Leírás
Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Psychedelic Pop/Rock,
Remaszterizált Expanded edition CD kiadvány, 2024.
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„Incense and Peppermints” is the debut album by psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock. Released in October 1967, it reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200 album charts during a 24-week run and included the band’s No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit „Incense and Peppermints”. „Wake Up” is their second album and it was released in 1968.
To so many people, the Strawberry Alarm Clock was nothing more than a one-hit wonder who put out that „Incense and Peppermints” song, which was featured in the first Austin Powers flick. Ah, but there was so much more to them than that #1 hit song from 1967. They released four albums in the late ’60s, the first two of which are excellent. Their first album, which was named after their hit song, has a somewhat raw live sound to it, mostly due to it’s hasty assembly and release. Even so, it showcases the band’s fine musicianship, as they rock their way through a lineup of psychedelic tunes celebrating the wonders of acid trips and other aspects of 1960s life.
Their second album, „Wake Up…It’s Tomorrow” is much more polished and focused. And a little more sunshine-y in spots. It’s a fun album! Once again the musicianship is top-notch, but this time the song arrangements are more intricate. Time signature shifts and jazzy rhythms dominate a few of the songs, and most of the vocals are layered and/or interweaving. „Nightmare of Percussion” kicks off the album with some great drumming, then plenty of instrumental jamming and few vocals. This song sounds the most like their first album. But then, „Soft Skies, No Lies” changes everything up with its bouncy feel and sunshine lyrics.
„Tomorrow”, the first single from the album, continues the happy pop sound with its great moving bass line and instrumentation. „They Saw the Fat One Coming” and „Curse of the Witches” are slower, darker tunes which tell some intriguing stories. „Sit With the Guru” goes back into single territory, however it didn’t chart as well as the previous 45s. „Go Back, You’re Going the Wrong Way” is an odd little song, almost as if they were just goofing off. But „Pretty Song from Psych-Out” and „Sitting on a Star” are beautiful standouts. They are my personal favorites on the album. „Black Butter, Past, Present, and Future” make up the last three tracks and are a suite of sorts. Once again there is some great vocal and instrumental arrangement involved.
Overall this is a wonderful „concept” album from what I believe to be one of the most creative eras in modern music history. The songs are consistently good and flow from one to the next very nicely. And there are a number of musical surprises along the way.
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YouTube video:
„Incense and Peppermints”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rw1_FNdy-Y
