack Webb would approve of, it's a lot more exciting. Then there's the definitely un-jazzy yet exciting theme from The Untouchables which exudes the danger and relentlessness of its namesake and builds into a climax that makes you want to pick up a tommy gun and join the fight. One of the most outstanding songs is From Russia with Love- classic lounge you'll never want to skip. Of course the James Bond theme-which could make any movie watchable- is the top draw. The only irritating thing about the CD is the "Peter Gunn Suite" track: it plays through highly forgetable music from the show forever and THEN plays the irresistable theme you REALLY want to hear. Drives me nuts! They should play the theme twice just to make up for all that other garbage. Besides the well known themes are some very unique and fun bits, all in that style we can't find enough of. Push the button and get it!

This disc is just plain slick. Virtually every track is a perfect example of the whole wacky-but-cool vibe that's the trademark of Ultra-Lounge series. Vicki Carr's turn on "The Silencers" will turn boys into men, Ray Anthony reminds us that the Peter Gunn Theme is the coolest groove ever written, and Elmer Bernstein teaches us what those horns are for on "Thinking of Baby."

I have quite a few in this series of CD's, but this one is my favorite. It's slick, cool, mysterious, and sounds like there's danger lurking around every corner. You'll feel like you're being interrogated when you listen to Dragnet/Room 43 (Ray Anthoney). I can't complain about the lack of inclusion of more well known songs on this album, the way one of the other reviewers did, because I have a lot of this kind of music on different CD's. If you like this one, you should also pick up Hugo Montenegro's "Come Spy With Me" CD, it's one of my alltime favorite CD's and it's great. Also one of the reviewers wrote that the Count Basie version of "From Russia With Love" is dull. HUH? He should turn up his stereo and listen to the Count's orchestra swing. This tune is originally from the Basie Meets Bond CD which is also another good one to get.

Compared to other volumes in the ultralounge series, "Crime Scene" provides some of the more professional, serious music. If you've heard the other ultralounge CDs, you know what I mean. There are a lot of wacky, kitschy, campy, simply funny songs in this series, while this CD is relatively serious, with contributions by names from beyond lounge music, like Count Basie, Vicki Carr and Nelson Riddle; many pieces feel like solid jazz rather than lounge.

I was slow to order this CD because, given the title, I thought it would be excessively macho, harsh and dark. It's not. It's brassy and bold. One contribution is entitled "Music to be Murdered By," but the CD feels vibrant and vital. I think a good subtitle might be "Music to Break-up By," because it conveys a swagger and affirmative air.

This is a great addition to the wonderful Ultra-Lounge series! The songs are taken from old police and spy movies & tv shows and there are some classics that everyone knows (James Bond, Mission Impossible, & Peter Gunn) alongside the other lesser known but just as fine cuts. The album maintains an ominous tone throughout that is great fun. Like the rest of the Ultra-Lounge series, this set is marked by impeccable musicianship. The songs are mostly of the jazz & big band genres and many of them swing hard. My four year old son loves to listen to this with me in the car & enjoys pretending that we're bad guys being chased by the police. I think I enjoy the fantasy about as much as he does thanks to this set of tunes that conjure images of car chases, private eyes, mobsters on the run, and the like. A unique and delightful album across the board.

If you haven't tried the Ultra-Lounge series, you simply must. Capitol Records has scoured the vaults & put together some terrific albums with equal parts intrinsic musical quality and kitsch appeal (though this album with its heavy jazz emphasis is a bit less wacky than many others in the series). I own the entire series and other standouts in addition to the Crime Scene include Christmas Cocktails Volumes 1 & 2, Bottoms Up, Cocktail Capers, Mambo Fever, & Tiki Sampler. Cheers!

This wasn't my absolute favorite volume, but it did have some really fun songs. I really liked the tense "The Man With the Golden Arm," as well as the faithful version of "Mission:Impossible" and the theme from "Johnny Staccato," which I knew from the 'Television's Greatest Hits' series (check these out!). "The Silencers" was okay, and the Dixieland-ish take on "Harlem Nocturne," already a great song (listen to the version on Vol.12, 'Saxophobia!'), was fun. I like the bouncy, stripper beat. But, there are three really big standouts on this CD, two obvious and one unheard of. Of course, the one that had me clambering to get this CD was the always cool James Bond Theme. I just can't get tired of it; it never gives up. When you hear it, you realize how truly amazing it is, the way the character, his personality, and his adventures have actually become immersed in and synonymous with the song itself. You can see him, shooting, fighting, drinking his martini, and romancing the ladies so clearly without ever putting one of the movies on, but just listening to the theme.

The relatively unknown standout doesn't reach out and grab you, but rather intoxicates you and slowly reels you in. "Search for Vulcan," surprisingly enough, has nothing to do with 'Star Trek," but is a Bond-related or -inspired song. The whole thing just screams "Lounge!" It is really hard to decribe, but I do love the way the guitar does that wa-wa thing! This is a great find!

My favorite, though, and the gem of the disc, is by none other than the great Count Basie Orchestra, who, it turns out, did a whole darn album called "Basie Meets Bond!" I don't know why, but I can't find it anywhere, and I wish Captol would release it as an Ultra-Lounge supplement along with the album that "Vulcan" came from and its companion album, both devoted to Bond as well. On a mostly fair CD, "Russia" and Basie deliver the goods. From Basie's quiet, inviting intro, punctuated with his compelling, minimal playing that made him famous, you know you're in for a a doozy. It plays like a great roller coaster, building tension from the opening piano solo, then blasting like downhill screams, then building, then blasting, over and over, and when the ride halts, you'll almost surely play it again. It's an amazing arrangement, and fun to hear the trombones take the lead. If you know the Basie Orchestra of the '50's and '60's, you can really hear how they've had it tailored perfectly to fit the band, especially in Basie-eque touches too musical to describe in words. 'The Crime scene' is worth buying, definitely, if only for these three.

It's fun hearing all the old theme songs from crime shows of the past. I'm a big fan of the Ultra Lounge series. It's great to mix the different cds together on my ipod and sit in the back yard on a hot summer night drinking a martini and listening to these campy tunes.