The Album Club: "Mambo!" by Yma Sumac

~~MicShazam~~ · 06-18-2018, 08:51 PM

This album feels kind of like listening to a guitar shred album of some sort: A lot of chops put in service of questionable music that seems designed to show off more than be good in a more musical sense. Here, it's the vocalist showing off, not the instrumentation. The music sounds like it was from a cheesy TV show or something. Didn't find a single track here that didn't strike me as a novelty tune (stole that word from Psy-Fi, but only because I think it fits like a glove).

"Chilken Talk", "Five Bottles Mambo" and "Goomba Goomba" would, in retrospect, be all I would have needed to hear to know what to think of this album. Just impossible for me to get on board with. It's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard. This stuff belongs at some kind of Las Vegas show where a bunch of rich, old *******s have some expensive drinks before they go back to the roulette tables.

Don't take anything I said as an attempt at being mean spirited. I'm just trying to convey how this music rubs me the wrong way so hard I'm shooting static lightning out of my finger tips. This **** is like nails on chalkboard to my ears.

I only listened to this album once and it was an ordeal. My least favorite album club album yet, and that's sadly how I really feel.

Neapolitan · 06-18-2018, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

Classy stuff. Not sure if its unassailable or not....you'd have to beat out Dream Theater's 'Images & Words' for me thar and that's a tall order on par with those long-tailed drink names you hear at Starbucks.

As for Yma Sumac herself, she's great here...but you guys should check out that album she did in the early 70's, Miracles. Late 60's/early 70's psychedelic hard rock with dat voice...its just awesome.

9 out of 10

That says a lot coming from a high society Yacht Member Associate.

I think I know what your thinking.
l Condor Pasa (Original) - YMA SUMAC (1971)

Trollheart · 07-08-2018, 02:26 PM

Any sort of familiarity with this album/artist, or are both entirely new to you? None whatsoever
Expectations (if any): I really don't know. I'm not a huge fan of salsa style music, but you never know...
Initial impression: Unsurprisingly, sounds initially like something out of one of those old Rock Hudson movies or something. The brass in the opener sounds just like the theme to the series Sapphire and Steel!

Favourite track(s): n/a
Least favourite track(s): n/a
Overall impression: Meh
Chances of listening to further material from this artist? Zero
Rating (not mandatory): I won't be cruel and give it a seriously low rating, in fact I won't rate it at all, cos I'm sure it's a great album, just not for me. I will vote “disliked”. Cos I did.
Comments: She undoubtedly has a great voice, and the band is excellent at what they do, but this is so far removed from what I normally listen to, it's hard for me even to make any meaningful comment on it. Yeah, sorry I just really have no interest in this. At all.

OccultHawk · 07-08-2018, 03:36 PM

I think you should revisit her stuff in the future trolls

Even if it’s just one song on a playlist here and there

She’s fun

She’s also good in small doses

Trollheart · 07-08-2018, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

I think you should revisit her stuff in the future trolls

Even if it’s just one song on a playlist here and there

She’s fun

She’s also good in small doses

Maybe. It just didn't do anything for me.

OccultHawk · 07-08-2018, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Maybe. It just didn't do anything for me.

Sometimes you’re so damn stubborn

~~MicShazam~~ · 07-08-2018, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Sometimes you’re so damn stubborn

Hah! That's rich.

You wouldn't give second chances to anything you didn't connect with at first either. Imagine this being some... thing, posted by me. You'd happily ignore it forever after first hearing it, no matter what I said in it's defense.

It doesn't make it less (or more) dismissable that you happen to like it.

OccultHawk · 07-08-2018, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

Hah! That's rich.

You wouldn't give second chances to anything you didn't connect with at first either. Imagine this being some... thing, posted by me. You'd happily ignore it forever after first hearing it, no matter what I said in it's defense.

It doesn't make it less (or more) dismissable that you happen to like it.

This music has survived for 60 years. I don’t dismiss music that has withstood the test of time that easily.

~~MicShazam~~ · 07-08-2018, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

This music has survived for 60 years. I don’t dismiss music that has withstood the test of time that easily.

Yes that's true. It didn't somehow stop existing. But people also still like being anti-semites. I don't know if that means much.

OccultHawk · 07-08-2018, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

Yes that's true. It didn't somehow stop existing. But people also still like being anti-semites. I don't know if that means much.

Good point

View Poll Results: How Much Did You Enjoy The Album?
Loved it	3	30.00%
Liked it	3	30.00%
Meh	1	10.00%
Disliked it	2	20.00%
Hated it	1	10.00%
Voters: 10. You may not vote on this poll

06-18-2018, 08:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,636	This album feels kind of like listening to a guitar shred album of some sort: A lot of chops put in service of questionable music that seems designed to show off more than be good in a more musical sense. Here, it's the vocalist showing off, not the instrumentation. The music sounds like it was from a cheesy TV show or something. Didn't find a single track here that didn't strike me as a novelty tune (stole that word from Psy-Fi, but only because I think it fits like a glove). "Chilken Talk", "Five Bottles Mambo" and "Goomba Goomba" would, in retrospect, be all I would have needed to hear to know what to think of this album. Just impossible for me to get on board with. It's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard. This stuff belongs at some kind of Las Vegas show where a bunch of rich, old *****s have some expensive drinks before they go back to the roulette tables. Don't take anything I said as an attempt at being mean spirited. I'm just trying to convey how this music rubs me the wrong way so hard I'm shooting static lightning out of my finger tips. This ** is like nails on chalkboard to my ears. I only listened to this album once and it was an ordeal. My least favorite album club album yet, and that's sadly how I really feel. Last edited by MicShazam; 06-18-2018 at 08:57 PM.

07-08-2018, 02:26 PM	#13 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Any sort of familiarity with this album/artist, or are both entirely new to you? None whatsoever Expectations (if any): I really don't know. I'm not a huge fan of salsa style music, but you never know... Initial impression: Unsurprisingly, sounds initially like something out of one of those old Rock Hudson movies or something. The brass in the opener sounds just like the theme to the series Sapphire and Steel! Favourite track(s): n/a Least favourite track(s): n/a Overall impression: Meh Chances of listening to further material from this artist? Zero Rating (not mandatory): I won't be cruel and give it a seriously low rating, in fact I won't rate it at all, cos I'm sure it's a great album, just not for me. I will vote “disliked”. Cos I did. Comments: She undoubtedly has a great voice, and the band is excellent at what they do, but this is so far removed from what I normally listen to, it's hard for me even to make any meaningful comment on it. Yeah, sorry I just really have no interest in this. At all. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

07-08-2018, 03:36 PM	#14 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,033	I think you should revisit her stuff in the future trolls Even if it’s just one song on a playlist here and there She’s fun She’s also good in small doses __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html