Various Artists - Hard to Find Pop Instrumentals, Volume 2 (@320)

 

Hard to Find Pop Instrumentals, Vol. 2 Review by Tim Sendra.

Hard to Find Pop Instrumentals, Vol. 2 is a 21-song collection of instrumentals from the early '50s to the late '60s. The disc is overflowing with memorable memories drawn from a wide range of styles, including Western themes ("Apache" by Jorgen Ingmann and "The Bonanza Theme" by Al Caiola), jazz ("Alley Cat" by the improbably named Bent Fabric & His Piano), middle-of-the-road rock ("No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In") by the T-Bones and "Music to Watch Girls By" by the Bob Crewe Generation), cornball pop ("Yakety Sax" by Boots Randolph and "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman" by Whistling Jack Smith), south-of-the-border pop ("Mexico" by Bob Moore and "I Want to Be Happy Cha Cha" by the always entertaining Enoch Light), and TV and movie themes ("Dragnet" by Ray Anthony and "Bandstand Boogie" by Les Elgart). This disc is fun from beginning to end and sure to appeal to easy listening aficionados who were current when these songs were current, as well as hipsters who are a couple of years too late on the exotica bandwagon. Most of all, the disc will appeal to music lovers who love a nice melody and an interesting arrangement. Hard to Find Pop Instrumentals, Vol. 2 is rife with both.

 

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