Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Grin 1 + 1
Company: Spindizzy
Catalog: BL 31038
Year: 1971
Country/State: Maryland
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4775
Price: $9.00
Cost: $1.00
Released in 1971, Grin's second album "1 + 1" is generally viewed as the group's best and most consistent release. I'm going to go out on a limb and disagree. With Neil Young and Crazy Horse producer David Briggs at the helm, you'd expect to get a fairly raw collection of guitar powered hard rock. Well, if that's your expectation you're in for a mild disappointment. Lofgrin's responsible for penning all ten tracks and turns in what may be the year's most schizophrenic album. Basically divided into rock and pop sides, the rock oriented side 1 is the one that counts. The collection starts out with a killer slice of power pop 'White Lies' (the band's closest shot at a commercial hit) and continues apace with a couple of nice rockers including 'Please Don't Hide', 'Slippery Fingers' and 'End Unkind' (the latter the sole track without Lofgrin on lead vocals). Unfortunately side 2 is a mess with Lofgrin and company apparently having decided they needed to become a top-40 pop band. In isolation most of the results are okay ('Lost a Number' and 'Just a Poem'), but taken in a single setting it all begins to sound similar. Spindizzy also pulled a pair of singles from the album:
1971's 'White Lies' b/w 'Just To Have You' (Spindizzy catalog number ZS7-4005)
1972's 'End Unkind" b/w "Slippery Fingers" (Spindizzy catalog number ZS7-4006
(In case anyone cares, Graham Nash is credited with backing vocals, though I've never been able to spot his contributions.)
"Grin 1 + 1" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) White Lies (Nils Lofgrin) - 3:27
2.) Please Don't Hide (Nils Lofgrin) - 4:00
3.) Slippery Fingers (Nils Lofgrin) - 4:10
4.) Moon Tears (Nils Lofgrin) - 2:19
5.) End Unkind (Nils Lofgrin) - 4:03
(side
2)
1.) Sometimes (Nils Lofgrin) - 2:39
2.) Lost a Number (Nils Lofgrin) - 3:09
3.) Hi, Hello Home (Nils Lofgrin) - 2:30
4.) Just a Poem (Nils Lofgrin) - 2:41
5.) Soft Fun (Nils Lofgrin) -