what Frank is listening to #36 – THE ILLUSION – If it's So – (Steed) – 1970
I knew who "The Illusion" were. Years ago I picked up their first album …and I still have it. I haven't listened to that first LP in quite a while but I remember liking it though not necessarily drooling over it. So when I found this (their third album) I had to get it … though I would have anyway – the cover art was good and it was $1…
"The Illusion" were a East Coast (Long Island) guitar based psychedelic heavy rock act. They played musically in the same scene as the "Vanilla Fudge" and the "Young Rascals" and like them shared Italian-American roots … they were kids from the same neighbourhood who came together to form a band (in the US in those days, and still now to an extent I suppose, the chances were that neighbourhoods would be of similar ancestry or cultural extraction).
What da ya reckon?:
- John Vinci – vocals
- Ritchie Cerniglia – guitar
- Mike Maniscalco – keyboards
- Chuck Adler / Scott Morgan – bass
- Mike Ricciardella – drums
Why are bass players the odd men out ? (ha ha)
Their website has all the bio you will need:
Check out the photos there for the spectacular "threads".
This album follows the same path of the first LP (1969) from memory it is perhaps a little heavier. Regardless of how heavy they got though, melody and rhythm were still dominant. There is still a fair amount of "blue eyed soul", al la Mitch Ryder, in here also (not as much as the first LP) – maybe they never forgot they were originally a rock "dance band". They come across like "Iron Butterfly" or "Steppenwolf" and they compare favourably though they never had the one big hit like those bands.
Best tracks:
- The first track "Man" has enough "swagger" for the whole album and works up a nice groove.
- "Collection" is straight ahead heavy psychedelic song as is "If it's So" … they have done the "songs running into and overlapping each other thing" which I hate though the whole second side is solid and works as a "suite".
the album is produced by Jeff Barry who is a legend and certainly knew how to hi-lite a bands good points:
Like a lot of psychedelic albums the sound is very much of its time … but hey … so what … I'm keeping this one.
Sound:
"Man"
"Collection"
attached (though this attachment is slightly shorter than on record cause I cant figure out where it finishes!)
From the first album:
myspace site:
it scrolls up and down and sideways (don't do drugs before going to the site … or maybe do ?)
the bassist's site:
(originally posted: 27/05/2009)
