Customer Reviews

California

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Often, when bands get back together after many years apart, they find that the old magic somehow eludes them. They become little more than a sad nostalgia-fest. But not so the Prunes! With the "California" CD, they somehow take that old 60s/psychedelic/punk/surf thing they did so well and bring it into the 21st century. It really is like they never split up in the first place!

Honestly, there is not a weak cut on this record. But, that said, I do, of course, have my favorites: "Slideshow Charade" with its bizzare harmonies effectively sets the 60s-never-ended-and-they're-still-great tone; "Pacific Ocean Blue" is a delightful paean to the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson, with an intriguing musical/melodic structure; "Rewired" (great pun) is terrific riff rock; "Tidal Wave" with its infectuous melody and guitar hooks simply demands radio play (programmers please take note). It's all here: the distorted stratocasters; wammy bars; tremolo; engaging, flowery lyrics; and plain old---if I may use the phrase---innocent fun.

The Electric Prunes have pulled off the nearly impossible: they have managed to preserve and update their sound to make it even better and more original than the music they first made together all those years ago.

If you happen to run into them somewhere, please give them a hearty thanks and handshake for me.

The Electric Prunes were among the few truly innovative bands from the 60's garage and psychedelic eras. Their music sounds like no others, and it comes as no surprise to hear a new record full of surprises.

The Prunes play with wisdom and experience, with a deeply youthful attitude. To me, that's the difference...They honor their glory days, yet they don't appear to be trapped in time. Maturity has served them well, and it's allowed them to create an interesting, inspired album that contains a surprise around every corner.

ROSY MADE ME CRAZY is my current favorite.

Expect the unexpected on this recording.

Just remember...This ain't no revival act. This is rock and roll at it finest.

If you like the Prunes this is a MUST in your collection. The whole cd floats like ocean waves. The music is so fantasic, the songs are amazing. The song "I never knew what you wanted" is worth the price alone................A true classic, just like their 3 first albums!!!!!

Moby Grapist Peter Lewis' voice may have lost a bit of its edge, but his chops are still solidly in the sixties. SLIDESHOW CHARADE is the album's standout track. Other excellent cuts are PACIFIC OCEAN BLUE, an ode to surfing and the Beach Boys, and the group's tribute to the Byrds THE RICKENBACKER 12 STRING. An excellent Psychedelic/garage flavored album that would have fit seemlessly as an August, 1967 release. Hopefully, there are more jems of this ilk to follow.

I always hoped for a reunion of the Electric Prunes, but never expected it to happen. After the ecstatic shock wore off, when I heard they were back, I worried that like most bands they would comeback in a vain attempt to either resell their old stuff, or make music to fit into the current commercial trend. Wow, what a happy surprise. They came back more psychedelic than ever. Old prune albums had a few great songs on them and then some failed experiments. This album is solidly great all the way thru. They merely picked up where they left off and went a few steps further. I always wondered what they could have done if only they stayed together. Well here it is at last. I especially like the songs Rewired and Cinema Verite, which is kind of a spooky tune. I hope they contunue to experiment and go further out there where no band has gone before. I believe many of these songs could have been hit singles back in the day. I hope in the future they forget the psychedelic pop idea and launch into epic voyages of mental transmutation, transformation; you get it, real psychedelic adventures. If you like the Electric Prunes or psychedelic music at all, then you really need to get this album. If you never heard psychedelic music this is the perfect place to start. It is a real treat, a masterpiece.

A worthy 2004 Electric Prunes release. Thirty-seven light years after the initial pressing of their late '60's debut lp 'I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night', it's evident with 'California' that with three original members - vocalist James Lowe, guitarist Ken Williams and bassist Mark Tulin (R.I.P.) hasn't lost much (if any) of their magic at all. Tracks that make this latter day Prunes CD a keeper are "49 Songs", "I Never Knew What You Wanted", their Tom Petty cover "Makin' Some Noise", the rocking "Pacific Ocean Blue", "Running With Scissors" (definitely has a '60's vibe to it) and "The Rickenbacker 12 String". Wanted to mention that when this disc first came out, I remember reading in some 'zine review that 'California' had reminded that specific critic a lot of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. I can see that.

It was great to hear the familiar sound that the Electric Prunes had in the 60's. Yes, the voices have changed. Age does that. But the quality of their voices has not deteriorated. The freshness of the songs combined with the old sound just kind of takes you back again to when you heard "Too Much to Dream" and "Kyrie Elaison" for the first time. That signature psychedlic sound is still there and it's great to hear.