Top 'Library' lists

[spirito santo]

I've kind of been pondering this recently, and I thought Id ask you guys -

What would be your Top 5 favorite Library records from each of these labels: De Wolfe, KPM, Bruton (or a couple from each if 15 is too many titles)?

I wondered how much overlapping there would be or if the choices would be more random.

[LDJB]

I've kind of been pondering this recently, and I thought Id ask you guys -

What would be your Top 5 favorite Library records from each of these labels: De Wolfe, KPM, Bruton (or a couple from each if 15 is too many titles)?

I wondered how much overlapping there would be or if the choices would be more random.

De Wolfe

Great Day
Big Beat
Atomic Butterfly
Pop Sounds - the Cool
Electro shake
Hogan, the Hawk....
Bumper Bundle
Hard Hitter
...and loads more
KPM

Speed & excitement
Jazz Rock
Soul Organ Showcase
Progressive Pop
Both Big Beat volumes
...tons more

Bruton

...I'm not that keen on them and got rid of them all

How about people's fave IMs, PEER and MP2000s?

[Mang]

Of the ones I've got/heard:

DeWolfe:
Vocal Shades & Tones
Abstractions Of The Industrial North
Electroshake
Bumper Bundle
Vocal Patterns

KPM:
Chorus & Orchestra
Electronic Music (the Merrick-Farran/Vetter one)
Progressive Pop
The Big Beat
Sounds Of Syd Dale

Don't have many Brutons but both the Drama Montages and "Gyroscope" are pretty good of the ones I do have.

(and...since LDJB asked!...)

IM:
Progressive Percussion
Music Of Today, Music Of Tomorrow
100% Electronic
Music For Loving, Music For Laughing
Light & Strong Beat

Peer:
Big Hammer
Reggae For Real (apart from the actual (pretty dire) cod-reggae tracks)
The Good Word
Pace-Setter
Stringtronics

MP2000
Univers 2000
Now & To-Morrow
Psyc' Impressions
Chorus
Rhythmes Contemporains

I really like the Eric Framond ones...

[Lord Thames]

De Wolfe:

The Best Of Johnny Hawksworth - and it really is the best, several familiar tracks, and lots of generally nice ones in a variety of moods.
Atomic Butterfly - if his previous work is anything to go by, most of this was probably recorded in Barry Stoller's bedroom. Sounds like it, too. Brilliant!
Hot Ice - funky flutes from Alan Parker
Pop Arp - 'Wagon Load O' Monkeys'
Vocal Patterns - Roger Webb doing his usual kind of stuff

KPM
Chorus and Orchestra - especially side 2, Syd Dale's best ever work
Friendly Faces/Happy Rainbows - two LPs, but they go so well together. Lovely easy listening from The Hawk and James Clarke
Rock Spectrum - Wasp, with the music from the Denim advert that was the source of a few childhood nightmares
Impact and Action vol 2 - best enjoyed in stereo
Gemini Suite - Johnny Pearson's incredible piano concerto

Bruton:
Soap Opera - one of the first library LPs I ever heard in full, proper Terry and June sitcom stuff and I love it!
Sports Stadium - includes the theme from Mathscore 1 and 2
Disco Happening - for the Barry Took Points Of View theme
Rhythm Stick - one of those LPs that was constantly being used throughout the 80s, lots of very familiar tracks
Cocktail Time - lovely Shearing-style muzak from Johnny Patrick

Peer:
The Good Word - Nationwide!
Combustion - great big band funk
Gemini - flutey
Pace Setter - big bands and lutes, together on one album
Hit Man - great opening track

[mr sayers]

Great thread mate...

De Wolfe's -

The Electric Banana/More Electric Banana
The Lemon Dips - Who's going to buy
The Cool - Pop sounds
Hogan, The Hawk And Dirty John Crown
Nick Ingman - Big beat

I could go on and on as it's a great label...'Great Day', 'Black Pearl', 'Heavy truckin' etc

KPM

Big Beat
Progressive pop
Jazz rock
Theme Suite/Mustang
Afro rock

Again like De Wolfe so many great titles, I could go on and on...

Bruton

Brain Bennett - Drama Montage
Light my fire
Brian Bennett – Fantasia

Unlike the other two labels with it been later I'm not as keen on the sound, that said I am warming to some of the stuff one there!

[Sonovox]

Loads above I don't have / haven't listened through, and my KPM selection is fairly weak, but from my collection I rate:

De Wolfe

Great Day: classic
Push Button: energetic late 70s synth, this has been a grower over the years, love it all now
9-10-Out: 'Gut' & 'Swirl'
Electric Bird: 'Slow Ride' & 'Ground Hog'
Pop Arp: 'Hot Module', possibly my favourite library track

Bruton:

Sunny Sides: laidback cheesy easy fun
High Tension: this is the soundtrack to low quality cheaply made TV drama of the early 80s
Aggressive Advertising: love the Zoe De Sousa tracks on here

KPM:

Out Of The Dark: Dave Vorhaus one with 'The DIY Machine' on it

[mr sayers]

9-10-Out: 'Gut' & 'Swirl'

I'm a fan of this too, there's some overlap with 'Hot ice', one of the good tracks is on there also!

[Moogaloo]

De Wolfe
Bumper Bundle
Ruffle

KPM
Life is for living
Colours In Rhythm
Beat Incidental

Amphonic
All Electric Steam Radio Band
Have Band Will Travel

Telemusic
Piano Et Orgues
Electro Sounds
French-Pop

[LDJB]

My faves from these labels:

MP 2000

Psyc Impressions
Delirius Music
Soul Impressions
Pictures (Pop Sound)
Supra Pop Impressions

St Germain Des Prés

Percussions
L'Aventure
Midway

L'Illustration Musicale

Johnny Hawksworth – Pop
Eddie Warner – Progressive Percussions Vol. 2
Eddie Warner – Cops, Crooks And Spies
Yan Tregger Group, The – The Pop World Of Yan Tregger
Eddie Warner / Nino Nardini – Music Of Today / Music Of Tomorrow

Tele Music

French Pop
Rhythms
Guitares Modernes
Continental Pop Sound
Voix

Golden Ring

Meet the Gang
Turn On
Orion 2000
...and several of the 'Sound Music' volumes esp the Peter Thomas ones.

[spirito santo]

Thanks to you all for the responses.

For me, the first ones that always pop into my mind are Vocal Shades And Tones, and Big Beat (Nick Ingman). I was curious how often they would turn up on other people's lists too. Same thing with the KPM Big Beats.

[mr sayers]

Thanks to you all for the responses.

For me, the first ones that always pop into my mind are Vocal Shades And Tones, and Big Beat (Nick Ingman). I was curious how often they would turn up on other people's lists too. Same thing with the KPM Big Beats.

I think they would be on most peoples list, hence them still going for good money, not to mention they're a pretty solid listen.