CLEAN 1968 1st ULTIMATE SPINACH ACID Psych Garage Gem

$

80

1968 SWIRLY ORGAN // FUZZ GUITAR // TRIPPY PSYCHEDELIC CLASSIC                       

     THE ULTIMATE SPINACH

\                                                   USA - MGM - SE 4518 STEREO

The very first 1968 ULTIMATE SPINACH original first pressing vinyl in thick gatefold cover...

Filled to the brim with swirly organ, fuzz guitar, hallucinatory lyrics and tightly tripped melodics... A truly solid strong psychedelic album that is often putdown by so called music critics pointing their plastic finger that the Spinach 1st Lp is a straight-up kopy-kat of the San Francisco '67 scene -- and while there is an obvious influence in the Airplane & CJ & Fish acid-interlude style, it's more of a tip of the hat to the West Coast scene while layering new ideas/melodies over that basic psychedelic sound, there of... now lets get to it:

The Ultimate Spinach, composed of keyboardist/guitarist Ian Bruce-Douglas and singer Barbara Hudson was a band of Boston's psychedelic hip scene in the second half of the 1960s. The phenomenon of a "Boston Sound" ("Bosstown Sound."), whose other top acts included The Beacon Street Union, also on MGM, which was more a publicity stunt than a legitimate artistic movement, but even so, some great bands bore out of the works ...On the first Ultimate Spinach (MGM, 1968) the standout cuts are "Ballad of the Hip Death Goddess", with an instrumental interval for theremin (an early electronic instrument), feedback and reverberation, and the psychoanalytic trippy-blues "Ego Trip" , the 4-part suite "Sacrifice of the Moon" as well as "Your Head Is Reeling" and the Frank Zappa-esque "Plastic Raincoats". 

Echoes of the Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and Country Joe & the Fish cross over more than once, sounding like a reflection of the opposite coast in '67 and its psychedelic music. All the same, the record is great and there are plenty of attractive aspects, the best of which are Bruce-Douglas' skittering, piercing organ lines heard to superior effect on "Sacrifice of the Moon," especially as that is unencumbered by his tripped-out lyrics ("collapsed laughter, running, falling, drifting across the minefield of your thoughts, dissolve, wondering, who am I, why should I be alone, alone?"). Bruce Douglas and crew likely loved Country Joe & the Fish's first LP, and "Sacrifice of the Moon" and "Baroque #1" attest to; "Baroque #1" goes as far as to cop some riffs from Country Joe's outstanding "Masked Marauder," right down to the harmonica and scat vocals. Similarly, "Your Head Is Reeling" has grungy, distorted Doors guitar lifted straight out of Robby Krieger's intro to "The End." As Bruce-Douglas' vocals fittingly effective, it's unfortunate more was not heard from guitarist and occasional lead singer Barbara Hudson, who has the kind of ice-cool style trendy among the female psychedelic singers of the era.

-Ian Bruce-Douglas/ Keyboards,Guitars,Harmonica, Theremin, Wood Flutes, Sitar,Vocals,Vibraphone,12-String Bass Guitar
-Barbara Hudson/ Vocals, Guitar
-Keith Lahteninen/ Drums,Percussion, Vocals
-Ted Myers/ Guitar,Vocals
-Richard Nese/ Bass
-Geoffrey Winthrop/ Guitar,Sitar,Vocals                        

• .Ego Trip - 3:13
• Sacrifice Of The Moon 3:45
• Plastic Raincoats/Hung Up Minds 2:56
• (Ballad Of) The Hip Death Goddess 8:14
• Your Head Is Reeling 3:36
• Dove In Hawk's Clothing 3:54
• Baroque #1 4:48
• Funny Freak Parade 2:35
• Pamela 3:08

CONDITION: The thick gatefold cover is solid on all seams, vibrant colors, just very light use over the past 40+ years, "EX" (excellent) to M- (NO delete drill  which is something) ...

The vinyl is all glossy, both sides M-  looks clear, plays real NICE  ...enjoyable.

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record