The sixth volume of Capitol's Ultra Lounge series, this focuses on the most sedate face of space age bachelor pad music: the sounds designed for dimming the lights, unwinding with martinis, and (stated implicitly; this was the '50s, remember) seduction. It might not have worked for those purposes then, and it certainly won't now, since prospective partners will be giggling too much at the cheesiness of it all to get it on. As far as sheer listening value, this, even more than other reissues of this sort, needs to be taken lightly or not at all.
Julie London,
Les Baxter,
April Stevens, and a host of nonentities from the Capitol vaults may produce relaxing sounds, but not very involving ones. Those creepy organ lines that form the undercurrent of some of the selections provide the most fascination. At its worst, though, it's barely any better than the music you'll hear after you're put on hold by the airlines or the phone company. ~ Richie Unterberger