Customer Reviews

Mr Spock's Music From Outer Space

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

People frequently harp on William Shatner's hamminess and lack of singing ability, particularly citing "Transformed Man" to prove their point. While I certainly don't disagree with that assessment, I can honestly say that Bill doesn't have anything on Leonard Nimoy as anyone who has listened to this CD will know. Many of these songs have been circulating for years, but this collection is a must have for any fan of outsider music.

Obviously this album was made to cash in on the success of "Star Trek", as most of the songs directly reference space in some manner. Most of these efforts are spoken words set to music and vary in quality from merely bad to truly awful. For starters there is the dreadful "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Earth," which may be the lamest adaptation of a children's song ever; there are the preachy political statement songs with virtually nonexistent meter like "Alien" and "Visit to a Sad Planet"; and there is the most appalling of all, "Spock Thoughts", which is Nimoy's personal homage to the "Desiderata," which is itself possibly the single worst poem ever written.

Of all that levity, though, Nimoy actually shines most on the non space related tracks, and in particular "Amphibious Assault," which sounds like something George Patton would have written on LSD, and my very favorite of all, "Highly Illogical," which features the most bizarre backing orchestration and amazing "social commentary" on everything from modern automobiles to post-marital hairstyles in men. This song is an amazing work of anti-genius, and I savor it.

I recommend this CD unabashedly, and further suggest looking into other Nimoy albums as well, because there are a lot of other alien works out there in the musical universe of Leonard Nimoy.

I've always been a fan of Star Trek under it's glorious Original Series. Science-Fiction at a high level of ingenuity (although, some of you will undoubtedly disagree) and, yes, they made it with efficiency at the time (60's). And there was 'magic', a feeling we have lost on the road of imagination since that; today's computer graphics and tech 'miracles' do not achieve, in my opinion, the genius often (not always!) found in the episodes and movies of those days. I am lucky enough to both enjoy a TV rerun of TOS, and a musical entertainment by some of the stars who shine in Star Trek.

Entertaining, this album is. And also fascinating. Logical? Not really, since a vulcan doesnt act like this! Yet, 'Music From Outer Space' was not only to Spock's credits - - it rather shows the human side of this man and actor, known as Leonard Nimoy. Furthermore, the original copies of the famous album (on the Dot Records label) are among the most sought-after LP's in the history of Pop Music. I got mine LP's in 1988 (Music From O S, The Way I Feel, The Touch of L N, Two Sides of) from a comic book seller which was known under the name of Premiere Issue (Quebec city). A bargain, at about $35 per item (at first, they were priced at $50 each!). Needless to say, the original albums are worth the price.

And then there was a CD transfer (lazer beams are not only used in phasers! ) to do this recording justice. The facts : one of the most friendly covers of "Mission Impossible" (it's even better than the Ventures); a killer number titled "Visit To A Sad Planet" (Trekkies worthy of the name, check it out!); and, yep, a cool version of "Lost In The Stars" (although we could say here "Lost In Space"...). Definitely, for fans of Star Trek, aliens and 'cult fiction' afficionados. �

What a fantastic little number to blast through the halls of your dormitory at three in the morning! If you enjoy the not so good things in life buy this little gem of cheeseball spock antics. great for those new wave dance parties. If only i had human emotions. (trys to weep). Oh! Spock! Oh...

One wonders how such an astounding trainwreck could seemingly be so earnestly intended. It is impossible to do justice to how exceedingly, wretchedly cheesy this is. Others have hit the high (actually low) points, but I don't think there's any way to fully capture the essence of this disc. Kitschy, loungey, retro, irretrievably dated, utterly stunning... At times sidesplittingly funny, at other points unbearably wretched. Like a trainwreck you just can't turn away, though you know you should.

While not as energetic as William Shatner's "The Transformed Man", this CD is just as entertaining and does not take itself so seriously. This is a must have for any fan of Star Trek or 60's-esque music. The tunes and lyrics are very catchy and Mr. Nimoy proves he has very good voice control on songs like "Where is Love?" and "You Are Not Alone" both of which are excellent songs. This CD proved to be much better than I had originally anticipated.

High imagination with a little satire thrown in; this album from the 60's pokes a little fun and lighthearted humor at Star Trek. However Nimoy also gets serious showing that he is more than just an actor with "pointed ears".

The opening cut is a remake of the 60's theme song to the popular show "Star Trek". I think they would have been better off using the original score from Paramount. Nimoy is probably a better singer than William Shatner "Captain Kirk" which isn't saying a whole lot but it's Nimoy's humor and intelligence which is revealed on this album.

A real must for Star Trek and Nimoy "Spock" fans. Highly sought after especially in the original LP format. If you can find a CD version of it--grab it and play it in your car as you drive to work--you'll forget all about the traffic and the commute as your mind wanders among the stars on board the "Enterprise"!

This CD is hilarious! It makes a great gift for any trekkie. It is so incredebly funny to hear Leornard Nimoy try to sing. The music is funny, but not wonderful, and so is Nimoy's voice. I recommend this product strongly.

Talk about a desert island album! Mr Spock has one of the finest baritone voices in rock / lounge. His voice covers the gamut, from plaintive (Where Is Love), mysterious (Lost In The Stars), jolly (Twinkle Twinkle Little Earth), and triumphant (You Are Not Alone). With brilliant songwriting and hammond-organ-based production at the helm, this is an album to take seriously. There's a few puzzling exclusions - what about the two songs Mr Spock played with the space hippies in Episode #75? And why doesn't Kirk do a cameo or duet or something? He can really sing too. 'Music To Watch Space Girls By' is one of my favorites - in one band I was in, we used to end our second set with it.

While it is easy to poke fun at movie and TV actors/actresses who venture into the world of singing, it is unfair to do so without actually listening to the material they offer. Leonard Nimoy is no Frank Sinatra in this album/CD, but none-the-less, there are a few catchy titles. Unfortunately for Mr. Nimoy, these are primarily the instrumental tracks, but the song "Highly Illogical" for some strange reason compels me to listen to it over and over. Perhaps it's some sort of Vulcan Mind Control thing, I don't know. Anyway, it is clear that Mr. Nimoy did put a great deal of time into this production, and while it's not anywhere close to grammy material, it still represents a valiant attempt at branching out into another field; something too many of us are reluctant to attempt in our lifetimes. <You can stop the violins, now!> END

I have this on record, and it only has like the first 11 tracks. I don't know about the rest of them, but the first 11 are really funny. The theme and then the music to watch space girls by are so dated I love them. My band plays them at gigs and people love it. It's like some kind of Trek gogo luau or something(?) Where is Love (from "Oliver") is really bad, and some of it is whacked out poetry. Still, if you can get it cheap, do.