Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

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

These guys aren't bad but they are kind of lame

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

Oh boy, another 70's rock album. Not bad, not great, just kinda there.

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.

A nice psychedelic album this. Interestingly, no two tracks sound the same: horn section here, swirling keyboards there, guitar chops on full over there. Not too bad actually; give it a whirl.

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

This was enjoyable but I’m not sure I’d come back to it.

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.

Spirit was a highly regarded rock band that achieved modest commercial success, charting 11 albums in the U.S. between 1968 and 1977. Founded in Los Angeles in 1967 by musicians who had a mixture of rock, pop, folk, blues, classical, and jazz backgrounds, and who ranged in age from 16 to 44, the group had an eclectic musical style in keeping with the early days of progressive rock; they were as likely to play a folk ballad featuring fingerpicked acoustic guitar, a jazz instrumental full of imaginative improvisation, or a driving rhythm tune dominated by acid rock electric guitar playing. "Animal Zoo" is probably my favorite. Overall, a good album. "Rougher Road" and "Red Light Roll On" were also good tracks.

It was fine

This is about the time that rock music was getting really mainstream (and generic), but there are still some solid songs on here.

I could actually here some Bowie-isms in here, this is literally a few weeks after ‘the man who sold the world’ though so I doubt it’s intentional. Also as reviews have said, definitely led zep inspired. Natures way is a brilliant song, sounds like it could’ve been a hit! The next track animal zoo is great but I don’t get why it was lead single over natures way. Mr skin feels like the ‘fuck it lets have fun’ track that many old British albums have. The guitar in street worms verses make me think of inspector gadget lol. Rest kinda passed through me

There are some good songs here but overall it feels a little too all over the place to really captivate. It's interesting as a document of the time when psychedelia was morphing into prog rock. "Nature's Way" has an eerily prescient, perennial message.

Hmm. Dated but has some interesting ideas.

It had some high moments, but it's a little too homogenous for me to really love it. It kind of falls into the same vein as a lot of other classic rock for me, where it's good but really nothing exception. Rock has certainly gotten much better since this time. Favorites: Love Has Found a Way, Morning Will Come

Yeah man a bit funky a bit old school rock ans rnb. Did enjoy

long and fun

Rocky, jazzy, psychedelic good time

It has hints of the Ozark mountain daredevil. But not as good

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Sounds like what it is, nothing more, nothing less

Others have said it, but this album might have been pretty good if this list had not already overexposed me to psychedelic rock like it. I respect they wanted it to feel scattered and disorienting, so… bravo?!?

Funny that I have only ever heard one of these songs since they are of my era. Pretty good

It was alright, definitely listenable

Interesting album. Enjoyed some parts of it Standout songs: Mr Skin Street worm

thought i was going to like this a lot more! :/ nothing really stuck out to me, which is unfortunate because i thought i liked Spirit more.

Not my bag

1. Fever 2. Nightmare 3. Lucid 4. Sardonic 5. Doctor's office 6. Realistic 7. Wet 8. Forgetful 9. Field of 10. Sports 11. Afterlife 12. Bizarre

Very average album - no songs I liked listening to enough to add to my liked playlist, but none that I disliked enough to skip the song

Mixed bag. Some songs were amazing but then the next would be a totally different vibe. Whiplash

barely listened :( liked what I heard, very fun and upbeat

Decent psychedelic prog rock, but not particularly memorable.

It's alright, but not essential at all. Favorite song: nothin' to hide.

Fun psychedelic pop.

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.

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

6/10 Favourite: Street Worm Least Favourite: Why Can't I Be Free

Yes

It was good. Solid. No complaints.

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.

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

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

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

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.

3,5

i like it a bit better than average 3.5/5

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.

A bit rocky a bit unusual

I liked it

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

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.

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.

It's not bad. A little Who, a little Tull, a little CSN. Nothing grabbed me, though.

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.

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.

6/10, kind of bland - very similar to led zeppelin / jimi hendrix

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.

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.

Interesting sound but it didn't wow me

2.7 2x catch up 8/19

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

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.

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

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.

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

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!

1970.. fine

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

Nothing special.

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.

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

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.

Pretty decent psychedelic rock. Would rate 3.5.

Artsy, psychodelic, a little tiring after a while

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

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 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.

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.

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.

Gaat alle kanten op, soms wel nice.

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.

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.

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.

Pretty average 70s psychedelic rock I suppose. Not really my thing but it was pretty cool nonetheless

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.

The Who + Jethro Tull + T Rex...maybe?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

En god gang psykedelisk rock, lidt blandede genre, helt ok

This is prog? This was fine, like a milder Led Zeppelin or something. 3*

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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".

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*

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.

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.

Većinom je kao neka prog folk uspavanka, s izuzetkom par zanimljivijih pjesama koje opet nisu ništa spektakularno.