PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC Debut Album

Original released on LP Bright Orange 701

(US, December 1968)

The debut album of the five-member Pacific Gas & Electric reveals a nimble little blues band with a great shouter for a lead singer. Far less lumbering than the band became on their better-known major-label recordings, the Modern release of "Get It On" begins with the kind of maximum R&B bang that few American rock groups beyond the MC5 or Young Rascals would have been able to muster: a six-minute version of "Wade in the Water" that careens through its six long minutes with power and just enough balance between control and chaos. (The track was billed as being recorded "live," but it was actually a studio creation with overdubs.) Lead singer Charlie Allen was a charismatic force up front, and lead guitarist Glenn Schwartz, a transplant from Cleveland and the James Gang, matched Allen's charisma with his solos. If they have a weakness on "Get It On", it's the rhythm section, which despite including Frank Wilson of Canned Heat, can't always keep up with Allen or Schwartz, and sounds pretty stiff in comparison. (John Bush in AllMusic)

This was another band I had erroneously avoided, thinking they were primarily a soul act (not really my thing). But I ended up finding a cheap single taken from this first album, and liked it enough to want to investigate further. It was originally released on Kent, with a semi-nude image of a woman on the cover. It was later picked up by Power Records, with the original image altered. The album starts out with a live track, recorded in a club in L.A. To my taste, this is the album's weakest moment. I found it to be quite soul flavored blues rock, that just never seemed to get out of first gear, making it a long haul at 6:11. With this track, I feared my original suspicions were realized. But the rest of side one was a modest improvement, and encouraged me to keep going. Side two continued with its upward progression, pretty much all the way to the end - it just keeps getting better and better. There can be no denying that the guitarist is the show stealer on here. I feel that without him, they were just another garage blues band, distinguishable only for their soul oriented vocalist. But the guitar solos are alway standouts on each cut, and in a few, he uses fuzz. One thing I noticed about the sound on track B2 on this issue is that it sounds significantly sped up. It is already a fairly fast paced track, so it isn't immediately noticeable. But by the end of it, you find yourself thinking it sounds a little funny, and by turning the pitch on the speed down, it sounds quite a bit more normal. This will hold most of its appeal to blues rock enthusiasts, especially those with soul biases. Great, solid blues album with almost another album's worth of bonus tracks. The original album is worth 4 stars in it's own right, but the bonus tracks on this particular release makes it such great value for money. The guitar playing throughout is pretty groovy, and the vocals are great.  When you consider the music on here dates back to 1968, it impresses on me just how good an outfit Pacific Gas & Electric were.  Even listening to it today it does not sound dated at all. (in RateYourMusic)

BOBBY WOMACK Debut Album

Original released on LP Minit 24014

(US, August 1968)

Debut album from the self-proclaimed "Last Soul Man," who earned his credentials as writer and composer of the Rolling Stones' first U.K. number one. He was also one of the forces behind Sly & the Family Stone's sultry classic "There's a Riot Going On". Derived from his 1987 album, this title of honor would have sounded pretentious employed by just anyone. However, with most of the true soul legends gone or lost in the '80s ozone of slick synthesized productions, Bobby Womack remained one of few who stayed true to their art. Like Bill Withers, Womack could be viewed as sort of a singer/songwriter by accident, who developed a genuine style of his own. His remarkable quality was brought back to memory through Quentin Tarantino's kind gesture of including him on the "Jackie Brown" soundtrack. "Fly Me to the Moon" (aka A Midnight Mover) is an impressive debut. It took Womack several years to come to the point of recording his own material, having first to shake off the untimely death of his mentor Sam Cooke. Based on the results, everything here sounds like he had been holding it back for this kind of raw soul explosion. A mere seven out of the ten tracks are Womack originals, two of which were written for ("I'm in Love") or with (the title track) Wilson Pickett. His authentic rasp of a voice, combined with a superb production by Chips Moman, lend to "Fly Me to the Moon" the overall feeling of a Stax release. "You Oughta Think It Over," "What Is This," and "The Time Is Now" are as good as anything by either Sam & Dave or Pickett himself, if not better. His stunning version of "California Dreamin'" tops this sublime effort. Womack makes the lyrics come alive in a way you can really smell those brown leaves and feel the chilly presence of a gray sky on a winters' day. (Quint Kik in AllMusic)

BUD SHANK & CHET BAKER

Original released on LP World Pacific WP-1840

(US, February 1966)

B.J. THOMAS On His Way

Original released on LP Scepter SPS 570

(US, December 1968)

"On My Way" is an appropriate title for B.J. Thomas’ third album, as this is the record that put the Texas singer on a path toward the top of the charts thanks to the hit “Hooked on a Feeling.” Buzzing with sitars and draped in strings, this single is a quintessential piece of late-‘60s pop and it illustrates how far Thomas had moved from the rootless roots music of his first two Sceptre albums. Surely, there are traces of that country-soul singer, particularly on the slow ballad “Four Walls,” but a better indication of where B.J.’s head is at is in his loungey replica of Jose Feliciano’s reworking of “Light My Fire,” and a super-smooth reading of “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” These two cuts are unapologetically adult contemporary, suggesting the direction he would later take in his career, but on the whole, "On My Way" doesn’t find Thomas idling in the middle of the road, preferring the paisley-colored pop of “Hooked on a Feeling” for the bulk of the record. “The Eyes of a New York Woman” is cut from the same cloth as “Hooked” - appropriately enough, it’s written by the same songwriter, Mark James - as is the beguilingly awkward stab at social relevancy “Mr. Businessman,” but this spangly production is also applied to the fuzz-guitar-and-organ ballad “Gone,” the syrupy strings of “Sandman,” and the tempered country-soul of “I Saw Pity in the Face of a Friend.” These are stronger songs than Thomas received on his first two records, and the production is richer, more colorful, and it all results in his most satisfying LP to date. (Stephen Erlewine in AllMusic)

EXOTIC GUITARS: Those Were The Days

Original released on LP Ranwood R-8040

(CANADA, November 1968)

 

DIONNE WARWICK Debut Album

Original released on LP Scepter S-508

(US, February 1963)

The aptly titled "Presenting Dionne Warwick" was the vocalist's first long-player and quickly established the artist as a suitable vehicle for interpreting the quirky pop melodies of Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (lyrics). She met the pair during the summer of 1961 as a background singer during the recording session for the Drifters' minor hit "Mexican Divorce," which had been penned by the lucrative pair. Their initial outing, "Don't Make Me Over," became the first of the alliances between Warwick and the songwriting team to hit the pop chart. The prolific nature of this collaboration resulted in Bacharach and David providing three-quarters of the tunes on this dozen-track album. Interestingly, despite having hits almost instantaneously, Scepter Records co-founder Florence Greenberg initially rejected "Don't Make Me Over" until it began to outperform "I Smiled Yesterday," which had been chosen as the A-side. It was not only her first hit, but in time it likewise distinguished itself as a signature catalog entry when it crossed over onto both the pop and R&B charts, respectively. Warwick's inviting voice was at the core of their successful working relationship, coupled with the undeniably unique and expertly crafted material, yielding a host of classics such as "Wishin' and Hopin'." The version here predates Dusty Springfield's rendering and was likewise much of the reason Springfield chose to cover it to begin with. Other seminal entries featured on "Presenting Dionne Warwick" are "Make It Easy on Yourself" and the lovelorn melancholy ballad "I Cry Alone," as well as the unique arrangement of "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" (Lindsay Planer in AllMusic)

HERB ALPERT & TJB: "Summertime"

Original released on LP A&M SP-4314

(US, January 1971)

Though Herb Alpert was technically taking a sabbatical from music in the early 1970s, he wasn't entirely inactive, recording in dribs and drabs. So A&M assembled this brief collection of singles and stray cuts in 1971; it went nowhere on the charts but added some pleasing entries to the Alpert discography. The two best cuts, taken from a 1970 single, are as good as anything from the Tijuana Brass' heyday, with Alpert's own haunting tone poem "Jerusalem" and a great, strutting arrangement of "Strike Up the Band." The title track, with a dual vocal by Alpert and his wife Lani Hall, is also intriguing, drawing inspiration from the famous Miles Davis/Gil Evans version, while Alpert pulls off a really good jazz trumpet solo on "The Nicest Things Happen." Otherwise, most of the tracks on this LP lack energy, and even vigorous arrangements like that of the Beach Boys' "Darlin'" drift off distractedly into the ozone. Clearly, Alpert wasn't quite ready to re-emerge full-blown into the performing world. (Richard Ginell in AllMusic)

FEVER TREE Second Album

 Original released on LP UNI 73040

(US, December 1968)

The second (and arguably most fully realized) album from Texas psychedelic band Fever Tree, "Another Time, Another Place" owes less to the sound of roots-based contemporaries like the 13th Floor Elevators, Moving Sidewalks, or the Sir Douglas Quintet and more to heavier West Coast acid rock. One of the most underrated '60s psych bands, Fever Tree comes off like a coincidental midnight meeting of Jim Morrison, Steppenwolf, Jefferson Airplane, Iron Butterfly, and Jimi Hendrix at the tail end of a drug and whiskey binge. Luckily, however, the group transcends its influences by sheer force of attitude. The material here (mostly written by producers Scott Holtzman and Vivian Holtzman) is of generally pretty high quality, wisely avoiding too much of the drippy "ice cream cones and cosmic smiles" type stuff that bogged down the work of pretenders like Ultimate Spinach and Tricycle. Fever Tree was always a real, down and dirty rock band, and this record is no exception. Although in the liner notes the group stops just short of apologizing for including the oft-covered song "Fever," this version actually kicks some serious ass. Other highlights include the bawdy, roadhouse-style rocker "What Time Did You Say It Is in Salt Lake City," "Grand Candy Young Sweet" (a frightening, tuned-down plodder that sounds like Soundgarden's Kim Thayil jamming with Jandek), and the excellent chamber pop tune "Death Is a Dancer." The album's only questionable moment comes with "I've Never Seen an Evergreen," a sullen, hazy drug song that might have fit perfectly on a Roky Erikson album, but just sounds out of place here. Also of note is the over seven-minute instrumental "Jokes Are for Sad People," which fulfills the unwritten psychedelic statute requiring one long trippy jam per album, but thankfully does so with a minimum of pointless noodling and a generous helping of compositional flair. (Pemberton Roach in AllMusic)

FEVER TREE Debut Album

Original released on LP UNI 73024

(US 1968, March 28)

Formed in Houston, Texas in 1966 as Bostwick Vine the band quickly changed their name to Fever Tree. Like a lot of Texan bands they relocated to San Francisco. They had a top 100 single with "San Francisco Girls" which led many to believe that they were a bay area band. Their mix of rock, pop & psychedelia were a winning combination and they established themselves as a second division west coast band. "Fever Tree" and "Another Time, Another Place" were excellent albums reaching No.s 156 and 83 respectively in the Billboard charts but by the time of "Creation" (1969) they were on the way down. Their final effort ("For Sale", 1970) was poor. The band reformed in 1978 for live work but no further recordings were made.

The self-titled debut album of this unfairly neglected psychedelic band is an odd mix of slick studio work laced with surprising moments of eclecticism, from soundtrack references to hard rock worthy of the best bands of the time. They open up with a pretty good piece of musical prestidigitation, melding Johann Sebastian Bach and Ennio Morricone into the album's first track, which segues neatly into a hard rock style that's their own on the spaced-out, Ravel-laced "Where Do You Go," which sounds like the Doors and the Jimi Hendrix Experience jamming together. They also roll over "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out," squeezed into a two-song medley, like a proto-metal steamroller while quoting "Norwegian Wood" and "Eleanor Rigby"; then switch gears into a beautifully elegant, gently orchestrated pop/rock rendition of Neil Young's "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" that's worth the price of admission by itself. The harder rocking numbers (especially "San Francisco Girls") are highly diverting artifacts of their time, while the last two songs, "Unlock My Door" and "Come with Me (Rainsong)," show off a totally unexpected and beautifully reflective folk-rock side to their sound that's strongly reminiscent of Phil Ochs' work on "Pleasures of the Harbor" and "Tape from California". The variations in sound and content, plus the fact that the only keyboard player, Rob Landes, made any large contribution to the in-house songwriting (mostly the work of their producers, Scott & Vivian Holtzman), makes it difficult to pin down precisely what Fever Tree was about, beyond the evidence at hand; but taken on its own terms, the album ought to be better known than it is, which is probably also true of the band itself. (Bruce Eder in AllMusic)

FAMILY Debut Album

Original released on LP Reprise RS 6312

(US 1968, July 15)

The non-LP single "Scene Through the Eye of a Lens" b/w "Gypsy Woman" not withstanding, "Music in a Doll's House" is the debut full-length release from the earliest incarnation of Family, featuring Roger Chapman (harmonica / tenor sax / vocals), Rick Grech (violin / cello / bass guitar / vocals), Rob Townsend (percussion / drums), John "Charlie" Whitney (guitar / pedal steel guitar / keyboards), and Jim King (harmonica / keyboards / soprano sax / tenor sax / vocals). Their highly original sound has often been compared to Traffic, which may be in part due to the production skills of Jimmy Miller and Dave Mason, the latter also contributing the organic and rootsy rocker "Never Like This." Additionally, neither band was overtly psychedelic or progressive, contrasting them from the other burgeoning combos such as Soft Machine, Pink Floyd, and Caravan. Family's deceptively involved arrangements are coupled with an equally unique blend of Chapman's commanding vocals driving through the jazz and folk-rooted tunes. "The Chase" is a spirited opener that immediately establishes their unmistakable vibe, which is furthered on the sides "Old Songs for New Songs" and the aggressive rocker "Peace of Mind." The antithesis can be heard on the rural-flavored "Mellowing Grey" and "Winter," or perhaps the almost blatantly trippy "See Through Windows." (Lindsay Planer in AllMusic)

HERB ALPERT & TJB: "The Brass Are Comin´"

Original released on LP A&M SP-4228

(US, 1969)

The Western motif on the double-fold album jacket - with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass in costume - signals this as another companion album to a TV special. But there is a deeper significance to this LP, for shortly after its release, a burned-out, personally troubled Alpert disbanded the Brass and retired from music for awhile. Indeed, stretches of this record reveal a tired group and a leader whose trumpet has lost much of its old zip. Even so, as on all TJB albums, there are several gems - the stunning shifts in texture and tempo that enliven the worn-out "Moon River," the chugging bluegrass-tinged arrangement of Villa-Lobos' "The Little Train of the Caipira" that masquerades under the name of the title track, a haunting rendition of the Beatles' "I'll Be Back," the fast samba treatment of "Anna." Dave Grusin and Shorty Rogers contribute an occasional orchestration, and Alpert does a modest vocal turn on the lush "You Are My Life." But this time, the old sales magic was gone; the Tijuana Brass had suddenly become unhip in polarized 1969. (Richard Ginell in AllMusic)

I'll be there when The Band starts playing...

Original released on LP Capitol STAO 132 

(US 1969, September 22)

In 1969, with America politically divided, culturally riven, and inextricably mired in Vietnam, the once glorious Sixties were stumbling to an end. Dylan had closed the door and pulled down the shades on a generation looking to him for answers. Drugs were getting heavier and psychedelia had turned flaccid. It was into this environment that the most influential band of the time unleashed their masterpiece. Built upon Robbie Robertson's extraordinary cycle of songs inspired by the American South, "The Band" is an album with a hefty contemporary resonance rooted in the hurt and pride of the nation's past (it was nearly called "America"). Intriguingly - coming from four Canadians and a Southern boy from Arkansas - it is a heritage they both absorbed and memorably defined. Recorded (mostly) in a house rented from Sammy Davis Jr., high up in the Hollywood hills, these recordings are the culmination of all their rockabilly years on the road, their time spent with Dylan, and their Woodstock sojourn. From barrelhouse piano to ragtime soul, there is a grainy texture to the sound and a rolling flow to the rhythm. Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko's interlinking vocals seamlessly switch and trade to ghostly, ethereal effect. The Band had many highs, but this second album is their most haunting, poetic, and their most beautifully realized. On the cover they look like a raggedy bunch of frontiersmen or a glowering gang of outlaws - which (in both cases) they were. 

The Band's first album, "Music from Big Pink", seemed to come out of nowhere, with its ramshackle musical blend and songs of rural tragedy. "The Band", the group's second album, was a more deliberate and even more accomplished effort, partially because the players had become a more cohesive unit, and partially because guitarist Robbie Robertson had taken over the songwriting, writing or co-writing all 12 songs. Though a Canadian, Robertson focused on a series of American archetypes from the union worker in "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" and the retired sailor in "Rockin' Chair" to, most famously, the Confederate Civil War observer Virgil Cane in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." The album effectively mixed the kind of mournful songs that had dominated "Music from Big Pink", here including "Whispering Pines" and "When You Awake" (both co-written by Richard Manuel), with rollicking uptempo numbers like "Rag Mama Rag" and "Up on Cripple Creek" (both sung by Levon Helm and released as singles, with "Up on Cripple Creek" making the Top 40). As had been true of the first album, it was the Band's sound that stood out the most, from Helm's (and occasionally Manuel's) propulsive drumming to Robertson's distinctive guitar fills and the endlessly inventive keyboard textures of Garth Hudson, all topped by the rough, expressive singing of Manuel, Helm, and Rick Danko that mixed leads with harmonies. The arrangements were simultaneously loose and assured, giving the songs a timeless appeal, while the lyrics continued to paint portraits of 19th century rural life (especially Southern life, as references to Tennessee and Virginia made clear), its sometimes less savory aspects treated with warmth and humor.

BURDON & WITHERSPOON: "Guilty!"

Original released on LP MGM SE 4791

(US, December 1971)