‘Sound Effects’ a Sampler of Noise

Ready for something different?

A Canadian company, Distribution Madacy, has released a dozen sound-effects albums in compact disc that prove surprisingly entertaining--especially if you make a game out of them.

Simply play one of the records with a friend--without looking at the liner notes--and see who can first correctly identify each of the 80 or so sounds per disc.

“Fun With Sound Effects, Vol. 1” is a good instruction to the budget-priced series (each album sells for about $8) because it offers a cross-section of sounds, many of which (including a baby crying and a toilet flushing) are easy to get. But some of the other sounds, when heard cold, are more difficult to pinpoint.

For generalists, there are two more volumes of the “Fun With Sound Effects” albums on the Spectacular Sound Effects label. The noises in Volume 2 range from a roller coaster to “ghosts” effects, while Volume 3 offers everything from a dentist’s drill to earthquake trembling.

To zero in on more specialized interests, there are albums in the series devoted to such noises as “Bird Sounds” (woodpeckers to robins), “Sounds of Nature” (rain in the woods to babbling brooks) and “Military Sounds” (air-raid sirens to 155mm howitzers).

Among the other volumes: “Sounds of Horror” (thunderstorm with rain to creaking door and demonic laughter), “Sounds of the City” (traffic jam to factory whistles) and “Trains, Planes, Automobiles” (locomotive).

MEMORIES: Who ever thought that music as unsentimental as heavy metal would one day be the subject of a nostalgia package? While some of the selections contained in Rhino Records’ “Heavy Metal Memories” seem pretty far from genuine head-banging territory, the beat is fairly strong throughout. Among the titles: Kiss’ live version of “Rock and Roll All Nite,” Grand Funk Railroad’s “Inside Looking Out,” Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” and Humble Pie’s “I Don’t Need No Doctor.”

David Bowie’s “Pin-Ups,” an engaging salute to some of the British rock star’s favorite ‘60s records, has been released by Rykodisc as part of the label’s continuing Bowie reissue program. Besides the 12 songs (from Them’s “Here Comes the Night” to the Who’s “I Can’t Explain”) that appeared on the original 1973 RCA album, the CD contains two bonus tracks: Bowie’s versions of Bruce Springsteen’s “Growin’ Up” and Jacques Brel-Mort Shuman’s “Port of Amsterdam.”