Switched-on or turned down

OK, I thought FLOYD CRAMER PLAYS THE MONKEES had limited market appeal. But it probably sold ten times as many copies as SWITCHED-ON BACHARACH. I just don’t see a whole lot of overlap in the two audiences. Would synthesizer fans really want to hear a whole album of Burt Bacharach standards? Would Burt Bacharach fans want to hear Moog beeps instead of Dionne Warwick? Whoever had this record before me wasn’t in either camp, my copy was still had 35-year-old sealed plastic wrap on it when I pulled it out of the free bin.

I do like synthesizer records and some of Bacharach’s stuff ain’t bad. The songs do translate to the Moog pretty well.

Dave Mullaney arranged and conducted the music, Christopher Scott played the Moog synthesizer. I imagine that neither one of them will admit to the comb-and-tissue paper sound on this. The rhythm section is uncredited. The liner notes say there’s a guitar in there somewhere but I don’t here it.

Dom Cerulli's liner notes say that “Burt Bacharach is going to enjoy hearing this album because, like his songs, it is done with taste and artistry and real feeling.” Did Burt ever hear the record? Did he enjoy this?

Dom goes on to say that “…electronic or no, switched-on or turned down, you just don't hardly get that kind of musical integrity anymore these days. This is a today album that will be around tomorrow and quite a few days after.”

Mr. Cerulli didn’t say anything about the album making somebody's day when they pulled it out of a free bin three decades down the road.

Oh yeah. There are rumors that Christopher Scott recorded SWITCHED-ON BACHARACH VOLUME TWO in 1970. Can anybody confirm? Anybody got a copy to share? And go here if you want a CD of SWITCHED-ON BACHARACH.