Overlooked, abandoned, forgotten - and WOW!
Andy Agree | Omaha, NE | 02/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Congratulations! You have found Eternity's Children. If you're like me, it took you a long journey and a sense of adventure to get here. I was 14 during a vacation on the Florida Gulf Coast in the summer of '68, when the glorious "Mrs. Bluebird", with its beautiful harmonies, pulsing organ-driven rhythm, and psychedelic guitar-bending was getting a lot of local radio play. I made a mental note to buy the record when I returned home, but there was no such record available. I couldn't even remember the band's name. None of my friends had ever heard of the song and neither had anyone in the record stores. It was as if I had just imagined it...for 37 years! But the internet is a wonderful thing, and a search including the words "bluebird" and "psychedelic" brought me to the website psychedelicado.com where I found a blog devoted to a band called Eternity's Children. As I now understand, it was no coincidence that I heard this band on the Gulf Coast. They're from Mississippi and played the coast club scene for several years, building quite a following. "Mrs. Bluebird", which should have been their breakout, unfortunately was denied airplay in many major markets, destroying any serious chance it had for the chart success this band so deserved. The psychedelicado blog includes entries from four band members (out of six who served significant time in the band), and many of their old friends who remember their live shows in Biloxi, and Bluebird lovers nationwide.
This disc may be slightly superior to the other major collection of Eternity's Children available on Amazon because it includes earlier and later material that really fleshes out the Children's musical styles over a four year period. Of special note is the standout edgy early track "Can't Put a Thing Over Me" that gives no hint of the sunshine-y style that would dominate their middle period. From song to song you may be reminded of 5th Dimension, early Jefferson Airplane, Joe South, Spanky and Our Gang, or even a hint of Cowsills. The collection is eclectic, and while "Bluebird" is the best song, there are several other standouts, including "Can't Put a Thing Over Me", "Blue Horizon", "Sunshine Among Us", "I Wanna Be With You", and "Alone Again". Other songs like "Look Away" and "Til I Hear It from You" are lifted from good to great by the over-the-top enthusiasm of the performance that will make you smile. Most of the exquisite lead singing (though not on "Bluebird") is by guitarist Charlie Ross - "Alone Again" is his best. "When the World Turns" and "Living is Easy" serve well in showcasing the sultry voice of the lovely Linda Lawley. The remastering is probably responsible for the strong, crisply defined bass sound, but it is not perfect - when the fuzz guitar and voices all come together in "Bluebird" the result is less than full clarity - but it's probably the best we can expect. The CD contains great pictures of the group (check out the one from 1967 - no it's not Jefferson Airplane!) and a lengthy, utterly fascinating history of the band based on recent interviews. Their history includes rubbing shoulders with many other musicians whose names you know, and describes their cameo appearance in the movie "The Graduate". Is this really 5-star music? On balance, maybe not quite, but with the interviews, the pictures, and the joy of discovery and it's a 5-star package that should not be missed."
Track Listings (23) - Disc #1