Growers of Mushroom [Import]

Leaf Hound | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 16, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: See for Miles UK
• ASIN: B0000011AP
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #785,775 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Freelance Fiend

2. Sad Road to the Sea

3. Drowned My Life in Fear

4. Work My Body

5. Stray

6. With a Mintue to Go

7. Growers of Mushroom

8. Stagnant Pool

9. Sawdust Caesar

10. It's Gonna Get Better [*]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Authentic 1971 Chug, August 28, 2001

By 

El Kabong - See all my reviews

This review is from: Growers of Mushroom (Audio CD)

Don't know if the stoner/retro-heavy bands trying to recapture early-70s riffs 'n' spliffs qualifies as the 'next big thing' these days or not, but if you like that sort of squawk, Leaf Hound - an authentic 1971 slab o' granite - is mandatory listening. Five ugly, hairy, red-eyed Picts, standing in a field of psilocybin, glare at you from the cover, looking for elves and sprites to beat unconscious. Not only did Leaf Hound come from (and return to) nowhere, they were barely here at all: this, their only album, was recorded in eleven grueling hours (shades of BLACK SABBATH, recorded in six!) The resulting cd combines early Sabbath waltzing-brontosaurus tempos with banshee-wail blues chug a la Zeppelin's first two longplayers. And truthfully, GROWERS OF MUSHROOM ain't bad at all. Frontman Pete French (later of Atomic Rooster & Randy Pie) nails the sweat-soaked grittiness of Plant without the peacock feathers; his rock-solid wailing vox really deliver, especially on 'Drowned My Life In Fear'. In fact, Leaf Hound might surprise you as a very credible working-class Zep, though the guitars of Mick Halls & Derek Brooks veer closer to Iommi than Page throughout. Wish I could rhapsodize about the legato work and soaring twin leads, but there aren't any. Leaf Hound just want to bludgeon you, lift your wallet and go drinking: there are worse ways to take a pummelling. 'Freelance Fiend', 'Sawdust Caesar', 'Stray' and the other original tracks (plus two bonus) are crisp, to the point, and devoid of the eccentricities a title like GROWERS OF MUSHROOM would indicate, but despite what seems like a lotta potential negatives, this was, for me, a highly satisfying trip into the Time Tunnel. Meat and potatoes hard rock like it used to be.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Leaf Hound - 'Growers Of Mushrooms' (See For Miles), July 24, 2007

By 

Mike Reed (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Growers of Mushroom (Audio CD)

Originally released in 1971. This was the band's only album they had ever put out. Basically just good old school early '70's British hard rock. Tracks I was most impressed with were "Freelance Friend", "Sad Road To The Sea" (great vocals), "With A Minute To Go" and their previously hard-to-come-by B-side single "It's Going To Get Better". Personnel: Pete French-vocals, Mick Halls & Derek Brooks-guitars, Stuart Brooks-bass and Keith George Young-drums. Just might appeal to some fans of Cactus, Atomic Rooster, Free and Savoy Brown. Check it out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lost Classic, February 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Growers of Mushroom (Audio CD)

This album is killer! Seriously, this is one of the true lost classics of the 70s. If it does sound derivative at times, at least it's derivative of all the right bands. If you're a fan of Zeppelin, the Faces, or Free, you will find yourself mightily impressed by the strength of this album and be left to wonder why in the hell you haven't heard it before now. Viva Leafhound!