Over the course of two compact discs, The Exotic Moods of Les Baxter collects most of Baxter’s biggest hits, plus a selection of rare and previously unreleased material. For casual fans, the collection is fine, if a little long — two discs is a lot of Baxter for listeners with a passing interest in exotica. For the more dedicated easy listening/exotica collector, this compilation is useful, if a little frustrating, since much of this material is available on other collections. Still, this gives a good overview of the scope and variety of his music and it emphasizes his wilder, unpredictable side more effectively than Baxter’s Best. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine
more »