Cocktail Swing

To some people, "lounge music" is a synonym for "wallpaper".

On the basis of this album from the Johnny Howard and Otto Keller Bands, I'd agree. These 20 tracks from 1970-1 definitely sound like wallpaper. Wonderful, lively, optimistic wallpaper, covered with flowers.

And like all wallpaper, where one piece ends, the next begins, indistinguishable from the first, unless you're paying really close attention. Other albums outstay their welcome, because repeated listening compels me to build up some familiarity with each track, which later distracts me each time I recognise them, but this music publisher's smarter than that. Thank goodness that the sleeve notes on this first release from Codename Music are so sparse - I might have started to form opinions on a few pieces.

What a lovely hour, sitting here by the warm fire, with two cats, and settling down to do a crossword. It may be the thirteenth day of Christmas, but even with the decorations down, this feels more like the night of December 24th than January 7th.

Cocktail Swing is an apt title. If I ever throw a dinner party, this is what's wordlessly going to be playing.

Available here.