Reviews (page 3 of 6)
I really liked this - it reminded me a lot of Forever Changes by Love (which is very good company to be in) Perhaps the songs aren’t as strong as that classic but they weren’t a long way off
After the second and third listen I started to really enjoy this album more and more. A good cross between psychedelica and the start of prog/symphonic rock with some soul influences.
Surprisingly good, though perhaps it sounds fresher and cleaner than many outings from their Age of the Dinosaur brethren perhaps because one has never heard more than a cut or two. It's more nimble and agile and fluid that many big rock bands of the era, and even when they get big in that classic rock kinda way, it feels better balanced/less over the top ("When I Touch You") or jauntier ("Street Worm"), as well as some winsome earnestness ("Life Has Just Begun"). Does one remember Jay Ferguson being a better vocalist? One might. "Nature's Way" is terrific. There are winning touches of tricked-out weirdness ("Love Has Found a Way") and just out-there cuts ("Space Child"). "Morning Will Come" points toward the best side of glam, but layered over with pure pop harmonizing and some dance-band horns that make the song feel like a festival. The big hit may be the least interesting cut. The ambition is apparent, but well managed and, for the most part, quite effectively (and enjoyably) executed.
Listen for the first time, amazing
Clear influence on and of Led Zeppelin, although it doesn't have the one they ripped off! Very prog at points, but also exceptionally folky. I liked it, and will listen to more of their stuff after the list, but there is room for other work to be better, so I can't really give this full marks!
- Ich kannte von Spirit nur "I Got A Line On You", was ich immer sehr cool fand, von diesem Album aber entsprechend gar nichts - Das Album hat mir super gefallen, schöner entspannter bluesiger Westcoast Rock - mit psychedelischen und progressiven Elementen. - Es bleibt leider nicht suuuper viel hängen, aber das mag auch einfach nur mit dem ersten Höreindruck zusammenhängen - Werde mich nach dem Album auf jeden Fall nochmal genauer mit der Band beschäftigen und werde gern auf das Album zurückkommen Rating: 3,5-3,75/5
- für SOWAS macht man das doch - Das Hören des Albums hat sich angefühlt, wie ein ausgeführter Bildungsauftrag. Hat mich jetzt nicht restlos begeistert, aber ich habe weder von der Band noch vom Album was gehört. Gefühl kamen mir ein paar Songs, bzw. ein paar Passagen darauf, irgendwie bekannt vor; kann mich aber auch irren. - Was für ein cooler abwechslungsreicher Ritt. Voll kreativ und facettenreich. Ein richtiger Charakter hat sich jetzt nicht etabliert. Habe also nicht das Gefühl, einer anderen Person beschreiben zu können, was Spirit für Mucke macht :D - Dennoch war ich ganze Zeit echt gut unterhalten und habe mir auch ein paar Songs abgespeichert. 3,5/5
The title is hilarious, and having seen the absurd/campy/fun/stupid movie Mr. Sardonicus it seems weirdly appropriate once you start listening. More than a bit of "WTF?" all along ... weird weird these lyrics - "it's nature's way of telling you something's wrong" overandover and *very* earnestly...."married to the same bride" ... "much too fat and a little too long" whaaaat Even the music is a bit of WTF as it goes on - Space Child with the Moog synth is out there and I love it. I honestly don't know what the hell to think about this one but that's probably a great thought to have - it's not boring. I don't often give a weekday album an extra full listen but this one warrants it. The sound/mix for the time is especially excellent, each song is different enough to sustain interest, it's delightfully weird enough to keep you on your toes a little bit. It's sometimes like a harder-rock Gong in parts. It's hardly perfect but even the "worst" parts are just a little pedestrian (e.g. "Morning Will Come") if anything. Great musicianship and just the fact that I'm spending so much time thinking about this one puts it into keeper status. 7/10 4 stars.
3.75
Pretty good but no Davy Jones I Wanna Be Free
Far out man! This space rock beauty takes one on an ever shifting adventure. I dig the layered electronica. It feels like an immersive experience. NME rated it a 9 1/8 out of 10…a rating scale with 80 gradations!!!! How do they ever distinguish between a 9 1/8 and a 9 1/4?!? They also rated it as album of the year, ahead of Radiohead’s OK Computer. I can hear it. We’ve been on a run of good albums lately. Let’s keep it up 1001!
Actually surprisingly enjoyed this album and would listen to it again.
Okay, now I know 7L & Esoteric took the sample for 'The Soul Purpose' from 'Love Has Found a Way'. Nice.
I was expecting more of a Frank Zappa type album from a band named Spirit with this album name, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a lot closer to generic classic rock, but with a bassline that flows well and dips into some psychedelic tuneage without going overboard. Don't care for the alternates for Animal Zoo and Morning Will coming before the final song on Spotify, but that's just a small complaint that won't really knock any stars. Ended up being a bit of a background album, but I really enjoyed it and will likely come back to this one. It's a bit too hot today, but this album would be perfect for a nice spring day with the windows open. Just like someone who is missing a finger, I give this a high-4
Hell yes more 70s prog rock that I have never heard of! Space Child > When I Touch You > Street Worm was some real epic shit. I need to listen to it again but it sounded like a combo of Mildlife and Deep Purple. If the whole album was like that this album would be a slam dunk 5. I really liked the change of pace of the songs from one to another. My facorite part was when the horns would come in randomly. This was an extemely high 4 that I was thinking of giving a 5, but there just were a few songs that didn't quite do enough. Will have to relisten to this asap.
I didn't know Spirit at all, which seems a little surprising. I liked this album, which (at times) reminded me of early Pink Floyd
Great shit
This was nice!
Trippy
Surprisingly subdued, but pleasant through and through.
It's quite a strange record, with unusual production and song construction, as well as some quite varied tracks. It is interesting though, I'll give it that. I'm kind of digging the vibe here and there's some good jams. It's definitely unique and doing it's own thing, which I respect. 3.5 rounded up.
Great analog 70s sound. Big production and a trove of rock influences all bangin around makes for a fun listen. Never really a dull moment. My only real quibble is that many of the influences and sounds are just so remeniscent of other bands or projects that for whatever reason I am more familiar with. There is a lot here that gives at turns Supertramp, Eagles, The Stones, Hendrix....basically a blues rock of the 70s jackson pollak, and if Im being honest, on forst listen I havent really found the beating heart of 'Spirit' beyond a really exciting flyby of 70s rock by a bamd of virtuosos. May be worth looking into more.
Mr Skin was on that muscle man sampler in the 1970's. Great album.
I have never heard of this band before, but I thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish. I will definitely be giving it another listen and possibly exploring more of their discography.
A decent classic rock sound. I skipped a few songs thesecond time through but overall fine and good.
I enjoyed this punchy and fun. Some good riffs and just a good laugh
A slice of my youth. I swear I bought this lp because I thought the cover art was cool. There are a few gems, but most of the tunes don't really hold up all that well. But I still like it.
Larry Macchione had this record on heavy rotation back in the day. I do love it. I'd forgotten about the pretty awesome guitar work, but then why else would Larry Macchione have liked it? Come to find out Randy California played with Jimi Hendrix's band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, in 1966, when Randy was only 16. "Much too fat and a little too long" are maybe the best lyrics ever, especially when said over and over and eventually fading out.
Gear: Fostex TH610 Mix: damn. Musik: nice. Wertung: 🎭🎭🎭🎭/5
FINALLY picked up after "when I touch you" and saved the album from a 2 star. Actually pretty enjoyable for the second half
I love the arrangements here. The way the verse builds on "Nature's Way" with the gorgeous, silky smooth bass slipping in on the last round to buttress up the already gorgeous harmony raised the hair on the back of my neck. There's so much to enjoy here. The mastering is incredible. It sounds like a bunch of musicians who are really really good sitting around and doing their thing. Feels almost casual, like they're serious people who don't take themselves too seriously – playful and joyous, yet so tight at the same time. Really easy to listen to. I could have sworn that I heard another Spirit album with this project, but this is my first one. Huh. I have more research to do.
A little all over the place but there were some bangers I don’t know much about music production but this seemed really well mixed? Or maybe I was just in a good mood. Both are possible
Enjoyed this more than I anticipated.
This is a really interesting album full of surprises. There are some psychedelic moments and Beatlesesque pop but then there are hard rock songs with horns making the band sound more like Chicago. And then all of a sudden “When I Touch You” swings in with a heavy metal sound! It’s a bit all over the place but also fun for that same reason. “Nature’s Way” is a really cool song. Beautiful and sort of sad. The production creates a unique mood. And I love the vocal harmonies. There are a bunch of moments on this album that surprised me with gorgeous vocals. Like “Love Has Found a Way” — one of the guys in the mix almost sounds like Michael McDonald. “Animal Zoo” is a stand out. Really catchy. It's not a perfect album. There were times I wished it was more polished. But I gotta give it credit for being so entertaining and eclectic.
Really enjoyed it!
petit 4 pour compenser le plagiat de led zeppelin
Sounds good! I never heard before!
I definitely can vibe with this. It doesn't strike me as anything special. I don't think I would seek out any songs individually. But as a whole it blends well and I do think any of the songs could come on a playlist without feeling like must skips. Overall, pretty good.
Comfy listening and a little wacky. Favorite song: Space Child.
Enjoyed this album. I felt it was slightly odd but had quite a few redeeming qualities to it. Some of the guitar licks fitted really well and it sounded nice overall. I feel it was a slightly quirky good which I do enjoy.
I really enjoyed this one. It was amazing to know this new band.
Really intrigued by this album, a little bit of everything.
Album 285 of 1001 Spirit - Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus Rating : 4 / 5 I thought this was ok when I first heard it a couple of months ago while listening through the playlist. I liked it a bit more this time. I suspect that I would like it even more if I listen again. Good album.
Interesting, very dated but nice to listen to
This was a very pleasant surprise! The cover, the genre, the band name - everything screamed avoid, but actually, it was funky, interesting and unpretentious. I did a little further dive into the back catalogue after, and it seems The Project has yet again opened a new door.
4 - Really enjoyed this, thought it was just a great listen
Una banda tan de la seva época que ara només és recordada per la gent que la viure al seu moment i pels connoisseurs del génere. La resta de la seva discografia és irregular, però aquí van excel.lir com poques altres bandes durant aquells anys
Aika modernin kuuloista, mutta samaan aikaan semmosia 70 luvub psykerock soundia. Miellyttävän kuuloista.
4.0
I wanted to write something edgy and say how awful this was but honestly it was kind of fun. Definitely weird and not what we normally have to listen to which was a nice change. The singing was alright too. I think this is a band I won’t forget but probably won’t listen to again. 7/10
Weird at parts and sometimes I wanted to say it's a masterpiece then it would slap me in the face with some meh shit. Overall a solid album with some fucking badass songs on this that I loved. Would listen to again for sure. 8/10
Much too fat and a little too long. A bit unfocused on what the sound of the album was but maybe that was what they were going for. Every song was pretty unique and did not sound similar to last. I did really enjoy the weird jammy jazzy sounds like “Space Child”. Sometimes I heard Zepplin, sometimes I heard Yes, I liked pretty much all I heard. 8/10
Really enjoyed this, it's weird and wonderful.
mad seventies rock, good
Pretty good
Never knew Nature's Way is the song from this album. I've only heard covers of it. Pleasantly surprised. Im a fan of prog rock so this is right up my alley.
Enjoyed this - great guitar sound!
Jay Ferguson is awesome
C'était dur entre 3 et 4
Never heard of them, but enjoyed it
This album surprised me with how forward thinking it is. While it owes a lot to psychedelia, there are some progressive elements that make it stand apart while still being accessible. The production is very clean and the musicianship is fantastic. Spirit is certainly on to something here. The song structures are interesting and the album as a whole feels more like a multiple movement piece of music rather than discrete songs. While interesting, this album doesn't quite reach the highs that it was capable of.
This is another chewer. It sits somewhere in the space between Yes, Led Zeppelin, and CSNY. Very dense, excellent arrangement, ridiculously clean production for 1970. But the songwriting and a few of the performances don't quite click at times... this is a tough one to rate for just one listen, but I'm going to give it a 4.
Kind of cool, but lacking in star power of any one moment in the record.
early 70’s psychedelic rock. at times pretty heavy for its time. nothing bad to say about this one.
The only thing I knew of this band was that the guitarist / vocalist's name was Randy California (there's a 60s name for you). And that his family had been trying to sue Led Zeppelin because Page used their song "Taurus" for "Stairway To Heaven". But this album is actually pretty good. It has a lot of those 60s psychedelic and proto-progressive things to it. I've listened to it twice now, and liked it more the second time. "Morning Will Come" is probably the song I am in a love/hate thing with right now. The whole "co-hum" where they start singing in that high voice, along with the horns definitely puts that song square in the 60s. But a lot of the other music has a bit of a forward thinking to it. Definitely made me interested in looking up more of their stuff.
Loved the guitar. Lyrics were great
Intriguing!
Rock progresivo psicodélico. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Actually a nice album, I enjoyed listening to it!
4 étoile, cool
Interesting, I like this.. kinda kooky, very melodic. It reminds me of The Rocky Horror Picture Show for some reason - it could be the flamboyant vibe it gives off. Fun times!
Brani Preferiti: - "Nature's Way" - "Animal Zoo" - "Mr. Skin" Note: Tutto ciò che potresti aspettarti da una band psichedelica. L'album è piacevole da ascoltare perché è corto, senza portarlo alle lunghe riesce a mostrare ciò che ha da offrire.
I was expecting a really boring rock album but I was pleasantly surprised by some really unique and interesting production that used classical instruments and some electronic sounds. I especially enjoyed why can’t I be free.
Not bad at all. Started pretty strong but couldn't keep that level of quality throughout. Still a good album but nothing amazing.
Nice album, would listen again
Got to admit that I have never heard this before. Instant classic with me. Love it to bits.
There is some lovely psychedelic licks. Needs further listening, sadly I'm so far behind with my 1001 albums it's not getting the due diligence it needs
This was a shock. They're a bit late to the psych gang, but that only means they have so much inspiration. In addition to the standard SF psych sound, I'm hearing roots ("Nature's Way"), prog ("Street Worm"), pop ("Life Has Just Begun", "Soldier"), metal ("When I Touch You"), folk ("Love Has Found a Way"), jazz ("Mr. Skin"), glam ("Morning Will Come"), rockabilly ("Animal Zoo") and so much more. Most of the songs are strange and unpredictable. As one example, "Space Child" is a jazzy, jammy instrumental featuring highly unconventional synths with an ambient intro and closing section. It does resemble space rock, especially near the end with the echo, but there's so much more to it. One of the most engaging things about the album is how the songs transition well between each other. It's always shocking moving from one song to the next because you can never tell it's happening, and they're all so wildly different in structure and style. It always occurs so suddenly but not in an annoying way; they all feel finished. Whenever I get an album like this, I usually shrug it off as a band trying too many new things without knowing what they're doing, but they somehow hit the mark here. It's an entertaining list, with a lot of offer, but never being excessive or off-putting. Somehow, they still have a personality to stay consistent, even if that's the only thing tying the band together. Favorites: Love Has Found a Way, Mr. Skin, Space Child, When I Touch You, Morning Will Come
Well this was incredibly fun! Never heard of Spirit before but was pretty blown away by this, it’s super varied and catchy and has quickly become a favourite dad rock album
Excellent find this. Never heard of them before and I cant fathom why they werent as big as other similar bands of this genre. Albeit they seem to bend into quite a few genres to their credit! Sometimes rock, sometimes pysch, sometimes jazzy, always progressive and interesting. You don’t really know what the next track will be like. Highlights are: Prelude, Natures Way, When I Touch You, Street Worm. The riff in When I Touch you sounds like it’s straight from a Sonic Youth record. Class. A strong 4.5 from me
Never heard of spirit and it seems like they have a pretty large discography. Trippy, proggy, sometimes funky rock. These guys must have taken a lot of drugs. It was interesting, at times really enjoyable, the rockier songs where the singer was pushing his voice were the best of the bunch. A few tracks didn't land for me but that's to be expected from a band like this
I enjoyed a lot of this album, felt like the longer it went on the more I liked it. I preferred the more rockier songs to the psychedelic stuff but will definitely listen to this again. Highlights: Mr Skin Street Worn Animal Zoo Morning Will Come
Favourites: • Mr. Skin • When I Touch You • Soldier
It’s not without its problems but it’s got a lot of great 70’s prog riffs and harmonies.
Don't really have anything specific to say about this album—another thoughtful and simultaneously goofy record with a complex 70s sound.
Drôle de son et de chanson, mérite une deuxième écoute
Loved this
Great album! Strong grooves, licks, musicianship. The second half takes an odd turn, which ultimately holds it back from a 5. But overall a great rock album.
I'm not usually a fan of psychedelic rock as it can be a little too experimental. I didn't get that feeling with this album. I actually enjoyed the entire thing, their melodies are clean and the production is quite good.
Better than expected 4
Si c'est assez bon pour Zeppelin, ca l'est aussi pour moi :P J'ai adoré et je découvre spirit sous un autre jouré. 4.85
I wasn’t pleased when I saw a psych album from 1970, as we’ve had plenty of those already but this is a good one. Weird enough to be interesting but still tight with focus and direction.
I didn’t mind this. It drew me in straight away and kept me interested to the end. What more can you ask for?
Rock progresivo.
Pretty good... I will say this list has introduced me to a lot of American Rock of this era that I hadn't listened to before. At times this almost transcends both its era and genre.
Side two was exponentially better than side one. I guess the dreams get better the longer you sleep. Best track: Street Worm
Quality prog rock
entretenido
V interesting - unique sound
-didn’t write a BL, completely blind listen- AL: I’m often on the fence with psychedelic albums, some have the opportunity to lack all kinds of pacing and fall flat on their face, this however does not feel this way. I enjoyed this album and it was a very good listen, with some genuinely out there instrumentation at points - without ever feeling like it loses it’s way. Very good would listen again. FT: “Animal Zoo”, “why can’t I be free”, Red Light Roll On” 4/5
Surprisingly good.
War gut aber kann mich an nichts erinnern.
Overall Rating - 3.31/5 (6.62/10). Pretty solid, if generic, late 60s/early 70s rock.
genau das was man bei dem namen spirit erwartet, wilder westen american musik
I do like this album, think their debut's better. This has a bit more 70s in approach, and I'm a bit bored of 70s classic rock tropes. Maybe its just that this list is so stuffed with early 70s American cheese (Creedence, Fleetwood Mac etc) or English acts churning out disposable pap for the US market (Floyd, Zep, Cream etc) that even the good artists like Spirit seem tame. Still it's not dross like Rumours or Green River and Spirit are a fine band with a great guitarist and they raise themselves above the malaise of the time.
Prelude-Nothin' to Hide 3.2 Nature's Way 3 Animal Zoo 3.4 Love Has Found a Way 3.1 Why Can't I Be Free 3 Mr. Skin 3.5 Space Child (instrumental) 3.3 When I Touch You 3.6 Street Worm 3.4 Life Has Just Begun 3.3 Morning Will Come 3.3 Soldier 3.4 Score: 3.291666667
Album #193 Spirit: Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus I’d never heard of this band prior to receiving this album, and after reading the name and seeing the cover, I was expecting a really eccentric, fucked up, cultic deep cut, a la Comus. Instead, I was treated to some pretty good psychedelic rock, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but I was a touch let down by how regular the album was. Still, though, false marketing aside, this is a pretty good collection of songs. There isn’t really a standout track in my opinion, but there also isn’t a track that I would call bad. If you’re into the late 60s, early 70s psychedelic sound, this album would be a good addition to your library, but I don’t think it brings enough to the table to be considered an essential listen. That being said, sometimes we just want more of a good thing, and I’ll never complain about listening to another good psych rock album. Best Songs: Mr. Skin, Morning Will Come, Nature’s Way Worst Song: When I Touch You Score out of 10: 7
60s/70s psych rock album. It was enjoyable but similar to a lot of other albums on this list. Not bad, and Animal Zoo was pretty catchy but I'm not sure if I'll come back to this.
Interesting!
This is a really uneven album. There are some highs here and some rather low lows. Overall I think this is an interesting album, and it probably deserves a place on this list (1001 is a lot), but I didn't enjoy it all that much. Listening to this album was a similar feeling to driving on a poorly-maintained country road. Favorite track: "Mr. Skin"
Ok! Fucking sick but I fear I won’t return. Hence 3 stars you weird bastards x
Not bad but not a huge impact
Stuck between 2 and 3 again… Since last album got a 2 for being in between this one gets a 3 is about the only reasoning I have.
enjoyable enough
Feels kind of dated for me I'm afraid. Not terrible, but not something I'd choose to listen to again.
This is #day675 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… even though this record came out in 1970, it still feels very '60s to me. I think it has to do with the psychedelic backbone, if you will. I don't really mind it as a one-off listen. The sax on "Mr. Skin," though. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day676.
I was ready to bounce off this, but ended up grooving instead.
Good
Slow psychedelic jams, reminding me of a white Parliament or some early Chicago experiments, with moments that start drifting into Jethro Tull's more progressive years. Lyrics are fairly simple and sometimes cryptic, but the music and harmonies are very well put together and often sophisticated. I think I like it, even though sometimes it gets deliberately weird just for the sake of weirdness.
psychedelic rock, cool album cover, reference to mr. sardonicus (1961)
3/5
Kinda cool, kinda forgettabble, but I might just be tired of psych rock. Solid 3
Sweet stuff
Spirit is a band that somehow has found themselves outside of my radar for my entire life. Nearly every other album on this list thus far has come from an artist I either know their songs or at least have some background context. Spirit is a complete blank slate for me. sounds like they found a balance between psychedelic progressive, and theater-kid kitsch. Some of the songs were generally interesting like nature’s Way and I feel like some of their experiments were caught my ear in a good way, but there are some components I just couldn’t get past. Let’s start off with this. The songs are meandering to put a kindly. It sounds like they found a motif and just followed it all the way through and the songs often don’t end as much as they run out of steam. Finally, the vocals weren’t for me. The style of music reminds had elements of the Guess Who and Three Dog Night, but I prefer the vocals of either of those to this one. They seemed expressive, but in the wrong ways where it was more about them, trying, weird accents and pruning, and then it was about actually expressing the feelings of a song.
Although I had heard of Spirit, it turns out that I thought they were a very different band to what I just heard. This was an interesting mix of hard rock and progressive sounds, with just a little hint of glam rock, possibly a product of the time it came out? I enjoyed it a lot, but nothing in particular stood out enough to raise it above three stars, so a strong three.
3.5
Perfectly standard 70s psych album and there's so many of these on this list that they all kinda mush into one. It's pleasant background listening but I didn't notice when other music started to autoplay..
I can understand why I've never heard of this. Just a lesser album of the era. That being said, it is a lot better that most new music.
I don’t know why this is a must listen but it’s here and I listened. It’s not bad, it’s just not a top 1000 album. There’s some jammy appeal to this, slight blues, slight alternative. Nothing terrible. Choice cut: When I touch You
Thought this was decent, but I don't see what makes it a must listen. It had some good parts even though a lot of it didn't stand out much to me. I generally like psych rock, so this probably appealed to me more than it would some others. Still, I didn't think it was much more than fine. Overall: 2.8/5
Had never of this band, can hear the 60s and 70s in this but nothing connects with me, some interesting songs but overall mediocre, lyrics are particulalry bad, 3 Heard before? No Owned: No 76/306 (24%) Will I get: No
bwah cv. (3)
This is fine
Ad for et cover, hvor er det grimt. Jeg synes sådan et nummer som "Why can't I be free" lyder ret progressivt for tiden og egentlig albummet generelt. Det er ikke kedeligt, men det er ikke min smag decideret.
Aldrig hørt om det. Synes egentlig, at der er noget rimelig godt her på, men godt nok også noget trash. "When I touch you" er virkelig et lowlight Tjaaaa, jeg er gavmild i dag 2.8
This brought me a lot more joy than the cover and album title indicated. Quite diverse and some decent fun, particularly in the vocal harmonies.
not bad, decent overall
It’s not bad, and I do in fact really fuck with Mr Skin as a track, but the issue is that I listen to this and I’m largely like… wow, it must have been so cool to be a 19 year old in California in 1970 and seeing all these other artists and taking them as influence without particularly embracing them deeply and getting a really good producer to make varied and really crisp imitations for you. The band’s not bad, the songs are largely fine-to-good, but a lot of them leave me wanting to go and listen to the blues rock bands or the psychedelic rock bands or the singer-songwriters doing this stuff better. Hell, they even got me thinking “well, I could go listen to Led Zeppelin for this” and I don’t even fuck that much with Led Zeppelin. I get (some of) the “why” of it being an album you should hear, but yeah, it’s skilled water off a ducks back to me, I can’t grab that thing that makes me care really.
Overall solid album, I skipped a few songs that droned on. But overall I heard cool riffs and good grooves indicative of the early 70's post woodstock jam music. Grateful Dead, Allman Bros, with added texture from psychedelic elements and beatlesque melodies. But ultimately nothing grabbed me. Just decent music. I did enjoy the mono mixes at the end mostly so.
Alveg fínt síðsjöunda-snemmaáttunda rokk, ekkert svakalega eftirminnilegt eftir tvær hlustanir en gæti unnið á. Stoppum áður en það hækkar í fjarka.
I thought I would’ve liked this a lot more, but I found it distinctly mediocre. Maybe, if I’d been exposed to it at a younger age. But I remember almost nothing from it.
I think a younger me would have liked this. I found ... OK
There areseveral very good songs on this.
Solid album, 3.75/5 but rounded down. Saved a few, and the associated songs that came on after were fantastic (such as from Quicksilver Messenger Service)
Listened previously. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Very Good - Nothin' To Hide is an awesome opener, really cool track. Nature's Way is alright and Animal Zoo is fairly standard late 60s psych rock. The transition from Love Will Find A Way into Why Can't I Be Free is great. Mr. Skin is very good, I love the horns. Street Worm is cool. Overall this is a really good album, it has so many of the best elements of 60s rock.
Don't hate it. some of the lyrics are eyerolling but music is compelling
This is a pretty solid album. At times, it still draws from psychedelic music and folk rock, but there are moments the record points to the future of hard rock in the 1970's. There are moments it even gestures towards glam. I like the moments when it expands its sound and the use of horns is enjoyable. I will probably listen again at some point.
Ummmmmm- so, I really WANTED to like this. It was well put together. I could tell SOMEONE somewhere had an idea. But… it was hard to listen to. Really. An odd experience. Dissonant, but… subtly so? Hard to say. I’d have to listen to it again. And I find I don’t want to. Really REALLY don’t want to. So it gets 3. And a Boolean: yes, good to have heard before I died. Maybe again to figure it out? Maybe not.
I liked the weirder bits more than the straight ahead blues tracks.
Not much to say on first listen but will revisit. It's a fun listen, though, and a fine one too.
I don’t have any strong feelings about this album. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s also not an album I would revisit. I like the melodic elements, and there were a few songs that held my interest. But overall, I found this pretty mid.
Utterly forgettable but not bad. Space Child is like proto-penis music. Even though the album's basically 56 years old I can't help but think that all these ideas have been done better, either before or after Spirit took a crack at them, and I'd rather be listening to those takes.
It's not bad but I don't have any strong feelings towards it. It's decent enough psychedelic rock, the instrumentation and vocals are well done. But after the album finished I couldn't remember a song.
Very much of it’s time.
Quite pleasant, good variety.
Nice classic rock vibe reminiscent of Paul McCartney at moments
Wasn't bad.
i thought some songs were cool but didn't love or like any of them
Not bad. I'm surprised I've never heard of this band. It sounds similar to a lot of its contemporaries but is enough of its own thing to stand out.
It’s funky it’s fresh. Overall a catchy listen but nothing that really blows my hair back
I sorted of day dreamed away this album. It didn't really capture my attention but wasn't bad enough to distract me
Never heard of them but i like some songs of the album
A psychedelic infused folk rock album. I would consider this a more accessible dose of psychedelia. The folk influences make the music sound almost mystical at times. There's also a classic rock n' roll sound in here, too. "Space Child" was indeed quite spacey, and the weirdest song on the album, but I enjoyed it. Overall, definitely an interesting listen, but I do think the band has more of an affinity for folk music (the portions of the music I enjoyed more than anything here).
Nice find, never heard if this before, enjoyable.
nothing to fault, but nothing to note either. i guess the synthy parts in the middle of the album were kinda cool
Let’s all go out for some sodas
Decent psychedelic
Some distinct Pink Floyd and Grateful Dead-like songs, though not on that level
Never Heard of it before. Sometimes cliché, sometimes innovative. Fun to listen. 3.5 / 5
There are a few standout songs on this album. Nature's Way is really good, and a couple of others grabbed me on my first and only listen. There were a lot of tracks that were in and out. They sound good, and I like this more than most 'psychedelic' anything so that is cool.
No está mal, empieza bien y el segundo y tercer tema me los he guardado. No los conocía de nada y se ve que su éxito fue limitado, al menos en Europa. No sé hasta que punto han influenciado a otras bandas o que hace necesaria su escucha. Así que le doy 3 estrellas, pero al mismo tiempo lo veo prescindible.
Solid
Not completely dissimilar to stuff like Rare Earth, which I do quite enjoy in small-ish doses.
Unremarkable, not bad
Interesting
Thoughts before listening: 70s psychedelic rock of some sort or the other. I don't really know all that much about these guys. Review: This was okay. Kind of a bridge between the psychedelic folky rock of the 60s and the more proggy hard rock of the 70s. Its interesting that these guys have been largely forgotten by modern rock fans and critics, but still made the 1,001 book. My thought was they must be British, but no, they're American. I feel like the band's legacy may have suffered a bit because they are borrowing from so many more popular bands....I hear the melodies of CSNY, the hard rock of the Who, and the prog elements of Pink Floyd all in these songs. Did critics largely ignore them much the way that many of the 90s 2nd and 3rd wave grunge bands like Collective Soul and 7 Mary 3 were dismissed? Or even looking at Spirit's own era I'm thinking bands like the Guess Who and Three Dog Night. Bands that produced quality songs that sound like critically loved albums, but ultimately were derided as derivative instead of innovative. Anyway, this is perfectly fine although not really blowing me away either. 3-stars
It was okay, but I will have forgotten having listened to this album this time tomorrow.
Another new group/album for me. I was surprised to see this was from 1970. It didn't give that feeling - more like late 70's. Mostly good to listen to with some good guitar work, e.g. Street Worm. Something I'd listen to again.
"Standard" psych rock. Probably would have hit different back in my younger days when I would crank on the black light and load a bowl and enjoy some music.
I think I liked this!
This was a bit of a wild one and shapeshifter that I couldn’t quite pin down what it was going to sound like and then it kept changing. Not bad but I remember almost nothing about it except the title was cool
Early hair band sound
prima
Never heard of Spirit before. Seems like another band floating in the ocean of prog rock. Musicianship is pretty impressive, like most good prog rock bands. Glad I listened to it, but not excited to go back.
It felt like it didn't really go anywhere. There were a couple songs I liked but it didn't feel like a complete album. I think some of the songs were lacking a stronger male vocalist
Meh. Mildly enjoyable, but I don't need more noodly 70's shit in my life.
Yet another album that makes me think I should read this book. I see no good reason to listen to this album, and I definitely didn't have to listen to it before I died. It wasn't terrible, it wasn't great. It felt like middling 70s rock. Also, I want to personally hunt down every existing copy of the album and spray paint the cover art in reflective silver, so no one ever has to see that stupid fucking picture ever again.
Better than I expected, but after listening to it twice, I'm still not sure what to make of it and I need to move on with my life. There's definitely a lot of different styles. Some songs sound like the Grateful Dead, some of it is ass-kicking guitar rock. There's psychedelic, art rock, prog rock, and even jazz present. Definitely pretty interesting.
Decent. But, I knew two Spirit songs going into this: Nature's Way, which is vomitous treacle, and I Got a Line on You, which kicks ass. Guess which one is on this?
Overall, this album was very nice. Very trippy and psychedelic. I liked the way "When I Touch You" sounded. I give it a 3/5 just off of personal taste because I don't really listen to psychedelic rock that much. I added about 4 songs.
I only remember Spirit as the band who gave inspiration to stairway to heaven(Taurus... not from this album). the 70s really are an interesting chill and more stable middle period between the whacky 60s and flashy 80s. The recording quality hits the sweet spot and seems just between the 60s poorer quality and the 80s overprocessed. The constant panning sweeps are kinda annoying though. Not bad but nothing amazing
A fun album. On the fence between 3/4
Funky, and weird. Smooth jams and weridness
I want to rate this a 4 just because I love the experimentation but some of the songs really fall short in my opinion and by the end of the album I was tired of it. I did enjoy it though so I’ll give it a solid 3.5/5
A cool 60s gem (I know it’s says 1970 but this is still more 60s than 70s). It lacks a some character of other bands from that time but it has some cool elements.
Had to listen to it again the following day because I couldn't remember a single thing about it. Ah yes, pleasant but entirely unremarkable psych-rock. Some good howling on "When I Touch You" which is, presumably, exactly the kind of thing going on back in those days.
eh
I had never listened to Spirit before. This was fine. Not as bad as I thought it could be, but not good enough to keep me interested.
Liked this more than I thought but less than I'd want.
Standouts Nothin' to Hide Mr. Skin
Definitely groovy.
Coming out around the time psychedelic rock was beginning to go in a more progressive direction, Spirit's 'Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus' is a well-crafted rock record that marries both psychedelic and progressive sounds into a fantastic menagerie of music. Produced by David Briggs (best known for his work with Neil Young), 'Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus' combines guitars, keyboards, bass, drums and relaxing vocals to create a dense, layered sound reminiscent of Led Zeppelin and early Pink Floyd. With songs like 'Nature's Way', 'Animal Zoo' and 'Prelude - Nothin' to Hide', Spirit craft out a straightforward rock sound that doesn't really break any new ground, but still manages to be fun and interesting. It's one of those fine sounding records that other bands have done better, but Spirit are pretty talented musicians, that's for sure Best songs: Prelude - Nothin' To Hide, Nature's Way, Animal Zoo
Space Child was cool!
This album really bounces all over the place. I kinda dig it when it's not too irritating.
beetje wisselvallig
tiene algunos buenos temas, es bastante psicodélico
Noodly and a bit muddy at parts of the mix but pretty good overall. It rollicks.
A little long but otherwise impressive production and mixing. Psychedelic and rockin.
Quite interesting, just on the wrong side of very good.
Listening to prog rock is odd because it has all the elements of a song that I’d like to hear, but when it’s put together it’s so off-putting. I enjoyed a lot of moments throughout the album, but not the album as a whole.
it's just really kind of generic
Good, not great. Strange, too, because I love this era but their music didn't GRAB ME. It was just kind of OK. Nothing that really stood out. And if you have nothing that stands out in the era of Led Zeppelin, and The Who, and The Beatles, and The Doors, and Grateful Dead, and all the others... Well, it says why I didn't know their stuff.
Meh 3 stars
***A good, easy listening album
Finally!! Something I enjoyed listening to!! I liked some of the album, it had a much better sound overall (compared to the last few) and I liked the song Space Child quite a lot. I like the different textures and some of the journeys the songs take you on.
well, it's certainly *interesting*, but i don't think that's a good thing, at least for me. there's bits and pieces that are compelling, but it really kinda feels like someone tried to make a mosaic out of elements from other contemporary bands and it just doesn't look like a picture when you step back.
Usually when there's a band from the 60s or 70s on this list that I've never heard of it's going to be a bad day but this was quite cromulent, above replacement level psych rock with a good amount of variety.
Psychedelic rock without the edge that makes psychedelic rock interesting. Just comes off as a really standard rock album. Nothing horribly offensive, just a little boring.
Meeeaaahhhh…
This was much better than I expected - I expected edgeless, soft hippy-dippy mush, and it really wasn't. Not something I'll likely seek out again, but was definitely worth a listen.
Very good album
Competent prog rock with an occasional gesture toward psychedelia. I’m not sure anything here is all that memorable, though.
Very cool 70s vibe.
I had never heard of Spirit before, and it wouldn't have been a disaster if it had stayed that way. “Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus” starts promisingly with “Nothin' To Hide” and “Nature's Way", but then loses its way in more experimental passages and falls apart over time. It's not really bad, but ultimately Spirit is just another psychedelic rock band from the 70s. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that. It's just that I can easily think of 25 better albums in this ballpark that didn't make the list.
I've never heard of them before. Pretty solid album but with nothing to really stay in mind. Weak three stars. favorite: "Mr. Skin" 2,5
Surprise surprise. No idea what or who this is but I thought it was good, cohesive. Not as psychedelic or as dark as the album cover made me think it would be. Pretty jazzy and there are some signs of big loud stadium rock here.
I liked the vibe here and just listening. I didn't really register the lyrics on the first listen, but the sound was good.
Groupe à creuser un peu
Psychedelic Prog Rock from 1970. I wasn't overally impressed by the two singles, "Nature's Way" and "Mr. Skin"; my favourite track on the album was "When I Touch You". Possibly a bit dated now.
Interesting early 70's psychedelia.
Half of this completely sucks, but there are moments of batshit chaos that totally rule.
They really tried hard, but it doesn’t do much for me. Respect for the efforts, but not my thing. Weirdly it has many stuffs I do care about, such as diversity, good arrangement, nice production, interesting instruments/sounds, vocals ok too. Melodies are on the weaker side but also not the worst. It’s like they’re cooking a good dish, and they put all my favourite spices in, but they forgot to put any salt. The album is missing a core element to stitch all tracks together. A strong centrepiece will make it a four or five. But without that centrepiece, I can tell it’s not bad, but on the other hand I can’t easily “summarise” the album.
Loved the 70s blues/rock sound mixed in with some psychedelic influences. Nothing incredible but still solid.
I remember enjoying it when I listened to it, but two days later I can't remember it at all.
#841. It's a decent album overall, I suppose, but there's nothing that really stands out. 3/5: acceptable
Great album.
Trippy hippy space rock kinda No bad
Fine. Not the best from this time period. Bonus for being mildly experimental. Easy 3 - This is fine. Was always gonna be 3 stars - I appreciate the experimental sound. Kinda understand why this is on the list. Feels pretty heavy / hard rock for 1970
I’m coming to the conclusion that this period of rock music is the opposite of what I’m looking for. There’s something so corny and naff and generally “musical theatre" about the lyrics and vocal performances that I can’t get past, and it’s a shame as there are some great musical moments in there. The band are clearly incredibly talented and versatile, but I think that’s the problem for me; I think I prefer to hear musicians stretching themselves to incorporate other styles, getting it wrong and making something interesting on the way. In the case of this album, they veer between different styles and influences but lacking real passion. E.g. “Mr Skin” is a competent attempt at a rock/soul fusion but feels like it’s the work of a group of session musicians who can seamlessly shift to produce a facsimile to fit the brief of the day.
This album just sounds like some dudes high on LSD just jamming some guitars. And I’m kind of into it? 5.5/10
вроде хороший, похож на немерзкие и нескучные классические альбомы, но надо привыкать
I can see why Zeppelin wanted to rip them off… 3⭐️
I don’t often like to prog out, but this has some charm. I’ll probably never think of it again but for the moment I enjoyed it, it gets a nod of approval.
You know...its just very nice dad rock. With a name like Twelve Dreams of Dr Sardonicus...Im expecting weird...I didnt get weird...I dont know how I feel about that...
Not my favorite, kind of meh
A product of the time.
Después de dos escuchas puedo decir que este álbum de rock psicodélico/progresivo tiene dos o tres temas acertados pero para mí no sostiene el nivel durante todo su recorrido. Bien arreglado, con madurez compositiva, pero carente de un gancho que no me viene al encuentro. Un disco decente.
Nice
Very fun groovy album. Nothing special about it though.
60’s Rock ⭐️Nature’s Way
Pretty eclectic, even on the same album. Not disagreeable tho
A self proclaimed prog gater, but…. I actually liked this😱 3 stars though let’s not get carried away
A boo de-ba, ba de-ba ba bar! Something like that... A lot less annoying that some of the other psyc rock I've listened to, but just as forgettable. A fun listen, just don't expect any earworms
It was interesting but didn’t really grab me.
Pleasant surprise, enjoyed it more than expected.
wow this picks up a LOT in the second half!
I guess you could say they’ve got Spirit! (Sorry I couldn’t help myself)
I liked it. But I'm not sure it is an essential album. What makes it different from all the other acid-soaked hippie music from the late 60s this list is full of.
At this point, the list has already spit out so many late 60s/early 70s psych rock albums that I can not only ask but also answer myself what makes this album so special. Nothing. Just another fairly decent album.
Never heard of this band and the music was decent, but I found myself disinterested. I didn't find this album psychedelic, it felt just mild. Not sure why I felt that way. The music felt very upbeat and positive, but usually the lyrics were pessimistic, so that was interesting I think this is an album that you have to listen to more than once to start enjoying. On the second listen through, I found the songs more catchy and fun. Some of the songs feel like they're missing something, like Street Worm, the song feels slightly hollow....like it's missing the rhythm element. It's a decent album, but nothing revolutionary. Seems like a band that was there but flew under the mainstream.
This is fine, but unremarkable.
It was okay.
Perfectly average. I’m sure it was an inspiration for better things
6/10 The ideas are there but too often it doesnt really go anywhere. That said, I needed a couple listens, but it did grow on me Highlights: Nature's way Mr Skin Soldier Morning Will Come
Sencillo para mi gusto, pero ha estado bien. Tiene el aprobado, aunque podría estar mejor
Nierówna płyta. Kilka kawałków naprawdę dobrych. Gdyby je wyizolować byłoby łatwe i przyjemne 8/10. Niestety reszta, szczególnie te instrumentalne ciągną całość w dół, rozwadniają jakość. Końcowo jestem zmuszona dać 6.5/10 równane w dół.
I’ve never heard of Spirit and now I have.
led zeppelin 2: os instrumentos agora são outros
ROCK PARA PAPAIS EX-USUÁRIOS DE MACONHA eh bem parecido com led zeppelin mesmo, hein. achei bem mais psicodélico, usa uns instrumentos que o led (somos íntimos) não usava não. eu achei até de boa, na real. é agradável e dá pra ouvir tranquilim.
Never heard of this group before but found this interesting to listen to. A bit mystical, bit Jimi, bit 13th Floor Elevators. Will re-listen in the future definitely.
Had no context to these guys, enjoyed it! Quite a varied bit of classic rock
I had absolutely no clue what I was walking into with this one. The one thing that surprised me was the incredible recording quality. The album sounds so crisp. I have no freaking idea what it's about, but it sounds great. Where have these guys been hiding since the 70s? They've got a great sounding guitar (wait hold up, this dude played with Hendrix as a teenager!? Good god) and a lot of wonky 60s/70s sound effects going on that I think take away from how good they sound without all that. There's a lot going on though: psychadelic rock, jazzy horns, space themes, dreamy lyrics, it's a lot to take in. It's a bit overambitious, like they never really found their lane. Standouts were "Animal Zoo" "When I Touch You" and "Life Has Just Begun" I can't quite pin down my feelings on this after one listen. I think it requires more to digest. I like it. Maybe I really like it? But, alas, I have many albums to listen to before I die, so a revisit will have to happen later. These guys have a lot of talent, but this album is a 3.5/5 for me and I need to dig deeper into Spirit!
nice album
Like it 3/5
6/10
Never heard of them before. Definitely a mixed bag but has some cool elements.
I thought I would either like or hate this more than I did. It's honestly just more boring than anything. I imagine this is more influential than it appears as nothing else was really sounding like this at the time but better things came out 40 years after this that's left off.
I found myself zoning out to most of this, so it wasn't bad enough to spark alertness or good enough to tune back in. 2.5 rounded up.
What a strange little random album out of nowhere. Listening notes: -Opening riff seems at least well crafted, if mildly generic. -Nature's Way is pleasant -Animal Zoo: catchiest song but a little annoying -Why Can't I be Free is pretty solid Review: Overall, a fine album with nothing too innovative, but some fun times and a chill laid-back affect.
The production here was good, but I can't for the life of me understand to what point. I know I enjoyed it, but I can't remember what about it stands out about 12 hours after listening to it. Maybe it is the ephemeral nature of music that this album embodies, but at the same time - I'm not sure it's good enough to justify giving this a good rating.
Psychedelic, not as proggy as I expected. Some muscular guitar and real tasty song writing, maybe a little let down by the lyrics. One of those ones I liked a lot, but won't revisit.
3.5, pretty good.
fänd nothing to hide glaub um einiges cooler wenn de hindergrundgsang nöd so...goofy wär? de schluss isch aber sehr cool! SO jz wird ufem heiweg nomal en ahlauf gstartet! hmm schlecht ischs nöd, aber chan au wenig sege, wommer speziell gfalle het.
This was an alright album, pretty meh, but it was manageable having it in the background.
A perfectly serviceable, late-60s sounding, psychedelic pop/rock album with some standout moments. I listen to this occasionally and enjoy it but I feel I need to damn it with faint praise. It has an aura aspiring to greatness, but to my ears it doesn’t quite achieve its goal. Certainly decent but I can easily think of 5 contemporaneous albums that do the same thing better.
This was fine - nothing special but not unbearable to listen to.
Pretty standard early 70’s rock.
Never heard this before. Not bad.
I had to start and stop more than I usually do, so unfortunately I didn't get a good judgement of how cohesive it was. I liked them more than the Beatles 🤷♂️
Two albums in a row from people who collaborated with Neil Young but aren't as good as him. So.e decent tracks here but overall not very special.
3.5. Pretty good. I was surprised. Wine and weed recommended
Great Songs: Nature's Way, Street Worm, Good Songs: Prelude - Nothin' to Hide, Animal Zoo, Mr. Skin, Space Child, When I Touch You, Life Has Just Begun, Morning Will Come, Rougher Road, Red Light Roll On Mid Songs: Love Has Found a Way, Why Can't I Be Free, Soldier Bad Songs:
Good classic rock sound from a group that isn't well known today.
3/5 - pretty cool stuff, not something I'd listen to regularly but I like the sound throughout
Funky 70’s rock. I dig it
Rv
I enjoyed this psychedelic/prog rock album! I’d never heard of Spirit before so it was fun to listen to a new band and album. There were parts of the album that were very out there and eccentric which I enjoyed. Overall, I felt like this album was a groovy good time and I would definitely give it another listen in the future!
A firm 2.5. Some excellent moments and some very turgid bits. Interesting sounds though
Different
A lot less psychedelic than I was expecting, which works out in its favour. Mr Skin was the strongest track on first listen, although I also enjoyed Morning Will Come. Think I need to revisit, but for now I'll give it a 3.