Search - Hot Butter :: Popcorn

Who's Brave Enough To Declare "THIS IS GREAT!" ?

K. Brown | Walnut, Ca USA | 01/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No apologies! I bought this this CD solely for the song "Popcorn" after I could not find the tune contained on any palatable "One Hit Wonders" compilation. If I were to go the compilation route, I would have to be ear-to-ear with track-after-track of every nightmare from "Afternoon Delight" to "Run Johnny Run."So I thought, I'll chance a CD packed with covers of songs on The Moog Synthesizer. It couldn't be any worse than 1970s hits that climbed out of the LP garbage bins and onto CDs to haunt us well into the 21st Century. At the worst, "Hot Butter" could be packed with hysterical campy tunes to play at a party filled with bored or inebriated guests.Boy, did I underestimate this CD! I loved "Popcorn" every bit as I remember, but I cringe a bit when I say I LOVED Stan Free's Moog Synthesizer renditions of songs too! The Moog Synthesizer gives a 1960s robotic Sci-Fi aura to tunes like "Apache," (instead of a surf atmosphere, the high pitch cry of the techno-keyboard makes you picture The Apache Warrior buzzing in orbit with Alan Shepherd and Mr. Spock) "The Silent Screen," (again, picture computerized music playing while Keaton & Keystones cops wear bubble helmets on their heads as they peruse the stars) and especially "Love At First Sight;" The Moog rendition of Serge Gainsbourg's silly hit song (though I think he intended it to be serious) actually sounds like space-age romance without a hint of camp!Unfortunately for us, Stan Free's only hit as the one-man-band "Hot Butter" was "Popcorn," and he ceased putting out music shortly thereafter. He was still gainfully employed as a back up musician for everyone from John Denver to Arlo Guthrie to The Boston Pops. He passed away in 1995. If he's up there listening to the earthly sounds of keyboards, be they Moog, Grand Piano, or Harpsechord, I hope he will pause to read these words: Stan Free, you left this world a more enjoyable--- and pleasantly sillier--- place. I enjoy this CD immensely. Campy at times, outright enjoyable at others. I highly recommend you add "Hot Butter" to your collection."

Pop Corn But Not Corny Pop

Harold W. Saxton Jr. | Sin City | 02/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a really goofy & fun disc that actually is more musically

realized than the hit "Popcorn" would lead you to believe. There

is some dross mixed up amongst the gems here to be sure.For the

time period this was recorded in (the 1970's)several of the more

xperimental tracks hold their own nicely sounding contemporary

and not at all unlike many synth pop recordings from today.

Overall it is minimalistic pop music with a lot of great hooks

(once you hear "Popcorn" you'll be humming it all day long) and a

pleasant diversion from guitar driven pop/rock that dominates 90%

of 70's music.Hot Butter(actually one man Stan Free)does several

tunes that became standards of many Surf/Instro bands such as

the song "Apache and The Chantays oft recorded "Pipeline". In an

interesting turnabout 90's Surf revivalists "The Phantom Surfers"

do a guitar version of "Popcorn" that rocks like a son of a gun.

Recommended for all Synth/Moog fanatics,instrumental fans and all

of you who gig catchy & endearingly cheesy pop music in general.





"

A Blast From the Past

C. Baker | Hagerstown, MD | 10/02/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD for the Popcorn song and I'm really glad I did. What a silly CD. Now, not all the songs on this CD are as great as the Popcorn song, but I knew that going into it from the music samples provided by Amazon. Still, I've gotten a real kick out of this CD on the whole. I have shared it with my 8 year old who now likes it as much as I did when I was growing up."