d3u@psuvm.UUCP (03/21/85)
Ultimate Spinach was a Boston based band of the late Sixties.
They released three albums around 67 to 69. Steely Dan members were in
this group. Their albums are occasionally seen in used record stors and collect
or shops.
The lps:
Ultimate Spinach -- mixture of styles from pop to progressive
"Ballad of the Hip Death Goddess" was a nine minute pop/psyc
mix with lotsa feedback guitar (but relatively mellow and
like some Grateful Dead jams of the time, and Barbara Hudson
singing "I'm the hip death goddess of your dreams". Other
songs were shorter and often had tinges of jazz or classical
Very good album. I definitely recommend it.
Behold and See -- mostly longer songs, more progressive sounding
More jazz influence throughout and longer instrumental jams.
Also some classical influence. (popular sound at the time,
kinda like Iron Butterfly doing mellow Steely Dan, or Steely
Dan doing some Doors songs... use some imagination...or
listen to IronButterfly's lp "Ball" and jazzy Doors tunes)
Also a very good album, although there are a couple spots of
pretentiousness of the kind that was popular then (giving
that authentic flavor of the period), definitely recommended
(embarrasement comes forth as I can't remember the name of the third
album)--
Their third lp came after personnel changes and had a straight ahead
rock sound, "they went commercial", producing short uptempo songs that
all sounded like they were intended for singles releases. Didn't like
this nearly as much as their first two albums, but if you want to hear
Judy in Disguise (recorded by Freddy and the Playboys) with stronger
rock and some guitar distortion, you should get it. If you do buy this
album, it is not at all representative of the others.
cosmic Ray