Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Hey I usually really love dumb boomer shit, but I just can't with this. (That being said, I'm pretty impressed by the bass groove dude was laying down around minute 13 of the title track.)
This was pretty alright
It would normally be unfair to judge an entire album on one track, but since the track in question here is half the album I think it's ok. It is a good track, the bassline is an absolute classic and the even the drum solo is pretty fun. The whole thing doesn't feel like 17 minutes, but it does feel long. The first half of the album is kinda forgettable; just worse shorter versions of the main track but without any of the really good instrumental lines. The singing and the keys/organs are the highlights for me. The singer has a great and distinct voice. Overall pretty fun, glad I listened.
Sure side 2 is a classic. But also now a bit of an example of over indulgence.
There was about four minutes of good song on this album, buried in a 17 minute track.
groovy record
the album is inessential, the really only noteworthy track is the title track, which rips in parts of course. the vocals stink
Side B 5/5 Side A 3/5 4 stars
Listening session: august 19th, while cooking dinner Listened to before: heard one song before Thoughts: classic psychedelic rock that must be better when listening with drugs Favourite track: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Psychedelia indulgence, fully committed to the bit. The front half is decent psych‑pop: pleasant, forgettable, and mostly there to set the incense‑fogged mood for the main event. Because once you flip the record, you’re not getting songs, you’re getting a situation. One track. Seventeen minutes. Everyone gets a solo, everyone takes their sweet time, and the whole thing oozes forward like a lava lamp that’s been left on too long. The title track isn’t excellent, but it’s undeniably something. Maybe it’s notable for the length, maybe for the cultural gravity people assign it, maybe for the Ed Sullivan myth, but mostly it’s notable because it just keeps going. And yet, for all the noodling, it’s cohesive. It actually goes somewhere. Eventually. My Rating: 3/5
This was a good mix of rock and psychedelic sounds, there were some good riffs but sometimes the solos went on for a while.
The fact that they did a remaster but only of in a gadda is so funny. Only the last song matters and it’s okay. No reason at all for in a gadda to be that long but it's the like example of being what it is so whatever.
Typical late 60s album
3.3
Very good. Need another listen but with a gummy.
Yeah not really for me. Gibberish.
Just folk rock and stuff
One epicly good song. The others....not much above standard. 2.5/5
Groupe inconnu. Rock psychédélique, la première face est plutôt moyenne. L’accompagnement est pas mal, mais les morceaux ne sont pas vraiment mémorables. La seconde face, pavé de 17 mn, est un peu plus intéressante. Il me semble avoir déjà entendu le riff de guitare (sympa), mais sans l’associer à ce groupe, et les chorus sont réussis. Dommage qu’il y ait la face 1 ! À réécouter donc, mais sans plus. =>3/5
I've had a good run this week; "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is no exception. Even though the title track is 17 minutes long, it never gets too boring. I quite liked the drum solo halfway through. The other 5 tracks on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" shouldn't be ignored, though. They also have the same psychedelic feel as the title track. 4 stars for "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".
Not superb. It's weird and the title track is unique and noteworthy, but it's not worth my time. There's a thousand other albums I'd prefer to listen to.
Mostly solid, although its not really my thing. I just never liked most of psychedelic rock music aside from a very select few bands that had bit more bluesy-ness mixed in than the middle eastern thing.
This works for me where most psychedelia dies on the vine. Maybe it’s the way the side A tracks are structured, maybe it’s the bravado of the entirety of the titular track’s 17 minute runtime that occupies all of Side B. Maybe it’s both!
Nice, but forgettable.
Not to sound too cliched, but I definitely associate Iron Butterfly first and foremost with The Simpsons. Some of the non-In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida songs are pretty good actually.
I still have my original vinyl. And it's STILL good. Nice to re-visit every once in a while.
Sounds like a Jim Morrison side project.
It was hard to get past the way the singer pronounces words. The whole time I was wondering if it was common to adapt this singing affect in this era similarly to how we all dip into the Eddie-Vedder-yarl now
Correcto
Wait a minute. This is rock and/or roll.
I like sexy organs.
the a side is mid. the b side aka the title track is nice but a bit too long. the drum solo and guitar noises annoyed me a bit. 2.5/5.
Not my cup of tea
Enjoyable rock
Have this album and love to take a gummie and dive in.
I mean, it's fine. Not incompetent, but not all that interesting. A curiosity, an artifact, not an enduring work of art
Did a baby make this album title?
Rock/ & or roll
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is an absolutely killer track, and the absolute audacity of the band to proactively produce a 17-minute track somehow pays off. It’s groovy, full of energy and sticks with you, particularly the guitar hook that flows through most of the track. However, the rest of the album is completely forgettable. The record completely washed over me without ever feeling particularly interesting or fun to listen to.
Psychedelic Rock - was ist denn das? Hier, hör dir das mal an. Geniale Eingebung oder zuviel von den kleinen Pillen? Schlagzeug plus Procol-Harum-ähnliche Hammond-Orgel-Klänge erzeugen eine Vinylseite für die Ewigkeit. Den Rest kann man vergessen. Der Originalität wg. 4*
Morceau favori : 2 : Flowers and bread Morceaux kiffés : 1 : Most Anything You Want 3 : My Mirage (riff intro de zinzin) Morceaux pas kiffés : 6 : In-A-Gadda-Da-Vidal (heureusement qu'il ne dure pas la moitié de l'album :))
not fond of the last song, to me its way too long and deteriorates the listening experiences
That last song ruled
The title single is great, all in all - mediocre.
One song, This whole album is one song that everyone knows, and that’s it. The rest is just… dirge.
I mean this was going to be three stars - not bad, but not super inspiring, then I was subjected to 17 minutes of noise. That is almost half the album. I did not like it. I would not listen to it again.
this album seems to have a little bit of everything. the spotify version also has the whole thing as a single song at the end so basically ended up listening to it twice.
p145. 1968. 1 star. Proof that one classic riff does not make for an essential album. This sounds like a poor Doors tribute band, without the talent or songs. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is a great single, but the extended version here is an abomination.
I would like to apologize for my last review, I now like The Doors. 5/5
I would love to give this album a good review, since it's cited as an influence for metal and doom metal in particular relatively often. But the songs that aren't In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida honestly sound like you're 14 and your friend invited you to watch their new band rehearse original material. Like sure, they're a bit practiced and not ALL over the place, but it still sounds like multiple people all kinda doing their own thing and the songs themselves are super naive, for lack of a better term. And not naive in the lyrical sense, since I didn't listen to the lyrics. They just sound like the first songs you write when you want to try having multiple people play together for the first time. Also, I hate that 60s bands loved the organ so much. The organ has got to be one of the most grating sounds on the planet, at least the way it was used in 60s music.
The title track is awesome, and the rest is pretty good too - feels like an alternate history type rock n roll album.
Deep purple but not memorable in any way. In a gadda da vida was good for 2 minutes but then went on for 15 more
Immediately recognised the title track and had no idea it was iron butterfly. Very reminiscent of the doors. Quite dated soundwise and not sure about the lengthy drum solo. Interesting but recording sound is quite jarring in places.
This is tough. The first half is a shoddy Doors. The second side is a song I’m quite familiar with but have no idea from where. Really influential track. A generous 3. But it’s more like side 1 is a 2 and side 2 is a 4.
This is the most forgettable psychedelic rock ever made. The electric piano/organ in soul or Bob Dylan music, awesome...in psychedelic rock, awful. Black Sabbath heard this album and said, we like the dark lyrics and the title track...everything else has to go. That being said, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the best song on the album. It's kind of a jam and just gave me a new idea for a ranking...greatest title track of all time.
This one was good, a 17 minute song that I didn’t think was tortuously long is pretty impressive
The biggest hit isnt even the best song. They are the rare case of a band being overshadowed by their biggest hit.
Okay, bis auf den Klassiker am Ende kannte ich keinen Song und fands auch sonst nicht so beeindruckend
Das titelgebende Lied ist geil. Ansonsten schwach bis durchschnittlich.
Ich-höra-dassa-ni-vida
Is this what they were called before Spinal tap?
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
I mean, it's okay-ish. Maybe in terms of legacy and music-changing part it stands out. but personally, nothing special about to put into this 1001 album list
The 17 min song is good, the rest is pretty mid
WTF was that last track 17 minutes WHY.
I always thought Iron Buttercly and Maiden were the same band …boy I was wrong
tedius
Apparently the title track is on Dad’s playlist (I have no recollection of adding; will inquire). Update: I inquired and he said we added it “years ago” and I asked what its significance is and he said “has none. nonsense” Can’t quite tell if complimentary. (The drum solo is so good though)
aight
Not really impressed by the album as a whole as the lyrics are far too simple. The musicianship is fun at times, but that crunchy acid rock thing is not my favorite. The title track is what it is I guess, seemed pointless hearing it this time around.
This one is not hard to write for me. My dad was notorious for making me listen to the title track while wearing his oversized-1960s-over-the-ears coconut-she’ll headphones so I could listen to this swirling effect and the alternating speakers/tones. Hell, I had memorized the drum solo by the time I was in junior high and I was never a drummer! At one point I put it as a ring tone on his phone but he would listen to the song and not pick up the call. The song itself is legendary, and one of the best acid/space rock songs of all time. Everyone gets a turn to show off their talents. In Tool’s Tempest, we were treated to a similar treat. That I can’t help believe was inspired by this. The rest of the album is surprisingly good too. Flowers & Beads is very much of the time, even though Doug Ingles baritone is a little rough for a hippy limerick. My Mirage has some great harmonies with guitarist Erik Brann. My second favorite song in the album is Are You Happy? with the driving rhythm and aggressive lyrics. I was going to go 4 on this album but the more I talk (and personal bias is HUGE here), I have to bump it up.
Random thoughts: * Acid/psych classic! * The first tracks are really just a sound of their time and probably equal a 2-star rating. * But then In-a-gadda-da-vida drops and your reminded why this is a classic and a must listen to before you die. * And then it cranks out for 17 freaking minutes! You got to be kidding me! * You kind of drift off into space and the beyond. Then that riff brings you back in! 5-star experience. * I remember my dad playing this for me on AM radio back in the day. I remember him telling me as a kid about the 17 minute version and that those guitar wails were the iron butterfly flapping its wings. * Not quite a classic album just one classic 17 minute track. Dare I say it is the best 17 minute track ever recorded?
Gran álbum de progresivo y sinfónico. Siempre lo escuchaba nombrar por la banda y lo llamativo del nombre. Y lo prejuzgué. Tiene lo suyo. 7/10
Bonus point for the 'In the Garden of Eden' tune made famous by The Simpsons
Better as a Simpsons reference than as an album.
Really interesting and I don't know why I've never sought it out after seeing that episode of the Simpsons.
Love the sound, good psych. Lacks strong singles. High 3
How had I never heard of this band? They are a more jam-led Doors contemporary with creeping, Sunday service-like keys, phenomenally powerful vocals and hefty, mean sounding guitars. I love how these sprawling songs are composed but how they get a bit edgy and experimental in places. Not every Doors album is in this ball park but my favourite ones are, so it's wonderful stumbling on to a classic album which is totally my vibe.
Iron Butterlfly force a 3 with the title track being so iconic, the rest of the album feels largely superfluous
Doug Ingle drank an entire gallon of Red Mountain wine, sat down at a tiny Vox Continental organ balanced on a cocktail table, and wrote a song called In the Garden of Eden. Then he played it for drummer Ron Bushy while slurring so badly that Bushy wrote down what he heard, looked at it the next morning, decided it sounded catchy, and nobody ever corrected it. The song was originally one minute and twenty seconds long. It was a country song. This is the most important fact about this album and it explains everything that follows. The band then spent months playing the song live every single night, during which it grew from eight minutes to seventeen, acquiring a drum solo, an extended organ passage, and enough repetition to qualify as a weather pattern. They were recorded at Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, New York without knowing the tape was rolling. The engineer secretly pressed record, watched them play the entire thing in one take, then invited them upstairs to listen back. Their response was to redo the vocals and overdub the lead guitar. That was it. The greatest accidental recording in psychedelic rock history was finished before lunch. The first side of the album is actually quite good, five tight psychedelic rock songs that would have made a perfectly respectable EP and sent everyone home happy. Then side two happens. Seventeen minutes. One song. A two and a half minute drum solo that reportedly inspired Ringo Starr's drum solo on The End from Abbey Road, which means even the Beatles owe a debt to a man who was making pizza for a living six months earlier to support the band. The album became the first ever to be certified Platinum when the Platinum Award was introduced in 1976, having sold over four million copies. It has now sold over thirty million copies worldwide. Thirty million people sat through that drum solo voluntarily. We are a species of mysteries. I grew up on MTV, alternative, metal and punk. Seventeen minutes of organ and drums is not my natural habitat. The first side suggested we could have been friends. The second side confirmed we could not. 2 out of 5. One star for the first side, which deserved a better roommate. One star for the origin story, which is the greatest accidental title in rock history and was born from a gallon of cheap wine and a cocktail table. The remaining three stars evaporated somewhere around minute nine of the drum solo and have not been seen since.
weird and interesting and experimental and kind of pre-jam-my? Or maybe it's full jammy? I'm not sure as a non-jam guy. But this was mostly funky and interesting, and while I would never willingly listen to it again, I enjoyed dipping my toe into these waters!
Mostly better than I expected but the title track is so much longer than it needs to be that it mostly ruins the experience.
Ah, Jesus. In the Garden of Eden is a gloriously ridiculous monsterpiece. The rest is a hopeless, sludgy mess. [Chapter 95, In the Garden of Eden .... In which The Book takes its credibility, crumples it into a ball, and expectorates heavily onto it before tossing it into a waste receptacle.]
I did a lot of drugs at Tufts. Less than some, but much more than most. So too did my close friends, sophomore and junior years especially. And when stoned and 20, amongst friends, this album sounds super deep, dude! Listening to it again, for the first time in 35 years, I enjoy my memories of the music, the friends, and the drugs much more than I enjoy the music. Thinking analytically, Iron Butterfly were an also-ran. The Doors did trippy organs better, and were generally weirder in-a good way. Lots of folks did long, drawn out songs with a "tribal" beat; personally, I enjoy, then and now, the Dead's version of jam band much more.
Just awful. Yuck. Hated it. Zero stars?
This was terrible, but not in the way I expected. I thought it was another Iron-related metal band, but no... this was just insipid dull-as-dishwater late '60s generic sludge. Wow I really did not like these songs.
Omg! This is how I learned how to play the drums! It was how my teacher taught me! Classic song! And album!
im so tired of this kind of album nothing stood out some of the track is ok but man im getting tired of this
Well is a pretty average psychedelic record from the times. The title track is a classic for sure. Just not too sold on a 17 minute version. Does some cool things but not cool enough to justify the length. Other than that the rest goes down well enough but nothing stands out either. Its just OK at the end of the day. With the caveat of having one of the quintessential songs of the genre.
When I bought this record I was deciding if my pocket could take the hit, but I wanted it for the same reason 99% of the audience purchases it: The B side, a single 17 minute track that sounds badass on its own, and even better under the influence of psychedelics. I play that side for parties, for music enthusiasts, but I only ever put on the A side as a bonus for the curious. Today I gave it a spin front to back. Those first songs have a vibe to them, it's very 60s forward, very fuzzy, it goes hard on the organ which can be hit or miss for a lot of people, but there's a melodic intelligence that feels out of place for the rebellious nature of their sound. I think it's the reason the record works. I suppose historically it's a must-listen, I think it shows off some of the darker sides of early rock, but I don't think it's a perfect record. I do think it works amazing as an LP, none of this was built to be an mp3 file. 4/5
Maybe they should have started with the last track- ‘in a Gadda da Vida’ then they could have missed out the trying to be like the Beatles of tracks 1 and 2 and the weird section of what sounded like an attempt at getting towards a German heavy metal group! Not very often an album gets better as it goes in but this one certainly does! Best track- ‘in a gadda’ Worst track- ‘most anything you want’ Last track saved it 6/10
Iron Butterfly Started really disappointingly. First couple of songs sounding just like typical 60s pop. But then right at the end of Flowers and Beads there was a glimmer of experimentation that grew with each passing track with Termination and Are You Happy hitting the heights of musicianship, albeit with dreadful lyrics. "I met a pretty girl on a date last night And let me tell you now, she was groovy Oh, I kissed the pretty girl, and I held her tight Let me tell you now, she was groovy" Bloody hell - I'd be embarrassed to put that down on paper 😬 And then we get to the magnus opus that is the title track. With a proto metal doom rock riff that is catchy and hypnotic as hell, all the band get the chance to flex their muscles - even drum and bass solos making an appearance - with the an almost cathedral like organ taking the lead. Was it a but cheesy? Maybe. Did I love every second? God yeah! Best Track - In a gadda.... Worst Track - Flowers and Beads (apart from the last bit) 7.5 /10
Yeah, yeah... excellent.
This album is a mess. The vocals are poor and too much organ. They are trying to be a heavy Doors but the Doors suck. No one needs to hear a 16 minute version of Ina Gotta Da Vida.
Felt like a store-brand version of the The Doors. That's not necessarily a bad thing.
Fun acid rock 60's organ jam. I don't think I ever heard the full 17min version. Feels like it could use some cowbell, though.
I will never understand why Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is one of the highest selling albums of all time, the title track can't be that good y'all lets be honest here. I enjoy 60s Psychedelic Rock like many others here, but I am man enough to admit when it is bad and Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is exceptionally mediocre and unremarkable. I understand that this project is important due to how many records it sold and how popular it was for its' time but by god is this project an absolutely nothing burger. I didn't even like the main title track and only really walked away with a liking towards the track Flowers and Beads. If this is your thing then I am very happy for you, but for myself this is just a project on a checklist for me and meant nothing to myself. Glad this is over and done with because it was worse than I thought it would be...
A totally fine album until that ridiculous final track - you can’t help but smile as the drum solo enters its second minute. Favourite track: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Growing up in the 70s I was obviously familiar with the title track. And I thought "Iron Butterfly" was the most badass band name I ever heard. When this popped up I was excited for the classic title track and learning what else the album had to offer. Then I listened. The first side is so bad that it might as well be a parody. And as an adult, it turns out that the title track is just as stupid. Came in expecting to give 4 or 5. Now I can't even justify a 3.
Good grungy hard rock, innovative in its day.
We're all thinking it
2/10 sound like elvis singing what they think is "heavy rock" but im heavier then this wierd ahh band they got like 3 versions of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida that sound so bad that even if the story behind it will be good it wont make the song better
Very mediocre psychedelic album. It has six songs, five ones with standard lengths and the last one being seventeen minutes long, with none of them doing anything that interested me. Well, the first one actually sounds like a The Doors song, but it isn't as fun or entertaining, so basically it adds nothing to the pile of middle of the road psychedelic rock. Furthermore, people seem to praise the long track, and in my case, I think is the one I liked the least. It starts with a groovy bass and nice riffs, I'll give it that, but then comes a boring improvised guitar solo, followed by a bland drum solo that leads back to the initial part with some more things added on top, like Asian melodies, but that aren't that intriguing or entertaining enough to justify its length. Adding that the production is very dusty (due to the limitations of that time), and some corny lyrics, the experience ends up being very forgettable.
Leuke psychedelische rock, zang is niet wow
Side A: Decent psychedelic rock. 3/5 Side B: 17+ minutes of perfection and one of the songs that is precursor to what bands like Sabbath and Purple would perfect in just a few short years. The reason this album is on this list. 5/5 So, overall a 4/5.
A decidedly okay album that I'll never listen to again
Good vocals, some cool organ playing. Terribly outdated but there's a little je ne sais quo about this that makes you hang on
I liked the spooky organ but mostly was bored by the flower power groovy peace and love stuff
Once upon a time, Recording Industry Association of America stopped at gold status — no one could have imagined an album could sell more than 500,000 copies. Then this record comes out, goes platinum for the first time (for one million copies sold), and for a while even sets a sales record at eight million. How so? The first side is decent, but rather derivative (The Doors' debut album has been out for a year now) psychedelic rock with saccharine hippie lyrics. But the second side is where the magic begins: one seventeen-minute song, the reason people bought the album, and it was worth it. An eerie organ intro, a guitar riff often considered one of the first in metal, a mesmerizing drum solo... And they recorded the track in one take — and it was an instant success! Yes, a one-song band, but what if the song takes up half the album?
Meh
Short and sweet. Last song was 1/2 the album
Album made famous again by The Simpsons with a 17 minute title track that rambles on like a fuzz laden bad psychedelia dreams (There's a 4 min radio edit somewhere which could be quite good) Album feels very 1968 without the quality of Pink Floyd or The Nice)
i liked soldier in our town
Old school psychedelic rock.
this shit sucks
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
*Love that these guys like the Hammond organ/keyboards so much *Not a huge fan of the length of the title track- some of the solos get repetitive *Still a decent psych-rock album
I honestly didn’t connect much with this record. I can appreciate it for what it is, but the songwriting/lyrical content didn’t really resonate with me (esp the first few songs). There were some cool instrumental moments in the title track, but it’s not something I see myself coming back to regularly. Strong two. STAND-OUT SONG: “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” HONORABLE MENTION: “My Mirage”
Wow, what a discovery! I thought this was going to be yet another psychodelic rock record but this is actually so much more! Can't remember when was the last time I've put one of these albums on loop after listening to it for the first time. The title track feels as if you combined Marquee Moon and Mount Eerie (the album, not the band) and added something unique to the mix. It's not only a good song, but also an interesting one! The other tracks are also at least good. Again, what a find. This might be a five-star album once I listen to it more.
Pretty insipid organ forward 60’s pop rock. The 15 min wig out at the end is boring after 3 mins. Not a fan. 2
I guess it paved the way for some other psychedelic rock and perhaps it was one of the first albums to have a full song take up an entire side of an album. But it's not very good and mostly just... dull. Perhaps a weapons grade dose of acid would have helped me appreciate this. Christ knows those that wrote this must have taken their fair share.
Side one: one star Side two: (The In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida side): 5 stars Average: 3 stars
An entire album on the list for one track. Now that's something I didn't expect. Most of this album is pretty forgettable. But the title track, and reason to listen, deserves it's place. I'd only ever heard the single version of In-A-Gadd-Da-Vita, the full 17 minutes is fun but a stretch.
Pysch and Pysch, if you are a fan of a bit of reverb then this lot will appeal
It's alright, pretty unremarkable imo but alright. I wouldn't turn this off if it came on but it's not a bad listen. Everyone raves about the title track, I liked it enough but didn't blow me away tbh. Other than that I'm going to forgot this pretty quick. Fav Track: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vidda
Meh
Iron Butterfly are a one-song band, and that one song takes up the entire second side of this record. Everything on side one — competent late-60s psychedelic rock, nothing more — exists mainly to clear the runway for the 17-minute title track that made them famous. The first side gets a quick triage and nothing more. The title track opens with one of the most recognizable organ intros in rock history, and hearing it in the context of an active Hammond practice gives it a dimension casual listening wouldn’t. Doug Ingle found something genuinely hypnotic in those opening minutes — a locked groove with real weight behind it, the kind of intro that earns its reputation. That section alone justifies the listen. What follows is a different question. The drum solo is long. The guitar noodling is patient. The song returns where it started, which is either satisfying resolution or the sensation of having traveled a great distance to arrive somewhere you never left, depending entirely on your relationship to the 17 minutes preceding it. Going the full distance earns a kind of grudging respect for the record’s commitment to its own indulgence — 1968 had not yet been told it couldn’t do this, and Iron Butterfly took full advantage. The Simpsons episode doesn’t hurt. Knowing what the song is capable of doing to a Sunday morning church service adds something that pure musical assessment can’t account for, and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. A straightforward 3. Better than expected, not good enough for more, and a record that will probably be remembered longer for its cultural footprint than anything it actually achieves sonically.
I'm really only aware of the title track, and otherwise this is my first time listening to this album start-to-finish. This is just kind of psychedelic meh. It seems a bit self-indulgent most of the time.
The three-est three star to ever three
Um...OK. I can now say I've listened to all 17 minutes of the original IAGDV. Check.
The whole album slaps, not just the title track!
Iron Butterfly is truly a 1 hit wonder. They probably shouldn’t be on here to begin with. When your top song is listed multiple times in the Top 10 for an artist on Spotify, that’s an issue. When it has substantially more listens then the next most listened to song, that’s also indicative of a 1 hit wonder and should not be considered for the book. If this book was called “1001 songs you must hear before you die”, it might have a place, but to include the entire lackluster album over many more deserving is pretty criminal. Don’t get me wrong, the album is fine. Nothing terrible. It’s just so unremarkable that it almost feels like parody at points. If the titular “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” wasn’t literally half the length of the album, this would be a 2 star album. As it stands though, that song is quite good, and it was cool hearing the extended version for the first time. I was not aware that was a thing until today. I don’t even have to question what my favorite song on this album is, so that at least made putting it in the playlist of my favorite singular song from each album super easy today. Pretty much the only positive thing I can say about the rest of the album is that the Doors sample in the first song, “Most Anything You Want” was cool. I noticed it immediately, and enjoyed the way it was used in that song. That song in general wasn’t terrible. None of them are, they’re all fine, but god damn are they generic and bring nothing to the table. Why is this album here?? Seriously?? I have heard the titular track hundreds of times in shows and movies, and noted, that song is great. By itself it’s a 5. But every single other song is unremarkable, unmemorable filler, and I really almost think this album deserves a low 3 bordering a 2 because of it. There are a number of valid reasons why this album is so low rated on the site, and for once I agree with all of them. It truly should not be on here. It’s not terrible, but it’s also just objectively not good either. Truly forgettable, one of those albums you won’t remember listening to while it’s still playing. In addition, if you don’t like the title track, it’s for sure going to be a 1 for you. While I love it personally, I can see it having a fair share of negative feedback as well, also valid.
Fairly bland for early psych rock. The title track is ambitious, but falls short of greatness. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again
A bright, boisterous, oddly glammy spin on the Summer of Love genre. It's like if David Byrne made music in the 60s. Or if Bowie took significantly more drugs, significantly earlier in the timeline. A few giveaways as to the period of release: rough production on the distorted guitars and backing harmonies, an asymmetric (not in a good way) stereo mix, and far too many organ appearances. Timeless art will always triumph over timeful art. And this art is pretty darn timeful. Most Anything You Want is fairly decent, but once you notice the audio maxing out on every single beat because of that darned distortion in the lead guitar, it's impossible to ignore. The next two tracks, though, just don't do a damn lick of anything at all. What am I supposed to take away from My Mirage? The one-note melody in the verses, delivered by Ingle and pulling off a startlingly proto-punk performance? The annoying screeching organs that are so overwhelming in the mix that they very nearly blot out the percussion at times? Later on the album, Are You Happy just sort of gives the listener a headache. Nothing more. You notice how every time there's a moment of silence or lower texture in the song, you feel miraculously happier for that small moment? And then after the song ends you're like, "hell yeah!"? But "hell yeah!" for the wrong reason? Something about Termination – particularly the guitar riff and chords backing it – reminds me of Thank You (released by Led Zeppelin a year after this record). So the song gets a bonus point. Which is all it needs, really, to put it squarely in the list of key tracks. The sparkly, melancholic outro – reminiscent of something from Pink Floyd's SOYDC, maybe – also helps Termination's case. Cool choice to add wind chimes. That little song tacked onto the end? Pretty decent, I guess. (I jest. It overshadows the rest of the album. A 17-minute slew of great solos, with the the guitar solo near the beginning taking most of the cake. 2/5 Key tracks: Termination, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Just droning 60s psychedelic rock. The only positive i can offer is that the keyboards sound like the Doors. Oyher than that the title track is catchy but unnecessarily long
I really didn’t hate this as much as I should’ve.
I hated how track one, Most Anything You Want is mixed. Listening with earphones on means all of the bassy low notes are in your right ear and all the high notes and backing vocals are in the left. It made it feel like my right ear was on the verge of popping throughout the full length of the song. Then track two started and I realised we were going to have every song with some instruments tracked very far to the right and others very far to the left; at least that one wasn't uncomfortable. I don't think I'll ever understand the thought process that leads to an a-side made up of mostly 3 minute ditties and a b-side that consists of a 17 minute single song. Although given my previous complaints about things feeling unbalanced, it seems weirdly consistent in its inconsistency. I quite like the lead vocals, but actually really like the backing vocals in comparison. There's a lot of needless noodling in guitar, organ and bass form, throughout though, which I complain about all the time. You can't deny the riff in the title track though - that's a great hook. Not good enough for a 17 minute track obviously, but a great hook. Not really sure why that song briefly ended up turning into "God rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" in the last third either. Another album I can't say I particularly enjoyed: 1/5
Most Anything You Want 3.4 Flowers and Beads 3 My Mirage 3.5 Termination 3.3 Are You Happy 3.7 In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 3.7 Score: 3.433333333
It was ok. There was some good music, but it kind of felt like it never wrapped up or stuck with me.
One iconic song + some stock hippie organ noodling =/= a great album. Rounded up to three stars for sounding like rock and/or roll.
Absolutely epic B side, and a good but forgettable A side.
It's weird to me how so much of the psychedelic rock of the 60s sounds so similar. I feel like a genre based on psychedelic experiences shouldn't sound so generic half the time. Right? That being said, there are some interesting things going on here, primarily on the title track which is cool as a sort of proto-metal/prog song. Favorite track: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Fun 60’s psych rock
I had definitely heard the title track a lot, but hadn’t dived into the full album. I liked some of the other songs on here too. Definitely awesome raw psychadelic genre. Good for what it is.
317/1089 okay this is really not my thing i liked Are You Happy at least but otherwise it was a bit meh to me 22/100
Meh
In the Garden Of Eden.
Experimental early prog rock. If thats not enough to put you off then listen to the mercifully short album
No private session used for Spotify. Only really knew these guys from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida which is probably a song that everyone should hear before they die. As for the rest of the album I could have given it a miss. Very much of it's time: folk rock with electronic instruments.
Not, it's fair to say, for me. What a spectacular waste of everyone's time this album is. It's not bad or horrible or anything (although the 18 minute closing track does stretch the limit of what's bearable). It's just supremely uninteresting and forgettable. Toodle-oo!
Inte ett av 1000 album man måste höra innan man trillar av pinn. Etta kanske är lite hårt men måste MARKERA.
Är grinkuk idag men det här var i stora stycken direkt svagt. Låten I-a-gadda-da-vida var rätt ball, men grundriffet farligt nära Sunshine of your love-stöld. Resten var cream från temu. Lever inte upp till sitt tunga namn.
Bra, men inte mycket bra. Förutom låt nr 2. Den tyckte jag var riktigt fet. Är ju svag för 60-talet. Stark trea!
Riktigt lökigt. Räknade till 958 "babey"
Wait a minute. This sounds like rock and/or roll. An alright album I guess. Felt very village greeny at first, but obviously the final song blows that away. It's a great song, though does outstay its welcome sadly.
The title track is 17 minutes long, and yet...
-that title track ouuuuughhhh!! hard as fuck!!!!! i love heavy psych!!! but unfortunately none of the other songs really hit and if anything were rather forgettable and/or corny -very fascinated with the idea of proto-metal as a genre. i had never heard of Iron Butterfly until now but it seems like they have some material worth listening to? this doesn’t quite blow me away though -Favorites: Termination, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Wat een vet album!
The title song is still such a jam!
Take out the novelty song that played on every classic rock station at some special time once a week, and you have a bland and uncreative psych album that simply isn't much fun to listen to.
Great rock album, I had already heard the title track and it’s the highlight of the album for me. A nice song with a length jam sesh in there!
“Wait a minute, this sounds like rock and/or roll!” Like most of my generation, I first heard I. Ron Butterfly in an episode of The Simpsons. Bart switched out the opening hymn of his church with the seventeen minute long epic “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”, which he had reworded to “In the Garden of Eden”. For years, I assumed that’s what the song was called. I mean, it fits so well. I still can’t hear it without those words forming in my head. I'm not blown away by the first five tracks of the album. They're grand, in that 60s psychedelia kind of way, but nothing that sticks out as particularly special. In fact, there's only one song on the album that I really love. But that one song makes up a full half of the album. “In the Garden of Eden”, I mean “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”, is a sprawling seventeen minute epic, and it's as brilliant as it is lengthy. The central riff is catchy as hell with a serious gothic, proto-metal vibe. The song breaks apart several times, descending into meandering guitar solos, drum breaks, organ interjections that slip off into completely new melodies, and some psychedelic guitar noise textures before reforming again. For as long as it is, it never feels like a struggle to get through. There are so many interesting changes of direction, it never feels like seventeen minutes. Saying that, it makes sense when at the end of the song, Gertie, the elderly organ player in Bart's church, collapses face-first onto her keys. 3.5 stars
Ihan okei, vanhahtava psykedeeli/progerock-albumi. Todella vahvat frank zappa - vibat. Jotenkin sit jäi kuitenkin piippuun, esimerkkinä voisin verrata samoihin aikoihin toiminutta pienehköä bändiä nimeltä pink floyd; niiden ekat albumit oli vahvasti kans samaa genreä, mutta silti ne kuulostavat yhä edelleen hyvältä ja uudehkolta verrattuna tähän. Albumin viimeinen nimikkobiisi oli kaikista paras ja päätyikin ainoana biisinä omalle listalle.
Keskusteltiin tästä jo aiemmin päivällä ja olen kyllä samaa mieltä että omaan makuun vähän liian vahaa. Jotenkin tulee sellanen fiilis että tämä on tulos ku beatles ja the doors saa lapsen. Niin vanha albumi että pakko olla ollut heavy metallin suuri vaikuttaja. Ihan ok biisejä ei missään nimessä huonoja kappaleita, mut ei vaan niin omaan makuun. Pitää toki arvostaa koska on ollut kyllä suuressa roolissa siihen mitä me mielletään heavy metallina esim black sabbath (yks GOATeista en vitsaile) 3/5 suurin osa biiseistä eilähde mutta on ollut aikansa pioneeri nii pakko antaa pojot siitä.
Como casi todos solo conocía la canción que da titulo al LP. Solo por ella y los buenos ratos en mi jueventus se merece las cuatro estrellas. La primera cara es una buena muestra de psicodelia y algo más.
Not as hard core as I thought it would be
Nice - far out man. Excellent record
Fine. Sounds like most other psychedelic albums from this era
I would have liked the last track much more without the 10 minutes of interlude where almost nothing happens. Idk why that was necessary.
Man with a name like Iron Butterfly I thought I was in for more early metal. I was looking forward to that given how pleased I was listening to Bkack Sabbath. But this is 60’s dishwater. I almost gave it a 1, but the famous 17 minute long title track is decent, so 2. But I’m not even sure this belongs on the list. Boolean: no, I can’t say I really needed to hear yet one more tired sounds of the 60’s album.
The reviews here seems quite similar, that the title track is the standout song, and the rest has dated poorly I'll go one further and say the whole thing is a product of its time, and has no place in my 21st century listening library I'm also developing a serious aversion to BS lyrics - you really think I'm going to be mulling over possible hidden meanings of In A Gadda Da Vida? No! That was nothing more than drunken mumblings of someone about to pass out Rejected!
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is a really great song. Album is just ok.
This is a tough album to give a honest opinion on. The reason is just because the title track is just so amazing. One of the greatest psychedelic rock songs of all time. It completely carries the album, which totally makes sense why they would name the album after it. But everything that leads up to it just pales in comparison and is totally hidden in the shadows. It all feels like filler leading up to the main attraction. Everything is quality, the instrumentation is excellent, just alittle boring before it peaks.
The title track is obviously what most everybody talks about, but the 1st side of the album is actually just as killer too. "Flowers and Beads" made me soar
Sounds very old, old not vintage. Not a song for me.
Another worthy listen. Some early The Doors vibes here. 3.5 stars.
I am familiar with Iron Butterfly and their song "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". I even have that song liked on Spotify. I'll be honest I always thought of this song as a one hit wonder, novelty song - even though it has some good jams. I don't believe I've ever heard another song by them. Looks like that changes today :) Thoughts after listening ... I just realized how the keyboards sound very Doors-ish on the first few songs. It's Doors-ish but but not nearly as interesting or catchy. The voice reminds me of someone else but I can't place it. None of this really grabbed me - it all feels kind of plodding and sounds "sludgy". Not sure how to describe it - it just doesn't sound good to my ears. Liked songs on Spotify: 1/6 Rating: 1/5
============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== -----------------IRON BUTTERFLY--------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- -------------IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA--------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------(1968)------------------- ============================================== ============================================== -----------------CALIFICACIÓN----------------- --------------------★★★⯨☆-------------------- ---------------------(3,5)-------------------- ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== 1. Most Anything You Want (★★★☆☆) 2. Flowers and Beads (★★⯨☆☆) 3. My Mirage (★★★⯨☆) 4. Termination (★★★⯨☆) 5. Are You Happy (★★★⯨☆) 6. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (★★★★★) -Un clásico, de mis favoritas... ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE TOTAL 3+2,5+3,5+3,5+3,5+5 = 21 ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE PROMEDIO 21 / 6 = 3,5 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CALIFICACIÓN FINAL ★★★⯨☆ (3,5) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== COMENTARIO -Es un álbum cortito en número de canciones, siendo la que le da nombre al álbum la más larga con 17 minutos y poco más de duración el eje central y quizás la razón por la que había escuchado a Iron mucho antes de comenzar esta lista. ============================================== ==============================================
Not really my genre, but clearly ahead of its time a bit, and honestly kinda neat.
The panning on this album is so aggressive, its almost nauseating. The vocals sit in one pocket of your ears, and the drum sit completely opposite, and everything else follows suit, meaning nothing bridges between the two ears and everything is at war with everything else. The vocals are garish and mediocre, like someone trying to do a metal Elvis Presley while getting sucked off. Musically, there is nothing wrong with this album, but it was unfortunately created with all the taste and craftsmanship of an airplane with no landing gear, one wing alight, and the captain chainsmoking in the toilets. This is, so far, the most unlistenable album I've had to listen to.
Was a two until In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida came on at which point I was like "oh shit indagaddaavida-noway"
had no idea the lyrics were in a gadda da vida
Fun! Druggy
One really long great song with the rest being filler. But it is a great song!
One good song is sometimes enough to make a good album, especially a 17-minute song.
Not great. Iron Butterfly deserve their place in music history as an important precursor to heavy metal but in practice this largely sounds like a bar band imitating the Doors. Again, absolutely should be on the list for its significance alone, but “significant” and “good” do not always overlap.
Fairly significant
Very 60s album.
The other tracks are alright, but I'm sure this album makes the list only because of its 17-minute closer - "the epitome of heavy psychedelic excess" as a quote on the album's Wikipedia article puts it. I'm kind of indifferent to the song really; it mostly makes me think of the Simpsons bit. Also, the song already came up as a cover on the Incredible Bongo Band album and I think they more than did it justice.
After 121 albums I believe this is my first 1. You can’t convince me this isn’t just as ersatz as other maligned 1960s acts like The Monkees. This is the 1968 equivalent of the Australian band JET.
Nothing about this really did it for me unfortunately. It’s not bad music by any means but like super meh all the way through. The title track had me intrigued but it doesn’t save the rest for me personally.
Pretty much exactly the kind of music I would NEVER listen to.
Another groan inducing album when it was generated this morning. Sometimes I am happily surprised by albums that elicit such a reaction, and sometimes I get exactly what I expect. When I was in college the classic rock radio station in Pittsburgh was WDVE. They had a thing called the Electric Lunch, where listeners would call in to request deeper cuts or longer songs that weren't played the rest of the time. One of the mainstays was In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, and I never understood the appeal. I mean sure, could the song have been fun to listen to live while totally stoned? I'm sure it would. But on the radio during a lunch break from class? Not while there were many other shorter and more interesting songs that I'd have preferred hearing. With that history in mind, I was not excited to listen to this today. And it ended up being exactly as I expected. I didn't like the lead singer's voice at all, and it was more of the 60's psychedelic rock that I'm finding that I just don't enjoy.
I'm nearly done with this list and it's*another* poxy US psychedelic rock album.I'm so fucking bored of shit US late 60's psychedelic "heavy" rock. This list is over burdened with far too many of these sound alike albums. This one is no different. The only reason it doesn't get one star is because of The Simpsons. That's it. Best Tracks: Flowers and Beads; Mirage; In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Different
sounds dated and introspective, not for me
There is a category of albums throughout this generator I like to call "This album is only on here because of one song". I will let you all figure out which song it is(hint: it rhymes with "in the Garden Of Eden"). Both stars were earned because of a particular song. The rest of the album was forgettable fodder.
1001 albums to hear before you encounter a Doors wannabe 86# The doors if they didn't experiment further.
Anyone who makes a song over 10 minutes is just self absorbed
Organ-based psychedelic rock sound. Kinda cool but definitely sounds dated now.
It's a classic.
FIREEEEEE
About as generic as it gets. I literally have nothing to input here.
Fine, we’ve heard this before. The 15 minute closer was unnecessary.
I don't think any other band is known for and defined by a single song, it's Iron Butterfly. The entire first side of this album is a throwaway. It exists solely for the one song, side two. It's a good, but not great song, but that doesn't matter. I imagine it was controversial, simply for it's length but it really exemplifies psychedelic hard rock. The fact that it got played on the radio, when the 3 minute single was king, is pretty astonishing. Whether the story about the name being a slurred version of In the Garden of Eden is true or not doesn't matter -- it's just funny.
Fine 60s rock that I enjoyed b/c of personal biases but it's not "great" in my opinion. First song sounds like "light my fire".
3.5/5
Listened last night. Already forgot it existed by the morning.
Fuzzed out rock, definitely hear a lot of Bowie and the Doors here, without being derivative on either side.
Rather annoying Best Song: Most Anything You Want Rating: 3.0/10 Stars: 2
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida? More like... In-A, uh, In-A-Gotta-Da-Pizza am I right? I don't know. This album's alright. It's another one of those albums where there's one song that people really like and then a bunch of others that nobody cares about. In the case, the title track is the only iconic song that Iron Butterfly ever had, and it's pretty neat. It's not my favorite super long song that acts as the entire B side of a 6-song album. Pink Floyd have them beat with "Echoes," obviously, but "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is not a bad song at all. As for the album at large? It's okay. There's some fun psychedelic noodling throughout the album. I like the organs and such. I'm not huge on the vocals though. They're just not great. I will say that despite the title track being somewhat ahead of its time in a musical sense, the album's songs, including the title track, are pretty basic in terms of lyrics. Like, most of the album is just the same "Ooh, I love you, girl" stuff that was everywhere in the 60s. Oh yeah, I really have nothing to say about the first 5 songs. They're okay, but nothing special. That's kinda how I feel about the album at large. It's kinda like that Booker T. and the M.G.'s album in that the one song that it's named after is pretty good, but the album itself just kinda happens. It's not bad at all, but it's not special. There's a reason why these guys are one-hit-wonders, you know? 3/5.
I actually liked this more than i thought i would
Ah yes the old reliable for this list, a boring nothingburger album, followed by a 12-25 minute long jam track that taints the whole already mediocre thing. Sick of it.
I never listened to the first side of this album back in 1968. Now it sounds dated and unimpressive. I turned off the radio whenever In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida came on. Boring and lifeless. Never made any sense to me that anyone liked it. But, that's just me.
SOMETIMES a 17 minute song makes sense...
First five songs are ok. Then the last one is incredible. 17 minutes, ok, yeah, maybe too long, but there are some parts that are amazing. So good. So, thanks to that song, I am switching my first impression rating from 3 to 3,5/5.
Wasn’t my favorite, but still had that classic 70s kind of sound to it.
Up and down album for me but overall enjoyable for the most part. Termination and Are You Happy were highlights imo. Ending track is like 17 minutes long. Wow!
Very Doors-esque
First four songs are kind of forgettable but Are You Happy and title track are bizarre as hell
la verdad que es muy raro, expermiental. me gusto esccucharlo, lo disfrute y varias veces me quede pensando que era esto, pero en ell buen sentido. creo que un 4 es mucho, pero es un 3.5, asique voy a apuntar para 4
This album has one good song. Fortunately, that song takes up half the album. The rest is just kind of a muddled mess.
I forgot all about this song. My dad would sing it. It is not good.
Pretty boiler plate psychedelic rock....sounds like the Doors without the Jim Morrison thing. Definitely not bad, some cool, early rock sounds with the tools available to them, but also not amazingly memorable. Solid 3.
Short and sweet.
Mid
I got be honest here… This album is kinda overrated. Not for the 1001 Album reviewers because it has less than a 3 but I was under the impression that this album was monumental. It’s not… It’s fine with one great song. Also the production is less than stellar.
These songs are a lot bouncier than I remember. The main event here is a tad bit overexposed, but it is understandable why it was so popular.
Meh, some decent enough blues rock and a title track that’s more fun in theory.
I get why this was in the list, but I could only take so much.
It's got that one song
Great stuff
Let’s be honest - Iron Butterfly are known for one song, and that song is half of this album. And, really, that one song is only good for maybe a couple of minutes (although the drum solo in the middle of this album version is pretty ok, honestly). I feel bad for not liking this, but it’s just not good enough.
Everything after the title track was disappointing and far too long
lol nah
Side one sounds like average classic rock songs about a girl. Side two, the only side I think anyone cares about, has a fantastic baseline for a song that goes on too long. That song alone has to be why this album is on the list, which is both impressive and annoying to keep recommending some one hit wonder albums.
maybe this was revolutionary at the time but sounds quite basic imo 🤷♀️ still nice and gritty, though
they just be putting anything on here
One big song that's mainly okay, but outstays its welcome considerably. I'm saying this as someone who normally appreciates long songs; this one just meanders for no reason. The rest is borderline annoying, probably due to the lead singers warbly vocal style. I kept expecting them to break into "Light My Fire" by The Doors, but I guess that's what you get when that hit a year or so before this dropped, and you have a band with guitars/ keyboards. Two stars.
S'aite
276/1001 Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ Typical 60s psychedelia with a kind of Elvis like croon. It kinda works, but I don't think I'll be back to revisit.
Pretty cool album with an obvious classic
I didn't mind this, very dark and moody.
Classic
De naam zegt me he-le-maal niks, maar we gaan het meemaken. Veel orgel, wat ik eigenlijk wel vet vind. Ik vind het geen vervelende muziek, maar het is ook niet het allerbeste wat die tijd te bieden had. Het klinkt een beetje als een hele vroege versie van The Doors. Een wat korte rating met weinig mening wordt het. Wel een ruime voldoende, maar verder gooit het bij mij geen hele hoge ogen. Het zit goed in elkaar maar pakt me niet echt.
잘 모르겠음..
Bart got some damn good rock and/or roll played in that church. Kudos to the elderly organist. I get why she collapsed at the end.
Nice enough but sounds very dated and that title track is toooo long!
Granted, the last song does raise the album a little but previous tracks are such a low bar it doesn’t have to work that hard.
Doors vibes, but with less personality. 6/10
Better than I expected, but also drifts off into aimless psych noodling like I also expected.
Psychedelia. Oh joy. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida will forever make me think of The Simpsons, but it still rocks.
This sounds like rock and or roll
Obviously, the title track is one of the greatest rock songs ever written and performed. Side B gets all the attention, and rightfully so, due to the immense 17-minute long psych jam. Though side A is also pretty fun and contains some great acid rock cuts like "Are You Happy", "Termination" and "Most Anything You Want", of which the latter has an incredibly bouncy and jaunty bass line that steals the show for me. Really came out enjoying this more than I thought I would, and having the title track be the closer is just the cherry on top.
Solid
Blech...a bunch of garbage with one iconic riff drowned in a 17-minute jam track. Moving on from this one quickly.
I saw Iron Butterfly in concert in 1995. They saved In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida until the end, but I couldn’t make it that long. They were awful. The album was better than the live performance, but not by a lot.
Psychedelic classic! I really liked the last 3 songs and put "Termintor" on the 1001 Prime Cuts. Iconic sound and surprised to see they're American as I thought they were British. Keys on some songs sounded like The Doors but came out a year after. Incredible bass player & guitarist. 17 minute album cut of In-a-gadda-da-vida is ambitiously awseome.
Nice Simpsons song, mid rest of it yaknow. Bring the drama divas x
Not really my thing but it was ok. Flowers and Beads was my fave.
Not a fan of his voice
3/24/26 - listened while driving. Very Doors-esque. I liked it and would listen again. But I wanted more songs and less of the 17 minute title track. Debated a rating but going to stick with a 4. Top Song - Are You Happy
holy MOLY why is that one song SOOOO long favorite song: flowers and beads least favorite: in-a-gadda-da-vida
It is what you'd expect, a jam band jamming
It was ok. Short, which I liked, but kind of repetitive.
It was a pretty short listen, not bad. 5.6/10
Dá sa to počúvať, ale opäť album, ktorý podľa mňa nepatrí do 1001...
60s acid-soaked hard rock of psychedelic bluesy elements, creating a organ-laden sound with prominent bass that’s both heavy and nimble. It’s a good album with good musicianship, though most of the album may not rise above their peers at the time (though the heavy organ at least helped a unique sound). The stand-out track is the epic closer In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. I enjoy this album and whenever I hear it think “I should check this out more”, but then it falls out of mind and seems to lack that hook to reliably pull me back in.
50
Obviously it is very much of its time. The album is different to what I thought it would be, having of course only known the title track. It's pretty good though, more psychedelic rock than the proto metal of the title track. Overall the songs are just decent, well written, tight numbers. Tbh the only let down is the 17 minute title track, which is just self indulgent jamming at its finest. Also remiss of me not to mention 'Marge remember when we used to make love to this hymn' (most likely along with everybody else).
I remember this from my dad's record collection. I know the title song, but I can't quite figure out why it's on the Top 1001 as it's just not that good. I assume it's because many point to this as the birth of heavy metal. I can honestly say I don't think I've ever listened to it from start to finish. The sound is dated and organ heavy but it sounds like 1968. It's a very connected album, not sure if that's a good thing or not, as it's a bit monotonous. 3 stars but more like 2.5. The album may have ushered in a harder sound but the songs don't hold up real well today.
At first this album was a little too much on the fence between being some rock and some psychedelic, but I thought that in the final stretch this album really came together into something really cool.
You'll be shocked that, with a 17-minute closer, this album is little more than twice that long. It's fine. Sorta lacks hooks. It's from an era of music that influenced genres that I enjoy (hard rock and heavy metal) but seems, itself, to lack the features of those genres that I find compelling. The organ work is notable (thanks to one Doug Ingle, apparently). I also enjoy the fat, round bass tone (Greg Willis). I'm not gonna name anyone else because I didn't care much about their contributions. I skipped through most of the album's "psychedelic" first half. 'Termination' had some interesting melodic guitar parts and the song structure was more than some simple 60's pop with a down-mixed fuzz guitar. 'Are You Happy' is a jam. It's not as good as Hendrix or Edgar Winter but it kicks off strong and persists in an alright capacity. The organ hook, doubled on bass is really cool. The guitar part that goes with it is interesting. The halfway tempo shift is pretty cool. I might just be bored by Doug Ingle's vocals. The title track is cool. The bass and guitar sharing the instrumental hook is a fun trick that would echo for decades through rock music. It sounds a bit like self-parody now but that's a risk of experimenting and accidentally striking a chord with the zeitgeist. Problem: two songs do not an album make, even if one is 17 minutes long. Maybe if each was a whole record side. But that's not the case, here. I wouldn't suggest skipping this album (that'll be a 1/5 review that I don't think I've given, yet) but I wouldn't hesitate to skip some songs. And maybe wait till you've got the patience for 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida'. An all-time great organ solo though, and we don't have many of those. I guess it's a begrudging 3/5 (still a full point better than Kid Rock, at least) but The List will give you much better albums.
This album can be looked at as two distinct parts - the title track and the five songs that precede it. I found myself much more invested in the build-up, as the nearly 20-minute centerpiece didn't fully land for me. The first half consists of some solid psychedelic tracks that, while somewhat repetitive, allow the vocal performance to shine alongside serviceable riffs and acid-laced lyrics. The title track, however, feels uneven. It has some interesting moments, but I would have preferred more self-contained songs and less emphasis on scale. My favorite track is "My Mirage".
Groovy baby
They sound like a poor man's Doors. Did the title song really need to be that long? Maybe it was to distract from the same lame two verses repeated multiple times. The album almost sounds like a parody roasting the music of that era. This wasn't a favorite.
So far, pretty milquetoast/boilerplate psychedelia. Sort of Beatles, sort of Doors, but not anywhere near as good. That trend remained all the way until the title track, which was 10x better than the rest of the album. This won't be fun to rate ⭐⭐ For the album ⭐⭐⭐⭐ For the song ⭐⭐⭐?
Couple of boring songs then the big one. It's somehow a bit less exciting than the organ version made it sound. Kudos to Bart I guess.
Garden of Eden…..
One of the best records $1 can buy
I'll always love the title track of this album, but I also listen to 45 minute extended Grateful Dead jams on a regular basis so..... The rest was alright. My limited knowledge of rock and roll history gives me some insight to the genre-defining moment this album's release was. 3.5 stars.
This album is a love letter gone awry. Is it a joke or a jam? It's Iron Butterfly baring their soul for over 17 minutes in epic fashion, that's for sure. The rest of the album is a consistent, heavier-than-thou portrayal of a tragic love story. It's got this raw, unpolished energy that feels genuine, but repetitive at times. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - Most Anything You Want - Flowers and Beads - Termination - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
ganz chillig. 3.5.
Not going to be nice. Last song was the standout but it was far too long
Lo que más me sorprendió es lo parecido de la primera canción del álbum con "Light My Fire" de The Doors, ésto lo señalo como algo bueno. Rock psicodélico de los 60 que te sumerge en la atmósfera flower power, muchos colores y delirios, todo lo digo en forma positiva.
One decent song doesn't make a good album even if it is 18 minutes long. This album and genre are not for me . Maybe if I was on drugs that might help.
The first time I heard the title track of this album, when I was a teenager, I was absolutely stunned by its sheer brilliance, a true epic of psychedelia. Side 1 of the album is a little more twee, delving into flower-power a bit too much, but still a classic album I wouldn't be without.
36 minute album, last song is 14 minutes long, unexpected Garden of Eden. What a ride
Another foundational album for me.
It was pretty good but sounded very dated. I didn't hear anything unique.
Drum solo in the last song was the best part
Iron Butterfly - a duff version of The Doors. Similar psychedelic sounds in places but less personality.
Wannabe doors
The first half of this album contains 5 paint-by-numbers psych rock songs filled with every hippie-dippy cliché you can think of. You've got songs about flowers, beads, being groovy with a smattering of anxiety about Vietnam. The love songs on here are particularly sickly and mushy. There's nothing outright offensive on side one, but there is nothing standout either. The second side consists of one 17 minute track and would be the band's most known and celebrated song. Starting off with a killer psychedelic riff, the band then break out into extended jam where every instrument gets time to strut their stuff. For better or worse, you can blame this song for popularising the extended drum solo in rock music. I'd argue that this album does not belong on the 1001 albums list, but I have no issue on the title track making a list of 1001 songs to hear to hear before you die.
Felt like a generic psychedelic rock album. Nothing too special for me here.
So f good ????? 35 mins Lovely
I know I’m probably alone here but the album side track here gets a 4 from me on its own. I don’t even know if I have listened to the other side in its entirety before now, but I didn’t miss anything there. This song is the perfect melt away into the couch with some Indica and headphones. It takes you on a journey and weaves in and out of so many sounds and moods. The arrangement and progressions are awesome. The 3+ min drum solo is probably the signature moment, and overall it does an excellent job with building up to a big finish, walking it back down, then re-ascending. I have to be in the mood for it but I’ve always appreciated it. The mood, style and album cover helped define an era.
It’s impossible for me to not think of the pure gold Simpsons episode when hearing this. The one where Bart switches the church hymn music, from “In The Garden of Eden” by I. Ron Butterfly to this. It’s brilliant. Does that cultural relevance make it musically relevant as well? Hard to say. I’ve never listened to Side A of this record, and it appears I wasn’t missing much. The single side 17-min back half is the obvious standout. Probably more so if I was high as kite. As a band, if you get featured on the Simpsons…well…what else matters.
An iconic closing track can’t quite drag this album above the average rating for me. Some decent material before you get to the title track, but nothing mind blowing
Most of this is quite mediocre. I really wanted to be hip and like the title track….but I was checking my watch waiting for it to end. Let’s wrap it up boys! I actually like the electric organ, but this was a lot. 2.5 and prob a coin flip if I go up or down.