what Frank is listening to #6 – GRASS ROOTS – Lovin' Things – (Dunhill) – 1969
I'm really keen to listen to this (notwithstanding its been sitting in "the pile behind me" for over a year). You may ask "why are you keen to listen to a MOR vocal folk rock pop group from the 60s, Frank?"…. well I like 60s pop but more importantly P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri (writers and producers) were behind the creation of the group. And, both of them are minor geniuses, even though at the time they were in their early to mid 20s!
On top of that any group that's trying to be a MOR version of "The Byrds" can't be all bad.
Sloan was actually the vocalist on the first few singles as no "Grass Roots" actually existed … when they had hits the present band was found and they became "The Grass Roots", and the hits kept coming through to the mid 70s.
By the time of this LP P.F. Sloan was on his way out – there are only three compositions of his but two of them are killers ….
I have a couple of P.F. Sloan albums and he can be patchy but he does have the song writing knack … he wrote the immortal "Eve of Destruction" which was a hit for Barry McGuire in 1965. If you haven't heard that track or listened to the lyrics, then do so … the lyrics are still relevant (and perceptive).
The tracks here all work as big pop sounds. "Lovin Things" for Spector like pop, "The River is Wide" for folky pop, "City Women" for reflective pop and "Days of Pearly Spencer" for crazy baroque pop.
In fact Steve Barri's big sounding production probably makes the LP sound better than it is … and it doesn't hurt that the session muscians include Larry Knetcher, Hal Blaine, Mike Deasy, Jon Osborn (who had all worked with Elvis in the 60s).
I notice the horns are arranged by Jimmy Haskell. Haskell is a bit of a legendary composer and arranger and has worked with two great acts, recently in 2008 … Jose Feliciano and the Pope. He conducted the orchestra accompanying Jose Feliciano while performing at the Concert of Hope for Pope Benedict XVI at NYC. He has also worked with Elvis, Simon and Garfunkel, Bobbie Gentry, Foreigner, The Four Tops, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Fats Domino, The Doobie Brothers, Billy Joel, B.B. King, The Bee Gees, Blondie, Glen Campbell, The Lettermen, Ricky Nelson, and Steely Dan. He also composed scores for dozens of films … mainly Made for TV crap but also some good uns …"Hard Country", "Night of the Lepus", "The Honkers" , "Wild on the Beach", "Surf Party" , "The Gun Hawk".
The music on this album works and its pretty slick but I like slick. I know this band not only actively mined MOR but they had no desire to go outside of it. They are harder than "The Turtles" (when they were MOR) and are significantly harder than the "Mamas and the Papas" (though without the "cred", oddly). If they went outside their sound they would sound like a watered down "Beau Brummels". As it turns out they would move closer to Bread territory, though not as bad, to my ears (that's not to say "Bread" didn't have some good tracks).
I suspect this LP will be (slightly grudgingly – as I am trying to curb my collection) added to the collection … file it alongside Jake Holmes, late 60s Hollies, Bergen White, late 60s Bob Lind for over the top big sounding pop …
Oh …and the guitarist went on to manage "Quiet Riot"!
A good review of the LP
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jifexqu5ldae
Here are the singles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCkPm7Oq4iE&feature=PlayList&p=F2503FB1821372DD&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqeqgLOkc9U
I have to slip in the magnificent "Eve of Destruction" by PF Sloan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8SfiCnwF28
(originally posted: 14/04/2009)
