The Album Club: "Mambo!" by Yma Sumac
 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...-Yma-Sumac.jpg

Neapolitan's next pick. Vote, discuss, debate yadda yadda you know by now...

Before we start I just want to clarify

The only thing up for discussion is why this is unassailable

Thank you in advance for handling with proper respect

Probably cos it's not a boat.

I can appreciate the talent in her vocal range but her vocals just sound more like a novelty shtick to me here. She's all over the vocal map not because the music on this album calls for it (which it doesn't) but just because she can. It wears thin on my ears rather quickly. A voice made for opera squandered on a pop album.

5/10

Her debut album "Voice of the Xtabay", with Les Baxter, is her masterpiece.

Honest question: are you going for the "pretentious hipster" album review or "the wet blanket cause it's too much of a party album for you to handle" album review?

Nah, Popera >

Do you also feel that Ornette Coleman had a sax made for a marching band squandered on a Jazz album?

The opera thing could also be said about diamanda galas

There has always been plenty of proficient opera singers

I don’t know if I can just accept that the Les Baxter record is better. This one is fun and coherent. You might be right but this is still super cool.

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

The opera thing could also be said about nina hagen

There has always been plethitude of proficient opera singers