Search - Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass :: The Lonely Bull

An opportunity missed.

O. Hays | Tulsa, OK | 04/10/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"When this release first was announced, I hastened to put it on my "want" list. I supposed that this re-release would put to rights the mistakes of the past -- instead, it simply repeated those mistakes (albeit in what seems to be superior sound).



By "mistakes" I am referring to the continued use of the false "stereo" version of "The Lonely Bull" (as well as approximately one-half the remaining selections on the album). Allow me to add some perspective. When "The Lonely Bull" first was released, it achieved hit status on the strength of airplay exposure; very quickly, it was released in both 45rpm single format, and then on the eponymous LP. But, those releases were monaural, not stereo. In fact, "The Lonely Bull", its "B" side, and a few other tracks never were originally recorded in stereo (shades of Martin Denny's original recording of "Quiet Village").



"The Lonely Bull" became a hit, and put A&M Records on the map, as a monaural recording. Only after it achieved hit status did Herb Albert and the A&M team decide to produce a "stereo" version. With "The Lonely Bull", "El Lobo" and other selections, this was achieved by re-recording the original mono mix in one channel, while adding new instrumental tracks (trumpet, mainly) in the other channel. The result is odd (some might call it "quaint"), and not at all faithful to the original.



Playing this CD in mono (right- and left-channels summed) does not recreate the sound of the original, mono mix, since there is some phase cancellation.



Unless you absolutely must have a copy of "The Lonely Bull", skip this reissue. We can hope that, at some future date, A&M itself will reissue the original mono recording in its single-channel (and unadulterated) glory: it is worth hearing, and upon hearing it, you immediately will understand why the recording -- the single, the album -- was so successful."

A High Point

John A Lee III | San Antonio, TX | 08/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It starts out with the roar of a crowd and then we hear the opening strains of "La Virgin de la Macarena". This is followed immediately, without pause, by the title piece, "The Lonely Bull". It captures your imagination from the beginning and then never lets go throughout the entire album. This is the stuff that made Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass famous in the 60s and 70s.



This is a CD release of an old album. The recording quality has held up and it is as enjoyable today as it was when it was first released. That being said, it sounds like a recording from the 60s. The mixes are not the fancy stuff of the modern studio. It seems the old masters have just been digitized and recorded in a digital format. That doesn't bother me. This is what they sounded like back then: at least it's the way they sounded on my old turntable.



The name of the album and, indeed, the name of the band would lead you to suppose that this album has a Latin flavor to it. It does but it is other things as well. "Tijuana Sauerkraut" for example, definitely has the Hispanic feel and influence but that is overlaid on a German style Oomph-Pah style: It can't be pinned down except to say that it is fun. "Never on a Sunday" has a Greek background and a bouzouki can be heard; that does not stop the tune from being in the TJB style. Again, it is fun. Other pieces are less easy to describe but they all demonstrate a dedication to instrumental excellence.



You won't be disappointed.

"

TOO LONG GONE & GLAD IT IS BACK

W. Budris | Rosedale, NY | 03/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1962, I was four years old. I wasn't so much into music until after I was 5 or 6. However, after I had heard Herb Alpert & the TJB do "Taste Of Honey", I was completely hooked. Was able to have some 45s bought for me, but my friends had the albums. I may have started with "Whipped Cream and Other Delights", but I did backtrack to Lonely Bull.



I remember having only Mono albums, as our equipment was mono...very few stereo records for what was a pretty cheap stereo that my parents had. I had even worse until I was a teenager, so I got Mono records. I did not hear these albums in stereo at all until another friend from Vegas played me some of his TJB previous CD issues. These few came and went so fast, I never was able to obtain them, and have lived off "Definite Hits" since its release. After the first play of LONELY BULL in beautifully remastered stereo, my wait is over and my favorite intrumental group of all time is BACK with a vengence.



I do agree to an extent with other reviewers where the mono mix and stereo mix versions could have been incorporated. However, not knowing if the public in this day and age will totally jump at having this fantastic music would generate that kind of issue now. This album and SOUTH OF THE BORDER give us a blast from the past, and adding the brand-new LOST TREASURES CD album by itself gives us a taste of what was left in the vaults. If these releases really kick sales-wise, I would think Shout! Factory may go back and combine the Mono and Stereo versions together in "Special Editions" or a box set.



LONELY BULL with SOUTH OF THE BORDER and LOST TREASURES offer a great introduction in this new century to some of the greatest instrumentals recorded in the latter part of the last century.

WHIPPED CREAM comes April 19 with bonus tracks, and more to follow. However, I don't see Volume 2 noted anywhere in the information included with the Booklet. Great liner notes and informational history provided, with comments from Herb, as well."