Electrical Gas

Track Listings

1. Classical Gas 2005

2. Riding the Low Moon

3. The Last Crusade

4. Largo Deluxe

5. Gypsy Noodle

6. Eddie, I'm Ready/instrumental

7. Santa Fe Souvenir

8. Baroque-A-Nova

9. Destinations of the Sun

10. Doot-Doot

11. Country Idyll

12. Eddie, I'm Ready/vocal

Editorial Reviews
Jeff Brown - KTOO-FM
"It's the kind of gas that makes you light-headed just listening to it! What a treat!"

Product Description
Electrical Gas represents a step in a new direction for Mason Williams as a composer and recording artist. His chart topping instrumental, Classical Gas has been inspiring musicians and music lovers for nearly 40 years. Combining this unprecedented acoustic piece with the electric guitar allow Mason Williams and Zoe McCulloch the prospect of launching Classical Gas into the 21st century with resounding force.

Together they have literally electrified a dozen compositions Mason has polished to perfection for this special sampling of his extensive repertoire.

Electrical Gas

Electrical Gas,Mason Williams,Zoe McCulloch,Skookum Records,Classical Pop,Easy Listening,Instrumental,Instrumental Pop,New Age,Pop,United States of America

Electrical Gas

Tracks:

Classical Gas 2005
Riding the Low Moon
The Last Crusade
Largo Deluxe
Gypsy Noodle
Eddie, Im Ready/instrumental
Santa Fe Souvenir
Baroque-A-Nova
Destinations of the Sun
Doot-Doot
Country Idyll
Eddie, Im Ready/vocal

Product Description

Electrical Gas represents a step in a new direction for Mason Williams as a composer and recording artist. His chart topping instrumental, Classical Gas has been inspiring musicians and music lovers for nearly 40 years. Combining this unprecedented acoustic piece with the electric guitar allow Mason Williams and Zoe McCulloch the prospect of launching Classical Gas into the 21st century with resounding force. Together they have literally electrified a dozen compositions Mason has polished to perfection for this special sampling of his extensive repertoire. For more information visit www.electricalgas.com

Customer Reviews:

New ideas.......2005-11-12

I received a copy of this from Mason and took a listen to it. The electric guitar addition to Largo De Luxe sounded surprisingly both refreshing and natural at the same time. In previous editions of the tune, the lead instrument was always a harmonica, which was okay, but it sounds more complete and natural with the stratocaster over it. It gives it almost a Santos and Johnny "Sleepwalk" effect to it, which suits the music better. I recently heard that this version is being submitted for Grammy consideration, which I think it deserves. Riding the Low Moon is excellent and probably the best track on the album. I've listened to this version over and over again for weeks. Country Idyll is much the same as the old version, with more drum hooks tossed in that ends up making the update totally worth it. The Last Crusade is a humorous take on an older tune Mason wrote with alternating names, it was previously known as "Common Ground", "Tierra Commun", "Fettucini Western", and perhaps more. The orchestral arrangement spotlights the excellent guitarwork of Zoe McCulloch and takes what used to be a purely classical piece into a new realm of Ventures like surfer rock. Eric Hamilton had recorded a similar idea, but this one could end up being a classic among Pipeline guitarists. It has inspired me to go back and look at the wealth of instrumental rock of the 50's and 60's.

New Compositions.......2005-10-15

A friend of mine played this album for me and it's not what you might expect. Its not the updated Classical Gas that makes this album, its the excellent arrangements of the other pieces, such as Riding the Low Moon that make this album a treat. Given the amount of versions of Classical Gas out there, this one sounds the most lethargic and forced. It is bereft of anything new to offer and given the timelessness of Classical Gas, updating a Classic like that is more of a disservice to the work. The piece was not written for electric guitar and that comes across on the album. However, the lesser known Mason Williams pieces such as Riding the Low Moon, Country Idyll, and others are some of Mason's best work. This version of Country Idyll is a far sight better than the Mannheim Steamroller version. I understand why he remade it. New songs such as Eddie, I'm Ready show the humourous side of Mason that is missed in retrospect. Most don't know his origins as a comedic writer for Saturday Night Live and the Smothers Brothers, and that humour comes across on this album. Zoe McCulloch's guitar playing sounds like a mediocre elevator artist and is not the kind of artist that a man of Mason Williams' caliber should be hooking up with as she is almost totally unknown in the US. She is second rate at best. If Mason Williams wants to duet, there are a plethora of better artists on the market that would die for a chance to record with him and you wonder why he didn't try harder to find someone more commercially accessible such as the recent teamings of Rob Thomas, Michelle Branch, and Chad Kroeger with older artists from Williams' generation such as the Rolling Stones and Santana. Those teamings had immense commercial success and Williams is certainly capable of commanding such attention, you end up wondering why he didn't try harder to find someone else.
The best times are when Williams and McCulloch duet and that makes the album worth a good listen. The newer compositions are an excellent demonstration of how well the lost art of the instrumental can still be done.

Pop Music:

Pop Music

pop music

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