Genre: rock
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Jam It
Company: Dog Dirt
Catalog: DD-1
Year: 1975
Country/State: Pennsylvania
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: was sealed; still in shrink wrap
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4520
Price: $40.00
Cost: $66.00
Most of the attention paid to this semi-obscure album has to do with the exceptionally tasteless and borderline obscene cover art, complete with phallic shaped mushrooms and urinating and fornicating men-dogs ... you basically have to see it up close to appreciate it.
There isn't much bibliographic information out there on this outfit. Showcasing the talents of drummer Mike Masciarelli, lead guitarist James Rowland, keyboardist Richie Verrill and vocalist Teeny Tar, they apparently evolved out of a Pennsylvania-based outfit that recorded an early 1970s album as 'XXX'. Evolving into 'The Elmer City Rambling Dogs', they recorded their sole LP in 1975.
In the interests truth in advertising let me tell you that the self-produced "Jam It" shows up on quite a few psych lists, but it isn't psychedelic by any stretch of the imagination. I've also seen a couple of brief reviews that compare the album to a rural version of The Grateful Dead. That's not particularly accurate either in that the songs are short and fairly focused. Instead, imagine an average country-rock bar band with a penchant for toilet humor and you'll get a good sense of what these guys are about. There's simply nothing particularly original to be found anywhere here. On the other hand, titles such as 'O How We Have Changed', 'Spitball King' and 'Hot Prison Love' should give you a pretty good feel for what these guys sound like. For the most part the humor is pretty sophomoric and probably sounds better after you've consumed large quantities of cheap beer (this isn't a Belgian ale experience). Admittedly there are a couple of quick laughs scattered across the 13 tracks. Complete with sound effects, Rowland's 'The Prowler' may be the best of the lot, while 'Hey Baby' sounds a little bit like a bizarre Doors outtake.
"Jam It" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) I Been Drinkin' (James Rowland)- 2:30
2.) The Prowler (James Rowland)- 3:54
3.) O How We Have Changed (James Rowland - Teeny Tar - Butch Walker - Mike Masciarelli) - 2:19
4.) Pearl (P. Cush - J. Riskey - James Rowland) - 2:43
5.) Jailhouse Blues (Butch Walker) - 3:15
6.) Hey Baby (James Rowland - Teeny Tar - Mike Masciarelli) - 3:27
7.) Snowflakes (instrumental) (James Rowland - Richie Verrill) - 2:12
(side 2)
1.) Spitball King (Teeny Tar - Richie Verrill) - 3:28
2.) Hot Prison Love (James Rowland - Teeny Tar) - 2:45
3.) Queenie (Teeny Tar - Richie Verrill) - 3:18
4.) Raw Man (James Rowland - Teeny Tar) - 3:02
5.) Little Floozy (James Rowland - Teeny Tar - Butch Walker) - 3:32
6.) Silly Putty Sweetheart (James Rowland - Nadine Marchetti) - 3:05