Hardwater

Band members               Related acts

- Mark Bretz - guitar (1968)
- Richard Fifield - vocals, guitar (1968)
- Ron Jenkins - drums (1968)
- Robert Carl McLerran - bass (1968) 

 

 

 - The Astronauts
- The Sunshine Ward 

 

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Title:  Hardwater

Company: Capitol

Catalog: ST 2954

Year: 1969

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: 1

Price: $50.00

 

 

 Having released a string of nine early/mid-'60s albums for RCA Victor as the Denver-based Astronauts (see separate entry), by the late-'60s popular tastes had long abandoned surf and hot rod themes. Always willing to cater to popular trends and tastes, Astronauts Mark Bretz (guitar), Richard Fifield (guitar), Ron Jenkins (drums) and Robert Carl McLerian (bass) had no problems metamorphizing into Hardwater (with a short stop as The Sunshine Ward).

Signed by Capitol, the band's 1968 self-titled debut teamed them with eclectic producer/ former Electric Prune David Axelrod. Largely written by Fifield and McLerran, "Hardwater" came off as a pleasant surprise. They may have been a year behind popular tastes (think "5th Dimension Byrds), musically the set found the quartet dividing their efforts between Byrds-styled folk-rock ("City Sidewalks" and "Monday") and feedback laced jangle rock material (the opening medley "My Time/Take a Long Look" and "Love and I "). Perhaps the biggest complaint came from the absence of a distinctive lead singer. Although Fifield was credited as lead vocalist, his voice was largely anonymous; most of the ten tracks multi-tracked or handled via group vocals. Personal favorites; the twisted country flavored "Plate of My Fare" and the freak out "Not So Hard". Commercially the set went nowhere, effectively spelling the end of the quartet's recording career.

"Hardwater" track listing:
1.) Medley: My Time/Take a Long Look (Richard Fifield - Robert McLerran) - 6:49
2.) City Sidewalks (John Carter - Tim Gilbert) - 3:18
3.) Love and I (Richard Fifield - Robert McLerran) -2:13
4.) Monday (Richard Fifield - Robert McLerran) - 4:06
5.) Plate of My Fare (Richard Fifield - Robert McLerran) - 2:04
6.) Not So Hard (Richard Fifield - Robert McLerran) - 3:16
7.) Good Ole Friends (John Carter - Tim Gilbert) - 2:36
8.) Sanctuary (John Carter - Tim Gilbert) - 5:33
9.) To Nowhere (Richard Fifield - Robert McLerran) - 1:55
10.) Good Luck (Richard Fifield - Robert McLerran) - 2:47 

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