Meco - Encounters Of Every Kind (1978)

Artist:  Meco
Title:  Encounters Of Every Kind
Release:  1978
Format:  LP
Label:  RCA Records
Catalog#  XL-13050

“Encounters Of Every Kind” is an album by Meco, released in 1978. It was recorded after the success of Meco’s platinum-selling album “Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk”, and in a similar fashion to that album, contained disco-styled interpretations of the original score from the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The album contains two sides of linked songs. The orchestra, by the way, is made up of top session musicians (like Will Lee, Alan Shulman and Tom Malone) and even includes Randy Brecker. The theme of this album is the “Meco Time Machine,” which leads Meco and the listener through several epochs of time and space. “In the Beginning,” we’re thrown right into a prehistoric (as a matter of fact, 1, 348, 264 B.C.) setting, with furious pterodactyls sweeping across the sky. Next stop is “Roman Nights” (45 B.C.), at an orgy in the Senate Bath House with fanfares (the liner notes meticulously describe the whole travel). Then we’re led to 1690 A.D., meeting “Lady Marion” in Sherwood Forest; this one sounds more like a classic Star Trek episode, but chirping birds are all around us. We’re “Icebound” in the 1880 A.D. Antarctic next, with chillingly cold wind and creepy strings, but we’ll quickly reach the next era on our agenda, “Hot in the Saddle,” in 1881, invoking visions of “Bonanza,” complete with gunshots, Indians, arrows and the cavalry.
Side two of the record presents the two most hilarious tracks; one is a rendition of “Crazy Rhythm” loungey swing in 1926 Chicago, not omitting the sudden raid by a couple of machine-gun-toting gangsters. In 1952's Johnsonburg, we’re exposed to an unbelievable version of “Topsy” (yes, that Topsy), with “Smurfy” vocals by an alien family. Back to the present; we’re watching the city from the top of the Millennium Building while listening to “Meco’s Theme” might be a forgotten soundtrack to an equally forgotten ’70s cop TV series. Lastly, we’re heading right for the future, climbing atop Devil’s Tower, Wyoming, to experience “Close Encounters” (of the Third Kind, of course); supported by a rendition of John Williams’ famous theme. A product of its time, and a rather silly one too, but actually very clever and inventive at the same time.


Side one
1.  Time Machine  (0:43)
2.  In the Beginning  (3:27)
3.  Roman Nights  (1:26)
4.  Lady Marion  (2:52)
5.  Icebound  (1:20)
6.  Hot in the Saddle  (4:27)

Side two
1.  Time Machine  (0:15)
2.  Crazy Rhythm  (3:49)
3.  Topsy  (3:33)
4.  Meco’s Theme/3w.57  (5:32)
5.  Theme from ‘Close Encounters’  (4:21)

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