Search - Ultimate Spinach, Orpheus, Earth Opera :: Bosstown Sound 1968 The Music & The Time

Wonderful retrospective

Sean M. Kelly | Portland, Oregon United States | 04/27/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd is a glorious find and (re)introduces the world to the so-called "Bosstown" sound.While LA, (Love, the Doors, Seeds, Standells, etc) San Francisco, (Jefferson Airplane, Moby Grape, Grateful Dead, It's a Beautiful Day, etc) and New York (Blues Magoos, Fugs, Velvet Underground) all had well-established "scenes" that produced hit records in the mid-late 1960's, Boston, too, thrived with its own disctict scene. Garage acts, such as the Barbarians, the Remains, and Teddy & the Pandas, produced national hits in the mid 60's. As was common in most parts of the country, garage sounds melded into pstchedelia as the 60's progressed. From it came the so-called "Bosstown Sound."The "Bosstown Sound" emerged from clubs and dancehalls, such as the famed Boston Tea Party (where the Velvet Undrground ca. 1969-70 made frequent visits, and the original Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green, would play their last concerts together in 1970- both acts have recorded material from the Tea Party), the Ark, Club 47, the Psychedelic Supermarket, and the Crosstown Bus. The bands were as unique as their names- the Ultimate Spinach. The Beacon Street Union. Freeborne. Earth Opera (which featured mandolin legend David Grisman) Phulph. Of these acts, the Ultimate Spinach and Beacon Street Union both made popular lps ("Ultimate Spinach," and "The Eyes of the Beacon Street Union"), while all the acts made memorable lps ("Phulph" is well worth seeking out- filled with great organ and guitar work) and catchy singles, which is where this collection comes in.Like most big cities, Boston's scene offered wonderful variety, from the great blues covers by Apple Pie Motherhood Band, to baroque stylings of the Ultimate Spinach, to folksy leanings of Earth Opera. While the Ultimate Spinach, Ill Wind, Earth Opera, Lost, and Orpheus have tracks on various 60's underground compilations, many of these bands are seeing the light of day for the 1st time on cd, such as Puff, (their "Go With You" is a catchy number) Bagatelle, (featuring the superb, meaty "Everybody Knows") and the Rockin' Ramrods. This 2 cd set is hard to find, but if you do find it, snatch it up. It's a wonderful look at some very interesting psychedelia. Avid collectors will enjoy it."