Details for The Electric Prunes - First Four Albums [VINYL]
Here are the first four Electric Prunes albums:
The Electric Prunes [1967]
Underground [1967]
Mass in F Minor [1968]
Release of an Oath [1968]
The first two albums are the original band doing what they did best...good psychedelic rock. These two albums showcase why the Prunes are held in such high regard by people who love 60s psychedelic music. The first two records are absolutely essential five-star albums. If you don't have the attention span to listen to the whole albums, highlights from the first two records include:
I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)
Onie
Are You Lovin' Me More (But Enjoying It Less)
Get Me to the World on Time
About a Quarter to Nine
Try Me On for Size
Luvin'
The Great Banana Hoax
Wind-Up Toys
I Happen to Love You
I
Long Day's Flight
The next two records are, for all intents and purposes, the Electric Prunes in name only, yet quite possibly more interesting than the first two records put out by the actual Prunes.
"Mass in F Minor" and "Release of an Oath" are both religious ceremonies put to psychedelic rock with lots of acid guitar, echo, and other facets of the genre. Both albums were composed by David Axelrod, a cult hero among lovers of classical-oriented rock 'n' roll.
The original Electric Prunes appear in voice throughout the whole "Mass in F Minor" album, but only play their instruments on the first three tracks. The last three tracks were done by session musicians because the band weren't very adept at reading musical scores.
After the release of "Mass in F Minor", the band went on a short tour that saw them attempt to perform "Mass in F Minor" on stage. They tried once, failed miserably, and ended up breaking up after the tour.
Since they still owed two albums to Reprise Records, producer David Hassinger (who owned the legal rights to the band's name at that time) decided to put together a new band of Electric Prunes with no original members at all. This is the band that appears on "Release of an Oath" and the fifth album, 1969's "Just Good Old Rock 'n' Roll" (not included here because it wasn't reissued on LP like the other four albums, and I haven't bought the CD yet). Though there were no original members, "Release of an Oath" demands attention since it's basically "Mass in F Minor Part II" and is equally as good.
Definitely start with the "The Electric Prunes" and "Underground", then enjoy "Mass in F Minor" and "Release of an Oath" for the psychedelic masterpieces that they are. Keep in mind also, the lyrics to "Mass in F Minor" are completely in Latin as was common in Catholic masses in the 1960s.
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