Customer Reviews

Incense and Peppermints [1990 compilation]

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Update- Jan. 2011:

At long last Sundazed has released the original album in its original form. The review I wrote several years ago that appears below is NOT written about this release, but Amazon has repeatedly confused one release with the other. My previous review was written about a COMPILATION disc released by MCA, NOT the Sundazed original album issue. I haven't yet heard the Sundazed release, but if experience is any indication it should be well done, and the original album is a psycho-pop classic. DO buy this one, especially since it's a limited-time release. If you liked the title song, then you'll be pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album. It's very enjoyable, and probably better than anyone expected it to be even at the time. There was a lot of bubble-gum pop at the time geared towards cashing in on the psychedelic craze with pre-teen kids (such as 1910 Fruitgum Company, The Lemon Pipers, The Archies, and others) but this was not one of them, although it's sometimes been thought of in that way. In reality, it's pretty cool. Get it before it's gone! I'd now give it at least 4 stars without even having heard it yet and I'm going to change my rating on this review as such. I'm leaving the original revue because it's still valid in reference to the compilation disc. But come on, Amazon, get your act together on this listing. These are two completely different releases!!

Original review:

I picked up a copy of this CD several years ago in the cutout bins at Tower Records. Since I own an old LP of the original album, I knew in advance exactly what I was getting, but others might be easily mislead. This is NOT the original "Incense And Peppermints" album on CD, despite the identical title and cover art. Several selections from the original LP are included, but by no means all, and some of the better cuts were deleted. That having been said, let me go on to say that it's not my intention to trash this release, as such. Some of the other cuts included here are quite good (if you are even a casual fan of this band, they might even be considered essential) so it actually makes a really nice sampler. But considering the short length of this collection and the total unavailability of the original album (other than a Japanese import which, like all Japanese import CDs, is ridiculously overpriced) I am at a total loss to understand why MCA chose not to reissue the complete album and add the other selections as bonus cuts. In that respect, this release, despite its low price, is a major disappointment.

The reviews attached to this product are reviews for an inferior sac cd compilation released by MCA that was a best of album under the same name, Incense and Peppermints.
This is a NEW release by Sundazed.
This is the SAC's first album remastered from the original tapes.
This is the first U.S. release of this album in cd form.
All the reviews below don't apply.
This is a classic 60's album that can now be sonically enjoyed.

I first discovered this group in 1991, during my junior year in high school. After lending my only copy out, I was so happy I could get another @ amazon.com!!!!! They were legends in their own right.....a total experience by themselves!!!! With the renewed interest in 60's music (thanks Austin Powers) I fully expect them to get the recognition they deserve.

This CD really is great. It has classic music from the sixties. Strawberry Alarm Clock wasn't just a one-hit wonder band. Their music is groovy. In fact, I find it very entertaining and clever. Here's why: though they were a band from the sixties, Strawberry Alarm Clock's music sounded like a parody or stereotypical retrospective of the sixties. This didn't make my experience worse, but better. Contains a few underpraised gems. Listen with an open mind and enjoy an excellent compilation of the Strawberry Alarm Clock's music.

Check out http://www.rockinworld.com/

You can get this CD for 15.00 US. And find many very rare CD's you may be looking for.

As for this CD, I love it.

This is a compilation, but the original Incense and Peppermints album was really revolutinary for the time. I will date myself now, but I remember hearing this song on the radio in our car and was mesmerized by it. It was the first Lp I had ever bought. I actually wore out the groves on the Lp and came across another a few years ago. To this day, almost 40 years after I first heard the Strawberry Alarm Clock, I still like Incense and Peppermints as well as their other songs. Their style ranges from acid rock to jazz. The musicians are all very talented and the band works as a team as opposed to many of the bands of the era. Their recordings are really high quality and certainly not over processed like a lot of today's music is. SAC was in an era where 60's music was in transition from the early Beatles and old time R&R sound to a more acid rock sound. Lyrics like 'tune in, turn on, turn your eyes around.. look at yourself' were typical of SAC's lyrical style as well as the thinking of the times. It was an odd time. On one side, we had Woodstock, mini-skirts, muscle cars and fun fun fun, But, on the dark side, there were civil rights problems and the Viet Nam war. This transitional period was a kind of awakening for the country and for music. Although not as popular as names like the Doors, Jefferson Airplane and Steppenwolf, the Strawberry Alarm Clock still had a huge following. My only regret is that I didn't get a chance to see them (or the Doors!) when they came to the city where I lived during the late 60's. This album is a nice compilation of SAC's hits. The songs are as fresh and original sounding as they were almost 40 years ago.

Strawberry Alarmclock is a awesome band. So what if they are not a longevity band like the Rolling Stones. All great things go out good and don't linger and SAC is no exception to that rule. Does anybody realize how much instamenal talent and innovation these guys had as teenagers! Ed King 17, Greg Munford 16! Compared to the garbage, popy, power chord crap that teen bands are playing today, SAC are an amazing bunch of kids playing great music in great time. Get their CD's, all of them if possible, every song is great listening.

I resent the assertion that one has to be on drugs to enjoy the Strawberry Alarm Clock (you have to be on drugs to listen to some of that new wave crap from the '80's). I'm not on drugs and I thoroughly enjoy the Alarm Clock.

Yeah, anyone who knows is well aware that SAC's songs were about drugs and hippiness but they're still popular nearly 40 years after the fact. To compare them, a two or three hit wonder band (at best), to music giants such as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones is the equivalent of comparing apples to oranges.

SAC did damn good jobs for being in their teens when this was released.

It's a whole lot more than can be said about the garbage churned out since then.

1967 was THE year of psychedelia. That's when this album was released. "Incense and Peppermints" is a very good album in my opinion. It has a very good psychedelic vibe. Besides the title track, songs like "Tomorrow", "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow" and "Sit With the Guru" were a couple of my favorites. I wish it were a little longer, because I really do think it's a great album. ...

THIS IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL PSYCHEDELIC MASTERPIECE FROM 1967 THAT CAPTURES THE MUSIC, ART, FASHION AND SUBJECT MATTER OF THE "PSYCHEDELIC RENAISSANCE" AT IT'S PEAK. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE 2 COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL ALBUM (ONE STILL SEALED), I HAD TO PICK UP THIS IMPORT ON CD JUST FOR THE GREAT SONG "LOSE TO LIVE" WHICH HAS BEEN DELIBERATELY OMITTED FROM EVERY COMPILATION OF THE S.A.C. EVERY TUNE ON THIS ALBUM IS WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION! THE ORGAN TRACK TO "INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS" WAS PLAYED ON A FARFISA, NOT A VOX SUPER CONTINENTAL WHICH IS WHAT YOU USUALLY SEE MARK PLAYING ON OLD VIDEO CLIPS. EVEN THOUGH THE S.A.C WERE INFLUENCED BY THE BEACH BOYS, THE BEACH BOY DUDES COULD NOT MIRROR WHAT THE S.A.C WERE ABOUT! AS FOR THE IMPORT CD OF INCENSE & PEPPERMINTS, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE LYRICS INCLUDED IN THE INSERT AND THESE JAPANESE IMPORTS HAVE INCORRECT AND SOMETIMES ASININE INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT "THEY" THINK THE LYRICS ARE. THEY DO A SUPERB JOB IN THE SOUND REPRODUCTION AND PACKAGING, BUT THEY ARE FOOLISH AS TO NOT GO THE EXTRA MILE TO OBTAIN THE CORRECT LYRICS TO THESE SONGS FROM THE PUBLISHER. A DOMESTIC CD REISSUE, FAITHFUL TO THE ORIGINAL ALBUM, ON UNI/MCA WOULD BE IDEAL, BUT IT WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE ISSUED HERE. IMPORTS ARE IMPORTS FOR A REASON. WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE TOP 10 U.S PSYCH LP'S RELEASED BACK IN 67'.