Delirium in Hi Fi
For many years André Popp was best known for cowriting "Love Is Blue." But that claim to fame (if you can call it that) was only the tip of the iceberg for this most unclassifiable of composers. Popp was a sonic explorer who has been said to be France's answer toJuan Esquivel; but while both men did share a humor-filled vision of music, Popp was even more experimental in his manipulation of sounds. He could take as a starting point a tune by, say,Charles Trenet, record various parts at various speeds, interject sound effects (look for the sneeze), and it would still be a brilliantly accessible song--albeit one that would reveal its complexity only upon close listening. Long out of print, this 1957 recording remains a marvel of witty ingenuity.--Elisabeth Vincentelli