Music - A Part of Me - Music - A Bit More of Me

Once dismissed as little more than another in a long line of cut-out bin celebrity novelty records, David McCallum's (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) Music...A Part of Me has returned to vogue as a result of its exceptional production and arrangements, which come courtesy of resurgent cult hero David Axelrod. McCallum's involvement is minimal at most: he conducts these renditions of '60s pop hits like "Yesterday," "Turn! Turn! Turn!," and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," meaning the set is for all intents and purposes an Axelrod solo showcase, and all the better for it. The master's trademark symphonic sound -- a singular fusion of pop, jazz, and R&B notable for its cinematic spaciousness yet intimate texturing -- is in full flower: the basslines percolate and the drums are milkshake-thick. The material, while admittedly exceptional in the hands of the respective original artists, doesn't quite suit Axelrod's approach as ideally as his own compositions, but DJs looking for breaks to sample will find an embarrassment of riches nevertheless. ~ Jason Ankeny