The Peanut Butter Conspiracy - I & II (1967-68) - Reissue on 1 CD
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Album: THE PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY - The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading / The Great Conspiracy
Released: 1967 - 1968 (1999 Reissue)
Collectables COL CD 6096
Genre: Hippie - Psych Rock
AMG Review by Lindsay Planer
The Great Conspiracy (1968) — the second long-player from the Los Angeles-based Peanut Butter Conspiracy — was much more of a reflection of their live sound as compared to their debut effort, the pop-driven Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading (1967). The quintet was literally born circa 1964 out of the Ashes, another burgeoning L.A. rock combo whose personnel featured soon-to-be Jefferson Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden. After solidifying the lineup of Lance Fent (guitar), Jim Voight (drums), Al Brackett (bass), John Merrill (guitar), and Barbara "Sandi" Robinson (vocals), they inked a deal with Columbia Records, which assigned staff producer Gary Usher to work with them. His well-meaning but over the top production style diffused the band, which came off sounding more like the Mamas & the Papas than the Jefferson Airplane or It's a Beautiful Day — both of whom also sported female lead singers. However, by the time of this release the Conspiracy were sonically asserting themselves with a decidedly hipper approach. This is especially evident on the stretched-out and psychedelic "Too Many Do" and the deliciously trippy "Ecstasy" — which sports frenzied and wiry fretwork similar to that of Quicksilver Messenger Service string man John Cipollina. Equally inspired are "Lonely Leaf" and the somewhat paranoid and darkly guilded "Time Is After You." These contrast the somewhat ersatz hippie fodder "Turn on a Friend (To the Good Life)," the 38-second throwaway "Invasion of the Poppy People," or the simply wretched "Captain Sandwich." In 2000 the Collectables reissue label coupled both Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading and The Great Conspiracy on a single CD. Also included are the 45-rpm sides "I'm a Fool" and "It's So Hard" as well as the previously unissued track "Peter Pan."
The Peanut Butter Conspiracy Is Spreading
1 It's a Happening Thing 2:26
2 Then Came Love 3:44
3 Twice Is Life 2:50
4 Second Hand Man 3:26
5 You Can't Be Found 2:47
6 Why Did I Get So High 2:10
7 Dark on You Now 2:21
8 The Market Place 4:04
9 You Should Know 2:12
10 The Most up Till Now 2:36
11 You Took Too Much 2:09
The Great Conspiracy
12 Turn on a Friend (To the Good Life) 2:21
13 Lonely Leaf 3:53
14 Pleasure 3:26
15 Too Many Do 6:34
16 Living, Loving Life 3:20
17 Invasion of the Poppy People 0:40
18 Captain Sandwich 2:10
19 Living Dream 4:20
20 Ecstasy 6:19
21 Time Is After You 3:04
22 Wonderment 4:12
Bonus Tracks
23 I'm a Fool 2:36
24 It's So Hard 2:33
25 Peter Pan 3:18
|
