New Pop Records

Eartha Kitt (Victor LP). Eight songs of nostalgia, avarice and calculated mischief, with polylingual Songstress Kitt sounding equally enticing in English, Swahili, French and Turkish.

In a Sentimental Mood (Tommy Dorsey; Decca LP). One of the most durable and disciplined bands in the business, the Dorsey crew has been riding high (with varying personnel) since 1936, still sounds fine. The selections range from the familiar dreamy theme song, I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, to the bouncier Sentimental Baby.

Serenade (Voices of Walter Schumann; Capitol, 2 EPs). Where a good many popular records have a chorus floating around in the background behind a band, this one pulls a switch, uses instruments only to dress up the vocal sound. The singing is smooth, the arrangements (of Paradise and seven other oldies) pleasantly different.

Adios (Claude Thornhill; Trend). One of the sweetest-sounding bands ever assembled, Thornhill & Co. have been out of record-making for a while; here they are back, more sophisticated than ever, on a promising new label.

Butterflies (Patti Page; Mercury). The Doggie-in-the-Window girl turns up with more animals; this time they apparently appear in her own interior whenever she thinks of her true love. She tells about them to the tune of another simpleminded, bestseller-bound waltz.

Cheegah Choonem (Rosemary Clooney; Columbia). Just two years after her Come on-a My House (and one after its sequel, Botcha-Me), the new Mrs. Jose Ferrer lights into another jangling, Armenian-style ditty with about as much vocal gaiety as can be crammed into the grooves. Title translation: "I haven't got it."

Crying in the Chapel (Ella Fitzgerald; Decca). To a tune that appropriately starts like Someone to Watch Over Me, and with a trombone wailing discreetly among the organ tones. Ella explains how she has found peace of mind.

Eternally (Vic Damone; Mercury). With an overworked battery of soaring strings and tootling French horns, Songster Damone strains to make his promise of everlasting love sound sincere.

Hey, Bellboy! (Gloria Wood and Pete Candoli's Orchestra; Capitol). A surrealistic ballad in bop. The only words are the title, called out coaxingly, then petulantly, then desperately, and always answered with comic effect by a chime. In between, Songstress ' Wood noodles breathlessly along with the high clarinet, leaving the listener to imagine what it all means.

Hey, Joe (Frankie Laine; Columbia). "Where'd you find that purty girlie?" twangs Singer Laine in a hooting, hiccuping style that is apparently intended to assure an authentic hillbilly flavor.

A Stranger in Town (Mel Torme; Capitol). The "velvet fog" is back with a lonely mood number that combines the story of That Old Gang of Mine with some of the feeling of One for My Baby.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.