James Jamieson Astra Nova Orchestra - Operator Call This Number Midnight Blue

Review by Pieter Kop

Operator Call This Number Midnight Blue: A Trippy, Funky Time Capsule from 1977 Man, I gotta say—James Jamieson and the Astra Nova Orchestra really hit a vibe with Operator Call This Number Midnight Blue. Released in '77 on Black Bear Records outta the UK, this album is like stepping into some kinda dreamworld where disco lights meet soft rock sunsets. It’s got that funky soul swagger but also this weirdly psychedelic undertone that just sticks to your brain. Let me tell ya about "Midnight Blue"—the titular track that kicks things off. You know how sometimes music feels like it was made for driving down an empty highway at night? That’s what this song does to me. The bassline slinks along so smooth you could pour it over pancakes, while the strings swell up like they're straight outta a spaghetti western. And then there's James Jamieson’s voice—he sounds both suave and kinda haunted, like he’s whispering secrets only you can hear. Every time I listen, I swear I catch something new—a guitar lick here, a synth shimmer there—it’s like peeling layers off a cosmic onion. Then there’s “Operator (Call This Number).” Oh wow, this one hits different. There’s something almost desperate about the way Jamieson sings it, like he’s pleading through the phone line of his own heartbreak. The rhythm section locks in tight, giving it this relentless groove that makes you wanna move even if you’re sitting still. But what gets me most is the breakdown halfway through—it’s all horns and handclaps and pure raw energy bursting outta nowhere. Feels like someone cracked open a bottle of champagne mid-song and chaos became beautiful. What I love about this record is how unapologetically of its time it is. Like yeah, it’s cheesy in parts, sure, but isn’t that part of the charm? Disco meets soft rock meets psychedelia—it shouldn’t work, right? Yet somehow, it totally does. It’s messy, emotional, and dripping with ambition. Listening to it feels like flipping through old Polaroids of people dancing under mirror balls, laughing too loud, living too hard. And honestly? I think we need more albums like this today. Not polished-to-death playlists or algorithm-approved bangers, but stuff that dares to be weird, vulnerable, human. So anyway, if you ever stumble across Operator Call This Number Midnight Blue, give it a spin. Just don’t blame me when you find yourself humming “Midnight Blue” three days later while brushing your teeth. Trust me—it happens.

Download James Jamieson Astra Nova Orchestra - Operator Call This Number Midnight Blue

Artist: James Jamieson Astra Nova Orchestra
Album: Operator Call This Number Midnight Blue

1977

Rating: 5.0

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Filename: james-jamieson-astra-nova-orchestra-operator-call-this-number.zip

MP3 size: 17.4 mb
FLAC size: 167.7 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Midnight Blue (Astra Nova Orchestra)
Midnight Blue
Operator (Call This Number)

Video

JAMES JAMIESON֠OPERATOR (CALL THIS NUMBER)֠1977֠A-SIDE

Hi Voltage Orchestra - Midnight Blue

Images

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Catalog Numbers

BLB 2001

Labels

Black Bear

Listen online

lyssna på nätet
escuchar en línea
kuunnella verkossa
online luisteren
lytte på nettet
ouvir online
online anhören
ascolta in linea
écouter en ligne

Formats

Vinyl
7"
45 RPM
Single
Mono

Companies

Role	Company
Published By	Alaska Music
Marketed By	President Records

Barcodes

Matrix / Runout (Side A etched): BLB 2001 A-1
Matrix / Runout (Side B etched): BLB 2001 B-1

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s a fun fact: The 1977 album *Operator Call This Number Midnight Blue* by James Jamieson and the Astra Nova Orchestra is like a musical chameleon. It blends genres like Pop, Funk/Soul, and Rock, with styles ranging from Disco to Psychedelic and Soft Rock. Released in the UK on the Black Bear label, it even features two versions of the track "Midnight Blue." One version is a straight-up tune, while the other gives it an orchestral twist. Pretty cool, right?

Comments

upcycleunited

2025-03-17

Apparel Wax

axelvale

2025-03-16

@TheSlobizm I have the Astra Nova Orchestra's release of the same song but diffent name. The record is dated 1974, again with J Schroeder as producer and composer. I have it in my channel you can check. Great song though!