Reviews (page 6 of 7)
when i opened this album and saw 70s psych rock i dreaded what id be listening to. coming out of it though, 12 Dream is way fresher than I thought it would sound going in. the electric guitar heavy songs are solid, melodic psych rock but what is really interesting is the less guitar-focused tracks. they are honestly edging pretty close to prog/psych pop in ways i never would've expected. the trumpets on morning will come are rapturous. randy california (great name) has a perfect voice for this kind of music and both his performance and his ear for melody stand out. fresh really is the word i kept coming back to, this is such a unique sounding record and other than maybe some guitar tones it truly sounds timeless to me. these are the best kinds of boomer tunes. im not factoring in the two bonus tracks Rougher Road and Red Light Roll On but they are worth listening to if available. a bit paint by the numbers but both have some fun ideas that, while done better elsewhere on the album, were still entertaining.
# Playlist track - Morning will come # Notes - I kind of enjoy some parts of the album, and there is interesting experimentation here and there. But overall, it feels disjointed, and kind of a lackluster experience.
Solid 70s rock - I probably wouldn't buy the album but would listen to it again
Just another not very good early 70s rock album. Nothing jumped out at me to be honest. 5/10.
B- Prelude - Nothin' To Hide 3 Nature's Way 4 Animal Zoo 3 Love Has Found A Way 3 Why Can't I Be Free 3 Mr. Skin 3 Space Child 3 When I Touch You 3 Street Worm 3 Life Has Just Begun 3 Morning Will Come 3 Soldier 3 It took about 25 listens over a year and a half to finish, but I did it.
Pretty good pretty cool
I'd probably like this more over time.
I kind of like Animal Zoo, Mr Skin, Space Child; I almost like Nature’s Way, Life Has Just Begun, Morning Will Come
Boring rock, nothing really stood out here.
Lmao…is this where that website got its name? (Mr. Skin) Sorry for the detour…I’ve been 12 years old for the last 31 years. What a strange, stilted, intricate and exceptionally well produced record this is. Assuming that the songs are the musical representations of the “Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus”(fuck that album title, btw. It’s awful), its stilted flow from track to track makes sense: Our dreams are rarely thematically linked and often shift to unexpected tangents without warning. In that regard, the concept works. In truth, the flow of this album reminds of a Guided by Voices record in a way, with sharp, sometimes jarring transitions that don’t necessarily make sense at first, but after repeated listens feel just right. I’m willing to bet Robert Pollard is probably a fan of this record. Not that you care. You, the listeners of this site, have made it abundantly clear, by way of your Alien Lanes reviews, how shit you think Guided By Voices are. You’re wrong and you probably think this record is shit, too. One day, you’ll see the error of your ways, hopefully. [Dude, you gotta stop insulting the users of the site. They’re entitled to their opinions. It’s why god made horse races, we all get to pick a winner.] So…how about that Randy California? What an awesome guitarist. Dude was 19 when they recorded this record. 19 years old and he is on fire on this record. Fucking amazing, but I guess that’s to be expected from a guy that played in Jimi Hendrix’s band at 15. What a legend.
Another psychedelic record that I don’t really “get.” I don’t hate it. But I find most of these songs aggressively mediocre. Nothing that stands out. Some good production value that’s for sure. But I’m left completely unmoved. 2.5/5
Didn't expect I'd like this as much as I did. Even listened to the reissue with extra tracks.
Meh. Too much going on, with not enough payoff.
Who are these guys??? Never heard of them. meh, it was okay. 2 stars.
Way better than I was expecting
A listenable prog rock album which was experimental enough to push the envelope but not unhinged enough to disturb the listener.
This band is famous for having all the ingredients of a great late 60s rock group but never taking off for some reason….this album is the same. It’s really good but just never breaks into great. Still a really enjoyable listening experience.
oh man that was great
Meh. Sounded ok but got really boring. Low 3.
Enjoyed this one. Don't know much about them although I've heard the "nature's Way" before. Good psychodelic, slightly heavy rock. Not sure why they aren't better known.
Ive never heard of this band before so thats fun! Feels kind of like a more psychedelic version of the Who with added harmonies.
Nice find.
Look, there's only so many times you can listen to a 60s/70s psychedelic rock album and have it still interest you. This album's good, but I'm probably going to forget about it. Don't get me wrong, I like the album. The sound is nice. The singing is good. There's good variety in the songs, so at least the album isn't repetitive. The pacing works. The writing is decent. This is a pretty good album that just kind of has the unfortunate circumstances of being the 35th psychedelic rock album I've listened to for this project. It's a solid album, but there's certainly better ones I've listened to. High 3/5.
The most notable album from the band most people my age only know for trying to sue Led Zeppelin (and losing). There’s nothing here quite as interesting as those legendary rockers, but it’s still tuneful blues rock.
I think I really like this? I had to listen to it twice, which is the first time I've done that for this list, and I'm 1/4 of the way through now. It teeters on the edge of being a too hippyish, but never goes too far over to the other side. I didn't expect the production to be as good as it is, but it apparently was produced by David Briggs, who produced all of my favorite Neil Young records, as well as a few other records I like, so it's no surprise. I hear hints of Big Star in this as well. I don't know what to chalk that up to other than being relatively underground rock groups from the early 70s...
This was actually really fun and made me not regret any of my charity shop purchases
This might be an amazing album, but to tell you the truth, I'm so over exposed to Psychedelic Rock in this album challenge that I think I have become desensitised! Perhaps a bit of rebranding is in order '1001 Psychedelic Rock albums you must here before you die'
Is Natures Way the inspiration for the Law and Order theme? I'm not sure I'm judging this album fairly but I'm just so sick and tired of psychedelic rock from the late 60s early 70s! ~1/3 of our groups albums so far in the challenge have been psychedelic rock genre ~1/2 of all albums have been from 60s&70s Yawn. Next
I really liked this - it reminded me a lot of Forever Changes by Love (which is very good company to be in) Perhaps the songs aren’t as strong as that classic but they weren’t a long way off
Estuvo ok
First time hearing these guys. Pretty good, semi progressive, great production
Favourite song - Prelude nothin to hide
After the second and third listen I started to really enjoy this album more and more. A good cross between psychedelica and the start of prog/symphonic rock with some soul influences.
Honestly it's nowhere near as strange as I expected from the album cover. Nothing real special and a bit discombobulated but a decent listen for sure.
Surprisingly good, though perhaps it sounds fresher and cleaner than many outings from their Age of the Dinosaur brethren perhaps because one has never heard more than a cut or two. It's more nimble and agile and fluid that many big rock bands of the era, and even when they get big in that classic rock kinda way, it feels better balanced/less over the top ("When I Touch You") or jauntier ("Street Worm"), as well as some winsome earnestness ("Life Has Just Begun"). Does one remember Jay Ferguson being a better vocalist? One might. "Nature's Way" is terrific. There are winning touches of tricked-out weirdness ("Love Has Found a Way") and just out-there cuts ("Space Child"). "Morning Will Come" points toward the best side of glam, but layered over with pure pop harmonizing and some dance-band horns that make the song feel like a festival. The big hit may be the least interesting cut. The ambition is apparent, but well managed and, for the most part, quite effectively (and enjoyably) executed.
Listen for the first time, amazing
While this band's legacy should certainly be more than, "the guys who sued Zeppelin a thousand times," this album doesn't leave anything behind other than a few catchy prog tunes that leave your brain as fast as they came in.
A good, not quite great, psychedelic prog journey with a heartening undercurrent of environmental consciousness and naturalistic wonder.
Clear influence on and of Led Zeppelin, although it doesn't have the one they ripped off! Very prog at points, but also exceptionally folky. I liked it, and will listen to more of their stuff after the list, but there is room for other work to be better, so I can't really give this full marks!
Solid early 70's rock. Great background music with some interesting sounds. Very par for the course for the time. Would listen to it again but no songs were especially remarkable.
- Ich kannte von Spirit nur "I Got A Line On You", was ich immer sehr cool fand, von diesem Album aber entsprechend gar nichts - Das Album hat mir super gefallen, schöner entspannter bluesiger Westcoast Rock - mit psychedelischen und progressiven Elementen. - Es bleibt leider nicht suuuper viel hängen, aber das mag auch einfach nur mit dem ersten Höreindruck zusammenhängen - Werde mich nach dem Album auf jeden Fall nochmal genauer mit der Band beschäftigen und werde gern auf das Album zurückkommen Rating: 3,5-3,75/5
- für SOWAS macht man das doch - Das Hören des Albums hat sich angefühlt, wie ein ausgeführter Bildungsauftrag. Hat mich jetzt nicht restlos begeistert, aber ich habe weder von der Band noch vom Album was gehört. Gefühl kamen mir ein paar Songs, bzw. ein paar Passagen darauf, irgendwie bekannt vor; kann mich aber auch irren. - Was für ein cooler abwechslungsreicher Ritt. Voll kreativ und facettenreich. Ein richtiger Charakter hat sich jetzt nicht etabliert. Habe also nicht das Gefühl, einer anderen Person beschreiben zu können, was Spirit für Mucke macht :D - Dennoch war ich ganze Zeit echt gut unterhalten und habe mir auch ein paar Songs abgespeichert. 3,5/5
- Entspanntes Album, das bei mir jetzt sehr im Hintergrund lief, dafür war es wirklich gut (vielleicht werde ich dem Album hier nicht gerecht, aber was solls)
I found this album strange. It was difficult to decipher my true feelings about it which was very interesting. It was definitely weird and different but that was what was intriguing about it. I feel like if I had to listen to it many more times I could learn to really like it but for now i’ll stay invested.
The title is hilarious, and having seen the absurd/campy/fun/stupid movie Mr. Sardonicus it seems weirdly appropriate once you start listening. More than a bit of "WTF?" all along ... weird weird these lyrics - "it's nature's way of telling you something's wrong" overandover and *very* earnestly...."married to the same bride" ... "much too fat and a little too long" whaaaat Even the music is a bit of WTF as it goes on - Space Child with the Moog synth is out there and I love it. I honestly don't know what the hell to think about this one but that's probably a great thought to have - it's not boring. I don't often give a weekday album an extra full listen but this one warrants it. The sound/mix for the time is especially excellent, each song is different enough to sustain interest, it's delightfully weird enough to keep you on your toes a little bit. It's sometimes like a harder-rock Gong in parts. It's hardly perfect but even the "worst" parts are just a little pedestrian (e.g. "Morning Will Come") if anything. Great musicianship and just the fact that I'm spending so much time thinking about this one puts it into keeper status. 7/10 4 stars.
3.75
Pretty good but no Davy Jones I Wanna Be Free
When I Touch You is wild as it begins and is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd-- you know that song that stars with the ducks. But there's mostly trashy 70's truckstop rock. This gives the album a pretty underwhelming feel, even with the Chicago style horns section.
That’s a very psychedelic album title. But it's a pretty boring album that fails to deliver dreams or the titular Dr. Sardonicus. Where was this doctor, who I would assume is prone to vicious mocking and cynicism? What was he dreaming about? While the music wasn’t very psychedelic, maybe the writing was. Spirit’s Randy California was probably on some good hallucinogens during the selection of his stage name and during the writing of “Twelve Dreams,” because that was some odd, nonsensical stuff. “Nature’s Way” is allegedly their signature song, but it was repetitively obnoxious. That most of the rest is more tolerable than that isn’t saying much.
Far out man! This space rock beauty takes one on an ever shifting adventure. I dig the layered electronica. It feels like an immersive experience. NME rated it a 9 1/8 out of 10…a rating scale with 80 gradations!!!! How do they ever distinguish between a 9 1/8 and a 9 1/4?!? They also rated it as album of the year, ahead of Radiohead’s OK Computer. I can hear it. We’ve been on a run of good albums lately. Let’s keep it up 1001!
Nr. 171/1001 Prelude 3/5 Nature's Way 4/5 Animal Zoo 4/5 Love Has Found A Way 3/5 Why Can't I Be Free 4/5 Mr. Skin 3/5 Space Child 2/5 When I Touch You 3/5 Street Worm 3/5 Life Has Just Begun 3/5 Morning Will Come 4/5 Soldier 4/5 Average: 3,33 Better than I expected. This is a good 70s rock album.
Had some stuff, kinda lost track of it half way through. Will I listen to again: 10%
Not for me
A bit proggy…
Never heard of this before and started playing it with slight concern that it might be "of an age". How wrong could I have been. Love this. Grabbed my attention and kept on shaking me to get more. On my third listen and I still don't know where the next track is going to take me apart from looking up their other releases. Thank you for unearthing another unknown gem
Another album that surprised me a little. I enjoyed this album and many of the songs on it. I could listen to it again if I were in the mood. I’d call this a decent album.
Actually surprisingly enjoyed this album and would listen to it again.
3.7 - I waiver between thinking this album is an overlooked gem and thinking it’s pretentious crap. Probably both? To me it sounds like they set out to create an “In the Court of King Crimson” but for whatever reason they came up short. Maybe they lack the mojo? Maybe management advised them to keep their songs at a tight 2.5-3 minutes? There’s lots of strong arrangements on here and their sound is well-honed, especially on songs like “Nature’s Way” and “Life Has Just Begun.” But somehow I’m left feeling like something is lacking — maybe a bit of atmospheric plodding, or a psychedelic a cappella freakout?
Okay, now I know 7L & Esoteric took the sample for 'The Soul Purpose' from 'Love Has Found a Way'. Nice.
jo, sehr elektronisch das ganze; tlw. etwas anstrengend
I listened to this album multiple times while at work, and it did get better the more I listened. I don’t find it to be very psychedelic, but it’s some good 70s rock. Listen again: wouldn’t pick it but don’t mind listening Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song:
nothing stood out. i honestly don't remember a single song from here.
A lot of ideas here but not really any memorable tracks.
Correcto pero no es demasiado de mi agrado.
I’m going to have to listen to this one again at some point I think. I just don’t know what I think about it!
First two songs are okay, but something about them rub me wrong and I can't put a finger directly on it. Animal Zoo is catchy, but it sort of feels like a balls-less CCR song. I actually really like Love Has Found a Way in all of its quirkiness. The vocals are goofy, but the production is really interesting and it all sort of just works together. Some spaciness in the back half between Space Child and When I Touch You. In general, I found this album to be fine, but not something I would go out of my way for. Low 3 for me.
Classic rock vibe album. Never listened to Spirit before. There were a few song that stuck out but overall not an album I would probably seek out again. 3 stars
I was expecting more of a Frank Zappa type album from a band named Spirit with this album name, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a lot closer to generic classic rock, but with a bassline that flows well and dips into some psychedelic tuneage without going overboard. Don't care for the alternates for Animal Zoo and Morning Will coming before the final song on Spotify, but that's just a small complaint that won't really knock any stars. Ended up being a bit of a background album, but I really enjoyed it and will likely come back to this one. It's a bit too hot today, but this album would be perfect for a nice spring day with the windows open. Just like someone who is missing a finger, I give this a high-4
Hell yes more 70s prog rock that I have never heard of! Space Child > When I Touch You > Street Worm was some real epic shit. I need to listen to it again but it sounded like a combo of Mildlife and Deep Purple. If the whole album was like that this album would be a slam dunk 5. I really liked the change of pace of the songs from one to another. My facorite part was when the horns would come in randomly. This was an extemely high 4 that I was thinking of giving a 5, but there just were a few songs that didn't quite do enough. Will have to relisten to this asap.
Happy Bicycle Day! This is a great album for it, super trippy. Space Child put me in another universe and the transition into When I Touch You was great. I couldn’t really get into the rest of it but I was also working during it. My deserve a relisten
This not even listed as one of the top 70 albums of 1970. Not sure why this is even on this list. So many other great albums of 1970 alone
I really dug this groovy album.
I didn't know Spirit at all, which seems a little surprising. I liked this album, which (at times) reminded me of early Pink Floyd
This album just kind of washed over me. An artist I've never heard of with a album name that intrigued me. It started off kind of rough, it got better in the middle and then I was really ready for it to be over by the end.
rounding up from 2.5 cause I'm nice today
Wow, I loved this one! It was sorta weird folk rock that felt like it was made especially for me!
Vibes of The Who, ELP, lots of others of the era. Good listen.
It's pretty cool for an American rock album. Enough variation to keep it interesting, but lacking in power.
Very forgettable.
Great shit
This was nice!
Trippy
Surprisingly subdued, but pleasant through and through.
A bunch of fully developed ideas and a bunch of half baked ones. It’s never bad but it rarely soars high for long.
I don’t get what this is, really. It’s folksy at times, psychedelic other times, schmaltzy, and sometimes silly. I don’t care for it. 2.5
Never heard of Spirit, but with the album title and cover, I expected it to be tedious psychedelic nonsense. I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. Definitely prog but still pretty loose. I like it! 3.9
Man...this is excellent. One of my favorite totally new discoveries so far. The songwriting here is just top, top class. I definitely hear the parallels between this and Neil Young all the way through. If there's anything I love in an album, it's mood shifts and variations in feel, even within the tracks themselves. This album has that in spades. Favorite track: Morning Will Come
A little bit weird but altogether rather pleasant to listen to.
Interesting album. A smattering of everything. The review I read about Spirit's song Taurus was completely ripped off by Jimmy Page for Stairway to Heaven. How the barrister lost that case I'll never understand. Anywho, overall good groove. Favorite Track: Morning Will Come
Natures way is the only song I recognized. It was okay otherwise. Wouldn’t put it on again
Didn't realize this had a few familiar songs until the listening. Was certainly pleasant enough for a get away Friday
It's bit worn, but the standards are there.
Fine 70 rock
It's quite a strange record, with unusual production and song construction, as well as some quite varied tracks. It is interesting though, I'll give it that. I'm kind of digging the vibe here and there's some good jams. It's definitely unique and doing it's own thing, which I respect. 3.5 rounded up.
I liked a few songs but overall was just meh.
Great analog 70s sound. Big production and a trove of rock influences all bangin around makes for a fun listen. Never really a dull moment. My only real quibble is that many of the influences and sounds are just so remeniscent of other bands or projects that for whatever reason I am more familiar with. There is a lot here that gives at turns Supertramp, Eagles, The Stones, Hendrix....basically a blues rock of the 70s jackson pollak, and if Im being honest, on forst listen I havent really found the beating heart of 'Spirit' beyond a really exciting flyby of 70s rock by a bamd of virtuosos. May be worth looking into more.
Mr Skin was on that muscle man sampler in the 1970's. Great album.
Good not great
I enjoyed it but nothing stood out
I have never heard of this band before, but I thoroughly enjoyed this album from start to finish. I will definitely be giving it another listen and possibly exploring more of their discography.
This was fine, very much of its period. Not super memorable.
I didn’t get much out of this one. Never heard any of the album before, but nothing sounded particularly unique, I guess. Just kind of there, not all that challenging or striking.
A decent classic rock sound. I skipped a few songs thesecond time through but overall fine and good.
I was prepped for something offbeat from the title and cover of this album. It felt very 60’s, although the music was not as weird as I imagined. I liked this after the first listen. Since I had some time I gave it a second listen and my like warmed up to love. A good variety of tunes with some interesting lyrics that I really enjoyed. Terrific!
As psychedelic albums go, this one wasn't as bad as the album sleeve suggested.
This was a pleasant surprise. Mr Skin was my favourite, the presence of horns made it feel soulful.
Good time. Lot of good classic rock hooks with knods to prog that don't feel too weighted in pretentiousness.
I have not listened to this album before or heard of the artist so it really shocked me how good it was. I found myself bopping along to pretty much all of the tracks. But my favorites were: Animal zoo, Mr. Skin, When I touch you, and Street worm. It had really catchy instrumentals and addictive vocals; will definitely listen again!
I listened to all of this but I didn't particularly have a single opinion on it
Really enjoyed this one!! The psychedelic sound was amazing.
Don’t really have feelings one way or another about this one. It was fine.
I enjoyed this punchy and fun. Some good riffs and just a good laugh
This was cool, kind of generic 70s rock but still pretty good. Far too much panning on the guitar solos on some tracks. You don't need to pan completely from one side to the other multiple times, it's doesn't make it cool. Making my head spin, but not enjoyably.
Good, I just don't have an emotional connection with it.
A slice of my youth. I swear I bought this lp because I thought the cover art was cool. There are a few gems, but most of the tunes don't really hold up all that well. But I still like it.
Larry Macchione had this record on heavy rotation back in the day. I do love it. I'd forgotten about the pretty awesome guitar work, but then why else would Larry Macchione have liked it? Come to find out Randy California played with Jimi Hendrix's band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, in 1966, when Randy was only 16. "Much too fat and a little too long" are maybe the best lyrics ever, especially when said over and over and eventually fading out.
This was fine, not something that I'll remember.
carino
Pretty good
Gear: Fostex TH610 Mix: damn. Musik: nice. Wertung: 🎭🎭🎭🎭/5
Time has forgotten this band, and we're all a lot better off for it. Just a lot of self-important 60s nonsense
Inmersivo, rock psicodélico clásico de los 70. Progresivo y con impronta rock and roll. Con partes acústicas muy bellas. Una banda que seguro investigaré más.
Not bad, pretty fun in parts.
FINALLY picked up after "when I touch you" and saved the album from a 2 star. Actually pretty enjoyable for the second half
This didn't do much for me, but it wasn't bad. Kind of proggy.
I love the arrangements here. The way the verse builds on "Nature's Way" with the gorgeous, silky smooth bass slipping in on the last round to buttress up the already gorgeous harmony raised the hair on the back of my neck. There's so much to enjoy here. The mastering is incredible. It sounds like a bunch of musicians who are really really good sitting around and doing their thing. Feels almost casual, like they're serious people who don't take themselves too seriously – playful and joyous, yet so tight at the same time. Really easy to listen to. I could have sworn that I heard another Spirit album with this project, but this is my first one. Huh. I have more research to do.
They sound like if the guys that did Best In Show or Spinal Tap did a movie about late 60s psychedelic rock this would be the soundtrack. They’re like too perfectly of a type that it’s on the nose.
2.0 Nothing really stood out to me. Maybe I wasnt listening closely enough but didnt really get the psyche-rock vibe that was advertised.
A little all over the place but there were some bangers I don’t know much about music production but this seemed really well mixed? Or maybe I was just in a good mood. Both are possible
Pleasant enough but not sufficient for me to listen again. Low 3*
Quite liked this.
Rather jolly although a little dated.
I have never heard of this band before and I was not familiar of any of the songs. It was alright for psychedelic rock. Relatively short. The dial didn't move much here. It was ok. I won't seek it out again.
This is quite a far out album and definitely a product of its time. In places it reminded me a little of The Who, particularly in the more energetic sections and the slightly ambitious, conceptual feel. It is a fun listen overall. There is creativity and variety throughout, and you can hear a band trying to stretch beyond straightforward rock into something more expansive. That said, there is quite a bit of filler for me, and too many instrumental passages that interrupt the flow rather than enhance it. When it locks into a strong melody it works really well, but it does not quite sustain that level across the whole record. Favourite song: When I Touch You Least favourite song: The instrumental sections tend to drag for me Album artwork: Completely mental. Psychedelic, bold and very memorable
Dated but cordial. It's a ditch weed album. The lead singer of this band had a huge hit years later called, "Thunder Island". Thunder Island is an all-timer, and miles better than anything on this album. The weed must have been better.
Psychedelics without personality. Faceless rock.
Enjoyed this more than I anticipated.
Interested mashed up styles for the 70's. More enjoyable than I expected but never broke through
Cool album. Had never heard any of it.
Interesting and weird psychedelic hippie rock. Not really my thing but worth a listen.
Not bad. A few gems like Animal Zoo. Interesting history with Led Zep. Super soft 3.
Combine Bowie, The Grateful Dead and any generic 90s/2000s 'Indie' group and you get what Spirit is. Only they mastered this in 1970! 3/5
This is a really interesting album full of surprises. There are some psychedelic moments and Beatlesesque pop but then there are hard rock songs with horns making the band sound more like Chicago. And then all of a sudden “When I Touch You” swings in with a heavy metal sound! It’s a bit all over the place but also fun for that same reason. “Nature’s Way” is a really cool song. Beautiful and sort of sad. The production creates a unique mood. And I love the vocal harmonies. There are a bunch of moments on this album that surprised me with gorgeous vocals. Like “Love Has Found a Way” — one of the guys in the mix almost sounds like Michael McDonald. “Animal Zoo” is a stand out. Really catchy. It's not a perfect album. There were times I wished it was more polished. But I gotta give it credit for being so entertaining and eclectic.
Man this list really loves classic rock. I will say I loved the start of the album. The first track gives you that classic Led Zeppelin folky blues inspired at times chromatic acoustic guitar riff part with Led Zeppelin soft harmonized vocals, and then hits you with a huge Led Zeppelin stabby hard rock part. I'm sure both bands inspired eachother, as both Led Zeppelin and Spirit had 3 albums released in this 68-70 time period. Man does that start sound like a Zeppelin song though. The second half of the first track slaps though. Those horns and sliding guitar and drums smacking down are GREAT. One pet peeve that I have that doesn't come up often is when singers/bands highlight the lyric of a song that doesn't feel like the one that should be highlighted. It's totally subjective and I am aware of that, but "It's nature's way of telling you something's wrong" with the harmonized vocal riff runs for the length of a whole track was kind of bleh for me. It's a shame because the song is actually quite beautiful! But that lyric? It's clunky and doesn't feel very poetic or impressive to me. It feels cumbersome and a little awkward. I am left feeling entertained though, so I don't dislike the album. I think moreso It's just a collection of songs that are easy for me to find things that I don't like, but as a whole the record was actually a nice listen. It's a high 3 for me, but not quite enough for a 4/5.
Prescient hippies. 3/5
One thing I love about this project is that it forces me to give things a fuller listen than I ordinarily would, like this. I went through a HUGE Hendrix phase when I worked at the record store and Spirit's guitar player is sort of Jimi's preeminent disciple so my boss Pete Liberante and I tried to get into this album a couple of times and never could. Now I get the chance to hear side two and realize I was missing more than I knew. Do yourself a favor and read all of Randy California's Wikipedia entry. It is very entertaining and after you give a listen to Taurus I want to know if you agree that this was SCOTUS's worst decision (to not take the case) since Bush v Gore - even more egregious than Dobbs, in my view.
Well, based on the album cover alone, I can safely say this is nothing like Slade or MIA or Amy Winehouse (or the Temptations, for that matter). A bit more like Yes, I guess, but not really my kind of thing overall. I like the album title, but I'm not sure exactly how the songs relate to the title, and I certainly can't say I have any impression of who Dr. Sardonicus might be...except he must be some crazy nature-loving, zoo-hating, skin-fetishistic space child who sometimes touches the worm!
I'm afraid this one was lost on me. I didn't actively hate it though.
Not sure how this album got on the list. Curious what others think?
This was so mid
Found this so boring. Like the eagles but worse. NEXT!!!
Meh this album didn’t really stick out to me. Nothing really special Top tracks: Animal Zoo, Morning Will Come - alternate mono mix
Pretty boring, really nothing I'd go back and listen to. Not badly produced or anything, just really unremarkable
70s prog with a goofy sci-fi style title, not an auspicious begining. Randy California is an all time great name so +1 for that. Some of it pretty basic blues guitar rock - fine but boring and done better by others. The more original stuff is more exploratory, combining that ye olde acoustic folk sound that English bands loved for some reason with wierder instruments/arrangements in a vague approximation of Zappa. Some of that stuff suffers from the prog tendency to shove way too many ideas into a song. Some songs are doing that theatrical Ziggy Stardust thing, very annoying. The best parts are the kind of trippy spacey songs that eschew those fussier prog elements and let the fuzzier riffs breathe. But this is basically the turd that you can polish enough to turn into Boston. Favorites: When I Touch You, Street Worm, Rougher Road
Decent Psychedelic blues and funk. ‘They’re selling hippie wigs in Woolworths, man. The greatest decade in the history of mankind is over.’
Really enjoyed it!
There are some bands that don't appeal to a lot of people because they are ahead of their time (The Velvet Underground), and there are some that probably just didn't manage to get enough exposure (maybe Echo and the Bunnymen) and others that just aren't polished enough to appeal to the masses (Wire). And then there are those that just address a niche and that's that. This band strikes me as the latter. Talented group, and what they're trying to do is interesting, but ultimately I don't think it's good enough. 2 stars.
petit 4 pour compenser le plagiat de led zeppelin
Du rock psychédélique qui nous fait passer un bon moment sans plus. 6/10
Entertainingly off kilter, slightly psych, slightly trad rock. I'd never heard of this, but I like yesterday's effort, this had promise - I wish they hadn't split, as this feels like the promising album that comes before the true classic.
It's a 70s album. Better than most.
I have never heard of this band. But it was pretty good, and it fit the groove for the era.
Average 70's rock.
Hated it. Not for me.
Hate it
Kinda decent, I might revisit it in the future.
Didn’t do much for me. Nice background music I suppose.
I didn't finish it, just wasn't the vibe for my day. I like psych rock and prog rock though, so I'll eventually come back to it.
I feared the worst after the horrible granddadrock intro. To my pleasant surprise the second track had a great chorus with pleasant harmonies. Then it all went downhill again. Anyway, to not be Mr Grouchy, I have to say that the last half of When I Touch You is really good, and Morning Will Come is overall a good song. Soldier isn’t half bad either.
Sounds good! I never heard before!
I definitely can vibe with this. It doesn't strike me as anything special. I don't think I would seek out any songs individually. But as a whole it blends well and I do think any of the songs could come on a playlist without feeling like must skips. Overall, pretty good.
Pretty good mix of psychedelic rock with pop rock.
Comfy listening and a little wacky. Favorite song: Space Child.
Spirit was a little too out there for most people. They were a little bit rock, a little bit jazz, a bit psychedelic, and several doses of just plain weird.
I had high hopes after track 1 and while seeming well intentioned it lost its way pretty quickly. Verging on self indulgent
Solid. Notable tracks include morning will come (dope), red light roll on, and why can’t I be free.
Seemed like a standard 70s rock album.
Weird but also not that weird. Couple of catchy tunes. A few hilarious tracks the one about zoo creatures. Not sure I’ll ever listen to it again.
Enjoyed this album. I felt it was slightly odd but had quite a few redeeming qualities to it. Some of the guitar licks fitted really well and it sounded nice overall. I feel it was a slightly quirky good which I do enjoy.
I really enjoyed this one. It was amazing to know this new band.
Really intrigued by this album, a little bit of everything.
I didn’t love my first listen. It wasn’t at all what I expected but I also didn’t care for the songwriting. The lyrics reminded me of phish. It was an interesting listen and maybe additional listens are needed to appreciate it, I just don’t want to give it more listens.
Seems like rock from the 1970s is just not for me 2/5
Thought this album was all over the place with their sound. Some, rock, jazz, psychedelic and even Mr. Skin had some funk sound to it. Overall, not a bad listen and having a little trouble rating. Nothing blew me away, but nothing outright annoying either. Street Worm and Mr. Skin stood out as a couple favorites off the album. Thought Animal Zoo riff sounded a lot like Steal My Sunshine riff from LEN and Morning Will Come reminds me of an Aerosmith song I can't put my finger on. Anyway, thought it was a good album and decent listen for the day. No complaints here. 3
3 I kept thinking that the name Spirit sounded really familiar (besides just being the low budget airline I always insist on flying), and then it hit me - these are the guys that sued Led Zeppelin for allegedly ripping them off with Stairway to Heaven. Well, considering how low their Spotify play count is, I feel like they should be thankful for Led Zeppelin bringing them some attention if anything. Anyway, that was all I really knew about these guys going in, and that song (Taurus) isn’t even on this album. Even with a Wikipedia browsing, the only worthwhile information I picked up on the group is that their keyboardist’s name is John Locke (shoutout to Lost) and that their singer apparently would go on to write the theme song for the American version of The Office. Iconic theme song, but as for this album - it’s fine. It’s a pretty standard slice of the era without anything to dislike about it in particular, but there also wasn’t anything I found all that great either. The songs also felt incredibly disconnected from one another, so the album really seemed disjointed and lacked a sense of flow as a whole. Nothin’ to Hide, Animal Zoo, Mr. Skin, and Morning Will Come were probably my favorites of the bunch, but to say that I’m likely to seek them out again feels like a lie. So yeah, just kind of decent. I feel like I can get what I want out of this album from other artists (certain songs gave me The Who vibes in particular), so I'm not sure I see a reason to revisit this one.
3.5 Weird and funky in the exact ways I like it. Quite a few bizarre choices and the whole album didn’t flow together as much as I would have hoped but I feel like this one will grow on me over time.
This album seemed to lack direction in some areas. Some tracks sound good, some are subpar, some feel misplaced, and some have an interesting sound instrumentally but are lacking lyrically. The lyrics on some of the tracks seem off and don't seem to have a good flow, which threw me off when listening. Overall nothing groundbreaking. Notable songs: Nothin' To Hide, Animal Zoo, Love Has Found A Way, Mr. Skin.
Not for me.
Alright, pretty decent but nothing jumping out.
I had not ever heard of this band, but they sound instantly familiar as a product of their time. Definitely decent early psych rock. Totally fine record.
Eipä kummosesti eroa aikalaisistaan. Alkuun jaksoi kuunnella ja loppua kohden mielenkiinto lopahti.
Läpikuuntelu oli pakollinen paha. Ei jäänyt mieleen muulla tavoin
Ok
Spirit is an early progenitor of rock and roll. Overall, not a bad listen, but not special or groundbreaking. This album has no songs which have stayed relevant in popular culture and even the critical reception was less than that of Spirit's other albums.
Interesting Rock tones. Some decent songs.
Prog rock is not my taste
Album 285 of 1001 Spirit - Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus Rating : 4 / 5 I thought this was ok when I first heard it a couple of months ago while listening through the playlist. I liked it a bit more this time. I suspect that I would like it even more if I listen again. Good album.
Interesting, very dated but nice to listen to
This was OK but nothing jumped out at me
Morning will come is pretty decent. Some other songs are just a little long in the tooth. Struggling between a two and a three. It's under 45 mins... so it's got that going for it.
There's a hint of some cool rocks moves in here (some wailing, some groove, some energy), but unfortunately it is largely held back by being emblematic of the worst era of rock history, some spacey psychedelic experimental rock. Space Child suffers the most but they all dip enough into it to sound very dated.
This was a very pleasant surprise! The cover, the genre, the band name - everything screamed avoid, but actually, it was funky, interesting and unpretentious. I did a little further dive into the back catalogue after, and it seems The Project has yet again opened a new door.
t'was ok
As much as I can appreciate the craft of this project, I just don't vibe with spirit as much as the other 70s and 80s rock n roll projects I've heard on here. I may change my mind on a later listen... but who knows
4 - Really enjoyed this, thought it was just a great listen
This is fun. It feels like prog that is both willing to be wild and experimental, but also doesn't take itself too seriously. Maybe I'm just in a good mood but I'm leaning 5 for the second consecutive day. Fave Tracks: Nature's Way, Animal Zoo, Morning Will Come, Rougher Road, Red Light Roll On 4.6/5
I don't know if I enjoyed this or not? I guess in a "this is alright to listen to" way, I enjoyed it. But I was constantly feeling some sort of musical whiplash. I think I need to listen to this one again.
Well it’s not bad but it’s quite forgettable. The recording is good.
This was pretty good for being early 70's rock. It was more proggy than psychedelic, so kind of the opposite of what I was expecting. Wouldn't be opposed to listening to this again.
I thought this was fine, but I can't really differentiate it much from its peers. Nothing really stood out. That being said, it was good enough. 2.5/5
Solid psych-ish, prog-ish album. I don’t think this is game-changing, but it’s a good time. C
Imagine how degrading it must feel to be one of the three psychedelic rock albums from 1968-1970 that didn't make it onto this list. I can give you Jefferson Airplane, I can give you Love, I can even maybe give you Moby Grape, but what the hell are we doing here with bands like Spirit, The Electric Prunes, Great Horse, Blue Cheer, or Country Joe & The Fish? I made one of those bands up by the way, have fun. This is actually nothing. I probably have drunk voiceclips on my phone that are more relevant to musical history than this album. Get real. One out of seven.
Don’t remember this?But I did listen to it.I think?
I'm just not a fan of psychedelia or rock music that doesn't have anything to say. This is overwhelmingly of the era. I don't like this era.
A good early art album and an enjoyable listen, but it failed to reach the emotional peaks and variations that other of its' contemporaries (Dark Side or Tommy) hit that make those albums so impactful. It places the themes behind the music as opposed to integrating them. Worth another listen to hear what they have to say
Very much like a ton of music from this Era.
Una banda tan de la seva época que ara només és recordada per la gent que la viure al seu moment i pels connoisseurs del génere. La resta de la seva discografia és irregular, però aquí van excel.lir com poques altres bandes durant aquells anys
No. Wheezy, bad voice and unearned instrumental accents.
Aika modernin kuuloista, mutta samaan aikaan semmosia 70 luvub psykerock soundia. Miellyttävän kuuloista.
Not that good
Yet another album the curator's here dug up somewhere, but which should have clearly left alone.
4.0
6/10. Glad they clarified it was the animal zoo, not just any old zoo.
I kinda liked this so I listened to it twice and liked it way less on the second listen. 6/10
Neutral imo
I wanted to write something edgy and say how awful this was but honestly it was kind of fun. Definitely weird and not what we normally have to listen to which was a nice change. The singing was alright too. I think this is a band I won’t forget but probably won’t listen to again. 7/10
All these 70s bands sound the same. It was okay without any memorable songs. 6/10
Weird at parts and sometimes I wanted to say it's a masterpiece then it would slap me in the face with some meh shit. Overall a solid album with some fucking badass songs on this that I loved. Would listen to again for sure. 8/10
Much too fat and a little too long. A bit unfocused on what the sound of the album was but maybe that was what they were going for. Every song was pretty unique and did not sound similar to last. I did really enjoy the weird jammy jazzy sounds like “Space Child”. Sometimes I heard Zepplin, sometimes I heard Yes, I liked pretty much all I heard. 8/10
Really enjoyed this, it's weird and wonderful.
This is...really eclectic. It's just all over the map in terms of genre and tone. For the right person that is going to be amazing! Every song is like listening to a new band! I am not that person.
Solid. Nothing crazy tho
mad seventies rock, good
Really like this album - have a cd copy of it but had not listened to it for years - the psychedelic rock from that time is not my genre - but on this album it is beaten by a strong pop feeling.
The point of this record is not entirely clear to me, but ok there are some appealing melodies.
Pretty good
I dunno man
Excellent. Would listen often. 5 of 5
Mad album. First three tracks are good, next four are less so, When I Touch You is a strong return to form and it runs quite well to the finish. Not what I was expecting but I enjoyed this muchly.
There's definitely something to this - it gets close to being something really interesting, but just falls short. It's not aged as well as some of the better prog/psychedelic stuff coming out around that time, so it's a low 3.
F'ing loved that. Proper took me on a journey with layered music, what rock should be 5
Nice transitions. Definitely the sum is better than the parts. 3.5/5
Good
This is really bad. Hippie nonsense. They be getting $0.00000000000000002 royalties on Spotify this year
Mn eerste impressie was dat dit een heel fijn album was, maar ik kwam er eigenlijk daarna pas achter dat dit al nummer 6 was(Mr. Skin) Het is een soort jazzy rocky vibey souley album! Maar dat is dus helaas niet het geval, het album gaat eerder alle kanten op en is zo soms ongelooflijk interessant, maar op grote momenten ook ontzettend simpel te vergeten. Ok, het is toch niet zo'n interessant album. Het heeft een paar nummers die er uit springen maar het grootste deel is toch vooral een beetje meh. FAVO: Animal Zoo, Mr Skin
Never knew Nature's Way is the song from this album. I've only heard covers of it. Pleasantly surprised. Im a fan of prog rock so this is right up my alley.
Solid rock album form the 70's. But in no rush for a second listen.
I'm not certain about disliking Dr. Sardonicus; Nothing was sticky and America comes through as a certain carefreeness, which works counter to the threads "connecting" compositions. The instrumentals are more promising than any of the song song work.
Just generic listenable rock from the past. Not unpleasant but not standout either
Album wasn’t my thing. Sounded very much like 70’s rock, but nothing drew me in. Lyrics were ok, singing was so so and the music itself was generic. 2/5.
Certainly not bad. But, I didn't find it that exciting either
Bit experimental
Enjoyed this - great guitar sound!
Quite a fun album with some filler songs
I had high hopes for this because of the good reviews and because psych rock from this era is really good overall but this just did not click at all
Jay Ferguson is awesome
C'était dur entre 3 et 4
Never heard of them, but enjoyed it
3.5
This album surprised me with how forward thinking it is. While it owes a lot to psychedelia, there are some progressive elements that make it stand apart while still being accessible. The production is very clean and the musicianship is fantastic. Spirit is certainly on to something here. The song structures are interesting and the album as a whole feels more like a multiple movement piece of music rather than discrete songs. While interesting, this album doesn't quite reach the highs that it was capable of.
This is another chewer. It sits somewhere in the space between Yes, Led Zeppelin, and CSNY. Very dense, excellent arrangement, ridiculously clean production for 1970. But the songwriting and a few of the performances don't quite click at times... this is a tough one to rate for just one listen, but I'm going to give it a 4.
Kind of cool, but lacking in star power of any one moment in the record.
Yeah this is the band Zeppelin allegedly ripped off. I prefer Zeppelin. It was fine last 60s early 70s prog rock.
Very interesting listen. 60s/70s old school rock vibes
Ok
3.5
I liked this. Psychedelic rock is kinda my jam, but more in a Pink Floyd way than this.
Osa oli jees, osa ei
Mieluummin kuuntelen ko otan turpaani
early 70’s psychedelic rock. at times pretty heavy for its time. nothing bad to say about this one.
Yeah, I'm really questioning my need to hear all of these albums. It's fine, but I just don't know why I "need" to hear it.
Not a bad album but not very memorable. I’m guessing it’s here because of it influencing other bands but I just heard it and I don’t remember anything about it.
-never listened to this album or spirit in general -oh yeah its rock WE ARE SO BACK -grooving and moving to these songs so far -THE COW BELL? obsessed -these songs are cool, i’m not super into any of them in particular yet -but they’re catchy and nice -life has just begun is a bit repetitive -rougher road is a fun song actually -the secone half of this album is a little boring -overall its a 3. very average to me, only one or two songs stand out
The only thing I knew of this band was that the guitarist / vocalist's name was Randy California (there's a 60s name for you). And that his family had been trying to sue Led Zeppelin because Page used their song "Taurus" for "Stairway To Heaven". But this album is actually pretty good. It has a lot of those 60s psychedelic and proto-progressive things to it. I've listened to it twice now, and liked it more the second time. "Morning Will Come" is probably the song I am in a love/hate thing with right now. The whole "co-hum" where they start singing in that high voice, along with the horns definitely puts that song square in the 60s. But a lot of the other music has a bit of a forward thinking to it. Definitely made me interested in looking up more of their stuff.
I definitely recognized Nature's Way. I never minded that song, though I wouldn't say I loved it either. I definitely did not recognize why this album needed to be on the 1,001 list. Put this in the category of plain vanilla albums that neither offend nor excite. It's a 3 for me, though some of the better songs for me were Animal Zoo, Mr. Skin, Street Worm, and Morning Will Come.
Loved the guitar. Lyrics were great
Meh
Wasn’t bad, but wasn’t anything special either. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
Couple good songs but the rest was mostly forgettable
Groovy please
Bog standard 70s rock. Enjoyable! Good, even. Not sure it belongs here? The music itself is pretty basic, and a peek at wikipedia tells me that the album was not a huge hit, and still remains not a huge hit. The band members are not big names (it's not like this was Bruce Springsteen's first band or something). The most remarkable thing I can figure about this album is that the producer eventually also was a producer for Neil Young? Is that enough to place it on the "albums you must hear" list?
'Animal Zoo' lijkt een beetje op Butthole Surfers - Dracula From Houston. 'Space Child' klinkt alsof het het grondwerk legde voor Jamiroquai - Seven Days in Sunny June. Dat zorgt ervoor dat het toch al vrij gauw enigszins herkenbaar klinkt, ook al ken ik het niet. De zanger klinkt heel af en toe als Kurt Cobain en de band als Led Zeppelin. Heerlijk gitaargeluid, goed gelaagde productie, een verzameling van verschillende (soms verrassende) instrumenten op een manier waardoor het niet geforceerd klinkt. Zelfs de koperen blazers irriteren me niet. Experimenteel zonder te abstract te worden: Dat is voor mij de sweetspot. Zo'n nummer als 'Morning Will Come' is haast pop-achtig, wat er mede voor zorgt dat het behapbaar blijft. Tel alle bovenstaande punten bij elkaar op en je krijgt een album waar ik flink door verrast word. Lekker!
Psychadelic! They found so cool ways to make big transcendental sound. Love Has Found a Way is an incredible standout!
Much better than I remember, but still not great. There are some excellent tracks, but too many above average but still run-of-the-mill songs. If the album clocked in at a little of 30 minutes instead of 45 it would be excellent.
I had big hopes for this album, and the opening of the first track had me thinking this was going to be a lot folk-ier than what the genres had told me, but I was okay with that, as it sounded nice, but that was ripped away from under me mere moments in, and it never really returned to that sound. There was a repeating motif throughout the album that sounded nice, and they started getting somewhere with the final couple tracks, but it was too little, too late, as I was already pretty bored out of my mind. None of it is BAD, per se, but psychedelic rock in its lightest form comes off now more as dad rock than anything with actual edge, and they would've, quite frankly, been better off just going the folk route I so desperately hoped they would aim towards.
Eh, it was ok
I think I like it
Some good but forgettable hippie folk. If you’re into the genre I think these seem to be a less appreciated one but still hold their own alongside the Byrds and Jefferson Airplane and the likes.
Ikke for mig
Den var cool nok, ryger nok ikke lige til toppen af mine yndlings-70er psychrock plader, det var det lige lovlig rodet til.
🤷
I thought this would be standard MOR American 1970s radio rock. It is that, but it's also so all over the place that it's 'guano' mental. Its not at all cohesive, but somehow makes sense and you've got to respect the band just doing whatever it was they felt like. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Nature's Way Date listened: 04/11/23
This was an interesting album for sure. I've never heard of these guys before. Definitely a talent group. They sound like a bunch of different bands throughout the album. Sometimes Big Star, sometimes Traffic, sometimes like a Kansas or Chicago type thing. Because they change up so much, it was a little hard to grasp. Overall the drumming was tight. Vocal harmonies were good. The pieces of a good album were there, but it didn't really come together.
Halloween rock vibes, sometimes quite screechy. Not really my thing but can be background noise xD
cool art and album name. Actual music pretty boring but liked a few
Intriguing!
like a slightly weird guess who
Rock progresivo psicodélico. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Some fun tunes
it's perfectly fine. Can't find anything bad to say about it but I also can't find a lot to praise about it either? The whole listening experience did not move me in any meaningful way. Feels bad.