Moby Grape | ||
| Allmusic Biography : One of the best 60s San Francisco bands, Moby Grape were also one of the most versatile. Although they are most often identified with the psychedelic scene, their specialty was combining all sorts of roots music -- folk, blues, country, and classic rock & roll -- with some Summer of Love vibes and multi-layered, triple-guitar arrangements. All of those elements only truly coalesced, however, for their 1967 debut LP. Although subsequent albums had more good moments than many listeners are aware of, a combination of personal problems and bad management effectively killed off the group by the end of the 1960s. Many San Francisco bands of the era were assembled by recent immigrants to the area, but Moby Grape had even more tenuous roots in the region than most when they formed. Matthew Katz, who managed the Jefferson Airplane in their early days, helped put together Moby Grape around Skip Spence. Spence, a legendarily colorful Canadian native whose first instrument was the guitar, had played drums in the Airplanes first lineup at the instigation of Marty Balin. Spence left the Airplane after their first album, and reverted to his natural guitarist and songwriting role for the Grape (the Airplane had already recorded some of his compositions). Guitarist Jerry Miller and drummer Don Stevenson were recruited from the Northwest bar band the Frantics; guitarist Peter Lewis had played in Southern California surf bands like the Cornells; and bassist Bob Mosley had also played with outfits from Southern California. The groups relative unfamiliarity with each other may have sown seeds for their future problems, but they jelled surprisingly quickly, with all five members contributing more or less equally to the songwriting on their self-titled debut (1967). Moby Grape remains their signature statement, though the folk-rock and country-rock worked better than the boogies; "Omaha," "Sittin by the Window," "Changes," and "Lazy Me" are some of their best songs. Columbia Records, though, damaged the bands credibility with over-hype, releasing no less than five singles from the LP simultaneously. Worse, three members of the group were caught consorting with underage girls. Though charges were eventually dropped, the legal hassles, combined with an increasingly strained relationship with manager Katz, sapped the bands drive. Moby Grapes follow-up, the double-LP Wow, was one of the most disappointing records of the 60s, in light of the high expectations fostered by the debut. The studio half of the package had much more erratic songwriting than the first recording, and the group members didnt blend their instrumental and vocal skills nearly as well. The "bonus" disc was almost a total waste, consisting of bad jams. Spence departed while the album was being recorded in New York in 1968, as a result of a famous incident in which he entered the studio with a fire axe, apparently intending to use it on Stevenson. Committed to New Yorks Bellevue Hospital, he did re-emerge to record a wonderful acid folk solo album at the end of 1968, but that would be his only notable post-Grape project; he struggled with mental illness until he died in 1999. Another unexpected blow was dealt when Mosley, despite his membership in a band that emerged from the Haight-Ashbury psychedelic scene, joined the Marine Corps at the beginning of 1969. The band did struggle on and release a couple more albums during that year, and the best tracks from these (particularly the earlier one, Moby Grape 69) proved they could still deliver the goods, though usually in a more subdued, countrified fashion than their earliest material. The group broke up at the end of the 60s, although they would periodically reunite for nearly unheard albums over the next two decades, in lineups featuring varying original members. Their problems were exacerbated by Matthew Katz, who owns the Moby Grape name, and has sometimes prevented the original members from using the name when they worked together. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 12 Title: Moby Grape Released: 1967-06 Tracks: 18 Duration: 47:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hey Grandma (02:45) 2 Mr. Blues (02:01) 3 Fall on You (01:56) 4 8:05 (02:22) 5 Come in the Morning (02:16) 6 Omaha (02:46) 7 Naked, If I Want To (00:58) 8 Someday (02:43) 9 Aint No Use (01:33) 10 Sitting by the Window (02:46) 11 Changes (03:24) 12 Lazy Me (01:48) 13 Indifference (04:19) 14 Rounder (instrumental) (02:04) 15 Looper (02:38) 16 Indifference (02:47) 17 Bitter Wind (02:50) 18 Sweet Ride (Never Again) (05:56) |
| Moby Grape : Allmusic album Review : Moby Grapes career was a long, sad series of minor disasters, in which nearly anything that could have gone wrong did (poor handling by their record company, a variety of legal problems, a truly regrettable deal with their manager, creative and personal differences among the bandmembers, and the tragic breakdown of guitarist and songwriter Skip Spence), but their self-titled debut album was their one moment of unqualified triumph. Moby Grape is one of the finest (perhaps the finest) album to come out of the San Francisco psychedelic scene, brimming with great songs and fresh ideas while blessedly avoiding the pitfalls that pockmarked the work of their contemporaries -- no long, unfocused jams, no self-indulgent philosophy, and no attempts to sonically re-create the sound of an acid trip. Instead, Moby Grape built their sound around the brilliantly interwoven guitar work of Jerry Miller, Peter Lewis, and Skip Spence, and the clear, bright harmonies of all five members (drummer Don Stevenson and bassist Bob Mosely sang just as well as they held down the backbeat). As songwriters, Moby Grape blended straight-ahead rock & roll, smart pop, blues, country, and folk accents into a flavorful brew that was all their own, with a clever melodic sense that reflected the lysergic energy surrounding them without drowning in it. And producer David Rubinson got it all on tape in a manner that captured the bands infectious energy and soaring melodies with uncluttered clarity, while subtly exploring the possibilities of the stereo mixing process. "Omaha," "Fall on You," "Hey Grandma," and "8:05" sound like obvious hits (and might have been if Columbia hadnt released them as singles all at once), but the truth is there isnt a dud track to be found here, and time has been extremely kind to this record. Moby Grape is as refreshing today as it was upon first release, and if fate prevented the group from making a follow-up that was as consistently strong, for one brief shining moment Moby Grape proved to the world they were one of Americas great bands. While history remembers the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane as being more important, the truth is neither group ever made an album quite this good. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 12 Title: Wow Released: 1968-04-03 Tracks: 18 Duration: 59:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Place and the Time (02:07) 2 Murder in My Heart for the Judge (02:58) 3 Bitter Wind (03:09) 4 Cant Be So Bad (03:41) 5 Just Like Gene Autry; A Foxtrot (03:05) 6 He (03:36) 7 Motorcycle Irene (02:23) 8 Three-Four (05:01) 9 Funky-Tunk (02:11) 10 Rose Colored Eyes (04:00) 11 Millers Blues (05:22) 12 Naked, If I Want To (00:52) 13 The Place and the Time (demo) (02:27) 14 Stop (demo) (02:24) 15 Loosely Remembered (03:27) 16 Millers Blues (alternative) (05:23) 17 Whats to Choose (02:03) 18 Seeing (05:11) |
| Wow : Allmusic album Review : Between the time that Moby Grape released their brilliant self-titled debut and when their second album Wow appeared in 1968, a little thing called Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band happened, and for the next few years it was no longer enough for a band with some claim to importance to just play rock & roll, even if they approached it with the freshness and imagination Moby Grape displayed on their first LP. Bowing to the pervading influences of the day, Wow is a far more ambitious album than Moby Grape, trading in the latters energetic simplicity for an expansive production complete with strings, horns, and lots of willful eccentricity, best typified by the helium-treated vocals on the hillbilly pastiche "Funky Tunk" and "Just Like Gene Autry: A Foxtrot," a woozy 60s dance band number complete with introduction from Arthur Godfrey (the band went so far as to master the tune at 78 rpm on the original vinyl edition). While at first glance Wow pales in comparison to the instant classic Moby Grape, repeated listening reveals this album has plenty of strengths despite the excess gingerbread; the horn-driven boogie of "Cant Be So Bad" swings hard, "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" is a tough and funky blues number, "He," "Rose Colored Eyes," and "Bitter Wind" are lovely folk-rock tunes with shimmering harmonies (even if the latter is marred by a pretentious noise collage at the close), and "Motorcycle Irene" is a witty tribute to a hard-livin biker mama. Wow lacks the rev-it-up spirit of Moby Grapes masterpiece, but Peter Lewis, Jerry Miller, and Skip Spences guitar work is just as impressive and richly layered, and the groups harmonies and songwriting chops are still in solid shape. While the unobtrusive production on Moby Grape showcased the groups many virtues, those attributes are visible on Wow despite the layers of studio excess, which sapped the momentum and charm of this band without snuffing them out altogether. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 12 Title: 69 Released: 1969-01-30 Tracks: 18 Duration: 50:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Ooh Mama Ooh (02:26) 2 Aint That a Shame (02:29) 3 I Am Not Willing (02:59) 4 Its a Beautiful Day Today (03:06) 5 Hoochie (04:21) 6 Trucking Man (02:00) 7 If You Cant Learn From My Mistakes (02:33) 8 Captain Nemo (01:44) 9 Whats to Choose (01:57) 10 Going Nowhere (02:02) 11 Seeing (03:47) 12 Soul Stew (02:21) 13 If You Cant Learn From My Mistakes (demo) (01:27) 14 You Can Do Anything (demo) (03:38) 15 Its a Beautiful Day Today (demo) (04:16) 16 Whats to Choose (demo) (03:22) 17 Big (demo) (02:23) 18 Hoochie (demo) (03:18) |
 | Album: 4 of 12 Title: Truly Fine Citizen Released: 1969-07-30 Tracks: 18 Duration: 54:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Changes, Circles Spinning (02:30) 2 Looper (03:05) 3 Truly Fine Citizen (01:50) 4 Beautiful Is Beautiful (02:32) 5 Love Song (02:25) 6 Right Before My Eyes (02:05) 7 Open Up Your Heart (02:39) 8 Now I Know High (06:13) 9 Treat Me Bad (02:20) 10 Tongue-Tied (02:04) 11 Love Song, Part Two (02:46) 12 Rounder (live) (02:00) 13 Millers Blues (live) (06:06) 14 Changes (live) (04:20) 15 Skips Song (demo) (03:29) 16 Looper (demo) (02:09) 17 Soul Stew (02:21) 18 Cockatoo Blues (demo) (03:41) |
| Truly Fine Citizen : Allmusic album Review : 1969s Truly Fine Citizen was the last gasp for the original incarnation of Moby Grape. The departures of guitarist Skip Spence and bassist Bob Mosley had reduced the once-mighty band to a trio, and sessionman Bob Moore had to be brought in to fill out the lineup. Columbia Records decided Moby Grape needed a break from producer and studio collaborator David Rubinson, and they were sent to Nashville to record with Bob Johnston, best known for his work with Bob Dylan. Johnston reportedly began the sessions by announcing the album had to be recorded in a mere three days, and if the musicians didnt like it they were free to leave. And Moby Grape were in the midst of an ugly legal dispute with their manager that resulted in most of the songs on the album being credited to Tom Dellara, their road manager. Given all this, its a pleasant surprise that Truly Fine Citizen isnt a disaster -- its a loose but amiable set of sunny psychedelic pop-rock with a decided country influence. Guitarists Peter Lewis and Jerry Miller had already shown their country leanings on Moby Grape 69, and here it comes to the forefront with some solid Nashville-style picking, and their harmonies with drummer Don Stevenson remain one of the highlights of the groups sound. There are a few good songs on board, including "Looper" (which had been in the Grapes repertoire since their earliest days), the sunny "Changes, Circles Spinning" and the title cut, a tribute to a mystic healer the band had met on the road. But Truly Fine Citizen was basically a rush job recorded to finish out Moby Grapes contract with Columbia, and too much of the time thats just what it sounds like, despite the obvious talent of the musicians, and the jazzy "Love Song, Pt. Two" and "Now I Know High," which at 6:14 meanders twice as long as the albums second longest tune, are clear filler on an album thats barely over a half-hour long. Moby Grape were still capable of making a good album when they cut Truly Fine Citizen, but they scarcely had the opportunity to demonstrate that. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 12 Title: 20 Granite Creek Released: 1971-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 32:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Gypsy Wedding (02:23) 2 Im the Kind of Man That Baby You Can Trust (03:33) 3 About Time (02:50) 4 Goin Down to Texas (01:55) 5 Road to the Sun (02:40) 6 Apocalypse (02:07) 7 Chinese Song (05:44) 8 Roundhouse Blues (02:43) 9 Ode to the Man at the End of the Bar (03:40) 10 Wild Oats Moan (03:02) 11 Horse Out in the Rain (02:16) |
| 20 Granite Creek : Allmusic album Review : The story of Moby Grape has been told and re-told countless times, with its tales of excess, mismanagement, and record company screwups. By the end of the 60s the Grape was all but finished -- or so everyone thought. After an aborted attempt at a Peter Lewis solo album, producer David Rubinson was able to help engineer this re-formation of all five original members, along with extra member Gordon Stevens on various stringed instruments. Written and recorded at the Grapes communal house in the Santa Cruz mountains, the results of the experiment rendered 20 Granite Creek, an album that is rightfully the successor to the first album (1967s Moby Grape). One of the most shining examples is Peter Lewis funky and fast "Goin Down to Texas," which clearly illustrates the power Moby Grape had in this, one of the original three-guitar lineups. Skip Spence, who was one of the more interesting writers in the band, contributes one song, the delicate and gorgeous oriental-sounding "Chinese Song." The whole record is quite similar in feel to the Doors L.A. Woman, another truly great, homemade comeback album. Of course, it didnt sell anything. A true crime in a never-ending saga. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 12 Title: Wow / Grape Jam Released: 1992-02-10 Tracks: 15 Duration: 59:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Place and the Time (02:08) 2 Murder in My Heart for the Judge (03:02) 3 Bitter Wind (01:59) 4 Cant Be So Bad (03:31) 5 He (03:37) 6 Motorcycle Irene (02:25) 7 Three-Four (05:05) 8 Funky-Tunk (02:13) 9 Rose Colored Eyes (04:01) 10 Millers Blues (05:28) 11 Naked, If I Want To (00:50) 12 Never (06:18) 13 Boysenberry Jam (06:05) 14 Black Currant Jam (07:18) 15 Marmalade (05:50) |
| Wow / Grape Jam : Allmusic album Review : Potential consumers of this release should be aware that neither Wow (1968) nor Grape Jam (1968) are presented in their entirety. The most egregious offenders are the complete absence of Skippy Spences surreal "Just Like Gene Autry, A Foxtrot" from Wow and the equally out-there tone poem "Lake" that concluded the original Grape Jam long-player. Likewise, nearly a minute and a half has been lopped off of Bob Mosleys excellent "Bitter Wind." Those discrepancies aside, the remainder of these albums was first made available in the digital domain on this two-fer, which is one of several grey-area reissues from Moby Grapes infamous manager, Matthew Katz, on his short-lived San Francisco Sound label. The perpetually litigious Katz -- who had also managed Jefferson Airplane and Its a Beautiful Day -- quickly became a primary proponent behind the failure of Moby Grape to reach the heights of many of their Bay Area contemporaries. As the remnants gathered here attest, the lack of impact was not due to a dearth of excellent material. Wows opener, "The Place and the Time," is one of two Jerry Miller/Don Stevenson collaborations and along with the pairs hard-drivin R&B; rocker "Cant Be So Bad," the duo supply two of the best entries on either title. Peter Lewis introspective ballad "He" -- marked by a stunning orchestral score credited to Joey Scott and the Grapes producer, David Rubinson -- provides a striking stylistic contrast. As does Skippy Spences bizarre "Motorcycle Irene," which was based upon a real-life acquaintance of the author. In addition to teaming up with Jerry Miller on the loose "Millers Blues," Bob Mosley turns in the excellent (and aforementioned) ballad "Bitter Wind," the waltz love song "Three-Four," and the refined "Rose Colored Eyes." Grape Jam (1968) is an instrumentally heavy platter with the quintet joined by Al Kooper (keyboards) and Michael Bloomfield (piano/guitar) on the Windy City blues-inspired "Marmalade." While some of the lengthier outings, particularly the languid "Black Current Jam," tend to drag on a bit, Mosleys "Never" -- which was pinched by Led Zeppelin as "Since Ive Been Loving You" -- and the gutsy "Boysenberry Jam" remain overall worthwhile spins. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 12 Title: The Very Best of Moby Grape - Vintage Released: 1993 Tracks: 48 Duration: 2:19:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Hey Grandma (02:45) 2 Mr. Blues (02:00) 3 Fall on You (02:50) 4 8:05 (02:33) 5 Come in the Morning (02:16) 6 Omaha (02:45) 7 Naked, If I Want To (00:57) 8 Rounder (02:03) 9 Someday (03:31) 10 Ain’t No Use (01:40) 11 Sitting by the Window (02:47) 12 Changes (03:24) 13 Lazy Me (01:47) 14 Indifference (04:13) 15 Looper (02:39) 16 Sweet Ride (03:12) 17 Bitter Wind (02:39) 18 The Place and the Time (02:24) 19 Rounder (02:02) 20 Millers Blues (06:07) 21 Changes (04:20) 22 Hey Grandma (02:32) 23 Omaha (02:23) 24 Big (04:44) 1 Skips Song (03:24) 2 You Can Do Anything (02:50) 3 Murder in My Heart for the Judge (02:59) 4 Bitter Wind (03:07) 5 Cant Be So Bad (03:26) 6 Just Like Gene Autry; A Foxtrot (02:56) 7 He (03:37) 8 Motorcycle Irene (02:25) 9 Funky-Tunk (02:13) 10 Rose Colored Eyes (04:20) 11 If You Cant Learn From Your Mistakes (01:26) 12 Ooh Mama Ooh (02:28) 13 Aint That a Shame (02:30) 14 Trucking Man (02:02) 15 Captain Nemo (01:46) 16 Whats to Choose (01:57) 17 Going Nowhere (02:04) 18 I Am Not Willing (03:00) 19 Its a Beautiful Day Today (03:07) 20 Right Before My Eyes (02:05) 21 Truly Fine Citizen (01:49) 22 Hoochie (04:25) 23 Soul Stew (02:20) 24 Seeing (08:07) |
 | Album: 8 of 12 Title: Legendary Grape Released: 2004 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:05:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All My Life (From 1990 Cassette) (03:36) 2 Nightime Rider (From 1990 Cassette) (03:07) 3 Ride at Hell (From 1990 Cassette) (02:55) 4 On the Dime (From 1990 Cassette) (03:50) 5 Lady of the Night (From 1990 Cassette) (03:42) 6 Changing (From 1990 Cassette) (03:05) 7 Took It All Away (From 1990 Cassette) (03:06) 8 Bitter Wind in Tanganika (From 1990 Cassette) (03:33) 9 Talk About Love (From 1990 Cassette) (01:57) 10 Youll Never Know (From 1990 Cassette) (04:15) 11 You Can Depend on Me (1990) (03:09) 12 Further on Up the Road (03:01) 13 It Dont Take Much (03:20) 14 Getting Used to Being Created Wrong (02:33) 15 Forty Feet Tall (04:47) 16 Forbidden Love (02:58) 17 Telephone Love (02:33) 18 Rodeo (04:14) 19 In the Eyes of the World (03:22) 20 8:05 (02:36) |
| Legendary Grape : Allmusic album Review : Although credited to the Legendary Grape, this is in essence an album by a reunited Moby Grape, originally issued on a cassette-only release in 1990 by Herman Records that was credited to the Melvilles. Only 500 of those cassettes were made, and in 2003 it was reissued on CD with eight bonus tracks. Its a curious record, and not only because of its tangled history and use of different names for a band thats actually Moby Grape. Many of the elements that made Moby Grape distinctive in its original incarnation in the late 60s are here. Theres the fusion of rock, blues, country, R&B;, and folk along with the brisk execution, the sorrowful lead vocals and the multi-part harmonies, and the mix of tender ballads with bar band stomp. But theres not as much substance as form, since many of the songs are basic, simplistic, and repetitive, sometimes giving off the aura of a considerably above average bar band thats relying on original material. Generally theyre better on the reflective folk-country tunes, like "Nighttime Rider," "Forbidden Love," and "Rodeo," than the uptempo tunes, which at their worst can sound like clichéd roadhouse boogie. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 12 Title: Grape Jam Released: 2007 Tracks: 8 Duration: 1:00:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Never (06:12) 2 Boysenberry Jam (06:00) 3 Black Currant Jam (07:07) 4 Marmalade (05:53) 5 The Lake (03:58) 6 Grape Jam #2 (09:18) 7 Grape Jam #3 (09:10) 8 Bags’ Groove (13:21) |
| Grape Jam : Allmusic album Review : Moby Grapes two greatest strengths were that the five members of the band were all top-notch musicians and great songwriters. Grape Jam amply demonstrates the former virtue, while the latter barely figures into the formula at all. As the title suggests, Grape Jam consists of five semi-improvised selections in which the players stretch out at length, primarily on slow, blues influenced numbers, with plenty of ace guitar work from Peter Lewis, Jerry Miller, and Skip Spence, while Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield sit in on keyboards for a few numbers. While theres some potent soloing here, and the rhythm section of Bob Mosley and Don Stevenson show they can adapt to whatever the band throws their way, the tunefulness and tight performances that made Moby Grape one of the finest debut albums of all time is missing in action. As good as the chops on display here may be, great soloing doesnt mean all that much without the context of a good song, and that becomes painfully obvious on "Boysenberry Jam" and "Black Currant Jam." Grape Jam was originally released as a companion piece with Moby Grapes overcooked but compelling second album, Wow (folks who bought Wow could get Grape Jam at a discount), and as a bonus item its not without interest, but all by itself this meanders far too much for its own good. Grape Jam is akin to hearing a handful of talented musicians goofing off, and while the talent is obvious, so is the aimlessness of the music. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 12 Title: Listen My Friends! The Best of Moby Grape Released: 2007 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:01:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Hey Grandma (02:46) 2 Mr. Blues (02:01) 3 805 (02:22) 4 Omaha (02:47) 5 Sitting by the Window (02:47) 6 Indifference (04:16) 7 Bitter Wind (version One) (02:41) 8 Murder in My Heart for the Judge (03:00) 9 Cant Be So Bad (03:28) 10 He (03:39) 11 Motorcycle Irene (02:27) 12 Rose Colored Eyes (04:04) 13 Sweet Ride (Never Again) (Previously Unissued long version) (05:57) 14 Ooh Mama Ooh (02:31) 15 Aint That a Shame (02:32) 16 If You Cant Learn From My Mistakes (02:36) 17 Going Nowhere (02:06) 18 Seeing (03:47) 19 Changes, Circles Spinning (02:27) 20 Truly Fine Citizen (02:48) |
 | Album: 11 of 12 Title: The Place and the Time Released: 2009 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:14:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Indifference (02:51) 2 Looper (02:36) 3 Stop (02:20) 4 Rounder (02:02) 5 Sweet Ride (Never Again) (05:56) 6 Loosely Remembered (03:24) 7 The Place and the Time (02:23) 8 Bitter Wind (02:48) 9 Seeing (05:11) 10 What’s to Choose (01:59) 11 Soul Stew (02:16) 12 If You Can’t Learn From My Mistakes (01:23) 13 You Can Do Anything (03:35) 14 Skip’s Song (03:26) 15 It’s a Beautiful Day Today (04:12) 16 What’s to Choose (01:59) 17 Hoochie (03:18) 18 Big (02:19) 19 Rounder (02:02) 20 Miller’s Blues (06:06) 21 Changes (04:17) 22 Looper (02:36) 23 Soul Stew (02:16) 24 Cockatoo Blues (Tongue‐Tied) (03:41) |
| The Place and the Time : Allmusic album Review : With the exception of Badfinger, youd be had pressed to name an important rock band with a significant body of work who has had a longer and more dismal run of bad luck than Moby Grape, and more than four decades after they released their nearly perfect debut album, theyre still struggling to get a fair shake. A Byzantine series of legal disputes with their former manager Matthew Katz (who for years claimed ownership of the groups name, their music publishing, and the rights to reissue their recordings) seemingly ended in 2005, a mere 38 years after Moby Grape fired him, but when Sundazed Records released, remastered, and expanded CD versions of the bands five albums for Columbia in the fall of 2007, Katz filed yet another lawsuit in which he claimed ownership of the cover artwork to the albums Moby Grape, Wow, and Grape Jam (which also happen to be the groups most popular efforts), and Sundazed was forced to pull these three discs from stores only a month after they were released. Those three CDs remain in limbo, but a taste of what they had to offer can be found on The Place and the Time, a collection of rare and unreleased Moby Grape material that features nearly all the bonus material from the expanded editions of Moby Grape and Wow, as well as extras from the Sundazed editions of Moby Grape 69 and Truly Fine Citizen, both of which are still available and unaffected by the Katz lawsuit. While an alternate take of "Millers Blues" that appeared on the Wow reissue is missing, all the other additional material from those four discs can be found here (the three meandering outtakes from the CD of Grape Jam have been left by the wayside, and theyre not likely to be missed), and while that means this set is devoid of relative hits such as "Omaha" or "Hey Grandma," these outtakes, demos, live recordings, and stray items cohere into a fine portrait of what made Moby Grape one of the great (if underappreciated) bands of their era. The superbly interwoven guitar work of Peter Lewis, Jerry Miller, and Skip Spence drives the best songs with an infectious energy, Don Stevenson and Bob Mosley were a powerful and versatile rhythm section, and all five members harmonized beautifully, making even the least of the 24 songs a kick to hear. While the demos and alternate takes that appear on this disc arent exactly definitive, in many respects the stripped-down versions of "Bitter Wind," "The Place and the Time," and "Miller Blues" serve the songs better than the more gussied-up official versions on Wow, and given that this group was generally at their best in the studio when the production was simple and to the point, these rarities play to Moby Grapes strong points better than many of their "real" recordings. And the live tapes capture Moby Grape in full flight before the dream began to collapse, and offer a tantalizing picture of how powerful they must have been on a good night. If youre among the lucky few who were able to snatch up the full Sundazed Moby Grape CD catalog before the first three albums were taken off the market, The Place and the Time will be redundant, but if youre one of the many fans who didnt, this disc is a worthwhile consolation prize; its no substitute for the classic debut album, but this music demonstrates why Moby Grape still matters to so many all these years later. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 12 Title: Live (Historic live Moby Grape Performances 1966-1969) Released: 2010 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:13:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Aint No Use (01:33) 2 Rounder (live) (02:00) 3 Looper (02:18) 4 Bitter Wind (01:47) 5 Changes (04:29) 6 Indifference (02:47) 7 Someday (03:21) 8 Introduction (01:18) 9 Indifference (03:10) 10 Mr. Blues (01:50) 11 Sitting by the Window (02:50) 12 Omaha (02:47) 13 Sweet Little Angel (04:47) 14 Murder in My Heart for the Judge (04:51) 15 I Am Not Willing (05:31) 16 Trucking Man (02:02) 17 Fall on You (02:13) 18 Omaha (06:04) 19 Dark Magic (17:27) |