The Electric Prunes | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Though they got considerable input from talented L.A. songwriters and producers, with their two big hits penned by outside sources, the Electric Prunes did by and large play the music on their records, their first lineup writing some respectable material of their own. On their initial group of recordings, they produced a few great psychedelic garage songs, especially the scintillating "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night," which mixed distorted guitars and pop hooks with inventive, oscillating reverb. Songwriters Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz wrote most of the Prunes material, much of which in turn was crafted in the studio by Dave Hassinger, who had engineered some classic Rolling Stones sessions in the mid-60s. "Too Much to Dream" was a big hit in 1967, and the psychedelized Bo Diddley follow-up, "Get Me to the World on Time," was just as good, and also a hit. Nothing else by the group made it big, and their initial pair of albums was quite erratic, although a few scattered tracks were nearly as good as those singles. Although they began to write more of their own material on their second album, their subsequent releases were apparently the products of personnel who had little to do with the original lineup. Their third LP, Mass in F Minor, was a quasi-religious concept album of psychedelic versions of prayers; a definitively excessive period piece, its best song ("Kyrie Eleison") was lifted for the Easy Rider soundtrack. None of the original Prunes were still in the lineup when the band dissolved, unnoticed, at the end of the 60s. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 11 Title: The Electric Prunes Released: 1967 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (02:57) 2 Bangles (02:29) 3 Onie (02:42) 4 Are You Lovin Me More (But Enjoy It Less) (02:25) 5 Train for Tomorrow (03:02) 6 Sold to the Highest Bidder (02:23) 7 Get Me to the World on Time (02:32) 8 About a Quarter to Nine (02:13) 9 The King Is in the Counting House (02:01) 10 Luvin (02:04) 11 Try Me on for Size (02:22) 12 The Toonerville Trolley (02:34) |
 | Album: 2 of 11 Title: Underground Released: 1967-09 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Great Banana Hoax (04:09) 2 Children of Rain (02:37) 3 Wind-Up Toys (02:26) 4 Antique Doll (03:13) 5 Its Not Fair (02:04) 6 I Happen to Love You (03:15) 7 Dr. Do-Good (02:26) 8 I (05:14) 9 Hideaway (02:42) 10 Big City (02:46) 11 Capt. Glory (02:14) 12 Long Days Flight (03:12) |
| Underground : Allmusic album Review : According to Electric Prunes members Jim Lowe and Mark Tulin, producer Dave Hassinger enjoyed enough success as a result of the groups early hit singles and their subsequent debut album that he was too busy to spend much time with them as they were recording the follow up, and that was arguably a good thing for the band. While Underground didnt feature any hit singles along the lines of "I Had to Much to Dream (Last Night)," its a significantly more consistent work than the debut, and this time out the group was allowed to write five of the discs twelve songs, allowing their musical voice to be heard with greater clarity. As on their first LP, the Electric Prunes strongest asset was the guitar interplay of Jim Lowe, Ken Williams and James "Weasel" Spagnola, and while they became a bit more restrained in their use of fuzztone, wah-wah and tremolo effects, theres a unity in their attack on Underground thats impressive, and the waves of sound on "Antique Doll," "Big City" and " "Children of Rain" reveal a new level creative maturity (though they could make with a wicked, rattling fuzz on "Dr. Do-Good"). If Underground ultimately isnt as memorable as the Electric Prunes first album, its a matter of material -- while the outside material that dominated the debut was sometimes ill-fitting, it also gave them some stone classic tunes like "I Had Too Much to Dream" and "Get Me to the World on Time," and the band themselves didnt have quite that level of songwriting chops, while the hired hands didnt deliver the same sort of material for Underground. Still, the album shows that the Electric Prunes had the talent to grow into something more mature and imaginative than their reputation suggested, and its all the more unfortunate that the groups identity would be stripped from them for the next album released under their name, Mass in F Minor. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 11 Title: Release of an Oath Released: 1968 Tracks: 7 Duration: 24:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Kol Nidre (04:14) 2 Holy Are You (04:05) 3 General Confessional (04:15) 4 Individual Confessional (02:10) 5 Our Father, Our King (03:10) 6 The Adoration (03:48) 7 Closing Hymn (02:53) |
| Release of an Oath : Allmusic album Review : The second album on which composer David Axelrod and producer Dave Hassinger usurped the name of the Electric Prunes (the band which recorded "I Had Too Much Too Dream Last Night" had long since split -- their names and likenesses are nowhere to be found on this LP) is much less notorious than its predecessor, Mass in F Minor. This is a shame, because its actually the better album by far. Mass in F Minor is a halting, muddy attempt at combining rock and classical instrumentation, an idea thats better explored on Release of an Oath (which is, according to the liner notes, based on a centuries-old prayer called the Kol Nidre). Songs like the liturgical "Holy Are You" and the mostly instrumental "General Confessional" combine swirling string and woodwind parts with heavy guitar and organ in a more organic and cohesive fashion than before. Musically complex and intriguing without being nearly as pretentious as a capsule description might indicate, Release of an Oath is a remarkable piece of early American progressive rock. Be aware, however, that its quite brief even by 60s standards: the whole thing is over in 24 and a half minutes. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 11 Title: Mass in F Minor Released: 1968-01 Tracks: 8 Duration: 32:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Kyrie Eleison (03:23) 2 Gloria (05:45) 3 Credo (05:01) 4 Sanctus (02:57) 5 Benedictus (04:52) 6 Agnus Dei (04:30) 7 Hey Mr. President (02:52) 8 Flowing Smoothly (03:04) |
| Mass in F Minor : Allmusic album Review : For fans of the Electric Prunes, the 1968 Reprise album Mass in F Minor is a disaster, but for aficionados of failed and bizarre concept records of the late 60s, its definitely worth investigating. The eight tracks on this religious-based rock opera (with lyrics sung in Latin!) were written, arranged, and conducted by classical composer David Axelrod and spurred on by then-Prunes manager Lenny Poncher and record producer Dave Hassinger. Evidently, all parties involved, including the band, agreed that this project would propel the Electric Prunes from minor-league garage rockers into a finely tuned psychedelic ensemble to be taken seriously as musicians and artists. Unfortunately, the Prunes were not prepared to tackle Axelrods complex and involved arrangements without a major struggle. In order to keep the sessions from going into costly overtime, Hassinger brought in studio musicians to finish the project. The results were completely unlike the groups previous two releases, with the majority of the tracks being performed by ad hoc Prunes. Shortly after the albums release, the original lineup faded into obscurity, taking Mass in F Minor with them. However, an eerie version of "Kyrie Eleison" received fleeting attention when it was featured in the film Easy Rider. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 11 Title: Lost Dreams Released: 2000 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:03:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shadows (02:22) 2 Aint It Hard (02:14) 3 Little Olive (02:42) 4 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (02:57) 5 Ive Got a Way of My Own (02:20) 6 Luvin (02:04) 7 I Happen to Love You (03:15) 8 Are You Lovin Me More (But Enjoying It Less) (02:22) 9 Hideaway (03:28) 10 Try Me On for Size (02:19) 11 The Great Banana Hoax (04:37) 12 You Never Had It Better (02:09) 13 Dr. Do-Good (02:47) 14 Get Me to the World on Time (02:32) 15 Captain Glory (02:14) 16 World of Darkness (02:19) 17 Train for Tomorrow (03:01) 18 Big City (02:46) 19 Wind-Up Toys (02:26) 20 Its Not Fair (02:04) 21 Sold to the Highest Bidder (02:22) 22 Everyone Knows Youre Not in Love (03:06) 23 Long Days Flight (til Tomorrow) (05:14) |
| Lost Dreams : Allmusic album Review : Aside from the British anthology Long Days Flight, this is (as of its 2001 release) the only legit Electric Prunes best-of ever issued. For the most part it succeeds in encapsulating the bands finest moments, adding a few rarities that will make it a desirable acquisition for completists. Their best singles are here, including the hits "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" and "Get Me to the World on Time," of course, as well as "Dr. Do-Good," "Long Days Flight (Til Tomorrow)," and their non-LP debut, "Aint It Hard"/"Little Olive." Outstanding album tracks like "I Happen to Love You," "Sold to the Highest Bidder," and "Train to Tomorrow" are on board as well. The truly awful cuts from their first LP are omitted, although the exclusion of decent items from Underground, particularly "Antique Doll" and "Children of Rain," could be questioned. As for the rarities, theres "Shadows," a creepy item from an excruciatingly rare non-LP 1968 promo single; an inconsequential cover of the Hollies "Ive Got a Way of My Own"; the previously unreleased "World of Darkness," an amiably bouncy but inessential number; and their infamous 1967 commercial for Vox wah-wah pedals (unlisted on the sleeve). For those who care about such things, "Dr. Do-Good" and "Long Days Flight (Til Tomorrow)" have elongated fadeouts not present on the more commonly circulated versions. The slightly shorter Edsel compilation Long Days Flight is probably a better listen overall (and does include "Children of Rain" and "Antique Doll"), but either one makes for a satisfactory overview. Like Long Days Flight, however, this has nothing from their Mass in F Minor album, which might be viewed as either a loss or a gain by Electric Prunes fans according to their tastes. As a minor drawback, Lost Dreams does not document the original release dates of any of the tracks. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 11 Title: Stockholm 67 Released: 2001 Tracks: 8 Duration: 45:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Never Had It Better (04:55) 2 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (03:50) 3 Try Me on for Size (09:33) 4 I Happen to Love You (04:03) 5 I Got My Mojo Workin (06:44) 6 Long Days Flight (Til Tomorrow) (03:33) 7 Smokestack Lightning (05:31) 8 Get Me to the World on Time (07:15) |
| Stockholm '67 : Allmusic album Review : The Electric Prunes December 14, 1967 show from the Concert Hall in Stockholm, originally taped for broadcast on Swedish radio, fully restored and properly remastered. The result is the finest record ever released by this band, and maybe the best live album of the psychedelic era. It was issued by a private label in England in a double-pocketed CD jacket with a beautifully illustrated booklet, complete with written reminiscences by the surviving members. The bands lineup is from their second album, Underground: James Lowe (lead vocals), Mark Tulin (bass, organ, vocals), Ken Williams (lead guitar), the late Mike Gannon (rhythm guitar, vocals), and Quint (drums). Calling them tight would be an understatement -- the band does a 45-minute set, parts of which ("Try Me On For Size," "You Never Had It Better") display long instrumental passages showing off Williams prowess on the fuzz-tone guitar and Quints powerful drumming to great effect; "I Had Too Much To Dream Tonight" is here, along with "Long Days Flight" and "Get Me to the World On Time" and solid covers of "Got My Mojo Workin" and "Smokestack Lightnin." This live show presents the group as much more of a garage-punk band than a psychedelic band, though they still traffic in the currency of the latter, including lots of distorted guitars and organ cadenzas -- the snarl and energy keep things moving, however. Twice as valuable as their Edsel hits compilation. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 11 Title: California Released: 2004-01 Tracks: 14 Duration: 59:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sideshow Charade (03:40) 2 49 Songs (03:45) 3 I Never Knew What You Wanted (03:36) 4 Makin Some Noise (03:10) 5 Pacific Ocean Blue (04:58) 6 Ill Drag You Home (02:41) 7 Rosy Made Me Crazy (03:54) 8 Transient Absolution (03:58) 9 Tidal Wave (04:50) 10 Rewired (03:51) 11 Running With Scissors (04:33) 12 The Richenbacker 12 String (06:42) 13 Cinema Verite (07:23) 14 [untitled] (01:55) |
| California : Allmusic album Review : In 2004, 37 years after they hit the charts with "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night," the Electric Prunes were not only still functioning with three of the groups original members on board (James Lowe, Mark Tulin,and Ken Williams), but they cut their most ambitious album to date, a wildly eclectic and thoroughly psychedelic song cycle titled California. While for years conventional wisdom had it that the Prunes sound was largely the work of producer Dave Hassinger and composer/arranger David Axelrod, California left no doubt that these guys could conjure up plenty of shimmering, effects-laden guitar and lysergic melodies all by their lonesome, and "Makin Some Noise" and "Ill Drag You Home" could pass for some unhinged outtakes from the Electric Prunes first two albums. Lead singer Jim Lowe doesnt have quite the same pipes he did as a youngster, but these tales of living through the Summer of Love into the decidedly less groovy New Millennium suit his more weathered instrument quite well, and both lyrically and musically this stretches far beyond what the Prunes accomplished in their salad days, edging past psych-tinged garage rock into the gorgeous folk rock of "Rickenbacker 12-String," the off-kilter Brian Wilson homage "Pacific Ocean Blue," and the surreal set closer "Cinema Verite." California is a long, strange trip from a band who set an unexpectedly high target for themselves and thankfully hit the bulls-eye; fans of the bands vintage music and curious observers of psychedelic will find this well worth a listen. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 11 Title: Just Good Old Rock and Roll Released: 2006 Tracks: 11 Duration: 37:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover | 1 Sell (03:14) 2 14 Year Old Funk (03:34) 3 Love Grows (04:09) 4 So Many People to Tell (04:01) 5 Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers (03:33) 6 Giant Sunhorse (04:09) 7 Violent Rose (02:44) 8 Thorjon (03:00) 9 Silver Passion Mine (02:54) 10 Tracks (02:45) 11 Sing to Me (03:25) |
 | Album: 9 of 11 Title: Feedback Released: 2006 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hello Out There (04:25) 2 Circus Freak (05:05) 3 Flying Blind (03:19) 4 Ill Give You Feedback (05:17) 5 Innerlight Trancendence (04:15) 6 Morphine Drip (03:55) 7 Tulip Between the Eyes (03:44) 8 African Bees (05:02) 9 Batch of Violins (04:52) 10 Itzomad (06:49) |
| Feedback : Allmusic album Review : Fans of classic garage rock and psychedelia were pleasantly surprised when the Electric Prunes began playing live shows again in the new century, showing that they were still a force to be reckoned with, but what was all the more startling is that they cut a solid new album in 2001, Artifact, and two equally impressive sets have followed. 2006s Feedback is a tougher and harder-rocking album than the trippy 2004 concept album California, and the opening track, "Hello Out There," captures the Prunes on-stage gloriously raving up and ranting like a band half their age. In many respects, Feedback recalls the material the Prunes recorded on their first two albums back in 1967, though with somewhat more ambitious arrangements and lyrics that more openly confront the constant war between the straight world and the more enlightened minority. ("Flying Blind," however, seems like a veiled attack on the producers and songwriters who swiped the groups identity after their run of hits had dried up.) Guitarists Ken Williams and Mark Tulin can still produce the same fuzzed-out and shimmering noise they generated back in the day (and they get some additional guitar assistance from Moby Grape axeman Peter Lewis), and vocalist James Lowe may sound older but if anything hes even more opinionated and engaged than he was in the 60s, and "Ill Give You Feedback," "Morphine Drip," and "African Bees" shows that hes matured without losing touch with his inner tripped-out teenager. Dont call Feedback a comeback -- this album shows the Electric Prunes have picked up where they left off with the same talent and years of additional experience, and its wild, intriguing stuff. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 11 Title: Too Much to Dream, Original Group Recordings: Reprise 1966-1967 Released: 2007-03-05 Tracks: 41 Duration: 1:49:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (02:57) 2 Bangles (02:29) 3 Onie (02:42) 4 Are You Lovin Me More (But Enjoying It Less) (02:25) 5 Train for Tomorrow (03:02) 6 Sold to the Highest Bidder (02:24) 7 Get Me to the World on Time (02:32) 8 About a Quarter to Nine (02:13) 9 The King Is in the Counting House (02:01) 10 Luvin (02:04) 11 Try Me on for Size (02:21) 12 Tunerville Trolley (02:37) 13 Aint It Hard (02:15) 14 Little Olive (02:43) 15 World of Darkness (02:17) 16 Ive Got a Way of My Own (02:11) 17 Luvin (mono single version) (02:07) 18 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (mono single version) (03:00) 19 Are You Lovin Me More (But Enjoying It Less) (mono single version) (02:25) 20 Get Me to the World on Time (mono single version) (02:35) 21 Vox Wah-Wah Pedal Radio Spot (01:02) 1 The Great Banana Hoax (04:09) 2 Children of Rain (02:37) 3 Wind-Up Toys (02:26) 4 Antique Doll (03:13) 5 Its Not Fair (02:04) 6 I Happen to Love You (03:19) 7 Dr. Do Good (02:26) 8 I (05:14) 9 Hideaway (02:42) 10 Big City (02:46) 11 Captain Glory (02:14) 12 Long Days Flight (03:15) 13 Everybody Knows (Youre Not in Love) (03:07) 14 You Never Had It Better (02:10) 15 Shadows (02:22) 16 Dr. Do Good (mono single version) (02:32) 17 Hideaway (mono single version) (02:47) 18 Wind-Up Toys (mono single version) (02:31) 19 The Great Banana Hoax (alternate version) (03:21) 20 Long Days Flight (mono single version) (03:55) |
| Too Much to Dream, Original Group Recordings: Reprise 1966-1967 : Allmusic album Review : For a band that scored two major hit singles in their first year as recording artists, the Electric Prunes were given precious little respect by their record label, Reprise Records; the group was allowed to perform a mere two original tunes on their debut album I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), and when their second, Underground, didnt sell, they became glorified session men under composer and arranger David Axelrod on Mass in F Minor. When the Prunes couldnt play Axelrods charts to his satisfaction, they were replaced by session men, and the original bandmembers werent even invited to participate on two "Electric Prunes" albums later released by Reprise, Release of an Oath and Just Good Old Rock and Roll. Despite it all, the Electric Prunes best work is still the stuff of legend among garage rock enthusiasts, and with good reason -- the freaked-out, fuzz-enhanced guitar lineup of Ken Williams, Jim Lowe and Weasel Spagnola created a wild and distinctive sound most of their peers would envy, and they fused the energy of the garage generation and the sonic experimentation of the burgeoning psychedelic scene with a skill few have matched before or since. Reprise finally gives the genuine Electric Prunes the tribute they deserve with Too Much to Dream -- Original Group Recordings: Reprise 1966-1967, a two-disc set that features the albums I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) and Underground in their entirety, as well as handful of non-LP singles, unreleased tracks and monophonic mixes. Disc one, featuring the debut album, is more enjoyable, featuring the groups biggest hits and most memorable tunes, but Underground suggests the real tragedy that the Prunes were not allowed to follow their own muse in the studio again -- the group sounds tighter, more creatively unified and more mature on Underground, and its not hard to imagine they could have had several more fine albums in them if theyd had the chance to chart their own path. As it is, this set collects some superb and atypical 60s garage stuff, the bonus material is solid and intriguing if not always revelatory, Jim Lowe and Mark Tulin tell the bands story in the thick liner booklet, and the Prunes famous radio ad for Vox wah-wah pedals even makes the cut. This is a first-rate anthology from a wildly underrated band, and folks with a jones for mid-60s rock will want to find room for this in their collections. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 11 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2013-08-13 Tracks: 48 Duration: 1:32:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) (02:57) 2 Bangles (02:29) 3 Onie (02:42) 4 Are You Lovin Me More (But Enjoyin It Less) (02:21) 5 Train for Tomorrow (03:00) 6 Sold to the Highest Bidder (02:16) 7 Get Me to the World on Time (02:30) 8 About a Quarter to Nine (02:07) 9 The King Is in the Counting House (02:00) 10 Luvin (02:03) 11 Try Me on for Size (02:19) 12 The Toonerville Trolley (02:34) 1 The Great Banana Hoax (?) 2 Children of Rain (?) 3 Wind-Up Toys (?) 4 Antique Doll (?) 5 Its Not Fair (?) 6 I Happen to Love You (?) 7 Dr. Do-Good (?) 8 I (Who Have Nothing) (?) 9 Hideaway (?) 10 Big City (?) 11 Capt. Glory (?) 12 Long Days Flight (?) 1 Kyrie Eleison (?) 2 Gloria (?) 3 Credo (?) 4 Sanctus (?) 5 Benedictus (?) 6 Agnus Dei (?) 1 Kol Nidre (04:17) 2 Holy Are You (04:09) 3 General Confessional (04:19) 4 Individual Confessional (02:17) 5 Our Father, Our King (03:13) 6 The Adoration (03:51) 7 Closing Hymn (03:07) 1 Sell (03:14) 2 14 Year Old Funk (03:34) 3 Love Grows (04:09) 4 So Many People to Tell (04:01) 5 Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers (03:33) 6 Giant Sunhorse (04:09) 7 Violent Rose (02:44) 8 Thorjon (03:00) 9 Silver Passion Mine (02:54) 10 Tracks (02:45) 11 Sing to Me (03:25) |