Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Penguin Cafe Orchestra | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 31, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Editions Eg Records
• ASIN: B000003S2G
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,211 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soothing, July 15, 2000

By 

Hapworth (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Penguin Cafe Orchestra (Audio CD)

Penguin Cafe Orchestra's self-titled album is lush, ambient music which sometimes recalls the quieter tracks on, say, Brian Eno's Another Green World. But PCO's ambience, at least on this album, is brighter (bright, as in mood, not intelligence) and more soothing than the sombre Eno melodies.

Penguin Cafe Orchestra is, if not a true orchestra, a rather large group; but rest assured they don't violate or abandon their minimalist aesthetic. The core of most of these songs are quite simple actually. Telephone and Rubber band, perhaps the most minimal of the songs here, begins with a spliced tape loop of, yes, a telephone ring. Soon a guitar, bass and other intstruments join in around the telephone signal and create an irresistably engaging song. Air A Danser, likewise, is lush yet simple, but when all of the harmonies and instruments are in full swing, swirling in and among one another like small-winged insects fluttering near a porch light, believe me, you'll swear that this music is quite complex.

My favorite, however, is Cutting Branches For a Temporary Shelter, one of the longer cuts that--and, gosh, forgive me for being so sentimental--actually reminds me of raindrops falling.

I strongly recommend this disc for anyone who appreciates beautiful, simple and intelligent instrumental music.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something Slightly Less Rich and Strange, March 28, 2000

By 

Mr. A. Pomeroy (Wiltshire, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Penguin Cafe Orchestra (Audio CD)

The Penguin Café Orchestra's second album (released half a decade after 'Music from the Penguin Café'), this is much less experimental and odd, although it's not bad for all that. Not that anything here could pop up on a Shania Twain album, however. The key tracks are 'Air a Danser' ('Tubular Bells' with sunshine, a piece which evokes green summer lawns and tea parties but in a good way) and 'Telephone and Rubber Band', the latter of which has become the group's signature tune, blending a catchy, unusual tune with a quirky orchestration (DTMF tones and a twangy bass noise). It has since been used in a film soundtrack ('Malcolm') and a series of television adverts for mobile telephones, and, along with 'Music from a Found Harmonium' (a couple of albums later), is the piece you're most likely to recognise. Apart from that the album is gently disappointing - 'The Ecstasy of Dancing Fleas' is one of the greatest song names ever, but along with everything from the third track onwards it's undistinguished (for the PCO) folky world-music with quirky touches. This is all relative, of course. Even at their least interesting the PCO are still unique and strange.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Skating on Smooth Ice, March 3, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Penguin Cafe Orchestra (Audio CD)

Upon first listen of this disk I was amazed how utterly unique yet palatable the music is. Yes, the approach is strange but this disk is so affectionately addicting in its dreamy presentation one cannot stop listening. So smooth, each track blends with one another yet the styles covered here range from classical ("Numbers 1-4"), to experimental ("Telephone and Rubber Band" - excellent I might add); from light jazz (The Ecstasy of Dancing Fleas) to bluegrass (Yodel 2); and from Cajun-light (Salty Bean Fumble)to even a Penguin Cafe cover of the surf rock classic "Walk Don't Run"! Do not be fooled, ths is not your typical _New Age_ music. This is for those who are a bit adventurous and even admire a tad of humorous, elements in their listening experience.