Amboy Dukes [Import]

The Amboy Dukes | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 21, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sunrise
• ASIN: B00006C713
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #447,171 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Won Sin. 2004.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Heavy Michigan garage rock circa 1967, May 6, 2007

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Amboy Dukes (Audio CD)

The Michigan-based Amboy Dukes are better known for their second LP "Journey to the Center of the Mind," and as the incubator for the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent, than for this 1967 debut. Still, the band's calling card, a hammering, guitar-driven cover of Big Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go" is here, and though Nugent neither wrote or sang lead, his ferocious playing was quite dominant. His talent elevated this beyond that of a garage band still learning their instruments, and like other Michigan bands (MC5, Stooges, Grand Funk), the Dukes were loud and heavy. No tinny Sears guitars or whining Farfisa organs here.

At times the band's attack was muted by Steve Farmer's hippie lyrics and some of-the-era instrumental touches like the sitar on "Psalms of the Aftermath." Perhaps this was meant to provide balance, as "Psalms" appeared as the B-side of "Baby Please Don't Go." Nugent would eventually take a virulently anti-drug stance, but not before cooking up the music to back Farmer's lysergic lyrics on songs like "Colors." John Drake was an adequate front man, but more impressive are the band's harmonies, particularly in covering The Who's "It's Not True."

The album's eleven original tracks are complemented by two bonuses on this CD, "J.B. Special" and "Sobbin' in My Mug of Beer." The former is reputed to have been considered as a single, and its fully-finished production with Nugent's guitar buzzing over a boogaloo beat is worth hearing; the latter sounds like a garage recording, with a tinny guitar and a lyric that sounds like a placeholder. Fans of Nugent's solo work may not find this sufficiently gonzo, but those who like garage rock (and the Dukes better known second LP) should give this a spin. [©2007 hyperbolium dot com]

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not quite..., December 27, 2006

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50 "mksonic50" (hermitage, pa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amboy Dukes (Audio CD)

I hate to disagree with Mr. Tammaro, but this does NOT contain the first two Amboy Dukes albums: it's their first album plus a previously unreleased song tacked on at the end. Also, of their three Mainstream releases, this is by far the weakest. If you want to hear some great Amboy Dukes music, get "Journey..." or "Migration" or the flawed but still very good "Loaded for Bear" best-of anthology.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Album From Amboy Dukes, February 4, 2011

By 

Blabberless (In the world somewhere) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amboy Dukes (Audio CD)

First off, I don't know what planet Rich Tammaro is on, but it certainly isn't Earth. This isn't a CDROM, and it isn't the first 2 Amboy albums. It is the first Amboys album with a couple bonus tracks. The sound quality is great and so is the music. Anyone into late 60s heavy rock should own this!