Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Decent psychedelic prog rock, but not particularly memorable.
< The Beatles No thank you
Very generic
It's alright, but not essential at all. Favorite song: nothin' to hide.
Didn’t move the needle very much in either direction, just ok
Honestly, this was a fun record. More on the jazzy side of psychedelic compared to the Doors or Jefferson Airplane, but I’m shocked this is the first time I’ve heard of this band. Definitely one of my favorite finds so far this project.
Another fairly boring album, in the background is fine
No thanks
I have nothing to say
Couple of decent songs, the rest was definitely... present? Feel like it doesn't really know what it wants to be
Fun psychedelic pop.
This is a tough one for me to rate, because my personal enjoyment was a 3 or maybe 3.5. However, I can respect the songwriting and musicianship and what it would have been to those that heard it in 1970. There are no bad songs, in my opinion, and if it hit with someone, I could see it being a very strong, powerful album. Therefore, I'm putting it at a 4 for this scale.
Uneventful. Not terrible
When folks on here complain about too much 70s rock, this is the kind of stuff I and they probably think about. There's not really that much of this sort, and seventies rock includes everything from blondie and television to pink floyd and zep so its a dumb argument. Anyway this felt pretty dispensable.
Not bad, not great. They’d make a great Led Zeppelin cover band. 😏
3.5
Definitely dated but I'll judge this through a 70's lens. This wasn't particularly memorable but I enjoyed it's vibe.
Weird, but fun
Masterpiece! It is one of my favorite albums!
6/10 Favourite: Street Worm Least Favourite: Why Can't I Be Free
Yes
Ez 4.5
Enjoyed. It’s like the Beatles and Air Supply had a kid.
This is the type of music one might have listened to while tracking down freshmen during 'hell week'. It doesn't hold up, and not sure it ever really was good enough in the first place. Not the worst thing I've ever heard though.
Oh, Man, I'm 20 years old, it's 1971, I got nothing to my name but a VW van and and me and my girlfriend are driving it across the country with the windows down and we're totally jamming out to this album on 8 track, man. By time we hit track 7 we're stoned out of our minds, and by time the album ends we're making love in the back of the van. Wait a sec, who's driving? Wait a minute, I'm a WFH engineer in my 40s and it's 2025. On second thought, I'll pass on this album.
Walked Obe, first proper weather this year. Payed attention to the bees and flowers under Mt Majura. 30/09/25
Another one of those wacky late '60s/early '70s American psych-rock albums that this list seems to love throwing at me. While the music on these records tends to lean into weirder directions, I feel like I've heard from enough of Spirit's contemporaries to say that I didn't find much here that was unique or even all that interesting. This album, in particular, didn't really strike the balance between enjoyable and experimental that I'm usually looking for with these albums. Instead, songs just sort of stutter along, with no discernible structure or direction. I did still really enjoy many songs in the second half, especially 'When I Touch You', 'Soldier', and 'Morning Will Come'. But this is definitely a sound I'm starting to get a bit tired of.
Bit boring, very okay.
Everytime I see a psychedelic album from the 60’s/70’s, I brace myself for music that only assessable to people on drugs. Like a cheesy relic that’s only here because the author of this list grew up with them and is now forcing us to listen to it, which seems to be the case with some of the other psych albums. This one, however, was pretty good. I might just saying that because it’s also prog, but this one subverted my expectations. This had some nice melodies and harmonies without going overboard on the acid trip. It could use a little fine tuning for the last few tracks, as I felt it start to fall off a bit. But if I’m forced to hear god knows how many psych albums on this list, I might as well single out the good ones, and this one is one of them. Favorite track: Nature’s Way Other hits: Animal Zoo, Space Child, Mr. Skin, Love Has Found A Way, Prelude- Nothin’ to Hide, Life Has Just Begun
Lite för fjantigt för mig men de är ju uppenbart duktiga
This one was not bad. I enjoyed many of the tracks but wasn't totally taken by the album. Some of them sounded like the grateful dead which was interesting. Between 3 and 4 stars - so a soft 4.
It was good. Solid. No complaints.
I refer you to my... oh never mind 😐
Some bits great, other bits rough. Really couldn't decide on this one!
Never heard any of this music before! Great album, sounds very edgy for 1970. Would like to listen to it again and pay closer attention to the lyrics.
Cool in theory, and I get why people rate it highly, but it didn’t leave a huge impact on me. Some psychedelic moments were fun and weird, but a lot of it just blurred together. Not boring, just not that memorable either. Solid but nothing I’ll revisit.
A nifty album that I likely won't listen to again.
A good recommendation? In this challenge? That’s crazy
Good ol' 70s rock 'n roll! Never get tired of these guys.
A psychedelic rock essential from 1970! Can't believe it's here in the challenge, but I won't complain!
Interesting
I enjoyed it. I thought it would a little more wild by the name but it was pretty normal
Groupe inconnu. Par contre je connaissais "Nature's Way" par sa reprise dans l'album 'Blood' de 'This Mortal Coil' (pas dans la liste ... dommage). Cet album est original et varié, avec des morceaux intéressants comme 'Nothin' to Hide' ou 'Space Child'. Les structures sont peu standard, ce qui pousse à écouter la suite. Et on y trouve aussi quelques chorus de sax et guitare réussis. Une bonne découverte donc, que je prendrais plaisir à ré-écouter mais qui ne rejoindra probablement pas ma collection (il contient un peu de remplissage aussi). =>3.5/5
Way too unfocussed and meandering for my liking, even if it did have the occasional good moment. It's clear that a lot of skill and effort went into this, but I'm not convinced by the outcome.
Very good album, varied styles of jazz, folk and rock with some proggy elements. Lead guitar is insanely good. You can hear elements of early Zeppelin. Will definitely check out their other work.
The variety on here was good, I liked when they rocked out a bit more than the proggy stuff on the a side but lots to like here
Nondescript
Okay. Kind of boring.
Different. It wasn't bad. I definitely got how well produced it is.
6/10
For a psych rock album, this one is okay but it's not really that special, nothing really stands out about it. It's fine, just not much more than mid.
The songs in this album are so varied that it’s still fun to listen to but I didn’t really feel anything stood out in particular.
The "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" is a competent album. The performances and arrangements are solid, and the vocals are strong. Produced by David Briggs, known for his work with Neil Young, the album’s sound quality remains impressive for a nearly 55-year-old recording. However, the album struggles to live up to its ambitious title. The "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" promises a journey into the strange or psychedelic, yet the music is surprisingly conventional and polished for its time. It lacks the harder edge that could have made it truly memorable. For me, the highlights are the tracks "When I Touch You" and "Morning Will Come." The standout song, however, is "Red Light Roll On" from the extended album, which hints at the creativity the rest of the album lacks. Overall, while there’s little to fault, there’s also nothing that truly captivates. The album is good, but it doesn't do enough to earn more than a three-star rating. Would I buy or listen to this album again? No! I wouldn't buy or listen to this album again. Side one 1 "Prelude – Nothin' to Hide"- (3/5) 2 "Nature's Way"- (3/5) 3 "Animal Zoo"- (3/5) 4 "Love Has Found a Way"- (3/5) 5 "Why Can't I Be Free"- (3/5) 6 "Mr. Skin"- (3/5) Side two 7 "Space Child" (instrumental)- (3/5) 8 "When I Touch You"- (4/5) 9 "Street Worm"- (3/5) 10 "Life Has Just Begun"- (3/5) 11 "Morning Will Come"- (4/5) 12 "Soldier"- (3/5) Total - 38 Average - 3.17 97/1001
Really like this. Cool guitars, vocal harmonies, variety in the songs. Maybe seemed a little disconnected at times but, considering the title, maybe that's intentional?
Not heard of this band before but was pleasantly surprised. Although I wouldn't say I loved the whole album but quite a few songs. Would listen to again
Banger of the Album: Prelude - Nothin' to Hide Some really good tracks but not really enough for a second listen. Both love and hate when the first song of an album is my favourite.
Really enjoyed this one and it's the first one so far that I've re-listened to in the same day. Nice follow on from Zeppelin yesterday with hints of Rush and The Beatles. Enjoyed the percussion, big harmonies and brass sections.
3,5
i like it a bit better than average 3.5/5
Weird rock band/ ambience. One big hit. One hit wonders.
Never in a million, billion years have I heard of this band, and never in a similar timeframe would I listen to this album were it not for this site. That's a thing of beauty - may as well just crack this one open. Ah, more psychedelic music from the time. I'm coming around this genre - there's been some solid vocal performances and unique instrumentals thus far. This album continues that trend, featuring some unique songwriting and instrumentals. It isn't revolutionary or as out-there as the heavy hitter psychedelic albums, but for what it is it's pretty damn good. If I'm to quibble, I must admit that the album somewhat loses me at around the halfway point. It largely feels like it's pottering in place after the previous tracks. "Nature's Way" has a good vocal performance, and I enjoy the heavy acoustic guitar strumming. "Animal Zoo" is a similarly fun jig. Great chorus, and the almost rockabilly sound was fun to nod along to. "Space Child" has a phenomenal piano number, and the cosmic sound which the track adopts from the minute mark onward is excellent. Great track through and through, may very well be my favourite from the album. "Life Has Just Begun" features another great acoustic guitar performance and some solid vocals. I quite liked this, though I'm gonna check the book regardless. A whole lotta nothing in there outside of the album being a product of adversity. Wikipedia reveals that this album flopped at the time, but was more warmly received in the years following. I'm willing to stick my neck out for this album. I thought it was pretty alright, and I think some of the quirks in the instrumentation make it a worthwhile listen.
The kind of goofy, irreverent goodness that makes 60's psychedelia not only tolerable, but thoroughly enjoyable.
It was fine.
Nothin’ to Hide // Animal Zoo // When I Touch You //
A bit rocky a bit unusual
I liked it
Clunky and jangly…did not enjoy
Only knew Spirit because their estate sued Led Zep for Stairway to Heaven. The band name is crap, the album name is crap, the cover is crap but the music was amazing. Got to the end and had to relisten, this is why we do this list
This was a decent, interesting listen. Animal zoo a highlight
Nothing particularly wrong with the album, but nothing particularly good about it either. 6/10
This is ass. Not offensively bad, just ass. Don't know if this was considered ground breaking but it's ass Some songs are merely fairly ass rather than straight ass but I can't think of a set of circumstances in which I would ever listen to this again
Soldier on and listen to this Animal Zoo of an album, Space Child.
This album is just beautiful. How does this get often overlooked? Great 60's psych that is fun to pick apart
synes egentlig det er meget godt, det er sådan noget psykedelisk rock blandet med jazz osv. Det er ikke et album som solgte særlig meget, men det er blevet en cult klassiker med tiden. handler om menneskelig natur, miljø og eksistentielle refleksioner. Ny genre er proto-prog men også forbundet med art rock hvor der er jazzet elementer og mange instrumentelle og lange passager.
These guys completely fell through the cracks of late 90s VH1 boomer nostalgia shows, which is the only way I know of most of their peers. I'm sort of indifferent to the folkier stuff, but the more sonically experimental tracks are fun to listen to.
I have some nostalgia for this one
This one annoyed the hell out of me at first, and the edge didn't really come off after repeated spins. There's obviously some musical talent, but the message is a bit ham handed in retrospect. The Me. Skin-Space Child back-to-back was just about more than I could endure.
This strikes me as the equivalent of a “made for TV” rock opera: adequate but not terribly compelling.
Really surprised they did not get radio play. Solid sound, good horns, and harmonies are on point.
It's not bad. A little Who, a little Tull, a little CSN. Nothing grabbed me, though.
classic
I know the band and the more recent headlines over the stolen intro to "Stairway To Heaven" but I've never given them much of a listen. They never got any airtime on classic rock radio when I was growing up - they never came up on my radar like other fringe bands with one hit or a cult following (Mott The Hoople, Uriah Heap, Molly Hatchet, etc). I can see why now, pretty average and sorta tame from start to finish on this one. "Nature's Way" was the one song with a substantial listen count (4M) but it was a short song with layers & some catchiness but nothing special. "Mr. Skin" was the best track, by far, and sounded like a well developed song that could have been a hit, but wasn't. I got a touch of Soundgarden on "When I Touch You". The lead singer's voice is weak, so the layered vocals help quite a bit. I really didn't enjoy "Love Has Found A Way", it hasn't aged well and sounds like a song from a 70's B-Movie. The latter part of the album, tracks 9 on down were below average. Overall, it wasn't an album I needed to listen to before I die. I am glad I dove in and tried Spirit though. 2 stars is the best I can do on this one.
Aren’t these the guys that wrote Stairway to Heaven? Ha ha, no they are not. This is actually better than I thought it would be, but I can seen why it’s sort of in the musical history dustbin. I gave it an extra star for surprising me.
dálítið proggkennt rokk. saxófón þvælist um. gæti vaxið. fær aðra. 3,5.
I was ready to write this record off before it even began, but it was a genuinely fun listen. There are some awesome guitar parts, and its just a handful of the more strange songs that keep it from being a big winner for me. Best Track: Morning Will Come
A lot of “not bad but not anything spectacular” albums at the moment - I did like the sax parts in this album, so that made it a lil more listenable.
A rather uninspiring album that doesn't offer much. Like it's listenable but not that exciting.
I’m a big fan of this. Had never heard of it before, but damn. Listening to Mr Skin followed by Space Child through my headphones after smoking some green, I felt like I finally understood the depictions of weed in the 70s. What a moment this album gave me. Thank you!
I know nothing of this band, but their Wikipedia page is an entertaining read. I liked more of this than I expected ("Street Worm" especially), but I wouldn't say it's my thing.
I would say that the lyrics are beyond ponderous, but considering the lead singer was 19, still way less ponderous than what I would have written (and did in fact write) at that age. Randy California is also an incontrovertibly fun name and I'm sad that there is not a guy named Randy California still around. His name alone gives this an extra star.
Nice album, listened to on the way to anime nyc
6/10, kind of bland - very similar to led zeppelin / jimi hendrix
Really groovy and full of plenty of classic psychedelic rock and progressive rock bonafides and licks. Feels very in line with Led Zeppelin and other contemporary bands, first half of the album was stronger, the middle has some interesting tracks but they kinda blended together on first listen, plenty of fuzz and soulful melodies to boot as well, as my first ever Spirit album (and first album as part of this 1001 albums journey) this was a solid listen and definitely has me more interested in listening to Spirt and other similar bands from the late 60s and 70s whose musical influences are clear in some of the major bands of the time. Highlight tracks: Prelude - Nothin' to Hide, Nature's Way, Space Child, Life Has Just Begun, Morning Will Come
Alright. Kind of a wide variety of sounds between the tracks. I was expecting more to be honest, it was pretty mediocre and I didn't recognize any sounds that seemed influential on later music but that could be due to gaps in my knowledge.
Started out pretty well but tapered off by the end. Not something I’d revisit but definitely an interesting listen.
Is that Quark on the cover? Never would have thought that he had the lobes for this type of music. Anyway, it's kind of impossible to guess what the next song is going to be like, but I'm not sure they're really excelling at any of these styles? Points for trying, of course, but I'm not going to listen to these guys again
Re-listen
Pretty fun.
I couldn't really get into this one. I mean, it wasn't BAD, but it just felt like a collection of songs with no coherent theme. Also, kind of same-y with a lot of other bands of that era.
1-7/10 2-7/10 3-4.6/10 4-2/10 5-int 6-4/10 7-1/10 zapomnialem ze zyje taka nudna 8-5/10 intro zjebane 9-5/10 każda piosenka brzmi prawie identycznie 10-4/10 11-4/10 12-6/10 5.5/10 średni album, nie przedlużął się ale był nudny i za mało dobrych kawałków raczej nie powrócę.
Enjoyed this one a lot. Some great songs. It is admittedly a bit all over the place but still a fun listen.
What a fun album! Doesn’t feel like a ton of deep substance on first listen so 4 stars for me, would relisten.
Groovy. 4
Interesting sound but it didn't wow me
Spirit -Twelve Dreams of Dr Sardonicus When I saw this was the album name, I just thought it was going to be one of those albums from the late 60s early 70s, that tries to be wacky and weird and just ends up being cringey and dated However, this album is great. Really enjoyed it. Easy listen, lots of catchy bits, really enjoyable 4/5
2.7 2x catch up 8/19
This sounds exactly like the sort of 70s psychedelic prog rock album that you would expect to hear from someone called “Randy California” (stop sniggering at the back!). It’s a varied mix of different styles and it feels like it influenced other bands - the track Space Child wouldn’t sound out of place on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis which came out four years after this. It’s also instructive to compare this with the 1990’s album Lazer Guided Melodies from Spiritualized that came up on my list yesterday - this is very much the sort of space rock that the latter album was trying (and failing) to emulate. Probably not the sort of thing I’d listen to regularly but a solid album nonetheless.
Ah, I'm a sucker for this kind of psychedelic, progressive sounds. I did not know them at all, and it's a great discovery. It's everything you could expect from this kind of bands from the seventies, with well constructed songs, talented musician and a really good production. At first I was barely paying attention, but as the album went on, I was really taken. Loved it.
Not quite what I was looking for
Utterly unmemorable.
Awful
Not a big fan.
Groovy prog rock, not much else to say. Though it may be just another 70s rock album I must say this one was quite good. Can’t hate on it just because of what it is.
Ihan menevää, ei sinänsä jäänyt hirveästi mieleen mitään
idk I guess there is a lot of back and forth on Led Zepplin and them. Some of it is fun but it's very long and a lot of it gets boring to me.
Look, it's alright. I'd rather listen to The Who
It’s alright. Fun even. A little all over the place I think. Not gonna be jumping back to it any time soon
A wide range of sounds without ever really falling in love with any of it. Can still see why it makes the list
I have really enjoyed the Spirit album. Sounds like four bands in one, but that's okay. So much music packed in.
There’s a chaotic amount of ingredients in this pot. Spirit never sit still. I don’t know if there’s one flavour I like enough to get me into the rest, but it’s interesting that it can fluctuate from (aptly) spiritual sounding music which is at one with nature and something a lot sillier and funkier.
Odd listening experience, about 6 of the songs make a beautiful cohesive psych folk record that i love, but the 6 blusier rocky tracks really disrupt the flow and overall affect for me, still just about levels out as a v low 4
If the animatronics from those 80s kids’ pizza party places cut a record…
This man couldn't hold a tune in a sack.
I liked what I think this album was trying to do, I think, but I did not like this album at all.
On principle, this kind of album is the true benefit of this list. Out of the way music you never would have discovered without being pointed towards it. Unfortunately, it sucks big time
It almost gets bluesy but then it doesn't really? I felt like I was forgetting every song by the time I got done with the next one. 2.5
Artistically very good and certainly not unlistenable like a lot of the albums in this genre ….. but just feels like its missing something to push it beyond middle of the pack. By the end it was just a bit boring
I really don’t know what to make of this - I’m not even sure if I liked it - but it certainly had my attention. I just don’t know if that was for good or bad reasons. Indisputable, however, is the fact that singer Jay Anderson’s best contribution to music is his work as Kevin’s guitar player in his tribute band in “The Office” (and his composing the theme tune to the show, I suppose).
This was a weird one. I got to the end, decided I had no idea what I thought about it, and listened to it again the next morning. I enjoyed Animal Zoo although was a bit puzzled by the lyric "Oh no, something went wrong Well, you’re much too fat and a little too long" so I had a look at Genius to see if anyone had an explanation: "Expresses Spirit’s belief that humans had become an aberration of nature, and built up civilization to the point where they were out of touch from the natural world." Yep, I wouldn't have got that in a million years. I liked Mr Skin too - organ, brass and the funky bass is a combo that I generally find hard to resist. As a whole, I think I've settled on liking it. I would like a 2.5, but.... 3/5
It's psychy, it's folky, a lil proggy: I dig it (closer to 3.5 than a 3). As is often the case with albums like this one I lean toward the more visceral sounding tracks (When I Touch You, Street Worm, even Space Child to a degree) and there's not quite as many of those as I'd like. I'm not blown away by at it but it's a thoroughly pleasant listen. Impressively clean recording for its time too.
it's just alright. the tracks feel a little bit scattered and all over the place, though.
This one’s a time capsule for sure. Psychedelic rock with a bit of folk and funk. Has that “stoned but trying” energy. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Nature's Way - Street Worm - Morning Will Come
Fine, but also kind of unexceptionable late 60s early 70s rock.
Some above average psychedelic rock. I'd throw this on anytime of day. Looking forward to more Spirit of it's on the list!
No idea who this band is. I swear I’ve heard “nature’s way”. All of this sounds familiar but I can’t place it. “Love has found a way” also sounds familiar. I can’t get a grip on this album. It sounds familiar, but not. Like a faded memory. I do like it though. So made it to the end. This album is strange because I swear I know it but can’t place it. Buts it’s good song writing.
Not bad
Liked it a lot. Surprisingly for the year it came out.
Definitely better than I thought it was going to be. But I don't think I'd never pick it back up. Solid 3 stars.
Holy shit, the lead singer composed the theme to The Office!
# 538 : Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit I can listen to it and it was kind of alright but quite forgettable. Nothing really stood out. Pick of the tracks : Animal Zoo Listened : 04/08/2025
A little too complicated as background music, but very fun
I see why people love them
1970.. fine
It sucks, what else do you want me to say? They called this psychedelic rock in 1970 because they invented weed in 1971 Fav song: Space Child
This was a hard one to rate. The songs were all over the place. Started out with some really nice guitar work in the Prelude. Nature's Way was also fun. Animal Zoo was a total blast to rock out to. Then it started to dip. The next few songs were not great. Came back a bit with When I Touch You and some fun shredding on Street Worm. Then it closed it with more mediocrity. Best song: Animal Zoo
Special Album for me! My dad gifted me this vinyl when he was visiting San Francisco! Now my son is all about it and hes only 1! Really love Animal Zoo and Mr Skin!
Enjoyed but doesn't feel like it coheres much as an album, or that it's as enduring as some psychedelic rock from the era. 3.5
Solid 4 star. Wasn't absolutely in love with it but I greatly enjoyed listening
Nothing special.
An alright album, I liked Love Has Found A Way the most.
Trippy !
01) Prelude – Nothin' to Hide - 7,0 02) Nature's Way - 7,5 03) Animal Zoo - 7,5 04) Love Has Found a Way - 6,5 05) Why Can't I Be Free - 6,5 06) Mr. Skin - 7,0 07) Space Child - 7,0 08) When I Touch You - 7,0 09) Street Worm - 6,0 10) Life Has Just Begun - 6,5 11) Morning Will Come - 7,0 12) Soldier - 7,0 TOTAL: 6,88 (69/100)
Pretty decent album. There are some songs like Animal Zoo and Love Has Found a Way that are a little too cheesy for me, but over all it is a good album. High 3.
2/5
One of the most played albums in university. Opened up my eyes to a whole world of non-radio music
Not nearly as trippy as the cover or title would have you believe. This is pretty straight-forward late-60s American rock with some nice Prog touches. The songs are good, and quick, and the lyrics are occasionally socially conscious. You never have to look at the track listing because the song names are always the part they sing over and over. If you have a friend who loves classic rock and you want to get them into Prog for some reason, this is a great place to start. THREE STARS
Strong 3. Glad to have experienced
Wow. This could become my standard as the best psychedelic rock album. It's so weird without being cheesy or unlistenable and the tracks are all over the place in the best possible way. New favorite. These finds are the reason I'm doing this list.
I didn't think I was going to enjoy this at all, but I kind of did. It's not perfect, but it's got a lot of charm and I don't think it ever became too full of itself. somewhere between a three and a four, for me.
Sounds like a Dead wannabe.
Turns out there may be such a thing as too much drugs after all
Pretty decent psychedelic rock. Would rate 3.5.
For the fact that I generally don't like psych rock, this was a really good album. It was really fun the whole way through and I like the more funky tracks like Mr. Skin.
Really groovy and spacey. I feel like the horns section (or that setting on the keyboard) was underutilized.
Artsy, psychodelic, a little tiring after a while
another surprise i never knew about that i loved. southern rock mixed with psych rock
Gostei do álbum, Animal Zoo foi minha música favorita
3/10
There's not a lot of albums that I would say this about, but it feels really disjointed or disconnected. There's not really any cohesiveness from song to song on the album. And maybe that's intentional? Because the songs do have a vibe of actually being someone's dreams. They don't really make perfect sense and have some psychedelic elements to them. The production is the highlight of this album. I don't really know how to articulate it well, but everything just sounds really great. Nothing ever feels like it's competing to be heard, and everything feels intentional. Favorite Song(s): Nature's Way, Soldier
I don’t know the band, but found this album perfectly adequate to listen to. Do the songs alone justify its inclusion on this list? Possibly not. Were they pioneering or influential enough to warrant selection that way? I’ve no idea, but Alt-J’s Left Hand Free appears to almost borrow a short vocal hook from Animal Zoo, so that’s something…
Decent 70s rock album. Has a little psychedelica mixed in.
‘Morning Will Come’ is excellent
The Good: We get Spirit! The Bad: It did not include alcohol… The Ugly: Trying to explain to our shrink all about the 12 dreams of Dr. Sardonicus without the shrink writing us up for being nutcases… As hard as I try, I do not recall having listened to any Spirit albums before in life, and potentially singles neither. However, I do recall having heard about the band, or even read about them… all very odd, and very much in line with having 12 dreams. What is interesting is that I listened to the album a couple of times in my office, with great speakers, and once in the car as background filler due to the co-passengers not being open for a sonic journey. They are totally different…. In my office the album comes over as much heavier, while in the car, at times, I was reminded of Jethro Tull, which really has little to do with Spirit, except that they both are labelled as prog rock… For this album, knowing that I will want to be reminded about it in the future, and give it at least 1 more spin, I will grant the 4* as the experience was, surprisingly, positive.
That was a fun listen.
I don't know if I really get Prog or Psychedelic Rock too heavily from this, but it was fine. Solid as an album but nothing really sticks out. Went back for a second listen and enjoyed it but did not find anything that made me want to chase after more. If it comes on I am sure I would listen but I will not be rushing out to purchase or chase the rest of their discography.
That’s an album title that screams prog rock. It was fine.
This is a pretty cool prog/psych record. I'm surprised this band isn't more popular. I hadn't ever heard of them but they sound like they could have inspired other 70s psych/prog bands.
This was cool. A lot of psych, rock and blues going on here. The songs are fun and interesting. It doesn't quite draw me in like many other artists of the time, but I did enjoy it.
Never heard this one before, but I liked it.
Loved the first half, liked the second - decent flow, nice to have prog elements that are in a tightly written shorter song
Better kind of 70s psychedelic rock
groovy shit
I enjoy getting a band like this that I've never heard of before - even if I am unlikely to go back to it
During the first track, I began to think this album would be a surprise hit with me, as I'd never heard of Spirit before, and the guitar work sounded great. Unfortunately, apart from the great guitar work present on most of the tracks, the overall experience didn't hold up. The weirdness just didn't resonate, so three stars is the most I can manage for this one.
4/5
Spirit crushed my spirit halfway through this tragedy.
3.5/5
Fun, funky, groovy. This record definitely fooled me as I thought it was much older than it is. Helmed by Neil Young, it makes more sense, but still, the music sounds like it's from the late 60's. Really cool vibe throughout with great instrumentation and vocals. Very jazzy and rocking feel, easy to listen to. I'd definitely listen again.
i love this for some reason
Gaat alle kanten op, soms wel nice.
It was surprisingly good. I didnt figure that an album from a band i had never heard from could be that good. I feel this album should be more well known with how much it sounds like other bands from that time.
se siente un poco all over the place la verdad, además de bastante largo. lo volvería a escuchar porque tiene algunos momentazos pero en general no me apasionó.
Very pleased with this one. I only know of their biggest hit but have never bothered to listen to them otherwise. Very much what I came to this project to find - something that I REALLY enjoy but have never heard. Consider me a fan.
This was cool. Great 70s rock. I was reminded a lot of the who. I’d listen again.
I was hoping for a little more out of this one. I liked “Animal Zoo” and “Street Worm”. “Natures Way” is one of those that has been spun to death on classic rock stations but it is a decent song. Outside of those I found this more or less average.
Another hopeful album that IMO falls a bit short. It was enjoyable to listen to and there are some cool moments here and there that clearly exhibit the musicianship. But, I found myself during each song hoping for a next-level that just never came. Its inclusion here is a bit of a head scratcher as there are other bands in the style and genre that are better and more memorable.
I guess I found this to be a bit of an odd listen at times. Kept waiting for that song or moment that would explain its inclusion, but never really came. Just felt like a band a level beneath its contemporaries. Just ok for me man
Cool album and interesting listen with some excellent parts. However, didn’t really grab me to go much higher than a solid 3. Might be a taste thing. Randy California is a pretty cool name. Damn…dude died at 45 while rescuing his son from a rip current.
This was an awesome surprise! The one-two punch of When I Touch You and Street Worm are alone worth the price of admission. Shame these guys were overlooked amongst the other psychedelic rockers of the late 60's/early 70's. Not ready to go full marks but def see this album as one that will get better with time/additional listens. Good stuff. 4/5
Hmmm idk about this one .. felt a little too theatrical for me. The songs are good, but like dial it down a smidge
Wow. Prog rock that doesn't get lost up its own fundament. I really enjoyed this album which, embarrassingly, I've never listened to before but which I happily listen to again in the future.
Very fun surprise. Keeps you on your toes throughout and some really great songs on here. It might've lost me a little at the very end but even those songs might end up growing on me. I love when an album I've never listened to demands a 5-star rating. Rating: 4.7
4.5
3.5
3.5
My best Discovery through this. Wonderfulalbum. 5 stars
Thought this was a pretty good album from a band that doesn't really get talked about that often. I probably enjoyed the first half a little more than the second half, but it's pretty solid. "Nature's Way" and "Animal Zoo" were the standouts for me. 3.5 stars.
4.5
Not in high spirits for this one. Deeply plain and average. Like a hokey mish mush of several dozen better late 60s/early 70s acts. I should sue the group and the author of 1001 over how utterly inessential this album is. Plus I swear Spirit ripped off the opening progression of listening to paint dry.
Surprisingly good. Didnt expect much when I started it, but this was pretty good.
I found this to be incredibly boring.
Pretty average 70s psychedelic rock I suppose. Not really my thing but it was pretty cool nonetheless
Meh. Probably good in its time.
Favorites: Nature’s Way, Animal Zoo, Mr. Skin Not my thing. I felt like this wasn’t 100% put-together and it didn’t leave a memorable impression on me. You can’t win them all, I suppose.
Interesting listen for sure. Enjoy some of the creativity shown here. The musicianship is great and it feels like if psychedelic rock was a little less pretentious. Not saying psychedelic rock is pretentious, just that this album is a little less than that. I would definitely give this another listen.
had a couple songs, like "Morning Will Come" that had some fun bounce to them but, overall, I wasn't really into this band. 2.5 rounding down.
Total surprise. I like what is going on here. It definitely feels like an important bridge between folk of the 60s and the rock of the 70's. I would definitely add it to my collection.
The Who + Jethro Tull + T Rex...maybe?
not suuuper interesting but i liked it
I'm beginning to think that in the late-60's or early-70's it must have been easier for bands to become "famous" because there just were less of them, and without the internet, music scenes were more localized. Otherwise, how would a band like Spirit ever make it onto a list of best ever anything? No wonder the only thing notable about them is they tried to claim Led Zeppeling copied "Stairway to Heaven" from them, which, judging by the quality of the music here, sounds pretty delusional. (I know that song isn't on here, but I have heard it and it's a stretch).
Favorite Track: Nature’s Way
After a spectacular run of albums, I dreaded seeing this record pop up, another '70s psych rock (?) record from dustbin of history. Turns out it's not bad! Really breaking barriers by being a white band that Zeppelin ripped off.
This was just okay. There was nothing on the album that particularly grabbed me, but it certainly wasn’t the worst album I’ve listened to. As a concept album there wasn’t a lot of cohesion. The vocals were meh. It just all felt like an impersonation of a psych rock band and it didn’t really work for me.
Very 60s, hippyish stuff, wasn't keen on his voice
One of those albums that I had to listen to a few times to get my head around. I didn't know it at all, or the background to Randy California. It's a really good, interesting album full of tunes and sound. I have been a bit mean on marking with a lot of stuff on this project and I think this is something that really deserves listening to.
it was fine
Listened to the original release 12 songs. Kinda standard hippie rock -- didn't seem all that noteworthy, but still OK. Best track: Street Worm
The only thing I know about Spirit going in is that Led Zeppelin ripped off Taurus. This whole album will be a surprise. Ok so maybe it was not so much of a surprise. It sounds like any number of bands of this kind from the time. It could be The Band, Country Joe & the Fish, CS&N, Humble Pie, etc. etc. I don't know what else to say. It's ok but very dated sounding in a generic sort of way. 2.5/5 rounding down.
I always dread 70's blues rock coming up on this list not because I dislike them, but because I feel like theres nothing interesting to say about the records? Like this album is fine. 3/5 for me, but I just don't really got much to say. It's a little more interesting a listen than most psychedelic/blues rock, got some more interesting stuff going on, but still can't really point anything out. Really only thing I can say is this band sounds at their best when they're more in a folk rock mode as opposed to blues or psychedelic rock. Also, is this just the band that everyone and their mom rips off? I know of the Taurus/Stairway allegations, but Jesus, so much of this album sounds like later music I've heard. Like Animal Zoo I feel sounds like Steal My Sunshine by Len. They're definitely not the same, but they're similarish, lol.
Never heard of these guys, and I can see why. Kind of forgettable 70s music. Did get slightly better whenver they added horns. Essential listening... Nah.
It is listenable and alright, but I feel like I'm hearing the same thing over and over again. This was a little before my time.
Not my favorite. I like some songs by Spirit. "The Other Song" is an amazing showcase of their skills. But this album was too scattered for me
Never heard of this band in my life and quite enjoyed the album. This is probably just the right amount of weird for me - some infuence of prog and psychadelica but it's quite absorbing and not too pretentious. There's a nice variety in these songs, a bit of heavier rock, some is a bit spaced out and dreamy, there's horns, and all sorts going on. I wonder if I just have a short attention span sometimes but I like this in an album and you never get bored of this
I had actually never heard of these guys before, which is kind of weird considering how influential they seem to be. This album was definitely a fun one. It starts off as more of a classic ’70s rock record with some jazz influences, but as it goes on, the progressive and psychedelic elements start to come through more strongly. By the time you’re deeper into the album, it really leans into a space rock vibe. It was produced by David Briggs, and that definitely helped bring out the more experimental side of the album, with tape manipulation, layered multitracking, and all kinds of effects that give it a distinct texture. This feels like one of those albums that a lot of casual listeners might overlook, but the bands they love were absolutely influenced by this one, or by Spirit in general.
Alarm bells ringing with another 70's rock band that I've never heard of. It was a bit of a false alarm though, there are actually some decent songs in here towards the end of the album in 'When I Touch You', 'Life Has Just Begun', and 'Morning Will Come'. Overall, it sounds surprisingly clean and decent for when it was made. It feels like it reminds me of some other band, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I like that there is quite a mix of songs on here as well with some rockier ones, some more experimental and lounge:y ones in 'Love Has Found a Way', and so on. Wasn't exactly stunned by this, but after finishing it I feel like it was not that bad.
Hm… a band I never heard of, from the 70s, that plays psychedelic rock and it was actually good! My god, that doesn’t happen often. There were plenty of songs with different feel, like the rocky “Mr Skin” or the ballad “Nature’s Way”. Felt a bit like listening to a mix of Rainbow and Led zeppelin at times. Especially during the track “When I touch you”. The general feel of the album is great and the vocals are really good. I thought I had my fill of 70s psychedelia but I need to listen more to Spirit apparently. A really good find!
En god gang psykedelisk rock, lidt blandede genre, helt ok
Not for me. The musicianship was fine, the lyrics appeared to be there just to deliver the vocals and didn’t really improve the tracks they were on. Though they were pleasant. It’s ok to have on in the background but not a “stop and listen to” , at least for me.
Rating: 8/10 Best described as spacey sexy prog rock, great production and songwriting throughout.
This is prog? This was fine, like a milder Led Zeppelin or something. 3*
A solid album of psychedelic rock that flows by like a cool breeze. Consistent from beginning to end with no song that really stands out but the consistency from one song to the next makes it a highly listenable album. 4 stars
An album that sounds very much of its time, but better than most of the early 1970s albums. Great guitar tone, good mix, fantastic drummer. An eclectic collection of rock, jazz, and folk that was pretty forward thinking for 1970. My favorites were "Mr. Skin" and "Space Child". Strangely I did not enjoy "Nature's Way". The album name was probably inspired by the 1961 horror/thriller film MR. SARDONICUS.
Album starts off on a good note, with both Nothin’ To Hide and Nature’s Way well written songs with fun instrumentation and some nice vocal harmonies. Love Has Found A Way has some fun synths under a pleasant vocal track with fairly uninspired lyrics. Nice ton of interesting sounds and experimentation in the middle (Mr. Skin to Street Worm) makes the album keep my attention.
Wavey
I keep coming back for albums like this. Funny how the contributors get it so right and wrong at the same time.
Nothing really remarkable. Standard classic rock I guess.
A very distinctive style and calm songs for the afternoon. Not too remarkable in my opinion, but good to listen to every once in a while.
I feared the worst when I saw the association with Neil Young on the wiki page, but this was alright. I enjoyed recognising the sample Aim used on Cold Water Music.
An album I’ve never heard of from a band that I have never heard of. This was a pleasant surprise. Upon further research I now know this is the group Jimmy Page stole stairway from. This album was really great. Reminded me of The Kinks and XTC. Favorite songs were Nature’s Way, Animal Zoo, Mr. Skin, and Street Worm.
Toca hoy jueves otra banda que desconozco de éste reto. Suena muy a los 70s, tranca y fogonero, con voces que de a momentos me recuerdan a Deep Purple y a otras bandas de esa época. Linda recomendación. Hasta mañana, que cerramos la primera semana completa de mayo.
Enjoyed it a lot
I for sure like some tracks more than others on this one, but I guess that's the nature of experimentation. For some reason the intro riff of 'Morning Will Come' reminds me quite a bit of "Sex On Fire" by "Kings of Leon" Standouts Prelude - Nothin' To Hide Nature's Way Morning Will Come 3/5
If I have to listen to one more fucking psychadelic rock album I'm going to explode.
Sådär! Velar mellan en tvåa och trea. Får se imorgon vilket det blir.
Not a bad listen.
Funky and cool. For 1970 I'm sure it was groundbreaking
Having zero knowledge of Spirit, even after listening to their top streams on Spotify, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. This album wasn't anything amazing but it fits the title of the list. There is so much great music from this era and I could write a list 10 pages long of the great band, albums, and songs from the years surrounding this album (1970) and would have never mentioned Spirit nor this album. I was born in the 80s, so it wasn't something I would have been around in my personal environment, even though this was my dad's era of music and in line with his tastes (but my dad isnt much of a musicophile). This album was strong and captivating. It had a good mix of what the late 60s psychedelic rock was becoming and also stepping into it's own lane and being slightly unique. It had a darker vibe than a lot of it's contemporaries (even in a genre that got pretty heavy/dark at times), but they found a way to make it feel like you were drowning in their drug fueled existence. I will be giving this another go for sure and will dive into the rest of Spirits catalog as well. 6.8/10 #35/1001
Haven't listened to this since high school. This one really aged well.
Oh, wait... these are the guys that did "I Got a Line on You"? Why didn't we listen to that one? Never mind. Looks like it was only released as a single or on compilation albums. Still, that nugget of information sent me down a rabbit hole and I now feel qualified to say that "Spirit of '76" is the more worthy album by Spirit. Let's tack on an extra half-star because the lead singer changed his name from the perfectly cool Randy Wolfe to the even cooler "Randy California".
I listened to it yesterday. It was fine. I don't remember it already.
A little harder to get through, good music though it was hard to stay focused
Entertaining enough album, wouldn't see it's anything remarkable though 3*
8/10 Well, ok then. Never knowingly heard Spirit before, but I thought this was rather awesome. They sound like they're having fun and have a sense of humour. They know how to rock and how to write a song. Thank you 1001 STHBYD
Album is really neat. Every song has a different sound. I love the variety of different instruments being played in different songs Mr Skin is a tune. Street Worm and Space Child are great too.
I quite liked this. Good variety. My favourites were Space Child and Life Has Just Begun.
I thought this was gonna be cool after the first track, but it's just a bloated album with way too many ideas and no real direction. The lyrics are sorta wack too. It's got good instrumentation though, I'll give it that.
I'd never really listened to Spirit, and with the cover art and the year it was made I was expecting more self indulgent white boomer blues and hippie noodling, but I really liked this album. It's well produced, interestingly arranged, and the compositions are solid if not overwhelmingly brilliant.
Sounded modern for a 1970s album. Not one bad song.
Rock from 1970.
“mr. skin” was the first one i really vibed with (not to say the starting tracks weren’t good). props to “space child” (a whole instrumental song!) everything else was okay. for some reason the album cover got my hopes up. 3/5.
Would rather listen to Led Zeppelin backward at the bottom of a pool than listen to this.
Većinom je kao neka prog folk uspavanka, s izuzetkom par zanimljivijih pjesama koje opet nisu ništa spektakularno.
I don’t usually do this, but something grabbed me on the first listen, so I went back and gave it a couple more plays. And yeah—this album’s seriously good. I’ve heard the first two Spirit albums before, but never got around to this one. Awesome choice for the list.
Definitely a few good tunes that were a product of the times. Or maybe Spirit was what influenced the sound of the times.
Had a big 70s feel to it. Wasn't bad.
Never listened to this band before, but didn't dislike it. Actually, I kind of think I liked a lot of it. I'll need to listen to this one again to be sure.
Fun to listen to
Great guitar and bass tone and really well produced but, just didn’t grab me
relatively easy to listen to compared to some of the other albums from this era and genre on this list. to me, it still sounds mostly goofy and dated in a way that makes me not especially want to return, despite all the reviews that seem to indicate it's worth a relisten.
This was such an unexpected 5 star! Going in to this I thought oh here we go again another 70s album. But there was something about this that just stood out? I'd never even heard of Spirit! Very good songs, I really enjoyed it! 5 ⭐️
Interesting album. It is categorized as psychedelic rock, but it sounds more like T. Rex than Jefferson Airplane.
A tad slow for me. Meh.
Not to judge a book by it's cover (or in this case, an album) but the moment I saw the name/cover for this album I knew what the score was going to be. I was right. 4/10
Ok but not very remarkable
This is better than many of its contemporaries, but still lacks enough distinctiveness for anything above a 4.
psychedelic rock...... niinkös...alkaa vituttaa tuo..
So so
Psychedelic prog is my weak spot. This is really amazing. Love the vocal harmonies and the eclectic mix of styles.
I have never heard of/noticed this band before but I really enjoyed this album. It is very of its time, which is to its merit and its detriment. They have the deft use of harmonic composition of The Beatles, the progressive inclinations of Focus, and the vocal effects and melodies of Led Zeppelin amongst others. But a lot of it just sounds like 70s "stuff" and its hard to separate it from a lot of the mainstream stuff of the era.
Quite a bit of this album felt familiar. I liked every song in the album.
Honestly this seems more like a collection of tracks, than a cohesive album. That means a lack of direction, but it also means that there's a ton of variety, and no stretch of tracks really outstay their welcome. I think this list has more psychedelic rock than could be called essential, but this is one of the better offerings.
3/12, 25%
Jakoś sprawiła mi dużą przyjemność. Dawno nie słuchałam niczego z początków lat 70. i oh, jak dobrze było wrócić w te czasy. I chyba trzeba zostać na dłużej.
I have never heard of Spirit before today, it's not bad. The songs are pretty chilled out to listen to, probably good for background music. Some of the songs are pretty interesting and maybe a bit experimental. Still cool though.
This was fun. Weird but not too out there. It still was a bit to 70s for me but I liked it alright.
Started out as a 3, but as the album went on I was like "Huh, these songs kinda slap." and continuously added more and more songs to my library from a band I had not even heard of previously. Underrated band for sure.
Listened to it, definitely not minding it. But later I could not recall what it sounded like. At all. I guess a fine but non memorable experience
It’s okay, but pretty forgettable. Nice guitar solos & keys, plunky bass, and inoffensive vocals. Standout track is: Mr. Skin.
Can say I've ever listened to Spirit - definitely nothing on this album. Standouts were "Mr. Skin" and "When I Touch You" and "Nature's Way". It was a fine album but a little dated that took me back to my preteen years (although probably never heard it back then). Don't hate, don't love though.
i do not have very much to say about this