Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Nothing earthshaking, perhaps, but very much of its time and place. Enjoyed. 3.5☆
I prefer their album released before this one that has the hit "Let's Get Together". I enjoyed the instrumentation choices. The Lionel Hampton-esque vibraphone work on some of the tracks in the latter half of the album was fantastic, but many tracks overstayed their welcome. I enjoyed "Sunlight" and "Quicksand", but not much else.
This album is like the Scottish weather. They say if you don’t like the weather wait 10 minutes and it’ll change. So if you don’t like one track move onto the next for a completely different one. This album seems to cover everything. Traditional folk, jazz, blues, psychedelic rock, laid back lounge type bossa nova and more. So well done to The Youngbloods diversity. But did I like it? Yes and no. Not something I would go out and intentionally buy but another one I’d snap up cheap if I saw it at a charity shop sale. 3/5 1/5/25
Chillig
So i'm objectively a Jesse Colin Young fan, so this is pretty fun. Does it pop off the charts? Not at all. Is there anything that i left thinking "WOW"...no? But was this an easy listen and a good time? fuck yeah. It's honestly bookended really well. Darkness, Darkness is great - but Ride the Wind might be my favorite. Gets a little jazzy with the keys, is that a vibraphone i hear?, the scatting, and the occasional horn vibe
Yeah it's fine, another one of those ten a penny albums of this style in the late 60s. Glad to have heard this though
1st listen nice sound nothing jumps out at me
# Album Name: Elephant Mountain # Artist: The Youngbloods # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Very average album. OK as background music i guess. # Top Tunes: Darkness, Darkness # Would I listen to it again? No
Chill af
Enjoyed it. Really pleasant. Nothing that stands out and grabs you by the lugs … but solid, tasteful music.
I absolutely love the opening track "Darkness , Darkness" and I kept listening and waiting for something else on this disc to rise to this level but was largely disappointed. Such a shame...
Chill
This multigenre work of art needs just one true banger to rate it higher than mediocrity. Favorite Track: "Beautiful".
#562. This guy sounds like Herbert the Pervert from Family guy. 3/5: acceptable
For a band that I’d never heard of this was far better than I thought it was going to be. As with many albums for this challenge I’ll need more than one listen to really compose my thoughts. But I enjoyed most of this. A fusion of 60s pop and jazz. 3.5/5
Didn't stand out in anyway. Didn't hate it. But almost instantly rogot what I listened to
I'd never heard of the band or the album before. I wasn't expecting much after reading other reviews. In the end, however, I have to say that I found the album very enjoyable. There were also some really nice parts on it. The whole album was very unexciting, but unfortunately also not thrilling. What did another reviewer write? The album is mediocre even in its mediocrity. 3/5
Solid 3.5 stars. Really enjoyed the bass taking center stage in some of these songs.
super cool! Did not hate it at all. Some great songs. A little boring though
Never heard of them but I enjoyed some of the more fun tracks on here
Pretty alright blues rock, liked 'beautiful' and 'dont let the rain'
Not a bad listen, but nothing that really rocks my socks off.
enjoyable but nothing that really set itself apart could i write poetry to this? n
For some reason I was expecting this o be much more modern, possibly because I think there was a Sidney Youngblood? Anyway, it started off quite well, but became a bit samey. Part of me wants to give it a 3, part of me says it's mot quite worth it. It is a solid 2.7. So I suppose I ought to round it up to 3. Oh sod it yes I will.
That was really great in places! Standouts for me were ‘Darkness, Darkness’, ‘Beautiful’ (great bass and guitar noodling) and ‘Quicksand’. The last track was a lovely gentle way to end too. A few of the best tracks were then followed by something less enjoyable, a bit goofy or gimmicky. But, I will be adding a slimmed down version of this to my library as there’s much to enjoy. Surprisingly!
It's surprisingly light and fun. You can hear the early blending of the genres between country and rock with enough knowledge of jazz for it to count. So it became folk-rock
Interesting listening and hear the mutual influence on some other end of 60s and early 70s bands that I've listened to ... a lot....
Sweet voices, warm and proto cool soundscapes, but just not enough memorable tunes. No Kings of Convenience.
Great few tracks, but not really for me
This album is fine, it is just fine.
I couldn't quite place what I was thinking of when I listened to this until I basically got through the whole thing. I think the best comparison I can make is if Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead somehow combined taking the not so great parts of Steely Dan and the few good bits of the Dead. I can't say I didn't like it, in fact, I listened to it twice because I was working during the first run through and didn't really take the time to appreciate it, though I could tell it was at least going to be interesting. I really liked the instrumentals, and according to Spotify anyway, I didn't like the songs that had the most plays (Sunlight, Darkness Darkness). Overall this was pretty enjoyable. It wasn't drugged out of its mind and it wasn't so country/western as to make it corny. The fact nothing really stood out over two listens is a bit disappointing but I don't regret doing it.
I liked it but I don’t think I loved it. I thought it was really good but not great. If you listen you will know.
2.8
...
Inoffensive and pleasent, but hardly exciting. Obviously not up with the real big hitters of the period and lacks the standout tracks that elevate bands from the crowd
Decent.
Enjoyed this, but it did not stand out to me as anything special. It felt a bit all over the place at times. Favourite tracks: On Sir Francis Drake, Beautiful, Quicksand
It was all over the place. Are they like Allman Bros? Are they like the Beatles? Is this a jazz album? Probably won't listen again but didn't turn it off.
Overall: 6/10 This was a mildly pleasant surprise. I've never heard of this band or album so I didn't know what I was gonna get. It's very much a product of it's time, mixing psychedelic rock, folk and country. I actually think this mix is a detriment to the album, as it feels like they were trying to do everything at once. Only one track really stood out to me, but I enjoyed experiencing this album overall. Fav Song: Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down Least Fav Song: Sunlight
I think this album is unbalanced. Some of the tracks are fantastic and others are middling to the point of annoyance.
Upon receiving this album, I was rather puzzled. Then I read somewhere that the lead singer of the band had died a day or two before and this felt like obligatory, albeit prerequisite, listening. Elephant Mountain offers itself as a transitory path towards new avenues, with The Youngbloods often lending itself a fancy for instrumental jamming quite like what's depicted on the album cover. Even though it came out in the immortal year of 1969, Elephant Mountain doesn't quite reach the heights of other albums released that year, which (if intended) is fine. Elephant Mountain is simply fine. Favorites: Darkness, Darkness, Smug, On Sir Francis Drake, Beautiful, Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down, Black Mountain Breakdown, Ride the Wind.
A pleasant album with nice songs. No complaints, would listen to again.
Enjoyable album but far from remarkable.
This was pretty cool. Interesting mix of '60s psychedelic rock and roll with folky elements too. It didn't blow my mind but it works, I don't regret listening to it, now I know it exists I guess. It's very aggressively 1969. It kind of has a country twang to it too? And kind of sounds like The Byrds? Then it gets into actual jazz territory?? I don't know. It sounds like every style that played at Woodstock at once, but in a way that doesn't feel derivative. It's done well. Just not really my thing, save a few songs.
Ok
Stream of Consciousness: - Starts off strong with Darkness, Darkness. - Reminiscent of The Grateful Dead. - Not super fond of Country music, but maybe that opinion is restricted to more recent Country music? - On Sir Francis Drake bassline reminds me of Keyboard Cat. - I am really enjoying the pronounced bass on some of these tracks. - Kazoo?? - There were some trumpets that sounded like some Cake songs I am familiar with. - Last song 'Ride the Wind' reminds me of elevator music. The chimes, (maybe a xylophone) are fitting for a song about riding the wind.
Ganska schysst album som är och nosar på olika genrer.
I thought this album was fine, good for a 60's Greenwich folk rock album, but I don't really see how it sets itself apart enough to be part of this list. Nothing really stood out to me on the album, and, again, I didn't dislike it, but I've already heard better representatives of that particular time and place.
Perfectly pleasant floaty pop. Not sure it’s an album I HAD to hear before I die, but then there is a lot on this list like that. Won’t be rushing back to it, but it was nice enough.
Folk/Country Rock with a bit of psychadelic. It's OK. Definitely got some strong Mickey Dolenz/Monkees vibes or maybe the Monkees had strong Youngbloods vibes, I don't know. The fact that we get a Youngbloods' album without Get Together on it tells me there's probably at least one more Youngbloods' album on this list. Can't wait.
Solid classic rock sound
Sehr knapp drei, eigentlich zwei
a very fun listen
Obsessed with “Darkness, Darkness” Extremely pleasant but just a touch bland as it went on
I enjoyed more than I thought I would
On par with the Beatles
An album I had no idea existed. The Youngbloods' biggest hit isn't on "Elephant Mountain". The jazz sections weren't that good. I don't get why "Elephant Mountain" is on this list. At least half the songs were rather cool. 3 stars for "Elephant Mountain".
Sounded okay, but I don’t think I’ll listen again
After getting stuck with U2 for 2 straight days, I was ready for ALMOST anything. I think my suffering made this album more palatable than it normally would. I’m not a fan of psych rock or country, but this isn’t that bad as it never goes too far in either direction.
Produced by Charlie Daniels - that's his devil-trouncing fiddle on "Darkness, Darkness." It's an affable progressive folk-rock record, wide in its stylistic reach and expertly played and produced, but it doesn't really feel like even the band are that excited about it, which makes me wonder if they were on it or was this done by CD and session musicians. The "come on people now, smile on your brother" debut album is better and sounds like a band. I think you can safely die without hearing this one. "Ride the Wind" is lounge magic, though.
Almost turned it off after that dreadful opening track, but I didn't, and this album grew on me.
An alright album, I liked Trillium the most.
interesting. one hit wonder but not on this album
There were a few good tracks. Not going out of my way for it though.
Starts strong with "Darkness, Darkness", got kinda bored until "Sham" which had that 60s rock sound I love. "Ride the Wind" closer was nice. Enjoyed the piano and xylophone pieces. Correction: Ride the Wind was def the best song on the album. Thought some of the songs sounded similar to the Grateful Dead... turns out they were in San Francisco at the same time! And the Dead covers "CC Rider" which i didn't even know was a cover.
It was average
Loved the first song, but didn't care much for the rest of the album. It wasn't bad, but nothing great either. 2.7
I'm not sure I was expecting, but it wasn't this. I guess I was thinking like the Fabulous Thunderbirds, this was a pleasant surprise. First off the opening track: "Darkness Darkness" I had heard Robert Plant's cover. His cover is a lot darker and more contemplative than the original. It was interesting to hear the original, it sounded a lot... peppier. "On Sir Francis Drake" is a weird kinda jam. It felt like a few songs stitched together. The short instrumental were kinda cool, too. I like "Turn It Over," signifying you had to turn the record over. All in all, it was pretty good. Would not mind hearing it again, which is a plus. Top tracks: "Darkness Darkness," "Smug,""Ride The Wind"
I was not aware of this band before listening to this album. I really enjoyed the opening track Darkness, Darkness. The violin gave it an extra depth of sound and Jesse Colin Young's vocals fit it so well. It felt a lot like a good Neil Young, Byrds, or CSNY song. I'm not sure the rest of the album held up as well. Smug and Sunlight weren't bad, while Beautiful was actually pretty captivating (Young's vocals reminded me of Tim Buckley or Janis Joplin). The instrumentals were okay - On Sir Francis Drake was ambitious but lost its way and went on too long, while Double Sunlight didn't go on long enough. Trillium might have been the right length but it was the least interesting instrumental to me. Side one was better than side two but I didn't mind the album overall. If it is reflective of the sound that occurred between psychedelic rock and country folk rock, it's a nice segue. Probably not going back for more though.
While I definitely didn't need to hear this before I die, it did grow on me over multiple listens. My initial reaction was "relatively boring country-rock." Relistens revealed some good soul elements in the songs. Won't seek it out again, but it was ok. Favorite tracks: Beautiful (sort of Black Crowes-ish - yes, I know this was decades before The Black Crowes), Rain Song, Sham. Didn't like Ride the Wind, which felt like I was going to hear "Attention K-Mart shoppers" over the bland elevator music style. A real letdown because Sham was a rollicking track.
Dips a little in the middle, but this had some great tracks.
That wasn't bad, some kind of mix between jazz rock and folk with some interesting interplay. But at the same time most of it sounds rather generic and this is way too soft for my taste.
A fun little nugget of 60s nonsense.
Fun but nothing to write home about. As good an example of a 3* you're likely to find. Right in the middle.
Thoughts before listening: I don't know anything about this album. I was thinking probably some sort of forgotten 70s rock band, but its interesting that I have no associations for this. I am typically pretty knowledgeable about those bands. Review: Well it seems I somehow missed these guys. This is definitely a sound I enjoy being similar to something like America or other 60s/70s post-hippie scene bands. This is perfectly pleasant, jazzy folk rock with catchy melodies and some cool jams that gets dragged down a bit by some saccharine cheesy moments. There is nothing groundbreaking here, and I am surprised to see these guys on this list since there are better examples of this era of rock. 3-stars
I hadn’t heard of The Youngbloods before, so I assume it’s Yungblud’s parents. Makes sense, right? Anyway, this is pretty much as dad-rock as it gets. There’s twangy guitars all over the album, and that generic 70’s rock sound. Admittedly, it was released in 1969 so perhaps this sound hadn’t yet taken over the mainstream music scene, but with today’s ears it sounds fine. Not amazing, not bad, but fine.
Pleasant and upbeat, but sounds a bit unpolished. I like Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down and Ride the Wind. Perfectly nice even though it's not remarkable. I enjoyed it! 3
I really enjoyed the music on this album but the mixing and added effects on the vocals of the various singers was rather off-putting on many of the songs.
I feel lukewarm about this album. While it was a chill and easy listen, that's all it felt like.
This was great background music to listen to while working. Not quite a 4 to me, but a strong 3.
Inoffensive but unsubstantial 60’s pop. 3/5
- zum Start dachte ich .. meh, aber es wurde im Laufe des Albums dann glücklicherweise besser - wieder mal kein Song herausgestochen, aber als Ganzes war es (vor allem) ganz geile Hintergrundmusik - Was ist das vorne im Cover?! -> Wir haben uns geeinigt: Elefantendarm-mit-Inhalt-(hatte-vorher-Würstchen) - insgesamt mochte ich es.. denke ich..
jo men det här var väl ganska kul. hade nog t.om kunnat växa lite.
The curator of this list REALLY music like Folk Rock, because a ton of these albums I've listened to are folk rock-related or 60's group finding their country rock roots or vibes. Whatever, I'm OK with it as long as it's enjoyable to listen to. Let's see how this one is... Starts out with a banger, Darkness, Darkness which grows in tempo and power as it goes on. Love the guitar work on it. And I knew it wouldn't take long, an instrumental on the third song in. It's decent, but runs a bit long. Same old pattern with these 60's folk rock groups. On and on... OK, I've made it through and I thought it was a decent album. Pretty solid and definitely doesn't sound like it came out in 1969, maybe more like a 70's folk act. I enjoyed the guitar work on this a lot. 2.75/5 stars which is a 3/5 on this scale.
This was an interesting stew of genres. Some psychedelia, country rock, folk rock and even a samba beat on the last song. There's nothing here that really stands out or that is memorable but it was an enjoyable listen.
I think the album art says it all, don't you? The opening of the opener made me think of the TV show Firefly, +1 star for that.
Nothing special, cool tho
Solid album. Dug the funky guitars and the melodies. Not quite a 4 but pretty close
Darkness Darkness is a monster song, the rest of the album doesn't really maintain that high standard, but has enough interesting moments to make worthwhile listen. 3 pairs of hiking boots out of 5
A truly exceptionally average album. Some cool sounds, but nothing really wowed me.
Had never heard of The Youngbloods and after a couple of listens, I still can't really figure out what this is. It's not really typical late-60s psych rock although it veers that way at times. It has some country leanings but then it also feels a bit yachty and soft rock, with a handful of instrumental interludes. There are some nice moments here but I couldn't quite get into it as an LP. It's good to challenge one's perception of genre, especially in an album that is over 50 years old. So I respect that about it and I will give it some more play in the future. I also absolutely love that cover art. Not sure why but it really appealed to me as an aesthetic.
iwie random aber ganz cool so als hintergrundmusik
Not bad and not good. Just an average rock record. But to be fair the first song was awesome!
Nice.
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. Some good ole rock akin to CCR.
Låter som indiepop innan indiepop riktigt fanns
Pretty easy listen, pleasant and enjoyable but that's about all. 3.5
This is a pretty good album. Its not full of tracks that you're going to put on repeat or make a playlist with, but its pretty good. There's nothing that you might skip, its just a solid dose of the 60s folk rock. That said, I'm not likely to listen to it again anytime soon. 3/5
More psychedelic rock from the 60s. Yawn. This one had a bit of a country sound to it in certain spots, and those were the bright spots.
A whole mountain made of an elephant? Or is the elephant walking around with mountains around him and whatnot? This sounds like a job for AI artists. Mostly because I’m cheap, not because I hate art. Folk-influenced is the word of the day. Yes, it’s a word if it’s hyphenated. This song is alright. Really liking the tones and overall instrumental. Not loving the vocals so far. They’re not terrible and willing to let it breathe. Getting real good after the solo. The vocals stepped it up. Smug eh? Hmmm. Interesting. It would seem that this song is uhhh not very good. That was me being smug as a joke. Not very easy to portray via text. Whatever. Picture a chubby white man smirking at an assertion that one form of media is superior. Medieval instrumental track. Jazz breakdown in the middle. I can’t say I hate this. Pretty fun. Loving the bass. Excellent jazz half. Sunlight. Nourishing rays settle over our earth as a blanket covers a newborn. Grass grows, in turn, nourishing the life it harbours. From nothing, sunlight creates. Peace. This song is nice. DOUBLE SUNLIGHT. THE SECOND SUN IRRADIATES A DECAYED SPHERE. FIRES SCRATCH AT THE ONCE BRIGHT EYES OF EARTH. SCREAMING HUMANS HURLED INTO LAKES OF MOLTEN DEATH. CHAOS. AND YET, THROUGH THE DEVASTATION, PEACE. Uhhh, This was just an interlude. We’re back from poetry corner. Good song here too. Nothing too crazy. Interlude and into “When I’m 64” by Americans. This one is somehow a little too normal. Nice waterfall finish. But not the best. There are so many interludes and whatnot. If a song floated by, hell, I can’t say. I have destroyed my integrity as the world’s worst music reviewer. NOW that is a tragedy. It’s not the 1000 typos in these stream of consciousness reviews, but my missing of songs on Elephant Mountain. Quicksand was fine. Sham is a 4 letter S word. So is Shit. I kid of course. Now I’ve wasted that fucking zinger on a good song. Ah well. Live and let die. Riding the wind to a close. Not something I’m loving. It’s a little long and repetitive and not necessarily doing enough for me. This was a cool one. Nothing mind-altering although I did break out into poetry halfway through. Mostly as an alternative to some shitty DouBlE rAiNbOW joke. Good to have artistic inspiration shot like a bolt as a direct rebellion to bad, millennial humour. The album itself didn’t do enough to blast into the 4 territory, but it was a nice time. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: Darkness, Darkness, On Sir Francis Drake, Sunlight
I expected something really dull from the genres listed. Was pleasantly surprised with how varied it ended up being. reminded me a little bit of The Band/Music From Big Pink. Though I would say I liked that album more
Part of the musical bridge between the 60s and 70s sound, I think this band is included not because they are particularly influential but for the same reason as an artist like Nick Drake. It seems these guys were overshadowed by the bigger acts of the time and the authors of the book wanted to bring attention to them. In terms of an album, it works well as a whole piece. It's understated and very well-performed. There are no bad tracks on here but also no tracks that blow your hair back. Tracks like Ride the Wind overstay their welcome but whatever it's the last track on the album that doesn't count. Overall, a fun little album that is pretty frontloaded and would be perfect to give a spin on a lazy Sunday afternoon but not something I'm dying to return to. Biggest critique here is the goofy fuckin slide whistle in Don't Let The Rain Bring You Down Highlights: Darkness, Darkness, On Sir Francis Drake
The singing go over each other was quite entertaining sounded like the vocalists were having an arguement 😂 but overall a decent jazzy country album
If King Crimson is the elder child, Pink Floyd is the middle child, then this is the bratty younger child
Starts off really poorly, but gains much from the smooth instrumentals. Love how muted the drums sound and its really fun when the pianist takes off, but I didn't really like the lead vocalist. Best Song: Ride the Wind Worst Song: Smug
3.5
This is perfectly good background music - a bit folky, a bit bluesy, but not particularly engaging for the most part. I feel like it starts really strong with 'Darkness, Darkness' and 'Smug', but gets a little lost in psychedelic noodling as it goes on - but ultimately a fun listen that doesn't hang around too long. Faves: Darkness, Darkness; Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down
Never heard or heard of this band or album so was surprised that it wasn’t too far away in sound from music of the same era that I like. There’s a lot to like on this album, and I enjoyed listening to it. That said, it feels like it’s just after the high point of the late '60s, Woodstock era. The album touches on a lot of different styles, but nothing here really blew me away. They do the country/rock crossover thing well, kind of similar to what The Beatles were experimenting with at the time. "On Sir Francis Drake" stood out. I liked it, but I’m not sure I’ll be revisiting it anytime soon.
Fairly unremarkable album with some nice toe-tapping numbers. Just doesn’t feel spectacular or significant.
old rock with occasional very short jazz breaks
Good enough for a 3 at least.
This is what I wanted the Beatles to be.
Nice 60s folksy vibes
This was an interesting album. I can here the influence they had on other bands that came later. The first half was much more enjoyable than the second.
Is this a parody of the Folksmen?
This one went down smooth, and almost entirely in the background of my brain. Also: kinda funny that the cover art of this 1969 album looks so much like the low-res pixel art of computer games that would come out decades later.
Track 1 is really good, most of the rest just 'meh.
Some grooves and some snoozers, pleasant background noise. Was a fun mixture of genres for sure. Much stronger finish than the start Worst song: Darkness Darkness/Sir Francis Drake Best song: Sunlight/Beautiful
I remember not objecting to this, but it didn't exactly stand out beyond the initial moderate surprise of "oh, this isn't what I was expecting"
country
Sounded good, nice vibe, but probably wouldn’t seek it out.
Nice, okay.
A bit all over the place. I enjoyed some of it a lot.
Another group I'd never heard of before. Nothing super standout, but overall very enjoyable, great background music.
Po pire marché au puce
This is a pretty cool album. I had t heard of these guys before. I hear Appalachia, Britain, California, and more. They stay in their lane and don’t get too ambitious. There’s folk, soul, and jam. Nice smooth ride with a heavy dose of 60s textures.
I wanted Get Together on this album. This is just ok. Get a little too jazzy in the middle, but gets a pass.
‘69 sweet groovy songs
A day isn't really long enough to work out how much you like some albums. Maybe I would give it more given a week or maybe I'd still be thinking you could give its 'obscure US 60s' slot to The Fugs or Pearls Before Swine.
Fairly unexceptional compared to their peers
The Youngbloods were voted the band least likely to stand out while still being good for their year. Not bad for some laid back, late Sixties vibes — the music is not too psychedelic, nor is it too bluesy. It's kind of a "just right" blend of the sounds of the era but where that also means it's a bit mid. I can hear why I had never heard of them on the one hand, but was pleasantly surprised on the other.
-This is pretty nice! Wasn’t expecting folk rock combined with some cool elevator-music-type instrumentals. It’s very unique and feels timeless -Favorites are Darkness, Darkness, Sunlight, and Quicksand
On Sir Francis Drake is a fine little jammy number. Progressions on Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down sound a hell of a lot like some Dead jams I've heard (Blues for Allah period). This had some moments, but by and large passed me by without much care. I'll say its a soft 3.
1969 Folk Rock. Lots of instrumentals and small elements of prog. Not a huge fan of many but The opening track Darkness, Darkness ,Francis Drake and Sham were quite enjoyable. Felt very different for 1969.
A bit heavy on the distorted guitar in Darkness, Darkness. Straight into a Rubber Soul era song in Smug. Can hear influences from the Doors as well.
I really enjoyed a lot of the tracks on this album but felt it was let down a little by the weird 20-30 sec tracks which personally interrupted the flow of the songs. But for a band I have never listened to I feel it is good and will defo listen again.
liked it but not that much. it's quite homogeneous
Not sure what yo think about this.. its cross genre part folk/country/psych/rock. It's v pleasant but doesn't tmrock my world . Solid 3
приятный, местами импровизации, местами фолк но не навязчивый
A couple of interesting tracks on here, but overall not exciting.
The 'Everybody Get Together' people (from the start of Territorial Pissings, you know the one). I liked the first track. Not sure what On Sir Francis Drake was about, a meandering, sometimes jazzy number that never quite figures out what it is, not unpleasant however. What IS that suspicious red mound in the foreground? Is it elephant dung? What the hell has it been eating? Yeah this is alright. Nothing outstanding but nothing poor. Well, Beautiful is a little bit arse.
Thought I was gonna hate this but kinda good. I wouldn’t really listen to this in real life but the bar is so low right now and this was a well made album of actual songs.
I liked this?
An ok easy listening album
Intressant, skulle beskriva som en blandning av Bob Dylan, velvet underground, Carole King och folkmusik. Väldigt unik vibe men ändå kanske inget som kommer lyssnas på repeat. On Sir Francis Drake lämnade först höga förväntningar men blev besviken när jag insåg att introt var låten :(( Beautiful var dock en banger!! Ride the wind kändes också väldigt trevlig - Albumet passar typ som bakgrundsmusik till en riktigt bra indie film
Lite mysigt album, låtarna var väldigt hit or miss tyckte jag o det blev lite repetitivt i slutet. Bästa låt: Darkness, Darkness
chillllla vad nice 🌷mysigt och så men tyckte mest om början. Sörjde att stråket försvann 😪 Bästa: darkness, darkness och on sir francis drake
3☆/5 07.06.2024
Cool instrumental stuff
First time listen for me, I enjoyed it but it didn't grab me as much as some of the other albums from that era.
2.5 - It was a pleasant listen, and it made for nice background music, but it's not something I'll probably seek out again.
Darkness:oh what the fuck Sir francis drake:slaped Echo effects threw me off a bit but its a very fun album
Kinda whatever. I guess that's a 3?
Good band from the 60’s. Good sound.
Soft dad-rock or dad soft-rock?
The Youngbloods really don’t know which genres they would like to play. Is it folk? Is it rock? Is it jazz? Who knows. Luckily they play them all rather well. Elephant Mountain is rarely thrilling but it’s easily enjoyable and contains a few stellar tracks - the opener “Darkness, Darkness” being a prime example.
I liked this more than I expected. Thought it was going to be completely generic 60's rock but some interesting folk tendencies and good playing over the whole thing.
I liked this record overall. Sort of reminds me of the dead at times. It suffers from a lack of true bangers though. Some hits to truly ground it would have helped it rise above a 3 and find a spot in the rotation.
Helt ait, for opptatt med å gjøre skole
From the first note: This sounds interesting. As soon as the weird falsetto came in, it started to lose me. Which is a shame because it has a jaunty musicality to it. The lyrics are also fairly trite. Just nothing to really engage me, but I'm feeling like giving it a pass and moving on.
Instruments very well fitted, songs very well made and performed. A beautiful album to listen to on a Wednesday afternoon while drinking tea.
More of a collection of songs than an album. They’d just abruptly start and stop when they felt like it. The instrumentation and vocals were all there and heartfelt, but the whole thing was a little scattered. 3/5
Enjoyed it
This was fine. Dad rock from the late 60s.
The opening sounded so promising. I was half expecting a folk rock mix album. But alas this was not developed enough. There are some great songs on this album, like Sham, but not enough to make it a top album. 3/5
this is the kind of music i'd expect margaret thatcher fans to enjoy
I don't know whether I like it or not... It's not bad, but it's not good either. It has some folk elements, some rock, blues and a bit of country. I am going to give it 3 stars because I am just confused.
Nice and easy to listen to songs. However, there were not really any standouts.
Fine but nothing to really write home about.
mediocre, nothing very interesting here but its all fine i guess. low 6/10
I had never heard of this band and saw that they were just kind of a straight American folk rock band from the 60s. Figured it'd be pretty meh, and it was slightly better than that. Some good songs for sure. Nothing to write home about though.
Good and chill folk/country/psychedelic rock from the late 1960s but nothing particularly stands out, none of the songs are very memorable. Not sure if I'll ever remember any of the songs on this album even though overall it was a pleasant listen.
Un folk doux et affirmé, qui a quelque chose d'apaisant. Ne sonne pas trop daté.
Elephant Mountain was a fine if bland album. The music was generally well done with decent rhythms and nice usage of all the instruments but were either rather bland or were missing something they really could have benefitted from. The main song I'm talking about from the latter complaint is On Sir Francis Drake which i feel really could have benefitted from having lyrics so that it wouldn't become so boring. This album isn't bad but it is really boring in a lot of areas which is why it gets a 2.5. Best Song: Beautiful Worst Song: Trillium
Perfectly listenable, but not exciting or particularly interesting.
Odd album, jazz songs every now and then?
Ok. Folksy. Forgettable.
Just a cute lil 60's rock album. Nothing ground breaking but just some nice average jams throughout.
Just about what i expected. Psyfolkpopnonsense
Hmm. I'm not sure about this. Some of it was really pretty good, but then a lot of it just passed me by. I feel like the style changed quite a lot too. Wasn't liking the more jazzy stuff so much. The opening track set the bar pretty high though, and I don't think anything else lived up to it 2.5
An honestly very jam band-y album, which while not unheard of in 1969 by any means, feels oddly out of place in an album format during a period of tight, condensed rock masterpieces. Instead, The Youngbloods seem to go in a different direction of something a bit more messy, with lots of influences from country, jazz, and psychedelia, and while it struggles to make it work for a good chunk of the album, it is commendable. Songs containing more laid out, predictable song structures seem to run away with my heart pretty easily, to the point where I wish it was mainly that, as they are often very pretty, with soft vocals and instrumentals while still having a tiny kick to them to ensure the listener doesn't fall asleep. However, nearly every song that doesn't follow this ideology is often iffy at best. Long, drawn out periods of seemingly random instruments playing with no cohesion or thought, stretched out sections that add nothing to the album, or at best you get a dull folk rock track that leaves far too much to be desired to be a true tip. Sunlight and Ride the Wind are easily my favorites, but the other thirty minutes can have you tuning out and just like that four songs have gone by with nothing to grab the listeners interest. Its an album of potential, but considering they seemed to do very little like this album before or after, mainly reaching for that blues rock crowd, I imagine this faded mainly into obscurity until being included on the 1001 Album list, and I can find very little to say otherwise.
Such an underrated vocalist good alt folk tunes
I liked this! Good driving music for a summer day. 3.5.
Kinda good, kinda corny. Very mixed, so gets a 3.
I liked the folkier parts than the jazzy parts. Weird album.
Tastefull.. hyvää musiikkia...
Interesting at times but descended into meandering white boy blues
Darkness, Darkness Sunlight Ride the Wind
There's some really good instrumental moments in this album, including "Trillium". I enjoy the folk/country/rock vibes, but the psychedelic moments are not quite as enjoyable. A good album that isn't a major hit, but also avoids missing, for the most part
I'm not familiar with The Youngbloods, so this seemed like a good introduction to them. It also seemed like an interesting mix of other late 1960s bands and their own style, although I didn't find it all that distinctive. I was disappointed to read that the instrumental "On Sir Francis Drake" was not in fact some sort of historical reference, but much more mundanely about a road near where they moved to California. I guess that was expecting a bit too much from the Youngbloods, but I still enjoyed listening to their album (mostly).
I enjoyed it but it didn't grab my attention too often. If it came on the radio, I would have listened to it, wondered who it was, thought fondly of it, and then probably never listened again.
An average 70’s vibe. Not bad but also not spectacular. I liked it because I like 70’s music but I would never listen to it again.
Yeah I mean it's alright, decent enough. I wouldn't rush it to someone's deathbed, though.
This was nice. I don't particularly see anything special with it but these albums aren't bad in fact it is something I would happily listen to again I just don't think much stood out. There were a few parts where I thought they were just trying to be Jazzy for the sake of it but I guess they somewhat added to the album they just weren't as impressive as I have heard from other bands. All being said I loved the sound they are going for, it felt soft but upbeat enough to still be fun. Because I don't feel it stood out massively I think 3 is fine but probably the upper part of 3 and could be one I go back to. Stand out songs Darkness, Darkness Beautiful Quicksand
first two songs are great.. rest is eh
Ну так вроде ничего. Ровный альбом, приятная музыка.
Kind of fun to listen to. I liked a few of the songs, but won't return to this one. Sounded cool for coming out in 1969.
Psychedelic folk rock with some jazzy elements. It's like both halves start out really strong, and then kind of lose momentum towards the end. Great piano throughout the album, and vocals and guitars all sounded great. The opening track was killer, that pretty much makes the whole album worth it. I think this album might need further listens to truly understand. Somewhat classic for now. Will have to revisit.
Interesting mix of rock and country but nothing that particularly stands out.
Nice folk & blues
Takie plumkanko w tle. 3/5
Not bad as background music but nothing memorable. Interesting mix of country/rock/jazz/psychedelic.
It's a fun little old rock album, but kind of breezes past me. The two longer songs felt like they dragged on, but the rest were pretty nice. Doubt i'll return to it in the future, about as 3/5 as an album can get.
A sweet blend of psychedelia, pop, good vibes with a pinch of Celtic flavor. Great atmosphere for a quiet afternoon.
Eingängige Melodien, tiefgründige Texte und experimentelle Klänge. Ganz gut zu hören.
I like that they are all over the place with folk, jazz, rock. But the whole thing is steeped in a grooviness that only an album from 1969 could be. I feel like this is kinda what the Grateful Dead would sound like if they didn't suck. Especially liked Trillium.
Ive never heard of this album or this band. It’s a generous hippie buffet. That jazz section of On Sir Francis Drake took me by joyous surprise. Sunlight would be the perfect chill soundtrack to the sun lighting up a plant filled bedroom on a perfect spring morning. All in all, this is great weed music for a chill, no worries type of day.
Sounds like if the house band at your local dive bar were actually skilled musicians. It's a little jazzy, a little country, a little rock. It still sounds very similar to a lot of the music of the time, but there's definitely a certain distinct quality to it.
Easy listening
They sound exactly like what I would think music from the 60’s should sound like. But these guys also sound like they had black friends which is cool. Like elements of soul. Undertones.
Classic rock with a bit of swag I suppose.
Agreeable. Pleasant. Nothing particularly special, but easy to listen to. I thought I had heard almost every song before, but turns out I had never heard any of them.
Songs sounded good
not my cup of tea - some decent background music but it did not grab my attention and I'm not sure why it would be on the top 1001 albums. Quicksand was a decent track but again - not something I'd put into regular rotation. May have to check out other albums by them.
despite not achieving mainstream commercial success, the album garnered a dedicated following among fans of folk and psychedelic rock. it offered a rich tapestry of sounds and emotions. it’s one of those albums that you actually have to listen to properly to realise it’s not missable, but if i was listening to it on radio, i’d definitely be changing the channel to see if there are any other songs. it wasn’t terrible though, and was a good listen, so it’s getting a 6/10 from me ! full review on ig: @musicwithnessa
this was okay!! easy listening. my rating is maybe closer to something like 2.5 stars. easy listening, but maybe a little boring and devoid of anything particularly attention grabbing or anything worth revisiting in the future. there was a kazoo in one song!! that made me smile.
Elephant Mountain has a little bit of everything, folk, psychedelic, jazz, blues, soul. It also doesn’t have a single song that stands out, Quicksand is likely my favourite. It’s a decent album, another that blends into the seeming hundreds of other 60s albums but it gets an extra because I think The Youngbloods achieved their goal of fusing together almost every genre of music that existed at the time and it’s done well 6.0/10
Enjoyed this. All over the place, but in a good way rather than 11 songs sounding very similar as they can do in this era. Lots of pointers to stuff that will come later. Ride the Wind sounds like proto Steely Dan/Yacht Rock!
Bra album. Bra jazz moments
Chill, kind of washes over you
I think I liked it?
Pleasant and almost-perfectly listenable; ideal for relaxing to. However, Black Mountain Breakdown feels out of place, adds nothing, and abruptly ends. This, coupled with the fact there are no real stand-out songs on the album, takes it down to a 3.
Some stuff I liked, nothing I hated. It was well produced but I didn’t love it
Never heard of these guys before. I liked it. Not the kind of music I typically search out but a shame that they're not better remembered in the conversation about great bands from the era.
Nice early rock vibe. Somewhat reminiscent of The Beatles but with a unique enough sound to be their own.
When it's good, it's great. When it's not it sounds like elevator music. This is one of those albums that I can't help feeling the band would have be better live. The type of band that would kick into impromptu improvisation during the set. They are obviously all talented with a wide array of musical styles under their belts.
No ihan jees!
Positive Überraschung. In den ersten Sekunden dachte ich US-irische Folkmusik. Entwickelte sich dann langsam zu einem eher rockigen Song (Darkness, Darkness). Der dritte Titel (On Sir Francis Drake) wechselt unvermittelt vom Keyboard Trullala Walzer zum Boogie Woogie TenYearsAfter Sound und weiter ins Blues-jazzige Session Gefrickel. Sehr abwechslungsreich das Album. Etwas poppiges mit Saxophon Solo? -> Quicksand. Ein 40 Sekunden Song der anfängt sich nach 20s aufzulösen und ab 30 Sekunden in Dissonanz zerfällt? -> Black Mountain Breakdown.
Hippy dippy music. Not bad but not something I'd want to listen to again.
Reasonable. Glad I listened. Not earth shattering.
Hmmm it was ok
beautiful cover art, interesting music. great intro track with interesting double vocal tracking. fav: Darkness, Darkness
nice
3.5 O enjoyed this. Jazzy country rock done very well.
Relaxed, soulful, messy, and unmemorable. But I liked it well enough, so a 3 it shall be.
Not more 60s rock 😭 At least this was more mellow than some of the other ones I've had in my queue, so it wasn't too bad to listen to, if perhaps not my exact cup of tea. 3
A nice album. Lots of interesting musical choices. Interesting arrangements. I liked most of the choices made. solid 3.5 stars
3.5/5
I have never heard of this band before this list. The album sounded like an average psychedelic, folk album from this period. Only a few songs actually stood out to me. Favorite Song(s): "Darkness, Darkness", "Sham", "Quicksand"
Had only ever heard Get Together. This was nice.
Tää oli ihan snooth ja letkee! Taustalla meni mukavasti 3/5
Kiva ylläri etenkin muutamat jazzahtavat biisit. Beautiful, Don't let the rain.. ja Ride the wind meni suoraan talteen. Ei silti kokonaisuutena ihan neloseen yllä, 3.5/5.
Ok folkkistelu, mut ei sen kovempaa kolistellu. 3/5
If "I'll Take Just One Hit" was an album. 3/5
Solid album. Fun and kind of funky at times.
6/10 interesting, with a lot of variety, but that makes it hit or miss
I dig it
Good album There are probably a bit too many long periods without vocals. Good though Low 3/5
I don't know, I've gotten a wave of 60's and early 70's albums that all sound too similar at this point :-(
Pretty groovy, I liked it
Very nice but also very forgettable. Not sure how to rate that
Great sound and some cool songs. I wanted more actual songs though and less extended jam sessions. Even some of the songs with lyrics felt like they stuck to one or two lines and jammed out on that. Not hating on it, I just don’t dig long instrumentals.
I had never heard of the Youngbloods before I listened to this album and I really liked it. I probably won't remember many moments from the album but I did feel happiness whilst it played.
Fun, but a little out of control here and there
Not bad but feels a bit generic ar times
Some very enjoyable parts with some lows in between
Interesting album. Has good energy and some great bits musically. Also a bit all over the place
Very interesting album. Proggy folk music is always great imho
It was good! Sunlight was my favorite. However, the album came across as elevator music at times. Thought it had more potential. I did also like Quicksand, smug, On Sir Francis, and Darkness, Darkness.
više bi dao 3.5, al pravih 3.5, ne sad ono moglo je više, taman toliko i dosta. pa će biti vamo trojka, ali je baš između.
3.5/5. Enjoyable. I've never heard of this group before, but the music was nice and pretty easy to listen to.
As a snapshot of a moment in time in music, it's certainly interesting. Arriving at the intersection between the fading of psychedelia and the popularity of the country/folk scene, it has a foot in each camps. It's not massively remarkable in terms of the actual songs, but it's pleasant enough. Although, perhaps "pleasant" is an insult, in its own way.
3.5 Fun little late 60s rock record, not mind-blowing but lots of fun
I really liked a couple of songs and would’ve given them 4 stars. I liked the rest of the album OK. I liked the opening track and the solo in it and the solo a few songs later with a similar guitar tone. A solid three.
Bland, unfocused, stylistically scattered. The album certainly has its moments, and I like Jesse Colin Young's vocal. But much of this unmemorable. Fave Songs: Darkness, Darkness; Sunlight; Smug; Quicksand; Sham
Aika siisti levy. Oli vähän folkkia, jazzia, rockia, vaikka ja mitä. Aika lepposaa kanssa. Sham oli paras
When it isn't hopelessly trite it's not bad. Kind of a Monkees x Led Zeppelin sound at times. The Uncharted song wasn't bad either. 3
HL: "Rain Song (Don't Let the Rain Bring You Down)", "Darkness, Darkness", "Sunlight", "Ride the Wind" Pleasant album to listen to, lots of noodling/false starts that affected the flow. The bluesy coda on "On Sir Francis Drake" might be the low point, not because I didn't like it but because it sounds like a studio outtake that was included to make Elephant Mountain a respectable length. Celtic-sounding "Darkness" is great, "Sunlight" is pretty (reminds me a bit of "These Eyes" by the Guess Who) August 7, 2023
That guitar is so rubbery, I like it. It's mediocre, though. generic '60s psychrock.
Alright, not sure if I'd choose to listen again
3/5
A genuinely likeable album that opens with a banger
This is one of those albums that's in a style of music I have a soft spot for. To such degrees it is that it would take a truly awful singer to make me hate it. Luckily, this passes that test reasonably enough. Folksy, gentle, homely, just the kind of pick me up I need.
Meeehhhh
It’s fine I guess.I liked the piano.The vocals are fine.no stand out song.eveything is just kinda ok.it goes on a little bit too much with some songs.
Op zich wel lekker. Ik vond de wat meer rustige nummers zonder zang fijner om naar te luisteren
Had door het genre eigenlijk niet zo veel zin in dit album. Algemene noot: ik zou het heel fijn vinden als er wat weer soul, funk of eigenlijk maakt het me geen reet uit als het maar een keer geen rock of punk is. Toch viel dit album me alles mee! Best aangenaam in het zonnetje op de fiets, 2,7 afgerond naar boveeeuu
Chill vibes 3.5
folky rock vibes its good but not groundbreaking or anything
Linda fun
Not bad. I liked how super chill this was, but also had lots of variety. A nice album to kick back to, for sure.
I thought this was just... fine. It was not bad and not good. 2.5/5
Darkness, darkness is my favourite from this track.
maybe my life is not that bad
Some good tunes on here but nothing to really write home about.
A pleasant psychedelic country rock…thing. Probably could only have existed in 1969.
Niet slecht.
I remember a few cool sounds from this album, but barely remember it otherwise.
Average
Slut 60’er rock, lille country-vibe, på den god måde
I'm on a short streak of stuff I hadn't heard before. This was another good first experience for me. It's nothing special, really - but a solid album.
Actually really enjoyed this one. Good listenability and neat sounds that was kind of a middle ground between the 60s 70s.
Pleasant, and I understand that it was a transition from psychedelic to country rock, but it's not a "must-listen." Beautiful has a bit more oomph to it. Then it was followed by a not-funny attempt at humour. Sham is a genuinely good piece of rock, with some soulful singing, staccato guitar and thrashing drums.
Incredibly middle-of-the-road lounge music. Completely inoffensive and.. just fine. Darkness, Darkness slaps pretty hard tho.
Неплохой псих рок/фолк рок, хорошо написанный, есть неплохие песни. Для того времени такие альбомы не удивительны, но слушается он приятно, и хорошо. Что ещё нужно для счастья?
Some great tracks here. Great fun.
Well played, as if musicians had taken control of artistic developments in popular music in the late 60s rather than those more in touch with the various zeitgeisten swimming around at the time. Great jamming tips for band musicians.
cool and probably a 'bridge' record from early psych/prog rock into the 'country rock' that was so popular in the 70s.
I had never heard them before so that was cool! Didn't really make a big impression on me one way or another though, and to me that's a bigger sin than being bad. These are albums to hear before I die and this felt forgettable - would much rather have had a Little Feat album if I were to choose a record from this genre and era, even better would have been something from an underrepresented category.
The first track had me really excited but then it kind of fell into that generic 60s sound. Worth a listen but nothing I’m dying to hear again.