Soundwaves

[AndrewD]

I think I might be gaining some of Sue's "Completist" tendencies. Whilst perusing a certain online store I came across this item of vinyl




And now I seem to own it.

[Sue]

Yep, got that!

Any chance you can make the images a bit smaller please Andrew?

Sue

[AndrewD]

I've tried resizing them on Photobucket using my iPad as I'm away with work at the moment. That's about an hour of my life I won't see again...a photo editing interface that just doesn't work. The inline img sizing tags didn't work either so I've disabled the image links until I can change the sizes from a real browser on a computer with a keyboard and everything.

[steve]

I have seen this before. I presume it's what they refer to as "Library Music" and contemporary with Gordon's "Airwaves" album? What's it like, Sue? How does it compare to "Airwaves"?

I would have also asked you, Andrew, but as you've only just obtained your copy no doubt you're too busy admiring the rarity to have got around to actually playing it yet!!

By the way, Andrew, you also now need to get hold of the follow-up album "In At The Deep End", also on the KPM label from 1984.

[Sue]

Honest answer Steve - I've had the LP for ages and haven't played it in a very long time. Both it and the record player are currently safely packed away due to issues of space and lack of time. I keep promising I'll get round to transferring our quite large LP collection into a digital format but real life keeps getting in the way!

Sue

[Trevor Raggatt]

Yes, it is an album of library music and largely contemporaneous with Airwaves. I've got some MP3s conversions of the tracks so I can listen quite easily on the iPod (in fact I'm listening to it right now!). The sound on the tracks is much the same as Airwaves, a full band arrangement but quite dominated with synths and the acoustic guitar is very produced to my ears - quite early/mid 80s. There seems to be a fair amount of chorus and the like. Think of the type of sounds on Brutus (World Bowls - which, of course, derives from this album and IMO sounds better than the Music For The Small Screen version - less muffled) or The Carnival/Holiday Romance. Maybe also a similar sound to A Midnight Clear.

The tracks are very much aimed at suitability for use on braodcast media - TV show themes or background music. Many of the tracks are, therefore only about 1 minute 30 seconds long. "Fresh Alive" is only a 35 second track. Also there are several which are presented in different arrangements. Think intro title credits versus end credits. Or the arrangements reflect a different mood. Machine Man (a) is more synth/electric heavy while Machine Man (b) more emphasises the acoustic guitar and rhythm section.

There are a wide range of tones across the album as befits the library music intention. For example the first 50s or "Getting Away" (I suspect) would also have been in contention to be used as a Holiday Programme theme - imagine the tone of the intro to a programme like "Escape To The Country" or would be great for a documentary segment/daytime drama where everyone piles into a vintage bus for a day out in the country and you have extablishing shots of folks enjoying themselves as the the bus and looking out the window as the countryside zips past.

Similarly "The Arena" and "Champions" are different variations on the same theme, arranged differently.

Some of the tracks stretch to three minutes plus and these are the more satisfying to listen to as they better form standalone pieces with some room for melodic and harmonic development across the piece. However, all the pieces remain quite visually evocative (especially when approached with the idea in your head that these tracks were designed to acompany visuals). It's quite easy to start mentally constructing programme tidal sequences in your head.

"Carol" is to all intents and puropses what we all know as "A Christmas Carol" - but with a synth flute line doubling the guitar melody."Run For Fun" starts of as "Son of Fast Approaching" but then transforms into "Giltrap does bluegrass jug band".

I'd also hazard a guess that we're listening to the great John G Perry and Gerry Conway on bass and drums respectively on the album too. All in all something of a curiosity, sepecially with the (a)/(b) versions of various tracks on there. Worth a listen but not one of my more regularly playlsited Giltrap albums. Hope that helps give a flavour...

[Trevor Raggatt]

Hopefully a bit better sized...

[Sue]

Thanks Trevor,

much better review than I'd have done, I'm useless at doing reviews anyway....

Sue