Genre: psych
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Brother Fox and the Tar Baby
Company: Oracle
Catalog: ORS 703
Year: 1969
Country/State: Boston, Massachusetts
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear; gatefold sleeve
Available: SOLD
GEMM catalog ID: SOLD
Price: SOLD
Cost: $66.00
First off let me make one of those truth-in-advertising warnings. I've seen this item show up on a number of high priced psych lists, but if you're expecting oodles of Fender feedback and drug scorched personas, then this one's going to be way too pop oriented to appeal to you. It's also interesting how public sensitivities change over time. Dare you to start a band with this name today !!!
Boston's Brother Fox and the Tar
Baby featured the talents of former Profits and The Front Page Review
guitarist Richie Bartlett, Pugsley Munion bassist Tom Belliveau,
guitarist Dave Christiansen, drummer Bill Garr, singer Steve High. and
keyboardist Joe Santangelo. One of the era's isolated multi-racial bands, the group were signed by the
small Oracle label, which released 1969's Bruce Patch produced "Brother
Fox and the Tar Baby". Christiansen was credited with
penning all eleven tracks, the result being an odd hodge-podge of musical styles.
Quite diverse, the set included stabs at conventional hard rock ('We
All Love Him'), Tom Jones-styled MOR ballads ('I Start To
Cry') and the plain bizarre ('Maxie the Meanie'). The first couple of times
I listened to the album I'll readily admit to being a little under whelmed, but repeated
spins saw me start to warm up to the collection. Clearly not the year's most innovative album, there are
still numerous tracks worth hearing. To my ears the highlights included
'Metal Soldier', 'Three Tots and a Man and their most
psych-oriented track 'Mr. Sleepy'. (The album was original
released in a gatefold sleeve.)
"Brother Fox and the Tar Baby" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Electric Chair
(Dave Christiansen) -
2.) Old Ladies (Dave Christiansen) -
3.) Steel Dog Men (Dave Christiansen) -
4.) Maxie the Meanie (Dave Christiansen) -
5.) We All Love Him (Dave Christiansen) -
6.) To Your Dreams (Dave Christiansen) -
(side 2)
1.) Three Tots and a Man
(Dave Christiansen) -
2.) I Start To Cry (Dave Christiansen) -
3.) Metal Soldier (Dave Christiansen) -
4.) Mr. Sleepy (Dave Christiansen) -
5.) Crazy John (Dave Christiansen) -
Capitol subsequently acquired distribution rights, reissuing the collection
nationally (catalog number ST-544).
Bartlett reappeared as a member of The Fools (see separate entries).