Customer Reviews

Gandalf

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

 

 

GANDALF is possibly the rarest album on the Capitol label and sought after in any condition by record collectors. Originally released in 1968, reissued by Capitol on vinyl in the 90's, but they never issued it on CD (why not?). The British See For Miles label reissued it first on CD and now this Sundazed release. As with all Sundazed reissues the sound quality is excellent (considering source tapes), remastered by master reissue guru/producer Bob Irwin. This is a wonderful album, not overproduced, but with a dreamy, laid back vibe and a velvet landscape with a feminine essence that's hard to describe. If you've done hallucinogenics then you know what I'm talking about. The vocals are one of the highlights. Very soft and articulate vocals drenched in reverb and sometimes echo out, but with a tone that reminds me of SRC (Scott Richardson Case). What's with William the Hobbit below who said "it sounds like one of The Bee Gees, you can't make out what the singer is saying and non-melodic"?? This review is totally incorrect! Anyway, the standout tracks are: Golden Earring, Hang On To A Dream, Can You Travel In The Dark Alone, Nature Boy and Watch The Moon. Give Tiffany Rings a good listen too, a nice little dreamy psych pop tune. There is some decent Hammond B3 work and Peter Sando's guitar work has it moments also with some nice fuzz and power chords that gives GANDALF a heavy psych sound at times. There are over a dozen psychedelic gems on the Capitol label that were never reissued by Capitol on CD and GANDALF is one of the top 5 of them. However, Capitol did reissue Quicksilver Mess. Serv., Mad River's Paradise Bar & Grill and People I Love You. This Sundazed reissue is the next best thing along with the Capitol vinyl reissue if you cannot find or afford a vg+ or near mint original which can fetch anywhere from $250 to $600 dollars on auctions and private lists. Relax and let the music flow through you with or without any altered stimulation of the senses. Enjoy.

Is it just coincidence that this obscure late 60's psych band's catalog is being reissued on CD at the same point in time that the "Lord Of The Rings" film trilogy is ramped up and fresh in everyone's mind? Oh, perhaps.(Maybe we'll finally get that Wizzard box set!) Cynicism aside, fans of the sitar and the lava lamp will probably get a kick out of Gandalf's debut, nicely packaged and remastered by the collector-friendly Sundazed label. The arrangements are (of course) a tad "dated" and chock full of the requisite cosmic peace love and acid lyrics, but it should please collectors of the genre. The band's sound falls somewhere between "A Question Of Balance" era Moody Blues and say, oh, early Bubble Puppy, with maybe a dash of the Association here and there. Not essential, but quite listenable.

Many obscure albums are obscure for a reason and never come close to living up to the underground hype. Happily, that is not the case with this album. This is a very well done album. It is nicely composed and arranged, and performed, with nice singing. It is pretty mellow with a lot of organ for the most part, though "Never Too Far" is a nice blast of fuzzy-guitar psych. The album has a better than average stereo sound for the era. The "trippy" studio effects are used tastefully and contribute to a pleasantly hazy, dreamlike vibe. I think it's one of the best obscure albums of the era. Highly recommended for psych, baroque pop, and 60's fans.

this isn't a bad early psych release at all. if you like early psych groups like h.p. lovecraft, then you'll probably like this. there are too many cover tunes for my taste, but i like tim hardin's stuff, and gandalf does a good job with them. i have no idea what the previous reviewer is talking about not hearing the lyrics. i've heard this cd in my car and home, and can hear all the lyrics fine. listen to the samplings of the songs. if you like what you hear, then you probably will go for the full cd. there are lots of used copies to get if you are interested.

Originally released in 1968, as this was the obscure psych pop band's only actual lp. Sundazed has lots of cool releases like this one, where they reissue on CD - some completely unheard of band from many daze gone by. Like what I'm hearing here - especially tunes like their Tim Hardin's (another little-known artist) cover "Hang On To A Dream", the catchy "Scarlet Ribbons", "Can You Travel In The Dark Alone", "Me About You" and "I Watch The Moon". Line-up: Peter Sando - guitar & vocals, Bob Muller - bass & vocals, Frank Hubach - keyboards and Dave Bauer - drums. Might appeal to fans of The Millennium, Sagittarius, the Byrds and Left Banke and quite possibly The Zombies.

This is much better than I thought it wa going to be. Kind of like the Zombies but unique. Psychedelic but not wierd. Excellent release and well mastered by Sundazed. Highly recommended.

If you dig The Zombies' "Odessey and Oracle" then I would say that this is a must buy! Great melodic psych.
Three Tim Hardin covers, and a moody Hammond/keyboard drenched tone give this a definite "lost classic" mood. I know that is an overused term, but I think it applies here. Ignore (for lack of a cleaner term) that guy with the "hobbit" comment. Definitely no "wizard"-type lyric content here. Just GREAT stuff, without pretense.

A spacier Zombies with lots of trippy organ. The singer sounded like a cross between Colin Blunstone and Alex Chilton!

I loved the album. I you like 1960's folk rock you will like Gandalf.

En 1.964 se hacían llamar Thunderbyrds. Más tarde, a finales del 66 y principios del 67, asimilada la influencia de la invasión británica y las drogas psicodélicas, se hicieron habituales en el circuito de bolos del Village con el nombre The Raghoos, para ser al fin descubiertos, a raiz de una versión de un viejo éxito de Peggy Lee, Golden Earrings, por los productores de Lovin' Spoonful y Sopwith Camel, Charlie Koppelman y Don Rubin, que les brindaron la oportunidad de grabar un LP con la condición de que sonaran como en Golden Earrings y cambiaran su nombre. Así nace Gandalf y este, su album homónimo, primero y último. Grabado a fines del 67, fue finalmente editado a principios del 69. El resultado promete (la portada es maravillosa) más de lo que da y aun así, no deja de ser un buen disco de su época: Hammond B3, fuzz y feedback, voz etérea...Según Peter Sando, el líder, guitarra y voz de Gandalf, un cruce entre las Ronettes y Procol Harum. Por cierto, Sando siempre aseguró que el grupo sonaba mucho mejor y más duro en directo, y se mostró abiertamente contrario a las mezclas finales de las que el grupo fue excluido.