Moby Grape

This hits the sweet spot between rock and roll and the "roots" sounds of country, blues, and friends. Hits it perfectly, as far as I'm concerned, with a delicious dusting of California psych. If the debut lacks anything, it's fully-formed songs: Many pieces sound like beginnings, though that does not mean they are lacking. The playing is good and well-rendered, but short of mind-blowing. The high points are confluences of many factors.

Had to listen off of Spotify but the whole album was a treat!

Weirdly this ticked all the boxes of the kind of thing I like bit I just found it a bit boring and forgettable.

Very much like early The Who. There’s some really jammin’, rockin’ songs like Hey Grandma and Fall On You and some more country, The Byrds style songs like 8:05. Great guitar playing. Recording quality isn’t the best, also it’s not on Spotify? Had to look it up on YouTube. All short, quick hitting songs, only barely over a half hour

I'd never heard of this band. It was interesting to learn about their brief rise and very long, unfortunate fall. There's a cult following around this band that perpetuates a mythology about how they were screwed badly by their manager, and should be as big as The Beatles, and so on and so forth. There's no doubt they were screwed, but it also feels like maybe there were some self-inflicted wounds along the way. In any case, they put together a great debut album with a killer sound. The fact that all five members contribute to vocals allows them to do some interesting things, especially with the harmonies. There's some nice guitar work in here as well. Best track: Sitting By The Window

1967 guitar tone and styling. This is a pleasant listen but I didn't really take anything from it.

Love love love

I liked it

AWEZOME

Lovely stuff <3

Crank this up, listen to what’s going on behind the vocals, and if you like guitars you will have a good time. The songs are mostly basic, houses for webs of fret runs, rhythm chug and filigree parts that are subliminal until you notice them and after a while are all you can focus on. I am surprised this works just as well on a ballad like 8:05 as it does on the rave ups that sit next to it. The singing does little for me, mostly, too many voices going lalala, though “Someday” is cute. “Sitting by the Window” passes so fast it took me a few listens to realise how much is going on in there. Reading up on them, Moby Grape were cursed by bad luck, an evil manager and mental illness. Skip Spence went on to make a freak masterpiece, “Oar”, before he stopped making music.

Now here's something I've never heard but probably should have - good job for once! Excellent psych/blues/country while pioneering its own sound. Easy to see how it was a fave of Led Zep in the early days. Lots of good tunes that don't get dull.

[A note to listeners: The Apple Music link for this album directs you to the incorrect album, Moby Grape ‘69. The full version of this record is not on Apple Music, either. You’ll have to go to YouTube to hear the full record. Now, on with the review…] Do you hear that sound? That’s me patting myself on the back. In previous reviews, I’ve stated that literally every band in the late 60’s San Francisco psych scene were better musicians and songwriters than The Grateful Dead, and that they all put out better, more engaging albums than the Dead. Well, guess what? Here comes Moby Grape to prove me right once again! Moby Grape’s debut impresses with intricate and interwoven multi-guitar arrangements, an incredibly tight rhythm section and excellent vocal harmonies. The guitar leads are fuzzy and the band plays with a sense of purpose throughout. This is not lackadaisically jammed psych rock; it makes its point and keeps you engaged on each track. The story of Moby Grape is rife with misfortune, but their music, even if not as well known as it should be, stands well above many of their contemporaries in the late 60’s psychedelic scene.

Most of these songs are not available on Spotify (Mac edition) This is a shockingly good listen.

Similar to the Captain Beefheart album I had a couple of days ago, this is alright but I don't think it's aged well and not sure it really belongs on this list. This reminded me a bit of the Grateful Dead, which is not a good thing in my book. Some songs I enjoyed - 8:05 was a highlight for me, and it was interesting to hear the original Naked, If I Want To. I'm very familiar with the Cat Power cover, but I had never heard the original. But mostly this was just okay for me. 3 stars.

Funny, I'd never heard of Moby Grape and then an hour after listening to the album, they were a topic of discussion on a podcast I listened to about Neil Young and Buffalo Springfield. The gist was, they were brilliant but never really made it. I did enjoy the album but it seemed like pretty standard West Coast fare from the late 60s.

i am sure this is seminal, but I was not blown away

Pretty good playing, but doesn't stand out. Too many way better albums from that era

did nothing for me

Moby Grape is the 1967 debut album by American rock band Moby Grape. This psychedelic country rock album exploded into pop culture as soon as it was released and has been considered one of the greatest psychedelic masterpieces. I didn't find this album as amazing as all the critics did, but it was still a decent enough album that I ended up enjoying it. Good, but not amazing.

Honestly felt like all the songs sounded the same, there was nothing unique or distinctive about Moby Grapes' sound.

Love this album and I love an excuse to listen to it. Moby Grape should have been huge but record company incompetence and mismanagement means they crashed and burned, and not that brightly. The album is at least the equal of it's peers, from the boogie opening of Hey Grandma, the power pop anticipating Fall On You, the beauty of 8:05 (the opening notes of which always makes me sigh), Omaha which betters the best of Grateful Dead and CSN, and the rest, it is 30 minutes of excellence.

5/5

8:05 is a lovely track. Moby Grape is a name I've heard, but never really knew their music. It seems pretty clear that the Grateful Dead were certainly picking up what these guys were throwing down. Excellent album. I wonder why I can't hear it in its entirety on Apple Music? Something weird going on with the song rights. Found it okay on Youtube.

Loved it. Mellow psychedelic rock from the 60s.

psychedelic country rock, I dig.

5/5. Sucks that this is another one that is not fully on Spotify but was able to find it online. Every song is short and so good, there is not a bad song on here. Yes there are other psychedelic rock albums that are similar to this one, but the guitar is excellent and it doesn't lean too far into the psych, just far enough to have more exciting rock sound. A rough and bluesy voice guides some of these songs matched with a more pop oriented one keeps the songs diverse and interesting. They do feel like demos which is a small downside but I like to see it as they had nothing else to say. Best Song: Omaha, 8:05, Hey Grandma

Never heard of this band or release, and it straight up ROCKS! Perfect late '60s fuzzed out rock with seam jazz sensibilities and lots of vocal harmonies. Not a bad song on here.

Totally my thing, never heard of them before and absolutely loved it.

"Moby Grape" is the debut album by San Francisco rock band Moby Grape. Psychedelic rock, power pop and country rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Bingo! The album was produced by David Rubinson after CBS won a bidding war for the band. Bandmembers included Peter Lewis (rhythm guitar, vocals), Jerry Miller (lead guitar, vocals), Bob Mosely (bass, vocals), Skip Spence (rhythm guitar, vocals) and Don Stevenson (drums, vocals). The album hit #24 on the US charts. The record label released five singles with 10 of the album's 13 songs at the same time which prevented more commercial success. A psychedelic guitar opens "Hey Grandma." Nice vocal harmonization. This almost sounds like a more energetic version of the Grateful Dead. An ace guitar solo by Jerry Miller. It's a nod to long-haired hippie girls who wore granny dresses. A lovely acoustic guitar intro starts "8:05." A more gentle song with a tambourine and lovely lead vocals as well. Here's your country rock. He's begging a lover to stay. "Omaha" has a psychedelic open and then turns fast. Hey, this is very punk. It's catchy. A searing guitar solo for the outro. "Someday" has melodic guitar reminiscent of the Byrds. Nice harmonies. Tremendous, emotional lead vocals by Peter Lewis (I think?). He breaks up with her since she has no plans but he does. Some more great lead vocals in "Sitting by the Window " Psychedelic and dreamy. This is a tremendous album. No filler here in the 13 songs. They combine the better aspects of the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead and the Byrds. Great lead, backing and harmony vocals. It helps when you have five people who can be on lead vocals. Jerry Miller is absolutely amazing on lead guitar. Sure, there's psychedelic and country rock but there's also areas of garage and punk rock. Too bad it appears the band never again reached these heights and I'm still trying to understand the solo Skip Spence album. However, this album is a complete winner and highly recommended.

A favorite from the past...gets a 5 for the A side alone

Amazing chill

Yes

Well, this is a better album to convince me of the Bay Area psych scene that Country Joe & The Fish were. (And I can't even remember anything about that album except for, like, some song about LBJ? I'unno.) Now, the funny thing is, I know it's not the "psych" part of this album that makes me like it so much. No, it's the **power pop** part. The way these songs drive, the way these guys' vocals harmonize, the way the drums bang, the way the guitar jus' **play**. It's front-to-back excitement. Even on the slower songs, or the ones that're full-on country, which I can get carried through thanks to, again, those vocal harmonies — and of course the fact that I just like non-modern country in general. Honestly, I don't even hear any traditional "psych" elements in here; it's way more folky and rootsier. Which, hey, is fine by me; I don't think my group really needs another one of those "generic 60's psych albums" I keep seeing reviews complain about. In short, this album's a winner in my book, and it's further proof that I should probably dig into these 60's bands a bit further than just The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Monkees. Now if only this thing could be completely uploaded to streaming so I don't hafta listen to this thing on YouTube between Chips Ahoy!'s stupid twerking cookie ad, goodness.

Surprising!

Fantastic album that should have more recognition.

Phenomenal Psych/Blues record. Banger after banger, top notch entry

Nice finding!

The best 60's psychedelic rock album I'd never heard of before.

Adjacent in sound and style to CSN&Y and The Guess Who. I like this a lot!

Wow another 60s band I’ve never heard of that was difficult to listen to (I pieced together the original track listing from Apple Music and YouTube). And like some of the others, this was completely fantastic! The harmonies were REALLY groovy! I listened to this a few times and loved it more and more. Terrific!

This hits the sweet spot between rock and roll and the "roots" sounds of country, blues, and friends. Hits it perfectly, as far as I'm concerned, with a delicious dusting of California psych.

Even if you've never heard a Moby Grape song, you've definitely heard a Moby Grape song. Every track on this album is inspired by (or possibly was the inspiration for, who knows?) the best music of this era. There's a great variety of music on this album and it all sounds fucking great. You can hear work from The Beatles, The Who, Velvet Underground, CCR, The Stones, and whoever the hell sang "Radar Love" (although I have no idea when that song was released). There's no fat on this record. Short, punchy tunes that require every beat. It's such a great listen. I had low expectations for Moby Grape's "1969" but this album blew me away. It's one of the most enjoyable albums I've been introduced to by the 1001 Albums app. I've actually listened to it twice through. Moby Grape - shit name, great band. 👍👍

Fantastic rock & roll album. Great guitar work by all the members, from rhythm to finger picking to leads/solos. Harmonies. Drums with flair that get your feet tapping. Solid 5.

Moby Grape is some hardcore hippy shit, and it slaps.

This is one of the most pleasant albums for the ears. It’s short and sweet, shows what beginnings mean.

Doing this challenge has really worn me out on classic rock so suffice it to say, I wasn't expecting much here. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this. I guess you would call this roots rock/Americana, and I really liked it! I even restarted it once the album (with bonus tracks!) ended, which I basically never do.

enjoyed

so i am a bit biased on this one as i had discovered this album when i was in college and fell in love with it. it's not a "typical" 60s psych rock album but i would say it's adjacent - very similar to contemporaries such as jefferson airplane, the grateful dead, etc. i love every song on this album. the vibe is fun and the songwriting has hooks for days. just a very catchy counterculture album.

Loved every bit. Listened a few times. A keeper.

Excellent 1960s album that combines San Franscisco psychedelic rock music with blues, country and power pop so incredibly well. It was the first time I've listened them but I'll surely come back to this album many times in the future. Great discovery!

I was predisposed against this album simply because it was a total pain in the ass to find and listen to. But I'm glad I took the time to hunt it down because it's great. It's everything I love about the Beatles but with an edge that's all American. It's a perfect 1960s rock album. The harmonies, the guitar tones, the songwriting... it's all so perfect for the time. Even the mixing is iconically 60s with the weird hard-panned drums and guitars. Normally, I'm annoyed by that but this mix is so masterful and balanced that I can't help but admire it. I'll be hunting for this one on vinyl to add to the collection.

This not just the best LP to come from the SF scene, it's hands down one of the best records of all time. It's full of great songs, solid vocal harmonies, concise guitar solos plus a nice variety of styles. It's hard to pick favourites because it's one great song after another, but stand outs include 'Hey Grandma', 'Omaha', 'Changes' and 'Sitting By A Window'.

This is a really good album. I've listened to Skip Spence a little bit before but for some reason never dug deeper to find out about this band he was in. Has real strong Buffalo Springfield vibes, which is up my alley. I already have some people I'm going to recommend this to, so I've got to give it a high rating. Standout Tracks: Hey Grandma, Fall On You, 8:05, Come in the Morning, Omaha, Naked If I Want To, Someday, Changes, Indifference

I've heard of Moby Grape before, but never to my knowledge heard their music. It's very decent. They do things with genre and timings that work well. Their guitars and drumming work well. Their songs are catchy. I like.

vilket jävla album!

I knew nothing about this band, yet they produced this stunner. I particularly love those slightly bluesy numbers with that distinctive late-60s bass. Whichever of those great singers had that raspy voice, he is a good as anyone. Ever! That manager deserves to live in he'll with Kenny G being piped in.

beauitful

Debut album of Moby Grape. Great country psychedelic rock from San Francisco, 1967.

Perfect!

Pleasing, positive West Coast blues psych rock. 8:05 makes a pleasant change of pace from the throw-everything-at-the-wall philosophy of the rest of the album. Come In The Morning is a good soul style jam and they sound pretty tight on it. Skip Spence had an amazing voice, such a shame we got to hear so little of it. In places the band’s enthusiasm triumphs over their art but it’s a fun, upbeat listen and kind of a one-off. Annoying fact: Most of the tracks are missing and streaming servers, a rights issue I guess. Had to listen on YouTube.

Nice morning album.

Really pleasantly surprised with this one and really enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to. Some great tracks on here that I will be listening to again.

A real gem to unearth from a band I had never heard of. Some catchy and up tempo songs make up a well balanced album that combines various musical styles. 60s music at it’s best.

Solides classic Rock Album! Hat Spaß gemacht zu hören, aber es ist nicht viel Komplexität oder Überraschung dabei - muss es auch nicht! :-) „8:05“ ist mein Favorit, als interessanter Stilbruch im Album! 4/5

Psych rock, felt kind of british-invasion-ey

A fun, punchy album of 60s rock, not unlike the Beatles.

Typical sixties sound. Just beautiful. Like music to my ears!

Never heard of this band before. Really good album. Giving fours stars but it’s razor thin between 4 and 5. Just lacking that one track that pushes it over the edge.

Solid late 60s Bay Area psychedelia.

My second album in a row where I had to go crawling off to YouTube to hear the thing in full. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this is. It's unfortunate that it's not more accessible to a modern listening audience. It's concise, strong late 60s rock music. I like the layering of the vocals and the lead guitar performance, and there's enough sonic variety to keep me engaged. I can hear the San Fransisco on it, especially on tracks like "8:05". A shame this band didn't get their due. I wish the sound quality was better. Some enterprising engineer should get to work on a remaster. And get it away from YouTube's awful audio compression, please.

01/03/25 I have never heard of this band before and it's a shame that didn't produce much more.

I believe there is a modern artist called moby, so I was expecting something connected to that. Couldn't be much further from the truth. Started similar to The Greatful Dead, and was later reminiscent of the Mamas and Papas. On the whole I really liked it. Got to be worth a 4

Really liked it!

Pretty good! Enjoyed listening

Love the free sound of the San Francisco music scene. Good album, worth a listen.

This was surprisingly great. Sounded like a Beatles album if they never went to India. Great harmonies, catchy sound

Had a lot of fun, although someone should definitely clear the rights up so it can be properly released on streaming.

a really fun album! definitely psychedelic leaning. i really appreciated that each song sounded distinctly different.

I very much enjoyed this but wouldn’t call it a seminal album that gives The Beatles a run for their money! Would of been a lot better with out the quick fade outs just as things started to get interesting but this was quite common back then. Vocal harmonies are excellent and as a band they really rock, I bet they were good live when they started out.

Can't recall hearing this before, but it hit right, right on the first track. It's a shame there isn't a proper upload of it on streaming. Makes such a gem really hidden. I'll have to search out a physical copy.

I liked Mr Blues, has a good crunchy tone. Come In The Morning was pretty cool too - soulful and pleasant, and I'm always in favour of a good instrumental to break up the vocals throughout the album. It's not your overly typical 60s rock album, so many other genres mixed in which is great. The guitars are melodic and create a lot of the overall feel, they make it what it is for me.

I quite liked this one. It's a good mash up of sounds from different genres at the time. Surprised I haven't really heard of them before.

Lots of fun with some good tunes. Had me bopping in the kitchen

I liked it. A surprisingly good listen. The group definitely sounded like they knew what they were doing.

What a fine album. Lots of disappointment though - it didn't work out for Moby Grape like it should have, and the story of Skip Spence is terribly sad. But, everyone should listen to this album. At least they left something behind.

Rip roaring guitar solos that inspire even the faintest of heart.

It would have been real fun to be a fan of psych music in SF in the late 60s. The harmony vocals maybe sound like basic 60s vocals but I feel like the instrumentation is really interesting if you pay attention to them. There is a lot going on and it's all very tight and driving.

The whole album wasn’t on Spotify, but what I could listen to was fantastic. This is some great 60’s psychedelic rock and surprisingly catchy tunes.

I've heard of Moby Grape, but I've never listened to them. They're one of those bands that I meant to check out at some point, but never got around to. I don't know anything about them, so I'm going into this album completely blind. This album was a very pleasant surprise. It's short of five stars for me, but I thought it was really good. The songs were short, but they all had a really great sound. These songs were really unique, and the band's blending of different styles gave this album an upbeat, and overall very fun sound. The guitar playing was really great, and for an album with some psychedelic elements to it, the overall sound was really accessible. The vocals were really great too, especially the harmonies, which reminded me of Crosby, Stills, & Nash. It's a shame these guys encountered so many roadblocks to their success, because this was a great debut album, and I'm glad I finally got to listen to it. Favorite song: "Fall On You."

Fun 60s psych band I had never heard of

Had never heard of the band. Quite liked it. I'd describe it as a less dark and dramatic version of The Doors.

Quite sick. Skip Spence's Oar better also be on here.

What if Blood, Sweat, and Tears was just garage/psychedelic enough to be less popular? That would be Moby Grape. And it sounds good! Only bummer is this is not on Spotify, though easily found on YouTube. 🙄

This was pretty nice, old, psychedelic rock. Songs were too short. Stand-out: Fall on You, Ain't No Use

LP

A really enjoyable record that had me grooving. The ill-fated tale of Moby Grape is surprising indeed, they had real talent.

A Very solid bit of country-infused psychedelic with some excellent instrumentation. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m up to a 4. The extent of my Moby Grape knowledge is that they were an answer once on Jeopardy. Normally, that means you had at least some cultural impact. After hearing the album, I can kinda see why – this is just really good rock. Little bit of psychedelic, a little bit of prog, certainly a bit of influence from The Beatles in here, but more than anything else, it’s just a really tight 30 minutes with some strong variety that never seems to hit a snag. I think the guitar’s on fire for most of this, with the vocals finding a bit of Elvis’ aggressive swagger and a bit of Freddie Mercury’s stylization to just make a really strong combo. The lyrics are a little more broad than I’d like, but the vocal melodies are strong enough to get the emotion across, so it balances out. I just really liked it, what else can I say? I don't think it does quite enough to get up into 5 territory, but it comes close a few times. It stakes itself right at a 4 and never really goes back down. Pretty darn good rock. Certainly not a bad one to get after Rumours.

Such a sad story about the group as a whole, their legal problems & the struggles of Skip Spence.