Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Bit of whimsy
Surprisingly good for being so old and psychedelic.
Belle découverte. Bons morceaux! Solide!
Definitely unique…kept me on my toes
One of the earlier and better pop psychedelic records, fronted by the improbable hit single “Too Much to Dream”. I’m an outsized fan of this band and therefore of this record - but would rate their second album “Underground” ahead of this, given its focus on band-penned songs, and a more consistent mellow psych sound. This has a few beauties and showcased production effects that changed the game in their day….very good stuff and important in its day.
Ahh the good ol 60's the music was so distinct! This one has been pretty chil I like it I think I'll give it 4 stars. The voice in some of these is pretty intense. Like in Try Me on for Size. Also some good sexy lyrics in a few of these.
Actually incredible album. Product of its time, but the roots are eclectic and the vibes were electric.
Enjoyable light Brit rock, 3.5
Love the album so far. Cool and fun enough to recite alone or with others in spite of lyrics of heartbreak or lovestruck; each instrumental different from track to track. Favorite tracks are "I had too much to dream (last night)" and "Bangles". The Toonerville Trolley was an unexpected ending to the album, with quite the goofy instrumental in terms of humor, but not bad.
Ну прям чистые angry young men, будто Альберт Финни с субботнего вечера до воскресного утра
Симпатичное разнообразное иногда лоуфайное старье
Really fun, ahead of their time sound-wise
3/4
enjoyed sounds of the 60s
It's been a while since I heard anything by The Electric Prunes. A year and a half ago, I first listened to their big hit, "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)". That mesmerizing vibration of the fuzzed-out guitar was such a distinct sound that felt complementary to a low-key garage-psych track about longing for an ex-lover. That style is pretty much apropos for the band's self-titled debut. Ken Williams's guitar effects tinkering, Mark Tulin's decent organ playing, and other such instrumental embellishments gave a slight edge to these surf-adjacent tunes. Meanwhile, the singers were more contemplative about their romantic interests than other acts were singing about at the time, which I found intriguing. There were a few problems I had with this record. The overall production was rather muted, rarely pushing for a louder sound outside of the Indian-inspired tremolo picking that's pushed to the front of the mix on "Sold to the Highest Bidder". Also, I have to admit that "The Toonerville Trolley" was a very hokey showtune ending that was sonically and lyrically at odds with the rest of the album. Still, I consider The Electric Prunes' self-titled debut to be solid overall, as it helped pave the way for the acid rock acts to come.
60's fuzz heavy guitars? Stop, stop, I'm sold.
Very well aged psychodelic rock, even if nothing beats the first song.
A full extra bonus point for "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)", purely because it was on one of my favorite CD compilations back in HS.
Det är högklassigt Psych garage som svänger. Men som album håller det inte riktigt hela vägen
very fun but short album, the last one sounded like it was straight out of a kids show but still good listen 7.5/10
Never heard this record before but I played it. Great background music. Love the garage, psych rock. Good music I must say.
Right up my alley, this one! Lovely slice of 60’s psychedelia. Only heard Mass in F Minor previously. This is a much more upbeat poppy affair. 4
7 - GOOD
Det här lät riktigt bra och varierat, och vad som måste vara en av alla tiders bästa låttitlar, "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)", säkrar betyget.
Det svänger ju!
Navnet e teit men musikken høres helt aldeles ut som nokka fra 1967, så det e nu greit nok.
I had never heard of this group before this listen. There's some good stuff on this album, you hear hints of the Velvet Underground and others in some of the tracks.
8/10 Best songs: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), Bangles, Train for Tomorrow, Sold to the Highest Bidder, Get Me to the World on Time, Try Me on for Size Mid-60s early psychedelic rock/electric rock - very garage band vibes, but like, a couple generations earlier than the garage bands I grew up with. As one might expect from 60s music, each song is quite short, but the tone and lyrics are unexpectedly dark (melancholic? I'm not sure of the right word). Somewhere in the final third of the album the music shifts from being experimental/psychedelic to almost story-telling/folk, and then back again. It's a weird tonal shift that doesn't seem to fit the rest of the (imo) very strong album. I do really like this album overall and I'm really happy with its place on this list.
Best song: Bangles Felt new but old at the same time. Weird.
This was an odd one. Could have gone anywhere. This was very much the kind of 60s psych I liked. Until it wasn't. The first half up to Get Me to the World on Time I can dig. I loved whatever was going on with the guitar on Sold to the Highest Bidder. But the rest of the album went in that "haha aren't we weird and funny" style of 60s psych which kind of lost me. Weird reading the backstory to the album that most of it was written by a separate writing team, especially because the two halves of the album sound like they were written by completely different groups of people. You know what, I'd listen again. 4 it is.
The Doors & Silverapples crossover episode. Not bad.
more weird albums like this please
rad name. rad album
No. 50 i’d never heard of electric prunes but i was pleasantly surprised! love it!
Pretty fun. Reminds me of a less intense version of The Doors.
I had too much to dream last night and About a quarter to none were my favourites. The first mostly enjoyable album since Kendrick. 4 stars.
Decent background music. I will listen to it again. Never heard of the electric prunes before
From the very first second it was obvious how ahead of its time this album is. That sound, whatever it was, is incredible and unlike anything else I've heard from this era. I assume it's guitar feedback or something. These guys were contemporaries of Pink Floyd, but I have no clue if they ever met or heard each other's music this early in their respective careers. If they didn't, it's an amazing coincidence that they produced seminal psychedelic albums in the same year. This is psychedelia with pop sensibilities. Catchy melodies and choruses and, rocking guitars and tempos mixed with softer sounds that invoke either love song ballads or more folksy songs that make you feel like you're in the middle of the woods. It doesn't all work, though. While some tracks soar and really hit the mark of their intent, others come across as the result of fun experiments in genre or otherwise just extended acid trips. This works pretty well. The genre hopping is fun (mostly), the band clearly had a vision for each song and executed it with a "no half-measures" attitude. As far as psychedelic albums go, I'd assume this winds up somewhere near the top of some list ranking them all. For me, it winds up earning four stars. Standout Tracks: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), Train for Tomorrow, Sold to the Highest Bidder, Get Me to the World on Time, About a Quarter to Nine, Try Me on for Size
An okay album, I liked Bangles and Luvin' the most.
The Beatles, The Beach Boys men lite andra influenser också. Nice
Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Direkt Bock auf Pilze.
drei bis vier
Sounds like more off-the-shelf flowery psychedelia at first but with an enjoyable darkness, edging it over into ‘bad trip’ territory… IN A GOOD WAY
Some classic psychedelia on this. I also like the pastoral/nursery rhymes. Although not too keen on the ragtime numbers.
The Electric Prunes is a pretty hilarious band name and fits right in with their other fruit and vegetable contemporaries Strawberry Alarm Clock, Moby Grape, and Ultimate Spinach. The LSD in the 60s must have been incredible. I'm a total sucker for any tube-drenched fuzzed out 60s psych and garage rock. There's a weird and sometimes annoying charm with the hollowed-out mids in the production of these records. You have to adjust your modern hearing to it, but once you settle in, it's like a blanket. The springy reverb put on almost every instrument gives it this ethereal and haunting quality. I wonder with this, and all the monster songs in the 60s, if that was just a particularly haunted moment in the popular culture. I already know these guys from the classic "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)", which is worthy of all the wild praise for a career-defining track. They have a more pop-inspired and less weirdo take on the 13th Floor Elevators, sans electric jug. I prefer these guys when the tempo is up and they are a little more angsty. "Are You Lovin Me More" has some fun Beach Boys vibes, but with a lot more aggro dysfunctional horniness. Here for it. "Sold to The Highest Bidder" stands out from all the other pieces, and probably any other music of the time, with the wild Greek rebetiko-inspired arpeggios and chants of "Hey!". (I wish they had really leaned in with an "OPA!"). Being the 60s of course they had to have a harpsichord thrown in on a song. (I think it was in the recording contracts of the time). "The Toonerville Trolley" is a total outlier with all its bizarre Gay-90s jauntiness. Not mad at it, but also WTF guys. I have to say that most of these tracks are all really solid, but they are also way too short. A couple of standout stinkers include the weak-ass ballad "Onie", which really feels out of place here, and "About a Quarter To Nine". Apparently the record label leaned super hard on these boys with the creation of the album, and the band subsequently had misgivings about some of the tracks they had to lay down for it. I would like to think these two might be the ones they weren't so into. But again, what's up with "The Toonerville Trolley"? That track could have really used a penny whistle at the end to really drive the cheese home. There's a bit of an uneven quality to the inclusion of these tracks, contrasted with the more rocking stuff, and that makes the listening experience suffer a little for a time when LPs were intended to be experienced first-song-to-last. Finally, the album art raises a lot of questions. They appear to be photographed in studio portrait style arranged in front of a black and white Cubist rendering of the same portrait, framed on the wall with a similar type layout featuring the hit songs. I have to wonder if the framed photo was the original album art that got rejected by the suits at the record company and this was the band's compromise to still get the wilder art in there somewhere. The studio portrait, drab-ass color palette, and type layout all feel like basic 60s album layout designs for any of their contemporaries like The Animals, etc. and this was probably intentional to try to couch them into a style and sell more records. I would really like to have seen that weird ass line drawing blown up to 12x12, but then again, it doesn't totally fit all that's going on here. Deserving of 3 overall, but getting 4 because the stronger tracks are just that strong and worth cherry-picking.
Never heard of these guys, quite like their sound
Dope record! Love the psych vibe and the rhythms. Instrumentation is so groovy and kept my attention throughout. This is a really fun one.
own
It's fun. Surprisingly weird for this kind of 60's rock. Sometimes too weird
I love 60s psychedelic pop, so of course this was great and enjoyable. "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" is the only song I was really familiar with ahead of time, though I know I've heard some of these songs before. The first track remains the best one on the album, but every song is fun (and short, which I appreciate). "The Toonerville Trolley" is unhinged but I love that kind of shit.
First time listening, I really enjoyed the first half, but the second half kind of spiralled off. 3.5
Other than a few odd ball songs on this album, it was the right vibe today. I’d never heard of them, but I’d give them more listens in the future. Listened to this one at the lake, and all seemed right in the world.
Not too bad.
The bridge from 50’s to psychedelica. I forgot all about them. Very good.
Um álbum dos anos 1960 que dá pra sentir uma sujeira no som que é muito interessante. Gostei bastante. Celest Pandamon.
The band might not have liked most of the song writing coming from outside the members, but this album really works for me. Besides the hit opener, the songs continued to be interesting (except for one obvious dud) and tempo changing.
I enjoyed most of it. Lots of different styles they are having fun with but adding their own little touches to it. It reminds me of if Ween was in the late 60s Rating: 3.7
Good
Cool mais dérivatif
I liked this, surprised I hadn’t heard of them. Good coherent early psychedelia. I had too much to dream last night is a great song name. Fave Tracks: I Had too much to Dream Last Night, Onie 3.7/5
That was really fun. Pretty groovy but with enough edge to it. I enjoyed this
Tatsächlich endlich wieder mal ein Album zum Entdecken!
J’ai plutôt bien aimé, mais je n’en garderai pas un grand souvenir!
Really good album.
Really quite an unexpected listening experience in a good way, quite fun and some really great tunes, the main thing holding it back is that it can sound quite dated at times, but overall really good
I tend to find these lesser known 60's psych rock band to be a little boring, but this one held my attention and was pretty good overall. The middle does drag a little when they breakout the baroque pop, but other than that it was a very decent album. Low 4.
I described it as "Temu Beatles on LSD" to a friend Actually pretty good tbh
Fun!!!
Trippy, easy listening, fun
Really liked a few of these.
I had always lumped these guys with the long list of one-hit wonders. This appears to be an unfair characterization. This is the first time I've ever listened to any of their albums, a bit of psychedelic, a bit of garage.....it was fun. I enjoyed the album and will actually check out another album or two of theirs.
This album was a pleasant surprise considering the reviews for it. There's a lot of great tracks on this album! They take risks with different sounds (which was surprising for an album from 1967) and it pays off. This does however mean this album does however lack cohesion. There isn't a continuous storyline or continuous type of sound that strings the album together. One second you're listening to a softly sun lullaby type song and then the next you're in a symphony with a harpsichord front and centre. Regardless of that, the majority of the tracks are great and even if you don't like a couple of them, they're very short.
I mean i enjoy basically anything 60s garage rock. Like much of these albums some kinda meh stuff and some bangers. Organ's always good in these kinda albums
Cool
Great stuff
Some songs five some songs two... round out at 4* as I will listen again! :) The two were random filler "singles" that flat-out didn't fit the amazing weirdness (always a 5!)
4 out of 5. Overall an enjoyable album. And people are wack, Toonerville Trolley is a banger.
Like any other boy band of the 60's. Like the zombies and beachboys combined
Sounded pretty good.
It's not quite good and maybe not worth of being on this list, but I feel like it's a bit underrated. I've liked it.
This is why I am enjoying this 1001 album journey. I had never even heard of this band, but I instantly enjoyed their music. Fun classic 60’s vibe.
Never heard this before, it was good.
This one sounded old, but far newer and fresher than the 60s. The psychedelic elements were a very pleasant surprise. I'm definitely interested in checking this band out some more. Favorite track: "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)"
Genuinely trippy and surreal. The creative highs come in tracks like I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night, with this distinctive vespine buzz oscillating between channels creating a distinctive psychadelic sound. Small decisions like reverbing the band on Get Me To The World On time are similarly effective on what could otherwise be generic rock and roll. I dislike the nightmarishly dour The King is in the Counting House, which is how I imagine it sounds to be dosed with LSD and wheeled through the royals exhibit at Madame Toussads with your eyes stapled open. So this isn't perfect, but it's a rare psychadelic rock album that lives up to the name.
I liked this album a lot. They get pretty raucous on a couple of tunes, which made me like it more than a lot of psychedelic rock. There were a few snoozer tracks, but overall I thought it was pretty great. 3.7/5
Really good songs
Psychedelia is a Genre that's always appealed to me. I love music that keeps me guessing. Sadly, my experience with it hasn't been as in-depth as I'd want, though I've still listened to a decent amount. This is to say that I can't say for certain if this is truly unique and great or a whatever piece of Psychedelic Rock. I mean, 1967 also had the Doors, Sgt. Pepper, Jimi Hendrix, and more of the most beloved Psych Rock Acts. What if I just like this because I haven't heard better stuff like it? At the end of the day, though, I can't review based on a future possibility. In the present, I did quite enjoy this album. It's only around 30 minutes so it's short but sweet. I don't think anything could prepare me for Toonerville Trolley. That song was actually crazy. It's a super fun and interesting album Also I very much thought they said the N word during Toonerville Trolley, but thankfully they apparently were saying "knickers" 8/10, sorry if the first paragraph sounded pretentious.
I had to much to psych last night
Great bit of psychedelia
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
Nice discovery
Okiedokie
"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!
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
Good album but I feel like it's missing something that makes other 60s song special
Didn't know these guys. Great Floyd like, but American based.
Some cool tunes on here, but overall kinda mid?
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.
Not the Beatles.
Psychedelic folk blues rock. Very approachable.
I like this kind of unhinged psychedelic rock but this isn’t quite as good as 13th Floor Elevators.
Holly damn time signature changes. In a very tasteful manner. Extremely good
Fun album. So short, but I really enjoyed it.
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.
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.
Like it.
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.'
A really fun album that felt a little like a blend between Beatles and Doors.
Love it :)
Solid psychedelic rock
Pretty good album for 60s rock. Lyrics were entertaining and some of the songs were pretty creative in their instrumentals.
Quite quirky, very sixties and a much stronger opening half than closing half. Probably a 7/10 but I'm feeling generous.
Fun, classic 60s psychedelia
Very important early psych rock / alt rock
Quite a surprise in its mixture of vibes and styles.
Classic 60s fare slightly twee but very endearing. Some very strong songs in the first half too especially the first 2
Finally, a psychedelic rock band I'm familiar with! "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" scared the living sh** out of me. The Electric Prunes are a very eery nightmarish psychedelic fever dream. Love their sound. I bet their music is great on mushrooms.
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.
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.
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.
Very solid album, was a fun listen from start to finish. Some tempo changes here and there were jarring but aside from that I enjoyed the album. 8/10
nice 60s rock
Had to listen to it twice, but I really dig it.
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.
A pretty solid 60s garage rock album heavily lifted by the two singles off of it - 'i had too much to dream (last night)' and 'get me to the world on time.' i'm a fan of this era of music so i enjoyed myself, but really in the grand scheme of things this is a pretty forgettable album. still, it's not bad and is one of the more solid, less hit-or-miss garage band albums of the era.
They have an awful name But some great tunes Ladies and gentlemen The Electric Prunes
Loved parts of this with vampiric gypsy guitar. Weird children's tunes not so much
Not the most polished album but I quite enjoy the 60s psychedelic sound
Was not expecting this album to be as enjoyable (or as short) as it is.
Tonally a bit all over the place but a bunch of fun songs
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
### In-Depth Review of "The Electric Prunes" by The Electric Prunes #### Overview "The Electric Prunes," released in 1967, is the debut album by the American psychedelic rock band The Electric Prunes. It is a seminal work that captures the spirit of the late 1960s with its experimental sound, innovative production techniques, and eclectic mix of genres. This review will delve into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, providing a comprehensive analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. #### Lyrics ##### Themes and Content The lyrics of "The Electric Prunes" reflect the psychedelic era’s preoccupation with consciousness expansion, existential musings, and surreal imagery. Songs like "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" and "Get Me to the World on Time" explore themes of altered states of mind and the desire for escape from mundane reality. The lyrics often evoke a sense of confusion and disorientation, mirroring the hallucinogenic experiences associated with the time. ##### Analysis - **"I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)"**: This track stands out for its vivid depiction of a psychedelic experience, with lyrics that describe a dream-like state filled with surreal and haunting imagery. - **"Are You Lovin' Me More (But Enjoying It Less)"**: This song presents a more straightforward rock narrative, discussing romantic disillusionment and emotional detachment. - **"Sold to the Highest Bidder"**: Here, the lyrics delve into themes of commodification and loss of identity, using auction metaphors to critique societal values. ##### Pros and Cons - **Pros**: The lyrics effectively capture the zeitgeist of the 1960s psychedelic movement. They are imaginative and evocative, contributing significantly to the album’s overall atmosphere. - **Cons**: At times, the lyrics can be overly abstract and obscure, potentially alienating listeners who prefer more concrete storytelling. #### Music ##### Composition and Style Musically, "The Electric Prunes" is a blend of garage rock, psychedelic rock, and proto-punk. The album features fuzz-laden guitars, reverberating vocals, and unconventional song structures that challenge traditional pop formats. ##### Notable Tracks - **"I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)"**: The opening track is driven by a distinctive tremolo guitar riff and haunting melodies, setting the tone for the rest of the album. - **"Get Me to the World on Time"**: This song combines a frantic pace with swirling organ lines and pounding drums, epitomizing the band's energetic style. - **"Luvin'"**: With its bluesy undertones and gritty guitar work, this track showcases the band’s versatility and roots in garage rock. ##### Instrumentation The instrumentation on the album is characterized by its innovative use of effects pedals and studio techniques. The electric guitar work, in particular, stands out for its use of fuzz and reverb, creating a sound that was ahead of its time. ##### Pros and Cons - **Pros**: The album's musical experimentation is one of its strongest points. The innovative use of guitar effects and the fusion of different genres make for a captivating listening experience. - **Cons**: Some tracks may come across as disjointed or inconsistent, reflecting the band’s experimental approach that doesn't always coalesce seamlessly. #### Production ##### Techniques and Innovations The production, led by Dave Hassinger, is notable for its adventurous use of studio technology. Techniques such as reverse tape effects, layered vocals, and unconventional microphone placements contribute to the album’s distinctive sound. ##### Influence of Production The production techniques used on "The Electric Prunes" had a significant influence on subsequent psychedelic and experimental rock recordings. The album is often cited for its pioneering use of effects that would become staples in the genre. ##### Pros and Cons - **Pros**: The production is groundbreaking, contributing to the album's enduring legacy. Hassinger’s willingness to experiment helped create a unique sonic palette that distinguishes the album from its contemporaries. - **Cons**: The experimental nature of the production sometimes results in a lack of cohesion, with certain effects feeling overused or out of place. #### Themes ##### Exploration of Psychedelia The overarching theme of "The Electric Prunes" is an exploration of psychedelia in both its lyrical content and musical composition. The album seeks to replicate and evoke the experiences associated with psychedelic drug use and the broader counterculture movement. ##### Social and Cultural Commentary Beyond psychedelia, the album also touches on themes of social alienation, romantic disillusionment, and existential inquiry. These themes resonate with the countercultural questioning of mainstream values and norms prevalent during the 1960s. ##### Pros and Cons - **Pros**: The thematic consistency of the album helps to create a cohesive artistic statement. The exploration of psychedelia is handled with creativity and depth, making the album a significant cultural artifact. - **Cons**: The heavy reliance on psychedelic themes may limit the album’s appeal to listeners outside the countercultural sphere or those unfamiliar with the context of the 1960s. #### Influence ##### Impact on Psychedelic Rock "The Electric Prunes" is considered a foundational album in the development of psychedelic rock. Its innovative use of effects and studio techniques paved the way for future artists in the genre, influencing bands like The 13th Floor Elevators and early Pink Floyd. ##### Legacy The album’s legacy extends beyond its immediate impact on music. It is often cited in discussions of the 1960s counterculture and is included in various retrospectives of important psychedelic recordings. The song "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" is particularly noted as a classic of the genre. ##### Pros and Cons - **Pros**: The album’s influence on psychedelic rock and its enduring legacy as a cultural artifact are significant strengths. Its pioneering spirit continues to inspire musicians and music enthusiasts. - **Cons**: Despite its influence, the album never achieved the commercial success of some of its contemporaries, which may limit its recognition outside of dedicated psychedelic rock circles. ### Conclusion #### Pros - **Innovative Production**: The album’s use of pioneering studio techniques and effects is a major highlight, showcasing the band's willingness to push boundaries. - **Evocative Lyrics**: The imaginative and surreal lyrics effectively capture the essence of the psychedelic experience and the cultural milieu of the 1960s. - **Musical Experimentation**: The fusion of garage rock, psychedelic rock, and proto-punk elements creates a diverse and engaging musical landscape. - **Cultural and Musical Influence**: The album has had a lasting impact on the development of psychedelic rock and remains a significant cultural artifact. #### Cons - **Lack of Cohesion**: The experimental nature of the album sometimes results in disjointed or inconsistent tracks, which can detract from the overall listening experience. - **Obscure Lyrics**: The abstract and surreal nature of the lyrics may alienate some listeners who prefer more straightforward storytelling. - **Limited Commercial Success**: Despite its influence, the album did not achieve widespread commercial success, potentially limiting its recognition outside niche circles. In summary, "The Electric Prunes" is a groundbreaking album that captures the spirit of the 1960s psychedelic movement through its innovative production, evocative lyrics, and musical experimentation. While it has its flaws, its influence on the genre and its role as a cultural artifact make it a significant and enduring work in the history of rock music.
Awesome
I might be rating this a little high, but my gut reaction is that I really like it. I think most accurately it would be a 3.5 but I'm going to round up. A few really strong songs for me and a lot of guitar playing I enjoyed throughout.
Some generic sounding psychedelic at times but the band shines in the more slower jazzier tunes
Kinda quirky and whimsical hardish psych rock. Def pretty cool and innovative, but also a lil goofy
This made me toot on my licorice stick!
I like the sound. Particularly "Get me to the world on time". will listen to more.
My first 'The Electric Prunes' album experience was very pleasant and kind of mind-blowing given its time of release. All of these songs manage to be very concise (with most not breaking the 3-minute mark) while also still being fully fleshed out. The songs generally don't just come off as little samples or tastes of sprouting ideas. There is an ominous tone underlying the majority of this album, but I also found most of it to be light-hearted when looking deep into its messaging. The opener 'I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)' for example has this subtle horn hanging in the background which brings about this sinister aura. The song's lyrics, on the other hand, are quite melancholic and sad. Most songs here have something unique to offer, be that the more direct garage rock songs like 'Are you Lovin' Me More', the slow and tranquil acoustic-driven 'About a Quarter to Nine', or even the baroque-inspired 'The King in the Counting House'. There are some truly gorgeous soundscapes here, like the warm stream of synths that make up the song 'Onie'. My favorite has to be the eastern-influenced arpeggiated instrumental on 'Sold to the Highest Bidder' which has such an indescribably potent groove. Lyrically and vocally speaking, this album avoids sounding repetitive as lead vocalist James Lowe not only manages to tailor his vocals to match the energy of the current song but he also captivatingly presents a large array of diverse ideas through his lyrics. In a lot of ways, this album's an inconsistent mess, but its takes on both psychedelic and garage rock still sound unique and enjoyable (albeit grainy and muddy; which if anything, only adds to its enjoyability for me) even today. The sheer amount of interesting song ideas presented here alone makes it worthy of praise. NOTE: Reading into it more, it's evident that this album was rushed in its release, which explains the more brief song structures here. It's also clear that the band had little creative control over many of these ideas, lyrically and instrumentally. With that said, I still stand by most of what's said here but I am sympathetic towards this album's contentious release and can only imagine what it could've been if the band were given more creative freedom and time.
Fun psych garage rock
Rad.
I Had Too Much to Dream parecida a Summer Wine.
Too many people hating on the Prunes, the opener is such a fucking vibe, and sure the rest of the album never manages to match that energy, but these songs really aren't as bad as people on here make them out to be. A 3 star album bumped up to a 4 to spite the haters.
De första låtarna var riktigt bra. En blandning av The Who, Syd Barrets Pink Floyd, Velvet Underground och typ alla andra band från den tiden. Men ändå så var det nytt och coolt. Sparade typ hälften av låtarna.
Nice clean love songs. Ver good
Great band name. Really like the psychadelic rock style with the loud drums. The last few songs were certainly quite strange, but the build up with the previous songs on the album made them very fun way to end the album. I want to go on the Toonerville Trolley. Gotta love a sub 30 minute album when you are trying to play catchup. This did everything right for me right now.
Ok actually a very cool album, not at all what I expected from the name but very of the time I think. Nice and short as well which is kinda epic
1. 4.2 2. 4.8 3. 3.4 4. 3.8 5. 3.8 6. 4.2 7. 3.6 8. 3.5 9. 3.8 10. 4 11. 4.2 12. 3.7
Before even listening the album I want to note that I absolutely love the title. Really evocative and it's the kind of phrase I wish I had come up with. This record feels like I'm listening to The Zombies' 'Odessey and Oracle". That's one of my favorite albums, and I like this one for all the same reasons. 'The King in the Counting House' especially felt like I was listening to a Zombies song. It also had some moments that felt like the pace changes in Sgt. Peppers. I'll definitely revisit this album regularly
Garage psychedelia at its near apex. Bit much for a whole album
The vibes are immaculate. This is totally a record you throw on if you want to look hip to someone.
This is surprisingly very good 4.49
First Listen. I like this one much more than the Moby Grape album - much more fun and variation in songs.
Much better than I thought it would be. 60's Psychedelia with a slightly harder edge.
A candidate for the most dated album on the list, which is possibly a complement because I love the shit out of it. I'd like to trip to this album sometime and get a feel for what 1967 was really like.
Ten-year-old Timmy stumbled upon a peculiar secret one rainy afternoon. As the Electric Prunes echoed in his room, his tiny upper lip sprouted the tiniest, yet unmistakable, mustache. Bewildered, he played their music again, and the mustache grew. Soon, Timmy sported a lopsided fuzz, perplexing his parents. Excitement bubbled when he realized his mustache wasn't just hair – it was his ticket to adventure. With each guitar riff, his mustache sprouted longer, visions of interplanetary exploration dancing in his head. Timmy dreamt of soaring to Uranus, his mustache acting as a whimsical, fuzzy spacecraft. The Electric Prunes became his launchpad to the stars, and, fueled by music, Timmy soared through the cosmos on his fantastical, mustache-powered journey.
Could have been a 5, but that Toonerville Trolley bullshit shaved a whole point for its stupidity. Really good psych in comparison to some of the other crap from the era.
Decent rock album. Definitely has a acid sound to it.
Solid 60s rock sound, some garage rock and psychadelic vibes. Not fully my bag, but I can certainly appreciate it.
I don’t have a lot to say about this album, but it’s good. 4.2/5 Fav: Sold To The Highest Bidder, Get Me To The World on Time Least Fav: I have none.
I only recently learned that this band existed (thanks to a random track play from Apple Music). I think it was I Had Too Much To Dream. I liked it enough to listen to the entire album, so this is the second play-through for me. I like it quite a bit. It's got a lot more variety than you'd expect. It's not all Doors-sounding psychedelic rock. There's Indian, East Asian, even ragtime in here. Just didn't care much for the more hippie sounding stuff like The King is in the Counting House.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: I had too much to dream, Sold to the highest bidder
Strong beginning to the album, gets a bit out there for my tastes on the back half, but overall really enjoyed it.
I was curious as to how I have never heard of this band before after reading the review. It's an interesting listen that I enjoyed, but it lacks that edge that other famous albums from this time have. I guess this is one of those albums that will be forgotten to time, which is sad.
The good songs were very good, and the mid songs range from pleasant if uninspired (About A Quarter To Nine) to hilariously baffling (The Toonerville Trolley.) I found the whole thing kinda charming. I could see how the better songs were a major influence on later psychedelia, the use of guitar effects I’m sure was an inspiration for various Shoegaze projects. It’s all quite fun, I enjoyed the experience. Also, The Electric Prunes is an all time great band name
4.0
i actually kind of liked this.
Nice! I'd heard the title track a bunch of times from compilations, so it was nice to get a whole album from these folks. With early psychedelia there's always a danger they'll stray over the line that separates groovy far-outness from nails-on-a-blackboard twee, and "The King Is In The Counting House" certainly falls afoul of that here, but everything else felt pretty solid. (I'm giving "The Toonerville Trolley" a pass as it's trying to be old timey.) Fave tracks - as well as the title track, "Sold to the Highest Bidder" stood out - I suspect there are other contenders too....
This album seems way ahead of its time. There were some songs on it that seemed way ahead of their time and there were some that definitely fit in with the 60s. I definitely want to listen to this one a few more times. Really enjoyed it!
Never heard of them, but they’re good!
- Insanely enjoyable - Love the very short length - Are You Lovin Me is my favorite
This is a five star album except for two tracks: The King Is In The Counting House (a baroque bit) and The Toonerville Trolley (unserious honky tonk music). Besides that, amazing stuff, can’t believe this album was never on my radar. From the opening track I was absolutely hooked, and Get Me To The World On Time has been on repeat all day. Kickass sound from this band.
Eclectic and rad as hell
A fine slice of psychedelic rock. “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” isn’t talked about nearly enough.
Interesting listen. Rocky style that reminds me of a mix between the Beatles and the doors.
A very progressive album for 1967. It’s got some highs and some lows, along with god awful mixing because it’s old, but it’s a good album, I liked it.
I've already known their hit song 'I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)' but it was the first time I listened to a full album by this band. And it wasn't a disappointment at all. While it's not a pioneer album, it's overall great 60s psych garage rock with lots of fun songs and an enjoyable sound. The album as a whole has a similar echo-y sound/atmosphere as Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow which came out around the same time in 1967. I liked the nursery rhyme too, which was a surprise!
Pretty good find. Psychedelic rock.
I liked it, a bit more fast pace and grunge than the other albumbs
Stupid band name - but great music!
Wonderful opening, interest dropped off midway to end of album. A little top-heavy, but very reminiscent of Captain Beefheart. Liked this album a lot, unique sound I haven't heard in a while and refreshing to get more of it.
I was really shocked by this, the last time we had a 60s rock album it sucked ass. This was way heavier than I expected and hit really hard. Reminded me of early Prog Rock like Gentle Giant and ELP.
Very good album, added to the library
I never have too much of the Electric Prunes!
Despite this being pre-punk, I thought it could have passed for post-punk mixed with psychedelic rock. I probably wouldn't listen to it again but I liked it. And what red-blooded lady could resist these hairstyles? Meow. Go steady with me, boys!
Chouette alnum dark psychedelic, ça me fait un peu penser à The Piper at the Gate of Dawn de Pink Floyd
Liked it more than I thought.
Was a bit concerned by the album art that this would be more of the same 60s folk rock. I was pleasantly surprised as the album opened with a banger that I feel like I've maybe heard on some movie or tv soundtracks. The whole album was psychedelic but the band has a bite that you don't usually see from this era. Between the distortion in the guitars, the growl of the vocalist, and the lyrics themselves these guys almost feel like a group that would have thrived in the punk era but went psychedelic as that was the counter-culture in the 60s. Great album, didn't save any songs but would absolutely listen again.
A few songs swaps from being perfect
Cool man.
Trippy, maaaaan. Or at least very dreamy. Echoes of the Beach Boys in places. The warmth of the '60s is felt like a warm blanket around your ears, both in the songs and in the recordings. The coolest part though, is that most of these songs are written by two women, not by any of the five men in the band. Progressive politically and sonically, AND a ton of fun at that? This is an easy 4 stars for me.
Some great tracks in their - Onie for instance.
I found myself enjoying this quite a bit. Real channeling of some of the big rock bands of the 60s, Beatles, Stones etc. It's fairly psychedelic and a bit dark at times, and I was pleasantly surprised by how the speed picked up from time to time. It got a bit goofy and just plain weird at times though, and some of the songs were a bit boring. Very good album though! Favourite: Sold to the Highest Bidder
A not-so-well known gem of the psychedelic rock subgenre that comes across a bit harder than other works of British bands. And that's fine.
60s psychedelia. Interesting, as it feels like a more pure sound as opposed to the radio fodder you imagine from the time, but every now and then you get a song you could imagine on some flower power TV show. Apart from that, raw vocals, tempo changes, definitely challenging the sounds of the times.
ok
Kinda fun stuff. Catchy. Decent hooks.
Going into this record without any prior knowledge, it was a blast to listen to the stylistic variety the record had to offer. Every track offered a grounded period-standard psych rock motif fused with other prominent sounds of the time. Really enjoyed the trip the album took me on, from the blissful melody in 'Onie' to the Stones-esque rock flair in 'Get Me to the World in Time'. Its a real shame the album closes with 'The Toonerville Trolley'. That track made me want to gouge my eardrums.
Much deeper album then I would have thought. Very good music.
I Had Too Much to Dream parecida a Summer Wine.
A great psychedelic garage rock album with some incredible songs like "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" and "Get Me To The World On Time" and some songs that shouldn't have been on the album (Onie) Enjoyed this a lot!
[16/09/2022] Liked it. I didn’t listen to it well enough to comment more lmao. 3.5 or 4 I think.
adelantado a su época, sonidos frescos, me gustó para estarlo escuchando de fondo, tiene un algo
4 stars! This was a pretty exotic, yet in-depth and sensual listen.
Fun listen, lots of jams.
Like, wow man.
Classic 60s rock with a few great tracks.
Didn’t know they were making this kind of music back then
pretty fun album, really liked it - 8/10
A really enjoyable visit to sixties America, here a band in a groove and mood designed, it seems, to appeal to an older, sophisticated audience not otherwise screaming at the British Invasion bands. If lacking any crazy memorable tracks, still a pretty decent album of its era.
Never heard of these guys before. Enjoyed album a lot...
Wrinkly enough 4 me
Great album, must listen to it again sometime. Favourite songs: - Onie - Get me to the world on time - About a quarter to nine
The intro track here is the intro to the famous Nuggets compilation. If you heard that song first, of course you'd be hooked. It's a psychedelic garage masterpiece. The sudden chord and vocal changes in the rest of the tracks are exhilarating and keep you on your toes. This is the closest thing to postpunk in the 60s with the lofi garage-style and high experimental sounds. They all have compelling premises but I find them to be incomplete. They don't evolve their ideas very much which is a bit of a disappointment. But for a 60s album, it doesn't get more creative than this. I seriously have no idea what the next track is like. After banging my head against a concrete sidewalk to "Get Me to the World on Time" how would I know I'd casually strolling down that sidewalk on a sunny afternoon to "About a Quarter to Nine?"
I can hear a lot of other bands in their sound, they certainly seem like they weren't afraid to try out different styles. It was a bit of bizarre familiarity despite never hearing of this band before.
Different, enjoyed it
Genuinely enjoyed. The last track was really weird until I realized what it was doing
spaccano! da riascoltare e riscoprire
8,5/10
Jaaa hier hou ik van. Psychedelica die ik nog niet ken. Versie van Nature boy is fantastisch
Niet erg speciaal, maar wel van kunnen genieten
Another new one for me. I love the opening track and biggest hit, "I Had Too Much to Dream," with its wonderful psychedelic 1967 sound. The songs that keep with this sound are my favorites. I like the sound of "Train for Tomorrow" and "Try Me On for Size" has a good marimba in it. What kind of name is "Onie?" I really enjoyed the whole thing, although I'm not sure ending with "The Toonerville Trolley" was the right way to go. Was the piano solo supposed to do that?
I've heard of The Electric Prunes but the name is such an unsuccessful attempt at humor, I kind of assumed they were a parody, like Spinal Tap. But here they are. (And maybe Spinal Tap's got an album on this list so this doesn't really prove that they're a "real" band. In fact some of these songs reminded me of ST's Cups and Cakes.) Anyway... I liked this. The music definitely evokes a specific time period. These guys look awfully serious on the cover, though, for playing songs that are quite silly. I guess they're mad because their producer made them sing songs they didn't even write! How often has it happened that an all-male band sang so many songs written by a couple of women? (Oh, but looking closer, I guess they're recreating the B&W illustration behind them which is...what? Why isn't THAT the cover?) In addition to Spinal Tap, I was reminded of The Guess Who and The Hollies. I enjoyed I Had Too Much to Dream, Are You Loving Me More, Sold to the Highest Bidder, Get Me to the World on Time, and About a Quarter to Nine. The ragtimey Toonerville Trolley was a delightful surprise at the end.
These guys were clearly listening to everyone at the time. The Beatles, Beach Boys, and Rolling Stones influence is clear. However, the Electric Prunes are clearly doing their own thing and doing it very well. Their music is varied, psychedelic, and dark. They are also experimenting with sounds and instrumentation in a way that still sounds interesting over 50 years later
Gheard in the 60s Schatztruhe koane großen Hits aber stilprägend
This is a very different sounding album with a variety of eclectic styles. It would be hard to belive that songs like Onie, Sold to the Highest Bidder and the Toonerville Trolley could be wriitten by the same band, but in fact, they were wriiten by a song writing team that the band was forced to use. Nevertheless, it really stands out compared to alot the stuff that came out in 1967.
No coneixia el disc; considerava la banda un one hit wonder del protogarage, pel primer tema, i m'ha sorprés molt positivament que el disc estigui tot ell, sinó a l'alçada, molt a prop del seu single més conegut. 'Train for Tomorrow', 'Sold to the Highest Bidder', 'Get Me to the World on Time'... tot temes punyents i reivindicables
I Had Too Much to Dream parecida a Summer Wine
Vaguely familiar with some of their music. Classic 60s psych. A couple of less interesting songs on this album, but not enough to detract from the whole experience.
60s psychedelic blend. Pretty good
Great!! Garage rock!!
7.5/10
A short, sharp and overall enjoyable album. I had too much to dream (last night) and Get me to the world on time are the stand out tracks, mist be why they are mentioned on the cover. There is a few tonal shifts throughout the album which probably hurt it a little as they aren't as strong. And the final song is quite jarringly bad. 3.5* rounded to 3* because of that final track.
Unmistakably late 60s and a pleasant one-off listen. But rather stuck in that era.
Good and easy listening, but kind of also just another 60s English rock band, albeit a bit more crude and vocal about their vices than the pop groups.
The Summer of Love. Remember it well! Alas not this album. Some interesting and diverse songs here and of its time. A nice listen.
3.75? jazzy, psychedelic, groovy, rocky. enjoyed many songs individually but the album as a whole felt a bit scattered and at times inharmonious. some real stand out songs on here and a really good introduction to the electric prunes, but what the fuck are songs like the toonerville trolley? sadly these odd songs kind of took away from an otherwise great album
Pretty unremarkable late 60s psychedelic nuggets pop from the scene's also-rans. Quite a lot of throwaway songs on here. It's fun enough and doesn't overstay it's welcome. Does what it sets out to do, each song has it's unique elements so it keeps the album sounding fresh. Bang average for it's genre, it lacks the special spark that made its contemporaries into classics. It has some nice songs, it's worth listening to and quite enjoyable.
Yup, got all excited about the first couple songs, kept hanging on for the bursts of cool guitar, downhill it went.
I like the title track of the album, but the tracks get progressively weirder from there and end on a terrible note with Toonerville Trolley.
The back half of this album felt like some sort of fever dream...
An uneven listen, but a fun and semi-forgotten curio of the psych era with some good tunes and classically spaced-out lyrics. Who can’t relate to having too much to dream last night?
Quite an interesting sounding record. Pretty unique for something released in 1967. I was actually quite enjoying this for the first few tracks but the second half is very hit or miss with a few really questionable sounding songs that didn't work for me at all. Still, this was a pretty solid listen overall, even if I won't return to it
Reminds me of The Doors and other contemporaries. It's not bad but I don't think it stands out much.
This was a groovy trip man!
Decided to make a joke out of psychedelic rock and ended up with a laughably mediocre album. The ragtime piano is about as enjoyable as listening to a cat crying, and side B might as well be a blank slate for all the attention it deserves. Pass the joint and let's pretend this never happened. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) - Onie - Get Me to the World on Time
6 / 10
I’d heard the name The Electric Prunes before, but I wasn’t familiar with their music. Their self-titled debut album is exactly what you’d expect from this band name: a wild mix of high-quality psychedelic rock songs and technically well-crafted but completely bizarre jokes. For my taste, however, the outliers in both directions are remarkably few, and overall, the result is almost a cohesive album with perfectly normal highlights and weaknesses. “Solid” doesn't quite capture its character, but in terms of rating, that's actually what it is.
More enjoyable than I expected. Pleasantly surprised by the showtime cover.
Some fun, interesting moments but some pretty grating ones too. I appreciate some of the switch-ups. Starts much stronger than it ends. 1 listen Favorite Track: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)
Decent 60s music but still not totally up my alley
Day 8: First totally new discovery for me! Nothing really groundbreaking here, but solid, fun psychedelic offering.
Odd stuff! Pretty enjoyable surf rockish vibes
This is actually a really great psych-pop album. The tracks vary a bit and things stay interesting. The weirdness is expected. They may have peaked early but they definitely peaked.
뭐라 쓰지
Aged like milk Or did it ? By 1967 there was already way better rock albums released. Especialy in 1967. This is probably not even in the top 10 of best rock album by an american band release in february of 1967. This year was stacked with great albums. The doors, the velvet underground, the Beach boys and 2 Beatles album were release in 67. Even Jimi Hendrix and Leonard Cohen released bangers in 67 ! Its not that this album aged badly, it was never that good at all. But time dindt helped this album. The songwriting is... of its time for sure (bad). That said, its not that bad. I really liked "Onie" and the oppener. This album does get worse in the 2nd half. I like it as a silly little album of the 60's. Its fun. Doesnt deserve to be a 2.7 on this site thats overly arsh.
This is about as stereotypical a '60s album as you can get. Most of the songs (mostly written by the label's songwriting team, not the band) are either about "I want to make out with you, girl" or "rich people suck," with the primary exception being the inexplicable "The Toonerville Trolley," which sounds like the theme song to a weirdly nostalgic Saturday morning cartoon. The songs and performances are fine, but not in any way memorable.
Quick! Barely noticed song to song changes except for the last song. What a wild way to end an album!
For the first couple of songs I thought what an intriguing nugget of psychedelic rock that I’ve never heard of. But the album sorta devolves into basically silliness and by the time you reach the last song, The Toonerville Trolley, I’m pretty sure they aren’t geniuses and I suspect they may be idiots. I’ll give them credit for a few original idea though.
Not horrible? Trying to decide if it's a 2 or 3. Don't think it's a full 3 but not a 2. Very of the time, didn't love it. Felt gimikey. Most likely will not listen again.
kind of what you expect form the name and cover - organs, jangling garage groovy
Love it, me da vibes de playa, volador, soñador
I had too much to dream was such a strong opener and the rest kind of fell a lot less interesting in comparison
Odd
Solide psychedelic album not special
a chill listen
Electric Prunes is just another one of those albums where i am at a loss for things to say about it. I figured that this was gonna be yet another band trying to imitate the Beatles and i was 100% right. I definitely don't think it sounds bad, this was perfectly acceptable for an album from 1967 but overall the songs, despite their attempts at quirkiness, don't really manage to stick out and kinda just blend in with all the other bands doing this kind of thing at the time. On the plus side, this album thankfully is very short at less than 30 minutes so even if it is very generic, at least it never got tedious. This album is okay but with so many others like this, you can do way better. Best Song: Get Me to the World on Time Worst Song: Bangles
Lowkey anachronistic.
I feel like a younger me would have given this a 4. Loved the music, it's well put together, but it feels as though it's lacking 'something' as a whole.
A bit of a middling dud. There's some good songs on here, but it's a product of its time and struggles with being a good all-round album. The runtime is on the short side, even for its time and even then there's a few filler esque clown songs. That said, I'm a sucker for this era of psychedelic music. There is something to be said for the novelty factor of a Toonerville Trolley and they weren't afraid to try something. The listening is quite varied for what it is. Lands somewhere in the middle for me.
neat, experimental
Quite nice, but is this record so important? 3/5
Pretty good psychedelic rock.
Solid 60s psychodelic rock. An early entry in the awards race for Most Distasteful Band Name with Butthole Surfers and Meat Puppets.
3.2 Felt like a standard 60's underground garage rock album. Maybe because it is the standard
Bad band name
Etwas schrullige Rockmusik aus den 60ern. Passt in die Zeit. Sonst aber wenig erwähnenswert. 3/5
Yllätyin jopa hieman positiivisesti parista biisistä niin kyllä tää jopa kolmosen ansaitsee
Nojuu tää on tätä rokkimenoo, johon on saatu vähän uitettua lisämaustetta. Vähän kankeeta tuotantoo. Mut iha ok.
Ihan kivaa 60-luvun meininkiä, mutta ei mitään maata mullistavaa. Parempaa tämä silti on kun melkein kaikki nykymusa.
Some decent songs on here and some really weird/drugged out songs. What the hell was the last song even about? 5/10 Top song I Had To Much To Dream
Okay. That trolley song though....
Its fun good vibes but not for me
This is #day638 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I'm not a big fan of the '60s garage rock, but I quite like the late '60s psychedelic rock, and this record strikes a great balance between the two. Also, this is my very first time listening to it, as it happens to be with many albums on the list. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day639.
Ok 3
Light 3,5
Very eclectic-yet-classic ‘60s psychedelia.
Early psychedelic pop rock. One huge song. Same year as Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Some songs are bad and out of place. Good guitar player.
Nothing I loved, nothing I hated. Pretty middle of the road for moi.
Half of this was weird children’s music but the rest was good.
Why were all of these British psych bands in the 60s so into Renaissance influences?
Classic of the psychedelic era. “I had too much to dream last night“ is a touchstone. The rest of the album, with perhaps a few slight exceptions, is typical genre but nothing to remember.
Honestly was dreading listening to this when I saw it was 60's psychedelic garage rock. What's crazy is I think I've found a 60's psychedelic album that I think I somewhat like? Either this album is good, or something's very wrong with my right now. But yeah. Can't really place my finger on it, but I'm enjoying this quite a bit more than something like Pet Sounds, Odessey and Oracle, or Disraeli Gears. It's got everything I dislike about psychedelic rock. The thin production, vocals, sharp and piercing notes. But something's just clicking. Still not an album I'd likely go back to, but yeah. One of the best psychedelic rock albums I've come across so far. Although The King is in the Counting House does suck though. I don't know why psychedelic bands insisted on making really tacky "royal" ren faire music.
Decent album, if a bit tame. Starts of with a banger but cannot stick to that level. 3/5
I was pretty disappointed by this album. I have a real soft spot for US garage bands of the 1960s, and the opening track is a real classic. Of course it wasn't written by the band (along with another 6 of the 10 tracks). I really only enjoyed a couple of the tracks, I think both were singles. I'd rate this 2 except I think it may have been quite influential (probably more so than it deserved), so I'll bump it to 3.
I was pretty excited about the prospect of this. I have eclectic tastes that span the timeline of the 1001 and earlier so there aren’t too many albums that will be completely new to me but this one was. I hadn’t heard it before at all. As a result, I was routing for it and though it didn’t really let me down, I couldn’t get particularly excited about it. It’s a perfectly fine 60s psyche-pop album and I respect the hell out of them for recording this as early as ‘66. But I’m scoring it on how I enjoyed it. Maybe if I’d heard it as a teen when my experience of music was more limited, I might have got into it and by the time I was writing this review it would be tinged with my own nostalgia of a more formative time in my musical life. Really good for its time, but the harsh truth is that time is gone, and I am unlikely to go back to this.
Rv
I'm not a real fan of this type of psychedelic pop, but I can see the appeal for some people, especially if there is nostalgia involved.
Not an unenjoyable listen at all, but an uneven one. It captures a raw, proto-garage rock type energy whilst combining it with the in-situ experimentation which was common for psychedelic albums of the time. The oscillating guitar swell of the opener "I Had Too Much To Dream" provides an instant highlight, and the production on here is genuinely excellent, channeling a fairly "dark" vibe through its heavy reverb, tremolo and distorted, fuzzy guitar sound. The vocals also often have a vitriolic quality to them, especially on "Get Me To The World On Time" which is another banger. The momentum doesn't remain a constant throughout the album, however - the back end becomes a bit forgettable as the album drifts further into baroque territory, and it doesn't always feel entirely stylistically aligned from track to track.
Bastante sorprendente para los 60, no esperaba ese tipo de sonidos