Les Baxter- Thinking of You

dscn5392This was $3.00.  Generally speaking, I am a fan of Les Baxter’s work.  It has been featured on this site in the past.baxter-les-51a14f48b62b1

I do not know why I did not spend more time reading the back of the album.  It was only three paragraphs, double spaced in large type.  It would have told me all I needed to know about this album.dscn5393

This album, released by Capitol in 1954, this is a collection of romantic ballads augmented by use of chorus.  Made in Baxter’s heyday, this album is a departure from the exotic and exciting arrangements that mark his other works. In other words, I hate this. I mean, I can get too down on it as the back cover explained it all and I was too much in a hurry to be bothered to read it.  There are still a lot of trademark Baxterism’s and it is not bad per se, but it is not my cup of tea as far as Baxter is concerned. It is kind of loungy in areas which is good, but the music is overtly sentimental (which is what romantic ballads call for).  Also, I feel that the chorus is made to be the central part of the music which take away from the arrangements.01-firesidelounge-empty_54_990x660_201404241037

For a sample, I went with the only really interesting arrangement on the record, Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash’s “Speak Low”.  If more moments were like this on this record, I would have a better opinion on it.1fffe

This album goes straight to meh for me.  Which is somewhat unfair as it is not trying to be anything which it is not.  Will I start reading the liner notes a bit closer in the future?  Probably not.