WARM AND TENDER — that's the way most men prefer their women...and their music. Years come and go, fashions change, but that attitude is likely to prevail forever. Just as constant, ever modern, and endlessly appealing is the delicious, distinctive Sound of the Three Suns, the world's most popular instrumental trio.

Whether the Suns are playing dance music, fun music, or romantic mood music, the basic Suns Sound is immediately identifiable — that highly original blend of accordion, Hammond organ and guitar that took the country by storm twenty-odd years ago, and set the pattern that hundreds of groups since have tried to imitate.

It is that Sound that is at the heart of a long string of successful though surprisingly varied record albums that the group has made for RCA Victor. In each program the intimate, stabbing, soaring, singing Sound of the original trio has been framed, like a sparkling jewel in a special setting — composed at different times of romantic strings, twin pianos, percussion, pipe organ and, always, a full rhythm section. But invariably these settings have been just that — settings — framing, backdropping, illuminating the original Three Suns Sound, but never intruding on it or altering it.

WARM AND TENDER — like its predecessor, SOFT AND SWEET (LPM-1041), an enormous best seller which has been a mainstay of the RCA Victor catalog since its release — is primarily designed for the romantic mood. This time the Suns Sound is played against a lush complement of twelve violins and four cellos. A second electronic organ provides a comfortable cushion for the unique flavor of the Suns' original organ. An extra guitar, vibes, and, a tangy harpsichord have been added for certain poignant stereogenic extensions of the Sound. There are moments when the over-all sound attains a near-symphonic richness; still the intimate feeling and flavor of the trio is retained.

Quite a trick? You'll know just what we mean the minute you begin to play this recording. A good part of the story lies in the marvelously imaginative arrangements of Charles Albertine. His warm-blooded strings dance around and caress each melody with rich harmonies and ingenious countermelodies. You will hear many of your all-time favorite songs, but Albertine has managed to make every one sound fresh and new. For example, it's improbable that you've ever heard anything quite like his arrangement of Poor Butterfly! This butterfly soars and flutters in the graceful, nostalgic manner befitting this timeless melody; but buzzing and darting all around its theme is a devilishly clever relative of Rimsky-Korsakoff's Bumble Bee, played in breath-taking fashion by the twelve virtuoso fiddlers headed by concertmaster Harry Lookofsky. Then there's the luscious sun-drenched Portofino Amour. An unfamiliar title? Actually it's an invention of Albertine and the Suns' own Al Nevins, based in almost equal parts on Verdi's Prelude to "La Traviata" and Offenbach's beloved Barcarolle... two of the most familiar melodies ever written.

There are twelve songs, and we guarantee you'll find something new and different in every one — if you care to listen with an active ear. Or perhaps you'd prefer just to relax and let yourself be soothed by a gentle drift of warm and tender sounds.

STEPHEN FROSTBERG