Moby Grape
Moby Grape
1967
Album Summary
Moby Grape is the 1967 debut album by rock band Moby Grape. Coming from the San Francisco scene, their reputation quickly grew to immense proportions, leading to a bidding war and a contract with Columbia Records. The album peaked at #24 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in September 1967.
WikipediaThis 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.
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
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
Most of these songs are not available on Spotify (Mac edition) This is a shockingly good listen.
Debut album of Moby Grape. Great country psychedelic rock from San Francisco, 1967.
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.
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.
This is what I thought that Zombies album would be more like - enjoyed this one more.
Un bon album du summer of love. C’est dommage que spotify n’ait pas toutes les chansons la musique est tres bonne et le son rock and roll 4.25
This album was fine. It didn't really blow me away but I could listen to it again.
Gran descobriment. Un àlbum potent, amb rock, blues, psicodèlia, i molta marxa. Temes potents, guitarres afilades, veus trencades. Un àlbum collonut que desconeixia i que avui m'ha alegrat molt el dia.
Really liked it! kinda put it off for a bit since I was busy (and I kept trying to listen to it while writing my paper about the movie but had to keep pausing to watch the movie so I gave up) but I was pleasantly surprised! I liked the beginning of the album more than the middle/end tho, I will admit
No los conocía y me han gustado. Vaya guitarras tiene el disco y eso que no tiene grandes alardes de solos para el lugar y la época. En canciones destacaría Sweet Ride
This was a fine album. Good bluesy rock, great vocal harmonies and fine songs. Seemed fresh and new. I'm glad to have been introduced to it. 3.75 stars
Muy buen disco. De los que marcaron la pauta para el buen rock. En Spotify no están cargados los sencillos Hey Grandma ni Omaha, así que hay que irse a YouTube o alguna otra plataforma.
Regreso a este mundo con un disco que ni fu ni fa, no me odien sólo me pareció equis
Straight out of the soul of 60s psychedelia, with boatloads of rock and roll tragedy on top of it.
Weirdly this album isn't fully available on Spotify or Amazon Music (there are some tracks, but they are mostly the 'bonus' tracks from a 2007 reissue). So be warned that if you listen on these services you aren't really getting the actual album. Was able to find it on youtube videos. Pretty great record! Something about this era and this style of music that always feels like coming home to me. I'm not a baby boomer that grew up with this stuff in my formative years (in fact, never heard this record before) - I think it's just that this era's blues-based rock is so foundational if you're a fan of rock music.
Huh. This one really caught me by surprise! I love the sound, and it's really clean and well done! Never felt tedious or redundant at all. Got some good Jefferson Airplane, James Gang etc vibes... Would definitely listen again!
Aww man, this album is great, but everything that happened after it is such a mess, I feel sorry for them.
This album was all over the place and I enjoyed it. Last track was kind of stressful though and a few weren't available on Spotify.
I don't know how I wasn't aware of this album, or group. It's just a shame the full album isn't on Spotify!
This album took a few listens to get but there's a lot more going on here than the first impression that it made. I like the three guitar thing and the fact that most songs were quite short, clocking in at under 3 minutes and one clocking in at under a minute. Unfortunately, there's something to be said for bands whose first album are their best album. But I think after a few listens the songs are well-crafter enough to give this 4 stars. It's a strong album with some good payout for multiple listens.
Never heard of these guys before. A real find. A shame that some tracks seem to be missing from Spotify, I could easily imagine an alternative universe where the ones I heard would be as familiar to us as the Beatles back catalogue. There must be a story somewhere in how these guys never 'made it.
Surprisingly excellent rock album from a really talented band. It reminds me a little of a lot of things, a little rock and roll, a little country-blues vibe, with shades of CCR, CSNY and the Dead. Some of the more high energy songs can get a little ramshackle or rambling, but when they're focused, it's great music. I absolutely love the guitars, which are exceptional, and in league with some of the best in country rock. I also like the all-band/multi-vocal approach, propelled by a strong lead in Peter Lewis. Go to YouTube for the full album. Spotify didn't have all of it. Fave Songs: Hey Grandma, Fall on You, 8:05, Ain't No Use
Great early psychedelic rock from the Bay Area. Sadly the bad never reached its full potential, but a nice glimpse of what could have been.
Love the guitar parts and harmonies in this album. Lots of cool parts overlapping. Lead vocals are good though not too memorable. Songs are also good but not too memorable.
I liked this album a lot. Good country style rock. Reminds me of The Dead more than anything, but I would so shorter on jams and perhaps a little more rocking. 4 🌟
Wasn't expecting this. Do people know about these guys? It's like if the Byrds slept with Chicago, and had a baby raised by Meatloaf. Teenage Fanclub must love them, power pop owes them big time. Some of the tightest rocking harmonies that've graced my ears. Every song short and sweet, only two breaking the 3 minute mark. Was this who The Monkees wanted to be?
Why didn’t this band do better and how come I’ve never heard of them? And it’s so hard to even find this album to stream, had to go to YouTube. Great guitar work, great bluesy rock vocals. Really dig it 4
The whole album isn't on Spotify which is a bummer. I liked what I did listen to! Reminded me of hey Jude, more folk rock style
What a jam. How annoying the entire album isn't on Spotify or I'd add it to my regular rotation
It's so hard to appreciate albums like this in the same way they must have when they came out. Like in 1967 I'm sure this was mind-blowing stuff but the psych-rock market got so saturated in such a short time that I've heard like a dozen records that sound very similar to this. 7/10
8/10. Short and sweet. Lots of fun old songs that didn't overstay their welcome
A maddening album to write about, as it manages to be exactly good enough to warrant 4 stars, and so it's almost impossible to get traction with your prose when discussing it. There are no faults on the album to a fault, and as such it just lacks that touch of character to make it a true classic. Moby Grape possess a reputation among two particular tribes of music snob. Firstly, they appeal to those who wish they were acid causalties in the Summer of Love, as they love the idea of peace and love and especially free love; that last category makes up about 99% of their yearning for the hippy ideal. Secondly, they appeal to your standard Pitchfork reader who will lecture you on how this album is better than Forever Changes, which is better than Fifth Dimension, which is better than Electric Music for the Mind and Body, which is better than Surrealistic Pillow, which is better than The Doors, despite them never having sat down and listened to any of those, all the while living in pitiful terror over the discovery that their favourite film is actually Frozen. So, the album accidentally suffers from the reputation of its advocates being mild cases of douchebag. But why this audience? Well, Moby Grape go down as one of the most legendary lost bands of the 60s, one of the most promising acts crippled by incompetent label bureaucrats, pernicious management, internecine tumults, personal catastrophes and perennial bad luck. Their debut album Moby Grape, therefore, has to be a masterwork to redeem the sorry tale of Moby Grape. And in truth, it's a very good album. It's a very good collection of very good songs. And that's it. My opinion of the album over time is something I find curious. Learning of this album's notoriety, I first tried it about ten years ago, and I was distinctly underwhelmed. It lacked the spark of several of those 60s Californian albums I listed earlier, a few of which I consider masterpieces. Over the last decade, I've given it a few more chances, and I have grown much more of an appreciation for it. But my first reaction, I believe, captured a sad but undeniable truth of this album: it's alright, not great. One can't find a flaw in the playing or the production, but one also can't find a riff or a holler that truly stirs up the blood. It's worth exactly 4 stars, which somehow feels heartbreaking. That said, one offshoot of Moby Grape really does warrant all the accolades: Oar, the sole solo album by deeply troubled bandmember Alexander "Skip" Spence. But that's a different album on the list.
an enjoyable listen, albeit definitely an album of its time. The distinctive west coast/psychedlia vibe shares something with the likes of the Grateful Dead and Spirit. Some lovely catchy numbers, especially Looper.
Psychodelic rock from the height of psychodelia. One of the best of it's kind but no real stand out moments. Just consistent musicianship throughout. (Again Spotify does not have the whole album available - Youtube does)
Psychedelic rock, 1967. Very interesting album by such an underrated band. Maybe not one of the best 10 record of the best year in the history of rock music, but definitely not really far from them. The guitar is the most satisfying part on this great project.
I really really liked this album but unfortunately, it wasn't on Spotify so it loses points for that. It was just a really good-sounding 60s rock album that I probably won't ever listen to again since it's not on my main avenue of music consumption.
Pretty good psych-folk. Some interesting performances and almost a punk-ish energy to some of them. A shame they had such a shit manager and that it’s unavailable to stream.
I can't say that I find this album particularly interesting or engrossing. It's good, but has a sound that is very much of its time and doesn't really work for me. I will say that the production on the album is excellent and makes this album work better for me than it ordinarily would. 3/5
Didn’t listen to all of it because it wasn’t all available on Spotify.
Weirdly this ticked all the boxes of the kind of thing I like bit I just found it a bit boring and forgettable.
No logré disfrutar bien el disco porque no está disponible de manera normal en ninguna plataforma y en YouTube hay que estar pasando anuncios y son versiones de distintas fuentes. Del sonido, siento que es como una mezcla de Grateful Dead con The Mamas and the Papas: Hippie, a veces buen sonido, a veces poco producido. Me gustaron Fall on You, Changes y Lazy Me.
Lo puse en Youtube desde la PC y no tiene comerciales, no noté diferencia de las versiones hasta que escuché una en vivo, este rock psicodélico me gusta mas que el de Hendrix y lástima que hubo bandas que fueron mas comerciales
I listened to self titled Moby Grape album from 1967. One of the previous records was from the lead signer of this group "Skip Spence." I enjoyed these songs quite a bit, definitely one of the better examples of late 60s psychedelia that I've heard. I would like to hear this with better quality and not a random Vimeo. The songs are surprisingly fresh, and the guitar work and harmonies were a step above.
Was good enough for a second listen. Although it sounded like generic 60's. Playlist on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/user/phil23hero/videos
Está bueno para un domingo por la tarde viendo pasar las nubes sin que pase el tiempo.
Pretty good playing, but doesn't stand out. Too many way better albums from that era
songs are a nice kind of old. Least favourite songs: Changes, Indifference Favourite songs: 8:05, Ain't No Use,
What a funny name and what a great album. Never heard of this bunch of grapes but I really enjoyed working to it. Light hearted easy listening
A nice early psych rock/country rock album. 6/10, but why are the drums hard-panned left in every track?
1967 guitar tone and styling. This is a pleasant listen but I didn't really take anything from it.
No está completo en Spotify, pero se pueden escuchar muchas canciones. Preferidas: Come in the morning. Ain't no use.
Not a million miles away from odessy and the oracle by zombies only a bit more jovial and less like listening to four grown men sing about a damp flannel. I enjoyed this but it’s nothing too profound.
Pretty classic 60's sound, definitely a good album, but nothing grabbed me to play it a second time.
I was apprehensive about this thinking it was going to be another 'Electric Prunes', but it was actually alright!
Disco de rock and roll clásico, con toques de country. No es mala álbum, pero es uno más.
Kompetent rock n'roll, med koselige harmonier og noen kule gitardeler. Ganske likt tidlig Beatles synes jeg. Men selv etter 2-3 gjennomhøringer er det ingen låter som egentlig har festa seg i hodet, så det gjorde ikke noe særlig inntrykk.
Kult album. Perfekt lengde på det, ble ikke lei den type musikk, mer sann over før det begynte følelse. Ellers så hørtes det ut som ganske standard 60s rock.
Deilig med litt kortere album! Deilige toner, veldig klassisk rock. Det var stemning å høre på, men ble ikke sittende med så mye igjen etterpå, lite minneverdige sanger. Likte godt Hey Grandma da.
Some of the tracks aren't available on Spotify. Mr Blues was a very nice and infectious song. I really enjoyed Fall On You and 8:05. All the songs have been a lot shorter than i expected, but that's ok. All in all it's a pretty good album to have in the background, but I'll probably not visit it again in the future.
Unfortunately the majority of this album was not available on spotify for me. Changes is a good track though.
Sgt Pepper: June 2, 1967 Moby Grape: June 6, 1967 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape: “We sold better in Marin County than Sgt Pepper.” Likely a 4-star if I could spend a little more time with it.
Pretty generic rock album for the era. Borderlines on heavier jam/rock with influences seeming to come from Hendrix and Crosby,Stills,Nash.
A great 60s jam band with hints of CCR. Some good rock that, for me at least, has completely fallen off the radar in the last 60 years.
Making an assessment based on the three songs on Spotify. I think it get it
I find the sound of this album kind of appealing. It's very garage-y. The three guitarists are kind of falling all over each, especially on the more uptempo tunes. It could have easily just been a mess, but instead it has a ramshackle charm. The song structures and melodies are poppy, and the harmonies are often strong enough to put it all over. Hey Grandma and Omaha are the obvious standouts--they have a relentless forward momentum and energy, but they're not the only strong tunes. I find it kind of impressive that this same band can pull off the highly specific tex mex influenced ballad 805--it's even kind of moving. There are some nice psychedelic touches here and there, too, although that hardly makes Moby Grape psychedelia. And then there's the sprightly, country flavored Ain't No Use. After that, the quality drops off, as if the members of the band were having trouble remaining focused. If the rest of the album were as good as the tunes I'd mentioned, this would be an easy 4.5 stars, but alas, not.
1) Spotify no lo tenía completo, muy aleatorias las canciones no disponibles. 2) Lo escuché con poca atención y, como no me atrapaba, aun con menos. 3) A mi gusto, olvidable. 4) No tengo canciones fav. 6/10
Pues como mi spotify no me lo mostró completo, pues no puedo decir que lo escuché entero. Si bien hay sonidos amables con el oido y agradables, me pareció que induce más a un estado de aburrimiento (de repente se me ocurrió que en portugués esta palabra es aborrecimento, lol, o sea no lo odié, pero pues lo encontré sin pena ni gloria)
Me equivoqué y puse mi comentario de Moby Grape en el de Fairport Convention, jaja.
Pretty good mix of songs. Neat guitar interplay. Similar to other bands around at the time but probably a touch off centre to have become very popular.
A couple of filler tracks, but overall this is a good album. Lower first division 1960s psychedelia.
They sound like a bunch of different bands to me: a bit of country a bit of folk, some psychedelic rock. They like to change up the vocalists a bit, some are more talented than others. I recognize a couple of songs: 8:05 has a nice whimsical 60s feel. Omaha really rocks. I must know it from one of those 60s shows on CKCU. Hey Grandma, Changes and some of the sub 2-minute songs I could do without.
Another band name that makes you shake your head. They and the Electric Prunes must have been sampling the brown acid when they came up with their band names. I had to chuckle when I saw the album was made in 1 1/2 months for $11,000. I remember the Ramones saying Phil Spector made them spend 12 hours recording the opening chord to Rock & Roll High School. I like the raw and biting sound of the guitar solos on songs like Mr. Blues. It is similar to the sound Keef was laying down on solos in the mid 60s. (e'g. on She Said Yeah from Dec Children.) This was an enjoyable Psychedelic album.
I had to listen to the youtube version of this album, as it's not available on Apple Music. It's a little better than average for the era; several different vocal and musical styles, which keeps it interesting and pushes it into the 3-star range for me.
3, it's fine. Here I am the next day having trouble remembering it though...
This wasn't on Spotify or Apple Music without loads of tracks greyed out, but I found a rogue copy on YouTube. It's ok. Again, it feels like the sort of album that decades down the track is considered highly influential more than it's regarded as a work in its own right. It also gave me a good late 1960s rock feeling and I'm happy that it played a big part in shaping this sound.
I really like the multiple guitars, but something is missing that I can't quite put my finger on. Great, but feels a bit like a poor man's CSNY.
Very solid, but it sounds like late 60's psychedelic rock. Which I still enjoy, but this album doesn't age the same way the real greats from that era did (like Jimi Hendrix's stuff). I really enjoyed the vocals, from pretty much all of the band. Come in the Morning, Lazy Me, and Indifference were highlights for me. Definitely worth a listen, not sure how many times I'd go back.
I have the first Buffalo Springfield album, and besides from the song "From What It's Worth," everything else sounds incredibly... dated. This is how I felt listening to Moby Grape. Every song sounded very dated, so old that it just does not break through the era it was made in. I imagine that's what's going to happen to a lot of the music that I knew growing up, when people who didn't live during the 70s and 80s hear it for the first time. Whereas for me it still fits into my head. So as good as the performances were, I doubt I would come back to it.
Unabashedly weird. Not mad at it, but definitely "get-high-to-this" music. Didn't leave a big impression on me, didn't hate it either. Kind of reminds me slightly of credence Clearwater revival, though a little too psychedelic for me. Def prefer CCR. Fave track: Indifference.
Kind of feels like a mixture of sounds that were being used at the time. It's very much your standard 60's rock album. Each member apparently sings/writes the music, so that's a fun fact to know. It's important to blend all of your influences in order to create something new. I've never heard of Moby Grape before, but they got some nice jams.
Was expecting folk/country from the album cover and this comes through in some songs. A very pleasant surprise when some elements of rock were introduced into the first couple songs of the album. Favourite song: 'Fall on You'
For sure the 60s mixing with that rock and country vibe. It's cool man. Crushing beers type shit.
First time listen, "Mr Blues" reminds me of the British Blues Explosion bands like Yardbirds et al. Psychedelia at it's best. This is good music with some great riffs and driving Rhythm section. Also some nice harmonies for example in "8:05" and "Ain't No Use" which is also reminiscent of CSNY. I suppose this is in the same vein as Buffalo Springfield auguring the onset of Americana and Country Rock too. Fave's "Mr Blues" "8:05" and "Ain't No Use"
Moby Grape: Can’t you just smell the lava lamps burning? Hipper and groovier than one expected and pretty tuneful, but true to the cliches of the ‘60s. One gets why there was some hype here, but it feels just about 55 years old, doesn’t it? More garage than psychedelic at times. Opening side is gritty and driving (save for “8:05” which is quite good) but starts feeling canned by the end. Side 2 is much the more effective. There’s something fun to “Ain’t No Use” and dreamy about “Sitting by the Window.” Overall, the playing seems just slightly above average and the singing maybe slightly below. One wants to say you’ll like this sort of thing if you like this sort of thing – this sort of thing being standard-issue ‘60s rock. Solid effort – but not much more – despite one of the dumbest band names in rock history.
Good album! Enjoyed it and was surprised I had never heard any of their music before.
This didn't quite click with me. I didn't mind it, but most of the songs passed without notice until the album had finished. Will try again sometime in the future, though.
Something of an incomplete grade, since it was impossible to find the complete album anywhere. Amazon Music suggests the entire album is available, but only allows for the same handful of tunes as the other streaming services. Considering the band's mismanaged history, that's not much of a surprise. The songs I did find are all surprising gems, although as a native Nebraskan, I foolishly hoped for more from a song called "Omaha". It's fitting that a band known for having all the potential in the world but relegated to what-might-have-been status has an album on this list that seemingly no one can listen to in its entirety.
Just another bog-standard 60's album. I don't what all the fuss is about to be honest. Best Tracks: Fall On You; 8:05; Changes
Музыка приятная, местами изобретательная. Но и не более того. Также отмечу местами интересную гитару. По словам фронтмена Led Zeppelin - оказала влияние на их раннее звучание. Такого я не заметил;) 5,5 из 10
Not all songs on Spotify, which is not hugely helpful! The ones that are there are pretty sludgy and dull, and not very exciting. Decent enough, but plenty of room for improvement. Influence on a bunch of other bands is fairly clear
Annoying that most of this album is not on Spotify, but easy enough to listen. I like the sound, but sort of generic. Not sure what makes this one a standout.
Buried inside their lean, lickety split blues rock is a deep unease and knowingness about the collapse of the 60's dream. Plays out most often in the way they can never do anything straight edged. (From what I remember this is probably a four but I couldn't be bothered to seek out the full version.)
é aquele tipo de psicodelia mas do clima da musica do que das letras e efeitos em si. psicodelia da boa, pena que é tão curto e metade das musicas tão ocultas no spotify por algum motivo.
I am unfamiliar with this band and not sure what to expect. Sounds like classic 60s Psychedelic music. Hey Grandma is my favorite song so far. Not bad overall.
Couldn’t listen to most of the tracks from not being on Spotify but an easy listening 60s rock band vibe with an alright sound
Don't believe the hype. No, that's not fair. I guess one had to be there etc. One thing I will say in their favour is that there is a complexity to their melodies that belies a stoner reputation.
Good energy, didn't blow me away but was a nice vibe for the morning. 6.7
Good rock album ! Pas transcendant j'ai pas bcp plus a dire mais des bons riff et ça fait plaiz
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.
Pretty generic music from the era. Not hard to listen to, but not that special.
Very US late 60s sound. Some 3xcellent blues rock guitar work. Good mixture 9f styles that must have shown the seeds for what developed later by The Band, Eagles, CSN+Y.
I had never heard a single one of these tracks as far as I know, but had at least heard of Moby Grape. This first album is full of energy and excitement. The jangly guitars are kept on time with sharp drumming, especially the crisp snare work. The chief strength of the band is the fantastic singing of all five members, both in lead and harmony roles. The sound appears to foreshadow bands like CCR and CSN who would emerge in the years to come, although Moby Grape relies more heavily on the reverb that gives them a more psychedelic sound. Oddly, Apple Music only carried one song from the original album, the track called 8:05, but adds the bonus tracks from a much later reissue. I listened to the album on a YouTube page.
I generally like 60’s music, and this had a few rock songs that were alright, but it also was too often too far into the hippy-dippy, dreamy, everybody love everybody kind of 60’s music.
A pleasant listening experience, I really enjoyed the intricacies in the guitars' interplay! Sitting By The Window is a standout track to me. The shorter length of the songs actually was a plus for me, as no song lingers for too long which makes it extra interesting. While the album itself is not particularly groundbreaking (in retrospect, of course), I can see myself revisiting it.
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.
Typical 60s psych rock band with a bit of funk thrown in for good measure. Moby Grape rightly or wrongly are very Beatles-esque in sound with lots of short and sharp songs to keep you hooked. Best: Sitting By The Window Worst: Changes Note: Spotify didn't have the full album, listened to it on YouTube.
It's alright. There wasn't anything about this record that really stood out to me.
It's pretty cool that everyone on here is a singer and songwriter, though it does make it feel slightly less cohesive. Nice heavy blues and psychedelic notes. Favorite tracks: "Changes", "Omaha", "Fall on You"
This album is pretty good. I had low expectations but I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed a few of their songs. The album dipped for me after a few songs, but it definitely started out strong. Favorite song: 8:05 Worst song: Changes
Your '60s rock band. Note this is not fully available on spotify but can be found on youtube.