Reviews (page 2 of 8)
loved it
What a diamond of an album. Never heard of The Youngbloods, but I was completely blown away. I was expecting some more pop rock from 66-73 that I've heard 50 times by now, but this was so much more. It's a beautiful album with excellent instrumentation that made me want to stay in the vibes. Ride the Wind was such an amazing ending of the album that I'm having trouble remembering my thoughts from earlier in the album. Darkness, Darkness, Smug, and Don't Let the Rain Get You Down were all great as well. But i just can't get past the funky finale, with its chimes, piano, and xylophone. Such a positive sounding song.
Um excuse me why have I not been playing The Youngbloods on repeat my whole life. I love this so much, even more so because the sound is the opposite of what I was expecting.
An unexpected 5... good energy throughout, mixing folk-rock with touches of jazz and country. Beautiful is a pick-me-up jam. Decided to listen through the album two times in a row, because it was working for me.
- Oooo MMMMM GGGG das hat mir seehr gut gefallen - Kannte die Youngbloods nur über "Get Together", welches Teil des immer mal wieder von mir angesprochenen Forrest Gump Soundtracks ist. Das Lied habe ich wirklich unzählige Male gehört, ein Meisterwerk. Sonst wusste ich nix, habe mich aber auf das Album gefreut. - Ging direkt mal richtig bombig los mit "Darkness Darkness" - Alles eine schöne Mischung aus 60s Psychadelic- und 70s Folk- und Country-Rock. Hier und da auch proggy. - Habe nicht erwartet, dass das Album so super klingt! Und soweit ich weiß, ist das keine Remastered Version. Also fast 60 Jahre später so crisp und ausgewogen zu klingen - hut ab. Auch schöne Stereospielereien drin, aber sie haben zum Glück nicht so übertrieben, wie andere Zeitgenossen. - Seeeehr vielfältiges Album. Neben den oben benannten Genres, die bedient werden, hast du dann zwischendurch mit "On Sir Francis Drake" basically einen fast 7-minütigen reinen instrumental Jazz Track drin, danach mit "Sunlight" einen Song, als würde Neil Young plötzlich Bossanova machen. "Beautiful" ist dann wiederum Doobie Brothers-artig groovy-soulig. Und "Don't Let The Rain Bring You Down"? Wohl am ehesten mit "Die Beatles im Heartland von Texas" zu beschreiben. "Quicksand" ein super viby feel-good Ohrwurm mit Bläsersektion. - Finde auch diese kurzen Instrumental-Skits zwischen den Songs super. - Wenn man sich die Zahlen anschaut (leider) ein Geheimtipp. Der typische Fall einer Band, die zu ihrer Zeit absolut keinen Credit bekommen hat (weder kommerziell, noch kritisch) und erst im Nachhinein Anerkennung erhalten hat. Das dann aber absolut zurecht!!! - Bin wirklich komplett begeistert und freue mich gerade echt dieses Album hier entdeckt haben zu dürfen. Wird früher oder später safe seinen Weg in meine Plattensammlung finden. Rating: 4,5/5
I really enjoyed this one.
Better than Abbey Road
When I saw this come up and read it was 60's folk music, I genuinely groaned. Really not a fan of folk. I was shocked listening through this. It was like a mix of jazz, rock, folk, experimental, and whatever else. This album was like a bag of party mix lollies, fuck me. I think this album really shines when there was no vocals, and the band just played. You can tell what songs they've made to be the hit singles (Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down, Quicksand, etc.) On Sir Francis Drake, Trillium, Quicksand, and Sham were certain highlights for me. Really really enjoyed this one. No better feeling than going into an album expecting it to be shit but then falling in love with it. What a great fucking album.
What a treat to listen to for the first time! Tasteful playing, lovely laid-back grooves and cool songwriting, I'll definitely be replaying this album. On Sir Francis Drake, Rain Song and Ride The Wind were particular favourites.
Really enjoyed it. They reminded me of an American version of the kinks. I’ll definitely gonna come back to this one Rating: 4.6
I really like this sound. It's like .... Jazzy soft rock. The lyrics (when present) are very good. I'm not finished with the album yet and already multiple tracks have grabbed my attention.
60's psychedelic rock is where it's at. I've never listened to a Youngbloods album. This has been a pleasant surprise Elephant Mountain is a way above average album and I've enjoyed every aspect. I think the opening track is great. I'll be listening to this all day.
Wat een goede muziek, normaal gesproken niet echt mijn genre, maar nu geweldig.
Jazzed up sort of Folk Rock with esprit, great feeling, soul, superb songwriting. Oh, I am so happy having been nuged towards this gem.
An interesting album. Rock, but with influences from country, jazz, others. I liked it a lot.
Good album - felt i was in a movie
Considering my dislike for the song “Get Together” I did not have much hope for an album from The Youngbloods. This is another instance on this list where I was glad to be proved wrong! “Darkness, Darkness” is a fantastic opener, and arguably the best song on the album, and it sets a tone for what’s to come. There honestly isn’t a bad song on this album, and besides the opening track my favorites are “Smug,” “Sunlight,” and “Quicksand.” The instrumentals are fantastic too, and on albums like this they tend to be hit or miss, but they were definitely a hit here. There are so many great albums from the 60s, and this manages to stand high amongst the competition. Truly just a fantastic record.
The Youngbloods; maybe they should have chosen a different name for themselves? In movies, the "youngblood" is always the little upstart who ends up doing great things. This band did not... why? Of all the albums I've listened to on this list, this is the first one where I was able to play the album back-to-back 3 times in a row, and almost a 4th. What an absolute gem, for me. Oddly enough, I am not able to whistle or hum a tune of the album by heart, so only for this I am limiting the rating to 4-stars, but it really should be 5!!!
I had never heard of this album or band. What beautiful music! Folky, sometimes with a bluegrass feel, but also a bit psychedelic, sometimes jazzy. I think this is my favorite album that I’ve heard for the first time from this generation. Cool that it is my 100th album! Very grateful for this find!
First listen, I did not finish. Felt it was such blah tripe. Second listen, after reading a bit about it, was a bit better. There is no one song that is a chest grabbing cracker No#1 hit. But there is something there. Third listen, and forth fourth, it gelled a little better me it's not country, it's something more playful. There is a lot of joy here. Quiet understated joyful play. I'm on the sixth listen now, very happy with the find. I'll put the this into my regular listen playlist. There's a little off fun here that's not on one style of music, it's a bit prog-rock, bit 60' psychedelia, a bit classical rock, a bit folk, a bit country, a bit R&B. It's quite the mix. I'm going to give it a good rating because I can see myself listening and relistening to this, enjoyably, with a range of environments. Driving, dishwashing, art-ing, gardening, just being. It fits with a lot of my lifestyle activities. It's good. 5 stars. (I never would have thought that at first listen, I was going to do a 'did not listen' - but here we are)
Very nice to listen to. My husband even asked who this was because he liked the music.
I’m pretty sure I’ve heard of the Youngbloods but I sure never heard any of these songs before! And this is very much my jam. Kinda like the Turtles or Lovin Spoonful. Quirky little tunes, good harmonies and plucky instrumentals. Songs added to Spotify: 4
This is an actual great psychedelic-yet-very melodic album that sounds not too hard like other psychedelic stuff - and that is its secret strength. Love it.
good and unique old sound
Shockingly good
This is something I am going to listen to for the next 15 years
This album kinda blew my mind. Love the little jazz odyssey’s through out
Great music
Lovely jammy alt psych country rock situation with a little swizzle of big band jazz stylings to round it all out. Big fan.
Nice. Eye opener
Very much enjoyed
I really liked this. Beatles-esque 60's pop done by jazz artists with lots of jazzy arrangements, medlies, and interludes.
Really like this one. Multiple listens and want to re-listen.
this was lovely, lots of influences from places I wuite enjoy. Nothing too special about the songwriting, but some really nice soundscapes
Jessie Colin Young - listened while in Hawaii
Considering the fact that I have always had a healthy dislike of country-rock, and have always felt a general disdain towards the psychadelic, I was really surprised by my reaction to this album. I kinda loved it? It was all the best of a music decade that has always kind of fell flat to me. A really nice melding of genres, with some truly gorgeous songs. Best tracks: Beautiful, Darkness, Darkness, Quicksand Worst track: Trillium
Album 19 of 1089 Elephant Mountain - The Youngbloods (1969) Rating : 5 / 5 This one hit all the right notes for me. Just a wonderful collection of tunes with a sound that feels warm, natural, and effortlessly inviting. There’s something about the way they blend folk, rock, and a touch of psychedelia that makes the whole album glide by in the best way possible. The songwriting is strong throughout — melodic, thoughtful, and beautifully arranged. Every track feels like it was crafted with care, and the band’s chemistry shines through from the first song to the last. It’s one of those albums where the overall feel is just as important as the individual songs, and in this case, both are excellent. Simply put, this is a great sound from a band that deserves more attention than they usually get. A fantastic listen from beginning to end, and one I’m glad to have spent time with.
A very strong record that, while begun in NY, took on a late 60s California vibe that was part of the time’s reach toward roots and Americana. Incorporating an array of sound and styles, this album conveys a sense of evolution and growth that keeps it sounding fresh. Folk rock? Yes, kind of. But less dated sounding than much contemporaneous music. Strong.
OMG! How have I never even heard of this band before? The first track was sensational. Second track not quite so good, but still worth listening to. Echoes of Nick Drake in 'Sunlight'. 'Quicksand' excellent. This is more like it.
Loved Sunlight
looooooved it
Loved it! Elements of folk music. It didn't sound typically '60s like "Get Together."
I love folk rock! This is amazing! I love the Built to Spill vibes. Darkness Darkness is such a DnD song, Smug was great, On Sir Francis Drake was a fire jazz track, love this. Great listen, start to stop.
40 minutes long, in out all quality. Bosh.
Mi sorprende che non conoscessi affatto questa band. Un album eclettico in cui ogni traccia rappresenta un genere diverso: folk, soul, perfino jazz. Sicuramente approfondirò la loro discografia.
Nice groove. Hadn't heard of them before.
6/9 ✌🏻🤟🏻
Loved it! Folk with a bit of jazz… easy to listen
Très belle découverte de cette liste. Honnêtement pas un mauvais moment sur l'album. Pourquoi ce n'est pas plus connu je ne comprends pas.
This was a very nice surprise. I was expecting more boring Neil Young folk rock nonsense but instead I got: Blues, folk, jazz, country, soul, rock, funk, ragtime, psychedelic, 60s silliness. Will defo listen again.
dude so good and like crazy diverse, J can’t believe all these songs are on the same album made by the same band, that’s crazy - 10/10
Excellent
Insanely beautiful
From the lyrics to the music, how it plays with rock, and tries different sounds. I liked it.
5/5 - Like some of this older folk music: it's good for what it is, but not my cup of tea.
Easy listening
Ha estado buenisima la semana y este no fue la excepción
We stan
Liked this a whole bunch, reminds me of America - great jams. Favorite track(s): Ride the Wind, Double Sunlight
Some brilliant songs here.
quero o vinil
I actually enjoyed this a lot! I saw the country tag and the general vibe and cringed, but it's very folky and chill, right up my alley.
I had no idea what to expect, but really enjoyed this album. I could get by without hearing it again, but I know if I see it in an oldies bin, I'll buy it. Nice choice!
I enjoyed this album, I listened mostly as background music, but overall it was a pleasant listen. I was a bit skeptical after the first couple of songs, but then I really got into it as the album went on. This would be a great album to have as vinyl while hanging out with friends.
Judging by the artist and album name and the cover art, I thought this album was much more recent than its 1969 release year ever suggested. The music included here is a nice mix of that classic folk, country and blues-influenced rock sound that would come to define what most would define as "dad rock." There's a nice medley of everything here, from jammy pieces like "On Sir Francis Drake," a relaxed proto-yacht rock song in "Sunlight" and a driving multi-section opener in "Darkness, Darkness." And that' just the A side! There's lots of classic jaunty, bouncing grooves mixed with twangy guitars and slides; it honestly wouldn't be out of place on a CSNY or Creedence release if either of those bands ever covered one of the songs here. The B side isn't all that interesting outside of the big, sax-heavy ballad "Quicksand," another early example of the ultra-commercial rock sound that would swallow up all pop music by the mid-70s. The B side closer, the drifting, chime heavy "Ride the Wind" is the only other notable song on the second half, but it does a very good job of putting a near little bow on this surprisingly eclectic album. I must say I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed with this offering. There's so much to be excited about and it's definitely a grower of an album. Though it might sound cliche and dated today, most of this album's many musical choices would be commercialized by the next decade through no fault of their own (based on what I searched about them, they never really made it big.) I think you could get a lot of mileage out of this album if you go into it considering its eclecticism as ahead of its time rather than a sign of the 70s schlock to come. Key Tracks: Darkness Darkness, Quicksand, Ride the Wind
1969.
Psychedelic guitars and good voice. I am a simple man, I don't ask for much more. The occasional 60's pop production influence aside, it's good for driving and thus gets the sign of approval.
Only knew these guys from the flower power song Get Together, which isn’t on this. This is more trippy than hippy dippy.
Another surprise- never heard of this band, absolutely loved the album - another full album download
Kinda not pop, but more alternative or chill. It's unique.
Eclectic collection from a band I didn't know.
a lovely peaceful album to listen to on a sunny day. favourite song: trillium.
First I've heard of them but solid folky psych rock, similar to Love in places
Kinda really enjoyed this jazz mix of things and vibes, in a great mood so that helps. 3+ for music +1 for vibes and mood brings us to 4 + here. But just kinda sounds like they had a good time making this and everyone got musical input? Just the vibe I get with it all being so different. A cohesive collective made this
Not bad.
This is like “if Neil Young made jazz”… and it’s kinda awesome? From the first track, I couldn’t have predicted where this album would end up. We get psychedelic rock, folk/country rock, bluesy jam band stuff, and then just pure jazz? What. The. Hell. (In a good way) If I’m going to complain (I am), it’s that I wish there was a little more cohesion. I don’t know if that means doing less, or doing more. Like, would a longer album give them more space to link up all the pieces and transition more smoothly between styles? Maybe it’s supposed to feel like each side is a different album and it just feels weird in the post-vinyl world. Either way, what a ride!
Fav- beautiful 4/5
Fun listen
Surprisingly good. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed it.
This was a good album. Nothing amazing but I enjoyed listening to it! 3.5
Probably the best country/folk/rock album I've heard on this list so far. Some really great tunes.
This album does a lot of stuff. Most of it very well.
Good find - never really explored this artist before
Solid folk rock that I found to be more interesting than not. A few highlights help to counterbalance some of the less exciting moments well enough to find myself in favor of the project. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Darkness, Darkness, Quicksand
A really enjoyable listen.
Woah! Knocked out by this one. I only knew "Get Together" and literally nothing else. I was very, very surprised by this. Definitely a snapshot of its time, I was impressed with this. Would go great with the Grateful Dead or the Allmans on a playlist. Will absolutely be searching out their other material. favorite tracks: Darkness, Darkness / Smug / Sunlight / Quicksand
Very good
Не это твердая четверка. Мягкая, солнечная, теплая музыка. Ничего не понял в словах, конечно, но звук мне очень понравился.
A great album with incredible musicianship.
3.5
War morgens im Auto bei Sonnenaufgang ein ziemlich passender Soundtrack.
Didn’t know these guys but really enjoyed the sound.
Ah, first hit of folk is nice. This is what I'm here for. Gets quite bluesy and rocky too which is cool. Even some country influence? And jazz in On Sir Francis Drake. Fun hooks in Smug Funk/soul on Beautiful! Really a genre-spanning album. Instrumental sections are excellent, I'd like to hear them stretched out into longer jams! Oooh Trillium answers this beautifully Middle instrumental section on Ride the Wind is amazing. Generally instrumentals are amazing, vocals and string section date it a bit but not too much. Best track - Darkness, Darkness, Sunlight, Beautiful, Trillium, Quicksand 4 or 5 stars - constantly surprising and decent songwriting, with some great standout tracks. Call it 4, some great tracks and some amazing passages in others.
7 - GOOD
Great sound, easy listening, nothing too pretentious but creative enough to be interesting
Really enjoyed the jam sessions
Didn't expect to like this, but is melodic, emotive and easy to like.
If i was a data scientist doing this project, i'd include a variable called 'personal mood on the day' rated 1-5. This would help me account for the subjectivity i bring. If i was on a 2 or 3 on the mood score, id have said this was standard of the time, overly jazzy and pretty dull. However, i was on a mood score of about 234 yesterday so i thought this was great and tapped along to the beat, nodded enthusiastically to the noodly bits and felt like the king of the world.
9/10
I liked this one. it was a fun mix of rock and banjos and blues. i liked it best when that guy wasn't singing but what can you do. would probably relisten
Started real strong. Fun album!
Pretty good
Cool album. A few standout tracks, including Darkness, Darkness and Sunlight. There were a few throw-aways as well, but overall this album surprised me in a positive way.
Now THIS is more like it! A nice mix of 70's early country rock, jazz, jam band action and a big ball of fun. I must say, I'm not the biggest modern jazz fan in the world, but this does seem to do a pretty good job of skirting the biggest issues I have will jazz-influenced rock and keeps things moving and not too heady, very well.
Sweet, another psychedelic rock band I haven't heard of before. This is the reason I like this list and put up with all the trash new wave. Starts off super strong with Darkness, Darkness. Definitely has a Jefferson Airplane vibe. The whole album isn't even, but it's pretty good. I'll probably go back to this one as I just gave it a passive listen while working. 4/5
Was super excited to take a trip down memory lane and hear "If you don't give a damn, we don't give a fuck"....but I guess THAT was YoungbloodZ. 😣 I have a blind spot for a lot of this late 60s folk rock - feel like the Chicago classic rock stations neglected a lot of it. Glad to finally get eyes (or ears 😝) on more stuff like this. Good vibes, like the addition of some blues and psychedelia in the mix....even a little jazz? Pleasant find! 4.25 stars
Some of the instrumentals work best here. That's not to say that the vocals aren't sweet. This is an incredibly warm album. It's full of optimism, but almost downplayed with the gentle approach to creating something special. You can hear almost track by track where Weller got the whole Wild Wood vibe from.
See, this is what I like about this project. I enjoy discovering music like this. I had never heard of The Youngbloods before, but they were fun.
Довольно интересная пластинка за счет своей эклектичности. Услышал в ней и фолк-рок, и прогрессив, и соул, и даже элементы джаза. И все звучит довольно круто в плане аранжировок и особенно в плане звука - не верится, что это 1969. То ли ремастер такой удачный, но звучало очень свежо. Не хватило разве что запоминающихся треков, но при этом музыкально все равно интересно.
Лучшая песня: Ride the wind Худшая: Don't let the rain Мне в принципе понравилось. Клевые соло (бас, клавиши, гитара). Хз почему этот альбом в списке, возможно автор хвастается тем, что знает эту группу, а мы все - нет
Very good and mellow
Some songs were amazing and some songs were mid, I think that nets out to a 4
Low 4. Not my current vibe but it’s undeniably good music. Has similar sounds to a lot of other good music I’ve heard before.
Feels like a record Spencer would have
I’ve never heard any of this before but I thought it was really good! Kinda weird how there’s like 3 different songs that are 10 seconds long
I can't say specifically what it is, but there is something really unique about this album. It feels like so much more than just another generic folk rock album from the 60s, like there's actually something sort of quirky about it and it's actually a really fun listen. In a way it does actually sound quite ahead of its time, just in the way that the styles and song structures actually feel much closer to something you would hear today compared to most other 60s music. But there is still a big element of simplicity on this album that is also used really well, which somehow doesn't seem to hold it back at all.
This was pretty groovy and there were lots of cool elements to it. A lot better than most of the other sixties crap on this list. I'll give it a 4
New to me but really nice.
This album was pretty good considering I had never heard of this band. They really took advantage of their studio time. I listened to this on headphones and both sides were on fire with layered sounds the whole album. It was great to listen to on the way to work.
This is an exciting album, and it took me a few minutes to realize that. “Darkness, Darkness” sounds like typical 60s folk rock with a strikingly high voice. But in fact, The Youngbloods are much more than that, as they move with remarkable ease across the entire spectrum from rock to jazz on “Elephant Mountain.” Thanks to Young's voice and Banana's virtuosity, my impression is that there are no real breaks, but rather a relaxed meandering that doesn't pay too much attention to stylistic boundaries. This is probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it and I think this is how easy listening should be.
Excellent singing. Surprising variety of genres.
You know, this is downright fun. Loose production and some really interesting bluesy grooves. Certainly can see where this bridges psychedelic and country rock. Birthed a thousand bands, probably. Solid four stars.
i really enjoyed this! suprised its from the late 60s, it felt more modern than that for me. each song different but still couldnt single one out that i liked more. fun :)
Just slightly too forgettable to be 5 stars, but a great listen. 4/5 Highlights: - Darkness, Darkness - On Sir Francis Drake - Double Sunlight - Beautiful - Sham
I was very confused when I was expecting to hear YUNGBLUD. This is a fun album, with a bit of everything
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The Youngbloods have no name recognition for me and I enjoyed every track. Would put it on repeat rotation.
3.5/5
Wow I like!! Catchy
A beautiful album in a transition between folk and singer/songwriter. Love it. 4/5
Brought this down a smidge from my 69 dive. I still like it pretty well, but I'm kind of a sucker for the Woodstock era hippy dippy shit. The opening track "Darkness Darkness" is freaking phenomenal i did like that one. I did appreciate most of the jazzy jamminess of it. And the song sunlight kind of gave me a little bit of 60s Joni Mitchell acoustic Jazz vibes. Honestly this is a great album for me to just lay back to and just enjoy. Not 100% bowled over by it, but it's a feeling. (8.3) ★★★★
I liked this! Pretty groovy and jazzy and a bit Stoney. I’m giving this a 3.5 for now but I think it’s a grower so I’m going 4 on the site.
I had not heard of Youngbloods before. Honestly this was an awesome album. Loved listening to it. I would definitely listen to it again.
The deeper I get into this challenge, the clearer it becomes I would have THRIVED as a teenager in the 60s.
Stardew Valley vibe
Great 60's vibes. A discovery for me.
Loving the sound of the album. Doesn't sound dated like many from this same time period. The reverbs were fun, didn't even know they had those at the time.
Solid baseline, breath on style
4/5
Fun
Good vibes. And I struck up a conversation with the man behind me at the grocery store who asked me what I was listening to and he remembered the Youngbloods from back in the day. Then he told me a story about how he almost took the Dave Clark Five out water skiing on Lake Mendota but had to go to a bugle corps rehearsal instead. Don't worry about the Dave Clark five though...they still got to go water skiing with this man's friend. Anyway, good times.
Cute little nugget for the weekend. Loving this project rn. FO!
Who are these guys? What a fantastic album I’d never heard of before
Woah, that is. Wow. I wanna go back to it already.
Unexpectedly diverse and interesting mix of songs, starting with folk-rock and picking up influences from jazz, ragtime, Latin music. I like the jazzy instrumental stuff best - On Sir Francis Drake connected with me straight away - but the next track Sunlight was folky and pretty and I like it just as much. Everything seems to lead up to Ride the Wind, the beautiful closer with vibraphone and electric piano and vocals gradually fading away. Dreamy and peaceful.
Smooth
So fun!
Nice folk rock album.
Folksy musical themes with strong guitar leads; several songs stood out as they sounded like the musicians really enjoyed what they were doing
It feels really hard to find hidden gems from the 60s and especially the summer of love. This is really nice! Sorta fun and a little folksy
Interesting
Enjoyed!
Min kærlighed til The Wicker Man strikes again. Nød i fulde drag
classic, kinda jazzy rock music from the tail end of the 1960s. i wouldn't say it's that psychedelic compared to others i've heard, but some of the vocal layering is creative enough where i guess it can count? between all the other odd folksy psychedelic stuff, this stuff is very chill. it's got that playful jaunt and swing that can get a lot of people engaged throughout its runtime. while it didn't bring an extreme amount of stuff to the table (one of the band members left before this album got recorded), it's still a very groovin' sound overall. i feel like i would play this album if i was a teacher, the music for my 1st grade students while they romp around and do activities. it's the kind of low-key rock music that is good for the brain.
This was almost suspiciously good. Really enjoyed.
There’s something sincere here, something interesting and thoughtful. Not horrible at all. Well crafted music played with clarity. This actually pretty cute. Nice range, good attitude. Can’t hate it.
Me ha gustado, tiene toques a los Beatles pero menos pop. Por poner una pega, el silbato sirena
Lead singer's voice was kind of annoying but the songs were all good, even enjoyed the jamming parts of the album. Everything just sounds so late 60s/early 70s. Good showing.
Good stuff, covers some ground: bluegrass, blues, rock, jazz, horns, organs…
There was a good mix of songs on this album! I will give it another listen at some point
I truly enjoyed this, but there's not one individual track that I would think stands out. Not entirely sure what genre(s) this would be classified as, but everything works.
Very in my wheelhouse is this. A bit of folk, a teeny bit psychedelic, quite heavy CSNY influences. It's also noticeable for some quite unusual choices of instrumentation and styles. I would say that's all positive, but the negative is that there weren't any particular songs that stand out especially, it's just all quite a nice vibe.
Hadn't heard of this and decided to start listening without any context whatever. Immediately it was hard to date. Cover could be from any era. First track was folky, but in a way that was very popular in the 2010s. Second track sounded very late-60s. Intriguing. Rest of the record didn't disappoint. Excellent throughout
Muy buen álbum, tracks pegajosos y en general un buen rato de onda setentera genial.
Weirdly enjoyed this... idk what to even call it lol. A jazzy psychedelic country album with clear Beatles influences? While no one track really jumps out as a radio-friendly hit single, the whole album is a beautiful mess of inspiring performances, and as long as the listener is paying acute attention, they can really appreciate the musicianship being presented to them.
I thought it was good but at this point I've heard it before. I love folk music though and this one was really good so it'll get a 4. I would definitely listen again.
Rating: 7.5/10 Nice mix of jazz, folk, and rock, I very much enjoyed this even though there is no standout song (besides Darkness, Darkness).
a little dull at times but a pretty good album for the folk rock genre. really enjoyed the instrumental songs and a bit of a detour to a more jazzy sound.
Fun mix of jazz and rock
Really enjoyed this. Touches of the Doors in places.
This flows like water. Jazzy, rocky, poppy. Yet this stays organic.
Quite enjoyed this. A pleasant listen overall, talented musicianship and interesting arrangements that almost subvert its era, despite the production zeitgeist. The historical significance of this is not apparent, but the bottom line is: I liked it.
Brilliant. Joyful, love the vibe, especially enjoyed the first half
Very underrated, eck record could be considered a top psychedelic.Album, honestly, good tight songs.Some weirdness and a big hit to start off in, darkness darkness
Maybe I'm easily impressed by tasteful 60s folk rock, but i enjoyed the hell out of this. A new-to-me band and they definitely seem like they were underappreciated. Maybe not as creative as guys of the era like The Byrds, they weren't reinventing the wheel, but they're like a more focused Allman Brothers, just some tight, grooving tunes. Picked up some Grateful Dead and maybe even Steely Dan vibes here too. Especially liked Smug and Sham
Really enjoyed this album. Felt like a real variation in vocal styles across the songs but I liked all of it. The little instrumental bits were fun too. One I would listen to again. Fav song: Beautiful - also liked Darkness, Darkness, Sunlight, Quicksand and Sham Least fav: Trillium
Quite a happy clappy album when I was really not in a happy clappy mood. If I was I could imagine listening to this on an American road trip. Rode the winds intro is perfect lift music though. Specific rating- 3.8 Fav song - ride the wind Least fav- darkness, darkness
4 - really good classic rock album
A nice little album that’s well suited for an open field, streamers, a group of people, and a tab of acid for each one. Not perfect - the long instrumentals get a little boring - but a good album with a strong sense of place. I like the fact that there’s a little ditty called “Turn It Over” right at the end of Side A. It’s a fun little relic of vinyl.
Fav: Sunlight Least Fav: On Sir Francis Drake Really surprised me this did. Expected a generic country album but it was nice and chill, with Sunlight being the standout
This was quite a decent album, I liked the little instrumental breaks that make it sound a bit like an improvised set and mixes up the sound between folk/psychedelic rock and a jazzier style. Interesting find from a band I didn't know.
Man, I really liked the opening track Darkness, Darkness. The rest didn't quite live up to that opening, but it was still pretty decent.
Very fun pastiche of sixties sounds. Never knew Darkness, Darkness wasn’t a Mott the Hoople original. This album was a pleasant surprise after only being aware of their big hippie anthem hit. 3.5/ 5
What a weird album, a mix of genres, some of which work a lot better than others. Loved the first song but had mixed feelings about everything else
Who would have thought that the instrumentals would carry the album? Not me
Really nice, pleasant listen. Liked it more than I thought I would.
Que álbum legal! A parte instrumental se sobressai. O Contrabaixo é um destaque delicioso na audição. QoA Vesper.
Fun listen. They sound quite far removed from the Greenwich village scene they were originally from. Their sound is folky, but also clearly inspired by Jazz and Psychedelic music. I liked the improv's throughout this album. Generally well made and fun to listen to, the Byrds if they were a jam band.
Another interesting find here. Love the vibes of this album. Apart from the great first track darkness, darkness it provides several other good songs. Quicksand, beautiful, sham and ride the wind all deserve a mention here. So i guess i dig this lp a lot.
If the rest of the album had followed the theme of the first song, Darkness Darkness, this could have been an easy 5. Instead it leant into largely predictable 60s American folk rock, with some interesting touches. A low 4 I think.
Pleasant, friendly, playful late 60s rock music that is a little anonymous but doesn’t necessarily work against it.
Rock, ein bisschen psychedelisch
I'm a bit surprised by the negative reviews on this one, I didn't really think there was anything to dislike, it's nice varied bluesy/folky/jazzy rock. Between a 3/4 and I've bumped it up to counter the negative narratives.
Maybe I've just been listening to too much heavy/loud music recently but it was really refreshing to hear a lush little folk rock record like this one. Sort of a progenitor to Steely Dan, certainly wouldn't rule out more Youngbloods material in the future.
Really nice album! Very serene sounding and overall peaceful. I like the mix of folk sounding tracks, along with some instrumental songs leaning towards jazz. The singer has a nice voice which works great with this type of music. I found myself enjoying almost all songs on this records, so it was a joy just tugging along the ride. Definitely see myself coming back to this!
Good
While I had heard the name Youngbloods, I didn't know who they were. Upon research I found they did "Get Together" which is a pretty good classic rock song. Overall I really like this album. While there's not much that makes me go "WOW! That's different", I could definitely see myself playing this while relaxing, working or driving. It's a smooth feel with some interesting instrumentation. This is one of the best reasons to take on this 1001 challenge... finding interesting new (or old) music to listen to. I especially love the instrumental jams. This is sort of like if the Grateful Dead were both a little more commercial and jazzy.
Intriguing 7/10
Had never heard of these guys... solid album! Listened a couple times, and really enjoyed it, overall. Solid 4. Really was into the instrumentals!
SO GOOD. Listened 4-5 times. Can definitely hear some big band/jazz and blues inspo. Like a Wings album but better. Every instrumental hits the right tone. Great curation!! 4/5
Listened to it on the bus with horrible earphones but still really enjoyed it.
cool discovery! thanks, generator.
No tenía ni idea de la existencia de esta banda pero me han conquistado. Hacen un folk rock bastante particular y en ocasiones bastante alegre. Sin duda se trata de una de las mejores sorpresas hasta ahora. 4/5
4.0 / 5.0 - I generally like San Francisco Sound bands and this is a pretty good example but behind the real pillars of the scene. Darkness, Darkness is the obvious standout song but the rest of the album is that nice combination of laid-back folk rock. This kind of album used to be transgressive music from the hippie devil, lol.
A chill jam
Gillade detta lite mer än den vanliga 60-talsmusiken vi hört. Mer musik än experiment och därpå melodisk och många bra låtar.
Kul och varierad skiva men en hel del bra låtar (framförallt Darkness, darkness och Quicksand men även Smug, Sunlight, Sham och Ride the wind). Även de instrumentala partierna är bra, även om det kunde ha dragits ned lite på jazzen. En fyra ska dom ha.
This is a pretty cool album. Eclectic and interesting mix of genres. Too bad it’s not a more mainstream album because this is doing some stuff that the Byrds and Neil Young would do in a few years.
Psychedelia, alt country heroes for your mind brain.
Really enjoyed this! No standout tracks but they were all solid and good listen. Able to listen to this several times without getting sick of it, nice variety between songs. Favorite was probably “Darkness, Darkness” but also really liked the weird timing of France’s Drake .. 4/5 easily
Fun songs. Every song is pretty catchy.
A very interesting album, containing flashes of brilliance interspersed with more middling material. I liked it, not enough to want to own it, but enough to want to listen to some of the tracks again and again.
This record was awesome. Smooth, but the guitar work and instrumentals are great. The vocals are nice too. Surprised I had never heard of this before.
As so often with these albums I've never heard they have one maybe two really strong sounds usually at the start then the rest of the album is just a bit flat. This one however is great all the way through
A few tracks really stuck out to me so I suppose this gets bumped to a 4.
Pretty good!
Smug // On Sir Francis Drake // Sunlight // Beautiful // Quicksand //
Jesse Colin Young has such a distinct and unique voice that I really enjoy. This album is probably The Youngbloods most experimental, blending a more psychedelic sound with folk roots. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. I personally prefer the more folk-rock sound that he would continue to explore in his solo efforts. Still, it’s a very good album overall. 3.5 for me but since Jesse Colin Young just passed away recently I'll bump it up to 4.
Although nothing great, this was a really nice album.
Nette Songs mit guten aber manchmal übertriebenem Konzept. Der erste Song ist hörenswert.
Better than expected. 3.5
Lovely surprise from a band I’d never even heard of. Beautiful folksy sunny music. Just what the doctor ordered.
This band somehow never made it across my radar and I was very pleasantly surprised. Outside of some vocal delivery that doesn’t suit me on a few songs, this is a super solid record. Great bass lines. Favorite track: Beautiful
нормалек.
This one surprised me! I was doubtful that an album from a one-hit wonder that came out two years after their one hit and never even made the Billboard top 100 should be on a list of 1001 great albums of all time, but there's some good stuff here. "Darkness, Darkness" is the real deal, as about two dozen covers over the years has shown.
Decent 60s rock with other unexpected influences
If there weren’t so many instrumental parts, this would be a 5. I’m sad that I had never heard of this before.
There was an awful lot of transformative music being created in the late 60s. I don’t know this band but, on my second listen to this album, I would say they were drawing from some of the best sounds and possibilities while still maintaining their own voice. Love the cover, with the band dwarfed by nature. And that matches the earthy yet psychedelic sound. Standout songs include “Darkness, Darkness” and “Beautiful.”
This might be the most sophisticated, jazz-infused, pop album I have heard. I loved the vocals, production value, instrumentation... it simply has a tight, fun vide to it. Quite a surprise since I only know them from their hit, "Get Together." Every track on this album is better than that one.
Favorite Track: Darkness, Darkness
Like kicking a can down the road.
Didn’t know anything about this band except for “Get Together”. Pretty good record.
This one really grew on me. Superb and creative musicianship, with a great flow. I've heard a couple songs by them, but this exceeded my expectations
Pretty enjoyable.
Really enjoyable! Very rockabilly, very listenable.
pretty chill. reminds me of the beatles at some points Would I listen again: No Deserves to be on this list: Maybe 3.5
this is kind of like if neil young was good? really impressive range of styles and sounds, genuinely enjoyable to listen to and pretty unexpected. once again this is the kind of album i would play if i were working in a cool bookstore/café.
This actually was super interesting and had so many different kinds of songs that at various points I thought that Spotify had gone to radio and I was shocked to find it was still the album.
very fucking cool
Very diverse album all over the indie/ Psychedelic map. Sometimes to its detriment because the band is definitely better at some things than others but as a whole its a cool project. I was between a 4 and 5 because I really dig some of the tracks but there are some I don't. Definitely glad to have listened.
Interesting folks record not one from that era I was familiar with
Soulful 60s rock. Pretty cool.
didn't know what to expect from this one. my dad is a fan of theirs since the 60s but i really only was aware of them from their big song 'get together' (not present on this album). this album is really all over the place. i kind of loved that about it, it's very eclectic. partially psych rock, partially country rock, partially jazz rock? really interesting combination. sometimes this album really cooks. it almost sounds like a moby grape or another band in that sort of psych-country realm from the time. other times this album sort of drags (particularly in the jazzier sections. although an intriguing twist, the jazz-ish sections here are not particularly great and are just sort of... there). i still think the better parts of the album outweigh the more boring parts, but only barely so.
Kind of rock. kind of folk, all good. Really smooth nice album. I think I liked it-it’s familiar but I’d never heard it before. The Youngbloods shouldn’t have been a one hit wonder.
Früher Folk/Country-Rock. Lässt sich schön hören, hat ein paar spannende Momente und schöne Melodieverläufe. 4/5
Some guy here described it as water flowing on rocks and I like that :)
This is one I’ve repeated multiple times over the last week of discovering it. It’s great! A folky, yet still seemingly edgy rock, with Allman Brothers vibes. There’s definitely some of the hippy 60s sounds, but also pushing into the guitar rock of the 70s. Catchy, melodic, and especially love the so go with no vocals. I’m a guitar fan! Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: so many actually it’s hard to pick. Trillium?
Really liked this album!
Really good album, New band to discover.
I really enjoyed this. A blues rock backbone with folk flavoring and some country and bluegrass elements on the fringes doesn’t sound like something I would enjoy until I listened to it. I heard traces of some of my favorite acts and wouldn’t be surprised if they listed The Youngbloods as an influence.
this was super cool! definitely pretty psychedelic at times but never overboard and pretty good range of vibes throughout
Good album. A nice blend of late 60s rock and country. I like the lead singers voice and harmonies. Nice to put on in the background while doing chores or cooking.
Þetta er lúmsk plata og barasta ansi skemmtileg. Smá barokkpopp, smá köntrí, smá psycadelíugítar, og örlítið fönkskotið á köflum. Lagasmíðarnar mismerkilegar kannski, en þetta er aldrei leiðinlegt og oftar en ekki algjörlega þess virði að hlusta.
A bit of jazzy pop. I found the poppy bits a bit generic, but I enjoyed the more jazzy numbers. Just about a four, would definitely listen to again.
I had heard of The Youngbloods from one song before, and it was their only chart-topping hit "Get Together", a Chet Baker cover. Needless to say, I had almost no expectations going into this album of theirs, and I ended up being neatly surprised. Elephant Mountain was a nice blend of folk, country rock, and psychedelia. There were a fair amount of decent guitar licks from Lowell Levinger, starting right out of the gate from "Darkness, Darkness" and "Smug" as bonafide rockers. Alongside him was a well-kept rhythm section and Jesse Colin Young's emphatic vocals as he sang with some visual imagery on relationships and life lived. Songs like "Darkness, Darkness", "Sunlight", and "Ride the Wind" work immaculate vibes, aided by solid production from Mr. "Devil Went Down to Georgia" himself, Charlie Daniels. Honestly, my only complaint is that some of the instrumentals on this album don't offer much meaningful impact. Three are short interludes that don't last a minute and could have been reworked into one pleasant jam. Another is "On Sir Francis Drake" which peters off into the second half and doesn't give that final lasting impression that I would have yearned for in a longer instrumental. As it is, Elephant Mountain is a solid and at times pleasant outing from a group that I only knew of one hit prior.
Now I'm mad I'd never listened to them. This rocked.
Pleasantly surprised with this one!
first listen groovy and cool
I really liked it. Very interesting
Never heard of this band before and likely never will hear them again but I enjoyed this album.
Would listen again; an incredibly pleasant surprise; just real nice tunes; favorites: darkness darkness, smug, sham.
4.0
Pre-listening thoughts: idk anything about this Post/during listening thoughts: this is not what I expected at all. This combines psychedelic rock with folk? Country? Jazz??? and it is interesting. It’s almost the kick that psychedelic rock needs bc it tends to drone. But here, there’s structure and intent and different instrumentation that what you would normally get from either folk/country or jazz or psychedelic rock. It’s quite the fusion. Consider my horizons broadened. 7.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: this was interesting but maybe not an essential listen? Idk Fav tracks: Smug, Sunlight, Beautiful, Don’t Let the Rain Bring You Down Least fav tracks: On Sir Francis Drake, Ride the Wind
I am a fan of this record, but I will need more time to fully appreciate it.
Grand bonheur instantané à la première chanson, mais cela s’intensifie au deuxième titre « Smug »;« Beautiful » avec ses guitares, ses percussions et sa basse vraiment cool et « Don’t Let The Rain Bring You Down » et ses sifflements et sifflets.
Listened Before? N This was really great! Started out sounding like a typical piece of psychadelica, but really ramped up into something funky and wild by the end. I really grooved on the second half of this album especially. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Beautiful, Sham
As I’m sure you know. Ken Chutney knows a thing or two about eclectic electric piano playing! Well played! 4.2
This was really vibey. Made my mood better for the day.
Pretty neat. I’m starting to really love the intersection of psych and country from the late 60s. Also cool to hear the original “Darkness Darkness.” I’d call this a must-listen. #54
A solid 60's rock album. Very chill with a great rhythm and groove. A new one for me that I enjoyed all the way through.
Have this album already and like it (4)
This was really cool and I definitely want to give it another listen.
Well this is obviously right up my alley - 60s folk rock/pop/psychedelia. Beautiful voice, nice instrumentals. Best track - Sunlight, Darkness Darkness
Started off rough for me but ended up having a really good time with this.
Really liked it even though I had never heard of the band or any of the songs. Fun 70s rock.
country jazz, molto carino
4/5. This is a perfect balance of psychedelic rock and country rock, as the wiki page stated. They are well written and unique while taking influence from good sources. Stands the test of time because if an artist today released this, I can see that as it feels like a tribute with new music. Not every song is a masterpiece but it is a good album front to back. The bass is the standout here, bringing it closer to the front is always a plus for me. Best Song: Darkness Darkness, Beautiful, Quicksand
This is cool!!
Defining music of the era. There's nothing that comes close today even though we are again in remarkably challenging times.
Wow, solid music fusing a variety of styles, sometimes within the same song. You've got to love an album that has at least three bass solos! I hadn't heard any of these songs before and overall, I really enjoyed Elephant Mountain. Liked Songs Added: On Sir Francis Drake Beautiful Trillium Sham
What a pleasant listen. Never heard of these fellas and I can’t say I have any glaring criticisms. I would say my only issue was that I don’t think anything massively jumped out to me on this album but it was enjoyable nonetheless as an album.
Sounds like just about everything that came out of this era, feels to me like clone of other shit. Liked a few of the more stripped back quieter tracks The most innovative part of this album is its awesome cover which admitted is ahead of its time 5/10 Fav tracks - On Sir Francis Drake, Trillium Least Fav - none really
This was a very good album and I was surprised to find out Charlie Daniels produced it. He probably made more money on The Devil Went Down to Georgia but this album is a worthy piece of art as well.
Interesting Album, some really good songs : Sham is a real banger for me ! Nice coffee bar atmosphere, ideal when your working, or drinking a foooking old brandy while smoking a Cohiba.
It sounds nice
70s vibe
Feels like something from the 70’s
10/30/24. Really enjoyed the instrumentals and jams on this album! It's been fun discovering more of the 60s psychedelic-like music outside the very popular bands. A lot of guitar influences I can personally work on.
I'd honestly never heard of these guys, which surprised me as a certified Knower of Things and enjoyer of rootsy folk-rock music, so thanks for making me learn, I guess, since this is really good? Like, it suffers (like so many albums) from frontloading the best track, so the rest of the album's not quite as good, but still, this is I think what I want Steely Dan to sound like every time I'm disappointed by Steely Dan.
hmm like it somehow
What take is this, Dennis? I wasn't familiar with this group but I thought this was pretty good. Consistently enjoyable and has a nice variety in its songs, including some good instrumentals (like "On Sir Francis Drake"). It does some quirky things here and there (like the fifteen second track or the sound effects in "Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down") but nothing that feels like too much. I like "Quicksand."
As a whole this album is good, but doesn't really have any standout tracks to me. It was great to have on in the background.
It was pretty sweet tho I didn't star any one song
This sounded more like it was recorded in the 80s or 90s than the 60s. Unusual to find a folk album of that era that isn't cloying or cheesy.
A band and album previously unfamiliar. I dug it. Can’t say that it left a mark but was pretty fun.
I liked the musical blend.
4 out of 5, really dug the instrumental tracks on this one.
Cool
Really enjoyed this whole album! On Sir Francis Drake is a fun instrumental but I enjoyed many of the songs on this album (Smug, Don't let the Rain Bring you Down, Ride the Wind). I'd happily listen to this album again.
fun and fresh
What a refreshing album, the definition of background music, but not in a bad way. It just flows from start to finish