gullbuy music review

Upstairs at Larry's: Lawrence Welk Uncorked

title

Upstairs at Larry's: Lawrence Welk Uncorked

label

Vangaurd Records

format
various artists CD

Upstairs at Larry's CD coverThis CD looks like a generic chillout or house mix comp, but it is a dynamite disc that sounds like classic 2000 J-pop.

The only artist I have heard of is Q-Burn, but every track is well-produced and fun, upbeat dancepop with odd samples and pieces of original 60s Lawrence Welk show vocals.

My favorite track is Q-Burns Abstract Message You Can Dance, which sounds like Connie Francis singing to the music from I Dream of Jeanie. In fact, I think it IS Connie Francis.

It would be really hard to communicate how surprisingly good this CD is. It is on Lawrence Welk's label Vanguard records, so it is not a cheap exploitative knock off.

If you enjoy artists like Ursula 1000, Mansfield or Miniflex, you will be very happy playing this CD again and again.

Many of the artists don't give any info about themselves. I have indicated who originally recorded the song, and any info about the remix artist I could find.

Five of the remixes are the work of Ken Hankins (sometimes with others). He also mastered the record.

I love all of this record, but my favorites are tracks 9, 10, and 11. Both versions of Baby Elephant Walk are pretty fine too. A song sure to divide folks is the mix of You Are My Sunshine. While playing this in my car, a friend of mine begged me to turn it off. He said it was just too much as the song went on. I have listened to that track many times and it ain't too much for me! I like this disc.

---Carl, September 21, 2004