Genre: psych
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: The Ultimate Prophecy
Company: Mercury
Catalog: SR 61288
Year: 1970
Country/State: Cleveland, Ohio
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: minor ring wear; small bullet hole bottom right; name written in small ink letters on cover; minor hiss in a couple of places
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4233
Price: $100.00
Cost: $1.00
Although he's
been recording on and off since the late-'60s and has written some
marginally interesting material, outside of a small devoted cult following,
American Indian singer/guitarist J.D. Blackfoot remains a virtual unknown.
Possessing an attractive, if largely nondescript voice, Blackfoot started
his career with a series of little heard singles for Phillips.
The late-'60s found Blackfoot living in Cleveland, Ohio. By 1969 he was
front man for the band Tree (Blackfoot, bassist Kenny May, drummer Dan
Waldron and singer/guitarist Jeff Whitlock). The group's big break came
later in the year when they won a battle of the bands contest that brought
with it an opportunity to record for Mercury Records.
Subject to extensive hype among collectors, we''d been looking for a copy of
1970's "The Ultimate Prophecy"
for a couple of years. Well, we finally stumbled across a copy at a
yard sale and were anxious to check out what all the excitement was about.
Produced by Dale Frashuer to our ears the LP sounds like it was
recorded by two separate bands. With future Pure Prairie League/Little Feat
singer/guitarist Craig Fuller responsible for most of side one, tracks
such as "One Time Woman", "Angel" and "We Can
Try" offered up attractive if unexceptional country-rock. Think
Poco and Fuller's forthcoming Pure Prairie League catalog and you'll be in
the right ballpark. In contrast, with namesake Blackfoot writing most of the
material on the flip side, selections such as the title track, "Death's
Finale" and "Waiting To Be Born" display a darker,
psychedelic bent (complete with some great fuzz guitar). As you've probably
guessed, though the lyrics are occasionally on the clunky side ("Pink
Sun"), the flip side's far more interesting. Perhaps not the
brain melting psych masterpiece dealers would have you believe, but
all-in-all not a bad addition to one's catalog. (The album was
originally released with a lyric insert.)
Score 1 to 10 (1
lowest, 10 highest), I'll give it a 7.
The Ultimate Prophecy" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) One Time
Woman (Craig Fuller) - 3:42
2.) Angel (Craig Fuller) - 3:47
3.) We Can Try (Craig Fuller - J.D. Blackfoot) - 4:06
4.) Good Day Extending Company (Dan Waldron - Jeff Whitlock) - 4:41
5.) I've Never Seen You (Kenny May) - 3:15
(side 2)
1.) The Ultimate
Prophecy (J.D. Blackfoot - Dan Waldron) - 4:57
2.) Death's Finale (J.D. Blackfoot) - 3:38
3.) Cycles (J.D. Blackfoot - Dan Waldron - Jeff Whitlock) - 3:29
4.) Waiting To Be Born (J.D. Blackfoot - Jeff Whitlock) - 5:03
5.) Pink Sun (Dan Waldron - Jeff Whitlock) - 5:20