Hustler 2012

10cc has been subjected to countless compilations over the years – the hits get recycled regularly and the early stuff for Jonathan King's U.K. Records gets shuffled around – but they've never had a testament to their weird work until the 2012 box set Tenology. Running four CDs and one DVD, Tenology is certainly generous, but a case could be made that it could have been even longer, encompassing a disc of their early work making bubblegum for Strawberry Studios (in lieu of that, the 2003 Castle compilation, Strawberry Bubblegum serves as an excellent supplement to this), but what is here shows that 10cc was far stranger, savvier, funnier, and wilder than "I'm Not in Love" and "The Things We Do for Love" might suggest…

Lounge music is a type of easy listening music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It may be meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place, usually with a tranquil theme, such as a jungle, an island paradise or outer space. The range of lounge music encompasses beautiful music–influenced instrumentals, modern electronica (with chillout, and downtempo influences), while remaining thematically focused on its retro-space-age cultural elements…

One of the more satisfying classical/synthesizer debuts, Snowflakes Are Dancing works on its own terms as a piece of music. As well, the album succeeds as an interpretation of several Debussy compositions (including “Clair de Lune” and “Arabesque No. 1″). Debussy’s atmospheric compositions are naturals to receive the Tomita treatment and despite a few moments of interstellar cheesiness worthy of Star Hustler, Tomita’s debut is an intriguing proto-synthesizer-pop record.
The sonics of the SACD are unquestionably outstanding. Well worth re-purchasing these versions.

Deriving their name from the metric total of semen ejaculated by the average male, the tongue-in-cheek British art pop band 10cc comprised an all-star roster of Manchester-based musicians: vocalist/guitarist Graham Gouldman was a former member of the Mockingbirds and the author of hits for the Yardbirds, the Hollies, Herman's Hermits and Jeff Beck; singer/guitarist Eric Stewart was an alum of Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders; and vocalists/multi-instrumentalists Kevin Godley and Lol Creme were both highly regarded studio players…