Customer Reviews

Merry Xmas From the Space-Age Bachelor Pad

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

 

 

Throwing a Xmas cocktail party and need some tunes to set the mood? Look no further.

The CD begins with a spoken word bit featuring the cheeky Esquivel himself welcoming you into his home and giving you a little "tour" of his pad. What follows is about 30 minutes of weird takes on Xmas favorites, with some of the sounds being pretty out there. Cheesy? Sometimes. Kitschy? Often. Fun? Always.

My only complaint is that it is so short.

This collection of Esquivel's christmas music is NOT a cheap, thrown together affair. Some of the compositions are a little more traditional, but listen to Frosty the Snowman and the track right after it- Pure lounge, quality music.

I give it two thumbs up.

This is TOO happy! If this does not bring a smile to your face, let alone make you laugh out loud, you are really a Grinch! Plus, it is very creative! It is unbelievable!

Christmas music IS cheesy! "Respectable" christmas music is the real absurdity! Equivel! honestly seems to want to just entertain, and leave his audience in a good mood! THE christmas album for those who thought they would never buy a Christmas album! BUY! BUY! BUY!

All right, so RCA wanted Esquivel to flesh out one side of a Christmas LP. He did it in a hurry and with fewer participants than you usually have on his recordings (the one exception is WHITE CHRISTMAS which was recorded on an earlier date than the rest of the compositions and features the whole orchestra BUT which has been butchered by Bar-None who LEFT OFF THE FIRST SLEIGH BELL NOTE. If you want a much better and complete rendition of this song, see SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS - Rhino 79998). At least Bar-None released this baby, which is NOT available as an import. And it is cool to have the man himself giving an intro and exit to the CD. Your best bet is to find a used copy of this cool Christmas CD.

Esquivel is known today as "The King of Space Age Bachelor Pad Music". After years of obscurity, he experienced a revival of his eccentric brand of adult pop instrumentals in the 1990s (which were originally recorded in the '50s and '60s). In 1959, he recorded half the songs on an album called The Merriest of Christmas Pops (the other half were by Ray Martin, who faded into obscurity and has not experienced a revival). The six songs by Esquivel are good, although a few of them rely too much on a vocal chorus, instead of being in his familiar instrumental style. "White Christmas" and "Frosty the Snowman", however, are marvelous. Of course, six songs isn't enough for an album, so other songs had to be added. The winter themed "Snowfall" and "Sun Valley Ski Run" are a natural fit, and "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" fits in with the Christmas toy thing. "I Feel Merely Marvelous" doesn't really fit in at all, but at least it's rare. Two new tracks were recorded for the CD by admirers of Esquivel, to which the Mexican Maestro added voice overs. These two new tracks serve as the intro and outro of the CD. Overall, this CD is quite enjoyable. Adios!

I've had this album for the last four Christmas seasons, and it's just spellbinding! An exciting journey through Esquivel's fantastic, luscious stylings. This music is perfect as background sound for a party, but it's also perfectly suited for multiple sessions of deep listening. Every year I catch myself putting the album on repeat for two or three hours. This should be a staple in any holiday collection.

I heard a couple of songs from this album online listening to Christmas music and had to have it. Totally original sounds to the familiar songs we all know. Love it!

I have to say this music collection is one of the most enjoyable, uplifting, laughable and joyous Christmas music tracks of all times. It was recommended to me several years ago by a jazz music lover and haven't looked back since! I was NOT disappointed at all! Christmas isn't the same without A Charlie Brown's Christmas!

I love Equivel's best stuff, but except for the inspired "White Christmas", it isn't on this collection. I think he recorded "White Christmas", somebody said, "Hey! Let's do a Christmas album; but we've only got a week to get it done", and they did. Not bad, just not nearly as creative and one-of-a-kind as the best stuff on "Planet" and "Bachelor Pad"

Ahhh, an acclaimed maestro of the bachelor pad space-age sterophonic revolution, whom recorded these YULEtunes during that genre's golden age between 1959 and 1962. Some preparative participatory preliminaries to add some zu-zu-zoom to your shared seansonal celebrations ; First get this disc spin'n ; Second fix a couple rounds worth of a complex libation to liberalise those libidos ; Third flix off all lighting but those a'twinkling ; Fourth snuggle down under the mistletoe with that special someone and let the sensations soar toward the stratosphere... bonk bonk , love those boots ~~~Merrily Mix~ 1%, 2$, 3#1\2, 4#1\2, 5#, 6$, 7#1\2, 8$1\2, 9$, 10$, 11$1\2, and 12% ~~~ Post Script: Hey let's not quibble about this artist's other projects and just compare this crafting with the mountainous monochroic merry mirth merchandized throughout this past millennium , even if your in the kNOw, I suspect you whould acknowledge this album as a pioneering YULEtide accomplishment and should cherish and share it's play often. If still a Seeker, welcome aboard this National YULEtide Treasure ride, it was different coming out of the 5o's, nowdays they don't bother to beat around the bush and lyrics have the liberty to be lewd. ***buyit*saveit*shareit*talkit*giveit*donateit to the local library*** YULEridGEMality Factor = 5