The Jukebox Rebel

Issued late in 1970. Snazzy orchestration that fairly injects some life into these Bacharach and David compositions. BSN pubs not that Ranwood Records was founded in 1968 by Randy Wood (hence the label name), erstwhile founder and President of Dot Records, along with Lawrence Welk, and that the label served as an extension of the Lawrence Welk Show, directly or thematically, serving wholesome family entertainment fare. Might some of the house orchestra feature here I wonder? The LP was recorded at Devonshire Studios, North Hollywood with Thomas “Snuff” Garrett at the helm. The entrepreneurial pop producer had a penchant for space age pop and the exotic Esquivel-like arrangements by Al Capps on this record certainly fit that bill. Like Esquivel, there are plenty of male and female zu-zu-zu-zus and doo-doo-doot-doots vocals; an international language! Although famed for their ballads, the Bacharach and David songs here are all re-imagined with a finger-clicking, toe-tapping zippiness. The Baroque period is represented shamelessly by the most overactive harpsichord ever. Any one of the 11 tracks could be lifted as an ideal off-the-wall insert into any mixtape. Delightful kitsch. It happens sometimes.

The Jukebox Rebel
13–Jan–2010

A1	[02:30] The Renaissance - I’ll Never Fall In Love Again (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
A2	[01:50] The Renaissance - (They Long To Be) Close To You (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
A3	[02:35] The Renaissance - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
A4	[02:22] The Renaissance - What The World Needs Now (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
A5	[01:48] The Renaissance - Always Something There To Remind Me (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
A6	[01:43] The Renaissance - Blue On Blue (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
B1	[02:16] The Renaissance - I Say A Little Prayer (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
B2	[02:15] The Renaissance - The Look Of Love (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
B3	[02:23] The Renaissance - Walk On By (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
B4	[02:25] The Renaissance - Alfie (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop
B5	[01:59] The Renaissance - Do You Know The Way To San Jose (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) Pop

ratings by TJR