Yesterday I became aware of Ultimate Spinach, a late sixties Boston band with perhaps the ultimate, sub-Spinal Tap, psychedelic name of all. Dismissed by critics of the time as bandwagon jumpers of the west coast sound, you can hear the influence of The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe & the Fish and others all over their songs. Their first, self-titled album, from 1968 has to be heard to be believed and deserves a post all of its own as a quite remarkable period document from a different age and time which I hope to get round to on here at some point.
These two songs meanwhile, from a live performance from '67 recently re-released on CD, are slightly less addled by the demented hippie speak which is all over that record and come across as well crafted, melodic love and peace pop songs from the east coast and what came to be known as The Bosstown Sound, Boston's answer to Haight Ashbury and LA. Most obviously indebted to Ray Manzarek and that distinctive Doors organ sound they come from a time when girls' eyes were really 'as gentle as morning rain' and 'skin is pale as moonbeams'. Always a good idea to find out the girl's name before making such declarations of undying love. They're undeniably second division operators, a minor pleasure, but there is fun to be had here.
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