Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Them In Reality
Company: Happy Tiger
Catalog: HT 1012
Year: 1971
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: promo copy stamp on inner label
Available: SOLD
GEMM catalog ID: 4199
Price: SOLD
Cost: $107.50
By 1971 Them had been reduced to bassist Alan Henderson, lead guitarist Jim Parker and drummer John Stark (all three had previously played in The Y'Alls, while Parker and Stark had been in The Kitchen Cinq and Armageddon).
Recorded in Los Angeles, 1971's "Them In Reality" found the group continuing their collaboration with producer Ray Ruff. Anyone expecting a continuation of the psychedelic moves that marked the band's previous releases for Happy Tiger was in for a major shock. Musically the set started out with a blast; in this case an extended, fuzz guitar powered cover of Them's own 'Glora'. While the remake may not have threatened Van Morrison's original, it boasted some killer lead guitar courtesy of Parker. While some folks will certainly disagree, to my ears the band actually benefited from their new found direction. Stripped of the elaborate production that characterized their last couple of releases, material such as 'Laugh' and 'Lessons of the Sea' found the trio turning in some roaring hard-rock sides. Kudos to Parker who was simply amazing on material such as 'Baby Please Don't Go' and 'California Man'. Unfortunately the set did little in terms of sales and didn't even see a release outside of the US.
"In Reality" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Gloria (Van Morrison) - 6:00
2.) Baby Please Don't Go (Williams) - 4:43
3.) Laugh - 2:59
4.) Let Me Song Through (Jim Parker - John Stark) - 2:32
(side
2)
1.) California Man (Jim Parker - John Stark) -
2.) Lessons of the Sea (Jim Parker - John Stark) - 3:40
3.) Back In the Country (Jim Parker - John Stark) - 3:24
4.) Can You Believe (Jim Parker - John Stark) - 2:40