As a collector, I have several piles of records neatly sitting around my office (AKA the Den, the Lounge, FitB Studios, etc.). There’s a pile “to be digitized,” another “to be photographed and inserted into Discogs,” another, ever revolving pile of “newly acquired and yet to spin before it goes into the collection,” and finally, the dreaded “getting rid of” pile. Eventually, everything that stays ends up in the big pile on the wall, also known as my record library, but before any pressed disc finds its welcomed home, it must first 1) be spun at least once, 2) be catalogued into Discogs and 3) be considered for digitizing. I’m strongly considering adding a 4th phase tentatively titled, “cleaning.”
So today’s number, The Top Ten Barbershop Quartets of 1967 (At the 29th International Quartet Contest of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A) had been neglected and left for dead amongst other soulless, breakable frisbees in the “getting rid of” pile. Now, I’m a nut for these obscure gems, but one thing I hate more than just about anything (aside from close-minded buffoons) is a record that skips. This detestable sliver in the side of paradisiacal beauty enrages me (much more so that it probably should), to the point where I never want to look at said disrupting maker of trouble for as long I live. Makes sense, considering additional copies of most albums can be acquired, but The Top Ten Barbershop Quartets of 1967 (At the 29th International Quartet Contest of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A) had been catching my eye as of late, and I (reluctantly) decided to reintroduce it back into the folds, attempting to ignore it’s glaring, skip goiter. The reason, not because of its kickass-ery, but instead, The Top Ten Barbershop Quartets of 1967 (At the 29th International Quartet Contest of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A) had been used on a short back in my film school days. As a self-inflicting maker of rules, anything that gets photographed or mentioned here on the Prudent Groove automatically stays. So, without further adieu, we welcome The Top Ten Barbershop Quartets of 1967 (At the 29th International Quartet Contest of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A) back to the family. That short has long been lost and has since receded into Memory Lake, but this album, like few before, has officially switched piles.
It’s been noted… it’s been stated… so, much like how I won’t tackle The Beatles, I’ll leave the simple observations between these two album covers to those who have finished before me. I will say, however, that it took me much longer than I’d like to admit to track down Mr. Cooper’s delightful cover rendition of the classic Whipped Cream & Other Delights. If I were to wear a hat, I would remove it, nod in respectful applause, and say, “Well done Mr. Cooper. Well done indeed, sir.”
The Prudent Groove 