Moby Grape

Moby Grape (San Francisco ‘67) Rating: A-
Many people consider this the great lost rock band of the '60s, and for good reason. More song oriented and less psychedelic than their more famous San Francisco peers (Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane), Moby Grape were five singer-songwriters strong. This debut is slightly dated but is still uncommonly strong, as the band rolls through thirteen concise songs (the album is only 31 minutes long) that are highlighted by the band’s then unique three-pronged guitar attack and varied vocal harmonies. While not every song here is a bulls eye, songs such as the rocking “Hey Grandma,” the pretty ballad “8:05,” the catchy r&b influenced rocker “Come In The Morning,” and the excellent, fast paced garage rocker “Omaha” were great ‘60s songs. Extremely eclectic, the band also effectively taps into the blues, country music, Byrdsy folk rock, and (of course) psychedelia, all without ever lingering too long at any one stop. While the singing is sometimes ragged and the hippie lyrics can seem trapped in time, the group’s lashing guitars and exuberant performances overcomes any serious flaws. Unfortunately, an overly zealous promotional push by the band’s record company (who, in an unprecedented and ill-advised move, released 5 singles simultaneously) backfired badly, and the album never took off. The band never recovered, and subsequent attempts never came close to capturing this album’s chemistry. Management difficulties also helped the band become a tragic footnote to the Summer Of Love; their problems came to a head when Skip Spence branded a fire axe towards his bandmates and landed in Bellevue (joining Syd Barrett and Peter Green as talented '60s acid casualties) and Bob Moseley joined the Marines. They dissolved quietly, though their occasional reformations over the years are always greeted fondly by dedicated cult following who I'm sure can't help but wonder what might've been.

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