Various Artists
Cinemaphonic : Soul Punch Vol.2
(Motel Records )

Want to seem super hip and play 70’s cuts for your ‘too cool for school’ snobby record collecting friends that they have never heard before? If the answer is yes, then pick up this dope, that’s right ‘dope,’ compilation put together by Lil’ Earl from 70’s sitcom What’s Happening (aka: former child star David Hollander).

Confused? This is the second volume of British Library Music from the 70’s. Library music is music that is recorded to be used in films, TV shows and ads that don’t exist yet, it is pre-made incidental soundtrack music that is later sold to budget conscious productions. The old records all came with precise descriptions of each track on the back, and are reproduced here. “Bright and melodic flute feature, heavy medium tempo,” describes “Flute Loop” by Dick Hyman, who’s about the only truly recognizable composer here.

None of the sly, that’s right ‘sly,’ stuff on this CD has ever been released before, but it provides very cool background music to a party or your very own live action scene. Imagine you’re late for work, speeding to your mind-numbing job via back streets and alley ways; then you could throw on “Number One Spy” by Syd Dale (which is described as “Rhythmic theme with strong mood, features electric piano and flute”) and pretend that you’ve actually got a super secret spy mission briefing to get to. Not that I’ve actually done that, or anything.

Sometimes ad men liked to use contemporary hit songs in their TV commercials without actually paying for the hit, thus they would commission or seek out library music that sounded almost like that song. Consequently, Piet Van Meren’s “Cool Echo” sounds like the strange cousin to The Temptations “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.”

So impress your friends, imagine a double life as a 70’s action hero, sit back and relax, woo that girl or guy you’ve been after, in other words: do what you like with this funky disc as your backdrop. Did I mention that producer David Hollander was also in Airplane! and Kojak? What more do you need to know?!