Elizabeth – Elizabeth (1968)

Artist: Elizabeth
Title: Elizabeth
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: Vanguard

Elizabeth was made up of Steve Weingart (lead guitar, harp, organ, vocals), Bob Patterson (guitar, vocals), Jim Dahme (guitar, flute, vocals), Steve Bruno (organ, bass), and Hank Ransome (drums). The band originally came from Philadelphia but moved to New York in 1968, where they recorded and released their self-titled album on Vanguard Records in 1969.

The album was released with a wonderful psychedelic-styled collage sleeve that gave the record buyer an impression that the band was a baroque-styled act, yet in actuality it is fairly standard late-’60s rock. The highlights of the album are the fuzz guitar-laden track “You Should Be More Careful,” the haunting soft psych of the song “Alarm Rings Five,” and the final and best track on the album, “When All Else Fails.”

The album is rounded out by a few less than interesting good-time-styled rock tracks and has a slight jazz feel in places. This legitimate reissue, on the Akarma/Vanguard label from Italy, has been remastered from original tapes and comes housed in a magnificent mini album-styled sleeve that reproduces the original records foldout cover graphics. (Keith Pettipas, All Music Guide)

Track Listing

1. Not That Kind Of Guy
2. Mary Anne
3. Dissimilitude
4. Similitude
5. You Should Be More Careful
6. The World’s For Free
7. Fields Of Home
8. Alarm Rings Five
9. Lady
10. When All Else Fails
    

The Hook – Hooked (1968)

Artist: The Hook
Title: Hooked
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: UNI

With a crashing organ chord, and a cry of “GOOD GOD!!”, the Hook returns with a triumphant second disc. Give them credit for recognizing their limitations. For their second album, the group replaced their drummer, and added a keyboard player. While still missing a bona-fide songwriter, the result is a fuller, more varied sound that still manages to retain their astronomical energy level.

The front side presents them at the absolute top of their game. Three blistering rockers (“Go”, a stretched out remake of the debut’s “Son of Fantasy”, and a cover of The Kinks”You’re Lookin’ Fine” that gives new meaning to the concept of “potency”), and a surprisingly effective ballad (“Magic in the Air”), that should have been a breakout hit.

Side two cools off a bit, bracketed by two less than stellar compositions (“Hook Can Cook”, and “You Don’t Have to Stay”, the latter an example of a needless misogyny that is sporadically apparent in their catalogue), but redeems itself with a cover of Ike & Tina Turner’s “All Around the World”, the engaging “A Beautiful Tomorrow”, and the slight but endearing “Love Theme in E Major”.

Unfortunately, after one further pleasant but forgettable non-album single, the Hook disbanded, with bassist Buddy Sklar becoming a ubiquitous session musician, and keyboardist Dennis Provisor eventually turning up in The Grass Roots. The band’s entire catalogue begs for a legitimate CD reissue (which could be accomplished by way of a single disc). The Hook may not have been the best band of their era, but they made the most of what they had, which makes them one of the most compelling. (ochsfan RYM)

Track Listing

1. Go
2. You’re Lookin’ Fine
3. There’s Magic In The Air
4. Son Of Fantasy II
5. Hook Can Cook
6. Love Theme In E Major
7. A Beautiful Tomorrow
8. You Need People
9. All Around The World
10. You Don’t Have To Stay
    

The Hook – Will Grab You (1968)

Artist: The Hook
Title: Will Grab You
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: UNI

Take Boston’s Eden’s Children, and transplant them into the middle of the southern California “flower power” scene, and you have The Hook. Like their Bostonian brethren, they were a blistering power trio whose considerable instrumental ability was balanced by their limitations as songwriters. But whereas the former group gradually attempted more serious lyricism, the Hook remained blissfully goofy. Songs like “Everything’s Groovy” and “You Know I Do” sincerely embraced their slightness, and are just too much fun not to like. Heavier numbers (“Plug Your Head In”, “Son of Fantasy”) are just as silly, but overwhelm the listener by sheer sonic force.

Things come to a head on the irresistible “Garbage Man”, which tells the story of a young girl infatuated with, who else, the neighborhood’s smelly, unkempt sanitation worker. The song’s “smurfs on acid” “la la la” chorus puts the finishing touch on a work of truly twisted beauty. It’ll never be confused with “Strawberry Fields Forever”, but much like that Beatles’ masterwork, it’s fair to say that there’s never been another song quite like it.

It’s doubtful that you’ll find this album on any list of “classics”, although if exuberance counted, you should. The energy level here is high enough to wake your grandmother from a coma, which means, for all the album’s faults, the Hook has accomplished the mission. You may not like them, but they couldn’t care less. They’re having too much fun on their own! (ochsfan RYM)

Track Listing

1. Homes
2. Lookin’ For You
3. You Know I Do
4. Turn Your Head
5. Son Of Fantasy
6. Dr. B. & His Friends
7. Plug Your Head In
8. Everything’s Groovy
9. Garbage Man
10. Dimples