Search - Flamin Groovies :: Flamin' Groovies Now

Groovies #2 meets the (second) British Invasion

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 06/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having found themselves out of step in psychedelic '60s San Francisco, the Groovies' rootsy blues rock 'n' roll led to some fine wax but little popular acclaim. Lead singer Roy Loney left the band, leaving it in the hands of guitarist Cyril Jordon, who regrouped in England, and in the mid-70s eventually found his way to the Rockfield studio of Dave Edmunds. The initial result was the 1976 album "Shake Some Action," whose retro British Invasion and power-pop sounds found favor among the DIY crowd.



This second effort with Edmunds capitalized on the direction of their first, but added more muscle to the productions. The Groovies dip back into their influences for British Invasion gems from the The Beatles ("There's a Place") and Stones ("Blue Turns to Grey" "Paint it Black"), and a derivative from The Byrds ("Feel a Whole Lot Better," perhaps besting the original). Even rootsier is the Elvis-styled twist on the pre-British Invasion Cliff Richard's hit "Move It," the Chuck Berry-styled cover of "House of Blue Lights," Buddy Holly's "Reminsicing" and a bluesy take on Paul Revere & The Raiders' "Ups and Downs."



All of this is strained effectively through Edmunds studio and production style, which at once captures the soul of early rock 'n' roll, but with an ear that's clearly informed by that which transpired over the genre's first 20 years. The original "Take Me Back," for example, takes in the wistful jangle of The Byrds, but with a middle break that pays homage to The Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby." And "Good Laugh Mun" opens like a Searchers tune and plays out with a "Pet Sounds" styled instrumental at the end.



"Shake Some Action" may have been this version of the Groovies breakthrough to popular notice, but "Now" is the full realization of their retooled vision and sound."

Listening Between the Lines...

squarehawk2 | usa | 03/20/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"...this is an OK album, but rather dulls in comparison to the rest of their catalogue. Dave Edmund's production sounds just a bit too polished on some tracks (although it sounds right at home on "Between the Lines") that may have ben due to the fact that they were on the Sire label at the time. I miss the raw production of the earlier works which I believe would have carried home the great performances.



Despite all this, the remastering is good and it does justice to hear it in "Between the Lines"."

NOW!-that's what I call music!

Edwin Cambricke | New York City | 09/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Groovies' take on "Feel a Whole Lot Better" manages to sound both like a slavish homage to, and an improvement on, the Byrds' original-no mean feat. In fact, the whole set, from the cover of Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Ups and Downs" to the Groovies' own "Good Laugh Mun," is somehow like the best music of the '60s, only better.



Weird but true. No wonder there's a whole Flamin' Groovies cult out there. (Oh, did I mention that Cyril Jordan is God?)"