Wednesday, April 20, 2011

WFMU, You're to Blame for This



Oh yeah. With those oddly repeating dissonant notes and the strong prelediction for the percussion side of the orchestra, you can tell right away this is Bernie Green.

I have WFMU’s blog and Internet-streamed radio shows to thank for my addiction to Bernie Green, and frankly, in a backdoor kinda way, to the world of Space Age Pop. It’s the kind of music that’s making somewhat of a comeback thanks to its occasional appearance on shows like “Mad Men,” and to its most famous patron saint, Henry Mancini. It’s just that cool-sounding music that you know comes from a different age. Like this:


Is anyone coming close to music like this these days?

Well, Michael Giacchino, for one.



(Maybe not true Space Age Pop, but a nice blend of its thematic elements, from the reliance on bossa nova and other “different” beats to the more European influence in the orchestration.)

This might be a better example:


2 comments:

carl g said...

Great post. I love this kind of music, which I know under the label "exotica." David Toop wrote a great book about it, though it's a very dense read.

http://www.amazon.com/Exotica-David-Toop/dp/1852425954

There is a lot of influence from exotica on modern musical genres like lounge, chillout, and acid jazz, but there is so much from the 60's that you'll never burn through it all. It can be a little hard to find, but I have heaps of Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, etc., that fans have ripped from vinyl. Just lately, for modern stuff, I've been grooving on Nicola Conte.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S1IcTiiLPc&feature=related

Mister Fweem said...

I know so little of contemporary music, it's frightening. I just know I can't stand adult/contemporary pop. It's all so bland.