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Electric Prunes

The Electric Prunes

1967

Electric Prunes
Album Summary

The Electric Prunes, sometimes referred to as I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), is the 1967 debut album by the American garage rock band, the Electric Prunes, released on Reprise Records. The first track, "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)", was a hit and became the band's signature tune. The album also contains another notable psychedelic rock composition, "Get Me to the World on Time". The album was listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.74

Votes

15006

Genres

  • Rock
  • Psychedelic Rock

Reviews

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Nov 16 2023
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2

I give up on trying to speak English, here's a graph instead   /\ enjoyment                                                    5 |                                                                       4 |                                                                       3 |  __                       ___                                      2 |      \              ___/      \                                    1 |        \__/\__/                \__/\__/\/\____             0  --------------------|--------------------> time                          ~7th song                                 

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Dec 22 2023
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2

Some songs were good, some were just completely out of pocket. Felt very dated in sound. I will use Toonerville Trolley as punishment for people who have wronged me in the future.

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Sep 27 2021
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5

Never heard of them before, but really dug the first tune “I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night).” Great song and great lyrics. How have I never heard this before? The second track “Bangles” again drew me in right away. I want to see this lady’s dressing room and vanity. Fantastic fun lyrics. “Onie” took it down a notch into a pleasant, dreamy tune that I liked a lot. Made me wish I was wandering through the streets of a new town gazing into shop windows wearing boots and a mini skirt. After changing my name to ‘Onie’ of course. Clever lyrics abound. “Are You Lovin’ Me More (But Enjoying it Less)”. Great sixties sentiments like “Sold to the Highest Bidder” and “The King Is In His Counting House”. A delightful cover of “About A Quarter to Nine”. Some quality sexy time with “Luvin’” and “Try Me On For Size”. And a couple of transportation songs, “Train for Tomorrow” and “The Toonerville Trolly”. Speaking of… “The Toonerville Trolly” is a generous helping of Cool Whip on this fabulous album! I started literally laughing out loud on a public bus - so much fun! But I found myself wondering if ‘ridin’ the Toonerville Trolly’ might be a euphemism for something else… and imagining all the possibilities. Throw in the artsy album cover featuring the band in the same pose as a modern art rendition of them and it’s pretty much everything I could ask for in a 60s album. So glad to have been introduced to The Electric Prunes!

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May 16 2021
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3

People seem to think irony as a pop-culture phenomena was a 90s thing, but I’m realizing that there was a whole wave of it in the late 60s as psychedelic bands inexplicably made entire albums of joke songs with ragtime piano. I’m guessing everyone was burnt out by the end of the 60s. I feel like I should like this but it’s just lame, the whole side B is especially kind of unbearable. Favourite track: “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)”

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Mar 04 2021
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4

My left ear enjoyed this one. Cool sound.

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Sep 25 2020
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4

i’d never heard of electric prunes but i was pleasantly surprised! love it!

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Mar 09 2022
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3

Starts as a psychedelic fever dream but then kinda goes all over the place, ending on a bizarre sarcastic joke. If the material were more consistently psychedelic like the opening track or "Get Me to the World on Time" it'd be 4 stars but I have to round down to 3 for the jarring tone shifts.

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Mar 11 2024
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4

This would considered a Psychedelic classic were it not for the significant drop in quality on the B side. I still enjoyed it a lot, and it deserves more credit than it gets, but it's clear the longer the album goes on the less ideas the band has. I have no idea what they were thinking with that last song

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Jul 26 2021
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3

Another that had a few good tunes, interspersed by Nursery rhymes and rubbish

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Feb 19 2021
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3

WHAT IN THE FUCK IS THE TOONERVILLE TROLLEY I HATE IT SO MUCH. There are some really sorta... creepy at times psychedelia goodness in here, mixed with filler songs. I really enjoyed stuff like "I had Too Much to Dream", and "Get me to the World on Time", "The Highest Bidder" a solid 3/5!

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Jan 27 2021
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3

I liked the short songs. not enough people writing 2 minute songs these days

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Aug 05 2024
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2

How have I never heard of this band? That’s because they suck.

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Aug 25 2023
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5

A true cornerstone of psychedelic rock, the self-titled Electric Prunes album delivers haunting, dreamy vocals intertwined with swirling guitars and ethereal production. Amidst this sonic landscape, one also discovers heartfelt, tender tracks that add depth to the album's aura. Seamlessly blending psychedelia, garage rock, and avant-garde experimentation emblematic of its time, this record conjures an entrancing and otherworldly atmosphere. 10/10!

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Feb 23 2023
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4

Fun and standout psych garage, this honestly surprised me. There was more chaff here than I'd normally allow for a four star album, but the kernels of wheat that came out really were golden.

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Feb 10 2021
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4

I really enjoyed this one. It was like... a darker version of the Beatles and the Beach Boys, kinda the way the Wiki page described.

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Apr 23 2025
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3

A mix of excellent tracks and the absolute nightmare of The Toonerville Trolley. Jesus.

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Aug 15 2024
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3

What an odd little album. I rather liked some of the tracks and others seemed silly, like songs for children.

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May 20 2024
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3

The biggest crime that 60’s psych bands perpetrated was convincing people that cabaret songs and show tunes could somehow be considered “psychedelic”.

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Mar 09 2022
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3

This album feels quite manic, some cool songs and some others I really don't care for at all. First track might be my fav, the rest are sorta meh. Like Toonerville Trolley is sort of horrible. An interesting debut for sure.

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Mar 11 2021
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3

Interesting contrast to the Animals.. they focused on politics, prunes focused on girls with more than a touch of misogyny...

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Mar 31 2021
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3

Good album which has a lot of missed potential unfortunately, would have wished that the more exotic and medieval sounding songs were more plentyful

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Sep 25 2020
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3

Especially liked 'Sold to the Highest Bidder'. Some really fun fast moving tracks on this one. At points it felt like it was straddling the edge of being endearingly goofy and annoyingly so

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Nov 25 2024
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2

It's the now sound, it's what's happening! I first came across the Electric Prunes via a compilation cassette from my mate Peter. He used to often include on his mixtapes a commercial for the Vox wah wah pedal featuring the Electric Prunes. It was made in 1967 and tacked on to the end of Glen A. Baker's excellent 2LP compilation 'Songs of a Psychedelic Age'. Check the commercial out here: https://youtu.be/17h773ldGds?si=SDtPFwACcyQwmceI My next exposure was the track 'I had too much to dream last night', which was a highlight of the famous and influential Nuggets compilation. It is a great piece of 60s garage rock and a longtime favourite track of mine. It's weird and rough and catchy. But the rest of this album is just another mediocre example of the 1960s cult psychedelia that Dimery is obsessed with. I found the rest of this record pretty forgettable. I swear I own at least one Prunes album (possibly even this one) but I can't find it anywhere, and I can't remember the last time I might have played it; probably about 30 years ago. Maybe I sold it and can't remember. "I had too much to dream last night" is a moment of accidental genius that the Electric Prunes never came close to matching. They deserve to be remembered for that (and possibly the wah wah commercial), but on compilations, comfortably nestled between tracks from other similar one song wonders. It's ok if a band only ever produced one song of real lasting value. That's one more than most of us ever manage. And those songs should be remembered and celebrated in a suitable manner; compilations, playlists, mixtapes, radio, DJ sets, placement in tv or movies or videogames or whatever. There are lots of places where a single dong can be heard and enjoyed. But please, Dimery, don't make us sit through whole mediocre albums on the basis of one great track.

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Jul 07 2024
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2

Yet another entry in the "too many '60s psych rock albums" category. I definitely don't hate this one, and wouldn't say it's bad, but good lord I never thought I would be this OVER IT. We get it, LSD right? Hippies? Okay, cool, whatever. You'll never be the Doors, or Jimi Hendrix, or any of the other 15-20 more impressive psych rock acts that we've certainly had on here. We do not need to be this far in the weeds, especially when there are way better albums out there. Favorite tracks: Train for Tomorrow, Luvin. Album art: Band photo, looks cool, they look pretty cool but also kind of square. I dig it. I like the inset, art within the art, kind of thing going on. Wish I wasn't so fatigued about '60s rock to enjoy this more, then again, there's better stuff out there. Cover's cool though. 2.5/5

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Apr 12 2024
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2

Tired of 1960s Kinks sounding bands right now.

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Jul 20 2023
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2

Probably the most uneven album yet. Some good cuts and some abominations. 2/5

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Sep 04 2022
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2

I could see putting Nuggets on this list (maybe compilations aren't included in the list?) or Too Much To Dream if you were doing a similar list of songs but a whole album by The Electric Prunes? C'mon. This is just cookie cutter generic late 60s psychedlia. It's not even as if I'm not a fan of this genre, Piper at The Gates of Dawn absolutely belongs so does Forever Changes. I won't even argue with the 13th Floor Elevators album but to me this is like putting a Strawberry Alarm Clock or Chocolate Watchband album on here.

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Oct 20 2022
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1

Who the hell chose this? This album blows.

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Apr 13 2022
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1

I am struggling to find anything to say about this album. Its just such a blatant doors ripoff. I got through the album no problem but cant say that I would want to go back to it. The Toonerville Trolley is a real piece of shit and is a star demerit.

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Feb 19 2021
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1

Actually thought it started ok but quickly descended into some truly awful noise. Some music is timeless. This mess is not.

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Feb 19 2021
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1

Gets one star for the effort of actually going to the studio and recording this pish

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Mar 16 2025
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5

This is definitely one of my favorite ’60s psychedelic albums. The vocals are echoed, reverbed, and hazy, while the guitars are fuzz-heavy and distorted, giving the album a surreal effect—not to mention all the experimental studio techniques of the time. On the flip side, much of their material was influenced by producers and songwriters rather than being entirely self-written, making their sound more structured. That’s why I think this album is a great introduction to psychedelic music. It captures all the best elements of the genre but presents them in a more polished and structured way, whereas many other albums of the era leaned more into improvisation.

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Jan 27 2025
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5

4.5/5 Beautiful guitar work, a clear cohesive sound which is fantastical and dreamlike, and charming, delicate vocals. This album is pretty amazing. It starts crazy strong, but the second side is definitely if not weaker then more inconsistent. I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) 5/5 (FAV) Bangles 5/5 Onie 5/5 Are You Lovin' Me More (But Enjoying It Less) 5/5 Train For Tomorrow 4.5/5 Sold to the Highest Bidder 3.5/5 Get Me to the World on Time 5/5 About a Quarter to Nine 4/5 The King Is in the Counting House 3.5/5 Luvin' 5/5 Try Me on for Size 5/5 The Toonerville Trolley 3/5 (LEAST FAV)

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Jan 01 2025
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5

Fun novel sound,, interesting throughout

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Jun 24 2024
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5

Some delightful very sixties rock. They were the first band to use a wah-wah pedal, but not much evidence here.

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Jun 20 2024
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5

Love! It’s pretty old so I feel like the fact that I like it and it’s old makes me like it more.

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Jun 14 2024
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5

I loved it. Precursor to heavy metal

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Jun 08 2024
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5

The quintessential 60s vibe. I remember it in my childhood. Instant hope and wonder about life and my world. I love this.

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May 05 2024
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5

Listened to this on the way to the zoo and everything is making me feel like an excited kid. Really interesting first song. Fuck it, 5 stars

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Mar 18 2024
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5

Great early psych rock with some baroque and garage elements.

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Dec 18 2023
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5

based on the cover and concept alone this feels like it's gonna slap, but let's see if it delivers The description said garage rock but because of the harmless looking 60s dudes in bowl cuts and turtlenecks i was not expecting full on cock music. really feels like the beginning of dudes in their garage just singing songs about getting laid. Still, it also has some deeper tracks with interesting instrumentation, such as About A Quarter To Nine. Toonerville Trolley is like a Fleischer Animation fever dream. Dark and ambienty, but also rough. Strong 4, if not 5. I've listened to this album 4 times in a row back to back tonight from how much i like it. once i fix my speakers i might try to hunt down a physical copy. Rounding to 5 because I've had this on repeat all week.

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Nov 02 2023
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5

Super fun album that almost sounds like a Beatles greatest hits album. No skip, 5 stars

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Feb 05 2023
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5

The essence of psychedelic music

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Oct 03 2022
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5

I’m so torn between a 4 or a 5 for this one. I absolutely love it. It’s heavy, it’s psychedelic, it’s eerie. But just about every song is so great. A really overlooked album.

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Nov 04 2021
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5

Wow! Sometimes, this project really surprises me with this kind of thing: An album and even an artist or band that I never heard about before and became a fan instantly. The first song sounds a little bit ~strange~ but when I got the vibe for it, it's a great album with the right number of songs and an excellent set (more songs could be too much)

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Sep 22 2021
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5

This album was not available on my music streaming service. Instead, I listened to the second album "Underground". Which was quite good.

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May 02 2025
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4

Really enjoyed this. Had never heard of the band before which is surprising. Need to listen again. I'll give it 3.75 (7.5) and round up to 4

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Apr 17 2025
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4

"Too Much to Dream" is an essential single from the wild west era of psych rock. Underground is probably the better album from these beleaguered boys, who remain a cautionary tale of record label meddling. Those unconverted to goofy-ass early psych are best served by Nuggets or uh... the pack-in CD from the June 2003 issue of Uncut, both excluded by the list's bogus no-comps rule. It's worth checking out the two lysergical, er, liturgical albums credited to the band but mostly performed by studio musicians, if only as a curio. They swap the late 60's silliness for late 60's self-seriousness, to a detriment. Free the Prunes!

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Apr 06 2025
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4

poppy american psych rock who's main strength is just, rly rly strong and economical songs actually HFJFSHJFSH. i kinda miss the noddling and heavy indulgences of other similar records but it does make this record v distinct. theres also just in general a gritter, grimer, sometimes outright dark edge that kind of cuts thru the Whimsy inherent to the style...its not the velvets or anything but its a more than solid Seedy Underbelly type of record. v enjoyable album, didnt blow my mind but every song hit with a relatively equal amount of mental clarity which is a minor feat of pacing and delivering raw musical information

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Mar 30 2025
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4

Good album but I feel like it's missing something that makes other 60s song special

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Mar 23 2025
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4

Didn't know these guys. Great Floyd like, but American based.

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Mar 20 2025
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4

Some cool tunes on here, but overall kinda mid?

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Mar 03 2025
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4

Am a sucker for 60s Garage Psychedelia, and this is a fine example of it. The more whimsical bits, whilst seemingly an integral art of that style and era, are the only things stopping me giving this 5 stars. 'Dream' is worth 4 stars on its own.

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Feb 27 2025
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4

Psychedelic folk blues rock. Very approachable.

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Feb 25 2025
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4

I like this kind of unhinged psychedelic rock but this isn’t quite as good as 13th Floor Elevators.

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Jan 29 2025
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4

Holly damn time signature changes. In a very tasteful manner. Extremely good

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Jan 17 2025
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4

Fun album. So short, but I really enjoyed it.

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Jan 16 2025
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4

Psychedelic and Garage Rock feeling all over the place with haunting, dreamy vocals to annoying stage shouting intertwined with swirling guitars and ethereal to country atmosphere. Some Tracks are good enough to revisit others annoy the hell out of me.

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Jan 16 2025
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4

Better than I thought it would be. Some pretty interesting early psychedelic and garage. Ranges all over the place and made for a good listen. An interesting window back into the 60's. Unexpected bangers: Sold to the Highest Bidder, Bangles, Try Me on For Size.

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Jan 09 2025
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4

Again, short songs redeem the whole. This is a well-produced album with creative percussiveness, rich, impactful guitars, and a compression to save it from going too far, too dreamy, too heady. The lyrics are the weak point, not difficult or pretentious, but in fact unmemorable, too steady, not wordy enough. But this is a good find, and in the end, I’m down with it. Especially beautiful: 'Onie'; especially tasteful: 'Train for Tomorrow' and 'Luvin''; heavy lifting in LA: 'Try Me on for Size'; not good: 'The Toonerville Trolley.'

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Jan 09 2025
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4

A really fun album that felt a little like a blend between Beatles and Doors.

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Dec 13 2024
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4

Pretty good album for 60s rock. Lyrics were entertaining and some of the songs were pretty creative in their instrumentals.

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Dec 09 2024
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4

Quite quirky, very sixties and a much stronger opening half than closing half. Probably a 7/10 but I'm feeling generous.

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Dec 02 2024
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4

Very important early psych rock / alt rock

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Nov 03 2024
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4

Quite a surprise in its mixture of vibes and styles.

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Oct 27 2024
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4

Classic 60s fare slightly twee but very endearing. Some very strong songs in the first half too especially the first 2

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Oct 12 2024
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4

I don’t think I heard of The Electric Prunes before. It’s quite hard to define them, seemingly mushing together rock, jazzy psychedelia with a touch of added zaniness. I fully thought that The Toonerville Trolley was The Tuna Belt Trolley when I was listening. I didn’t really have a clue what was going on, but it was fun. That’s the important bit after all.

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Oct 07 2024
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4

While being a little generic in places, I dig these sorts of psychedelic tunes, so this is getting a 4.5 bumped down to 4.

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Sep 20 2024
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4

This was a cool vibe, never heard it all the way through before. Some weird stuff happening on that Toonerville Trolley though, tell ya what.

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Aug 14 2024
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4

Had to listen to it twice, but I really dig it.

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Aug 05 2024
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4

The Electric Prunes, sometimes referred to as I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), is the debut album by the Electric Prunes, originally released in 1967. I first heard about the Electric Prunes when I was getting into psychedelic music. I picked up a copy of Nuggets, which is a compilation of lesser known 60s psychedelic/garage tracks. The opening track was I Had Too Much to Dream. I still remember that feeling of hearing that opening tremolo-drenched guitar riff for the first time. I knew I was hooked on psychedelic music. I immediately sought out a copy of their debut record. I was able to grab a mono copy for fairly cheap. Side A of the record is great. It strikes that perfect balance between psychedelic and garage rock. Side B is where this record falls a bit flat. It still has some good garage tracks like "Get Me to the World on Time" and "Try Me on for Size". The rest of the tracks are pretty week and were essentially used as filler. Still giving 4 stars due to the weight of that opening track alone.

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Jul 21 2024
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4

They have an awful name But some great tunes Ladies and gentlemen The Electric Prunes

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Jul 12 2024
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4

Not the most polished album but I quite enjoy the 60s psychedelic sound

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Jul 08 2024
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4

Was not expecting this album to be as enjoyable (or as short) as it is.

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Jun 27 2024
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4

Tonally a bit all over the place but a bunch of fun songs

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Jun 27 2024
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4

60s Psychedelia, garage sound, fuzzy baselines, gravelly vocals, and the coolest freakin' guitar throughout....just a really fun ride! Highlights... Don't understand how "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" didn't become a hit (or stay one as a representation of the ear). Love the second half of "Train for Tomorrow" The blues guitar licks on "Luvin" The middle eastern influence on "Sold to the Highest Bidder" "Quarter to Nine" and "Toonerville Trolley" are fun, lighthearted diversions that complement the album Also, you'll hear hints of Beatles, Stones, Beach Boys and Doors influence throughout. Great discovery! 4 stars

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