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Added 10/30/00
IF
YOU DIG
the Sounds Of Tomorrow, then check out Combustible Edison. They brought
the Sounds of Tomorrow into Today.
 Simply
put, Combustible Edison is a modern-day Lounge band who has faithfully
recreated the sounds of the 50s and 60s. Their debut album, I,
SWINGER covers a wide variety of lounge music, including
Exotica, space-age pop, some great covers, beautiful vocals, and a few
other surprises as well. It has a pretty authentic sound to it, fitting
in quite nicely with authentic 60s lounge music. It appears to use a lot
of the same instruments, recording techniques, and musical styles of the
original space-age scene.
 Two
years later, Combustible Edison turned up on the FOUR
ROOMS soundtrack, producing the original score for the
movie. The sound was definitely inspired by Esquivel's music, and uses
an amazingly large collection of instruments, sounds, and musical styles
in the process. The only downside is that, as move scores go, it was written
for the film, and thus many of the tracks are quite short. Still, the
music is very fine.
 Their
second full album, SCHIZOPHONIC!
continued the sound, but progressed it, adding electronic sound effects
and synths to mix. With this release, Combustible Edison really started
to show that they were moving out of emulation mode and into defining
their own style. My favorite track is Solid State, which is a perfect
blend of newfangled electronic gimmickry and classic Bertolt-Brecht-inspired
kitsch.
 In
1998 Combustible Edison released THE
IMPOSSIBLE WORLD On this one, Combustible Edison has all
but shed their space-age roots, instead delivering a heavy electronic
sound closer to today's dance music. The intriguing thing about it is
that it is still unmistakably Lounge. While it might seem a world apart
from I, Swinger, The Impossible World CD can be put on shuffle
along with their other discs and provide an amazingly listenable, seamless
experience.
Combustible
Edison has to be my favorite band still around today*.
They pay homage to the forefathers of lounge while still creating
a sound that is uniquely their own. I definitely recommend I, Swinger
as a great introductory for anyone who loves lounge music.
Buy "I,
Swinger"
Buy
"Schizophonic!"
Buy "The
Impossible World"
Buy "Four
Rooms"
If
you dig Combustible Edison, check out Miss Daphne's fan site You,
Swinger! Tell her Hanford sent you!
UPDATE
added
05/12/2001
LONG
LIVE COMBUSTIBLE EDISON
I've heard
through the grapevine that the incredible sounds of Combustible Edison
are no more. About halfway through their Impossible World tour, the band
decided to call it quits.
I like to think my ear is low to the ground, but I'm sorry I didn't hear
about this sooner. This is a band I listen to and love dearly, and I feel
somewhat out-of-the-loop to think that I completely missed news of their
departure.
Still,
for the people who are reading about Combustible Edison for the first
time here, this doesn't discredit their music at all. They will go down
in history for the music they made, and the time period they made it in.
Anyway,
to all the members of Combustible Edison: Thanks for leaving your mark
on great music. -- Hanford
BACK
TO THE SOUNDS OF TOMORROW
|
UPDATE:
What can only
be called Sad News regarding Combustible Edison
***
If you dig Combustible Edison, check out Miss Daphne's fan site You,
Swinger! Tell her Hanford sent you!
***
Also
check out Combustible Edison's cover of Esquivel's Mini Skirt on
Lounge-A-Palooza
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