Customer Reviews

Love Beads and Meditation

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

 

 

The Lemon Pipers were a band from Oxford, Ohio who formed in late 1965..They released one single that year on a small labell, a song called "Quiet, Please"..It was a regional hit but never made it nationally...

That changed in mid 1966, when Buddah records boss' Kasenetz and Katz signed Ivan and the Sabres to their label, with the stipulation they change their name to the Lemon Pipers..So they did...Although they were given songs to record by outside writers, the band also wrote their own stuff, which , in some cases , actually surpasses the covers..

The album and single "Green Tamborine" were a big hit, top 5 for the single , and top 30 for the album..With it's sitar sounds and good feelings, the song "Green Tamborine" is a 60's classic, from 1968..Highlights of the outside material is "Rainbow Tree", "Blueberry Blue", "Turn Around and Take A Look" (one of my faves!) and "Ask Me If I Care"..The original songs, mostly sung by guitarist Bill Bartlett, are revelations in psychedelic music.."Fifty Year Void" is kinda bluesy and jammish, while the album closer, "Through With You" recalls The Byrds' "Eight Miles High" , only much longer--8 minutes!

The second album, "Jungle Marmalade", was released in late 1968, and in some ways , is a better album": "Jelly Jungle (Of Orange Marmalade") was the single , but only reached the number 47 spot or so on the ationcharts..They even cover the Byrd's song, "Wasn't Born to Follow", which is a little better...Great tracks are "Everything Is You" ( a pretty ballad), "Catch Me Falling", "Love Beads and Meditation" (more great bubble -psych melding), my fave psychedelic number "Wine and Violet" and the mega album ender , the 11 minute rocker medley "Dead End/Half Light"..

Definitely get this collection if you've ever loved late 60's rock...You won't be disappointed..
Note: Great , insightful liner notes and faithful reproductions of both album covers.

Let me start this review by saying that I agree 100% with the previous reviewer. It's plainly obvious that The Lemon Pipers were indeed very talented musicians and songwriters, not a pseudonymous studio project like so many bubblegum and/ or psych records from that era. Loads of snappy/ catchy/ more-than-slightly-Beatles-tinged psychedelic pop goodness going on here. Also, "Through With You" (which closes Green Tambourine/ the first half of the CD) is one hell of a barn-burning fuzz guitar meltdown; especially in context of a "bubblegum" record. Which brings me to the reason I wrote this review. The Lemon Pipers themselves and their music may merit four stars if not five, but the mastering on this thing is HORRENDOUS. By which I mean overblown everything-turned-up-louder-than-everything-else mud, to the point that the backing vocals/ harmony parts- crucial with this kind of thing- are completely obliterated on several songs. The aforementioned "Through With You" is already VERY powerful and fuzzed out- even more so in its original, more-spacious vinyl mix. I love Motorhead too, alright, but The Lemon Pipers are NOT Motorhead and sure didn't need to be "updated" as if they were. So, if y'all will excuse me, I'm off to find Jungle Marmalade on vinyl as well; these two are not particularly expensive or rare records either. PS For us geeks/ nerds, for some reason "Rice Is Nice" is 8 seconds shorter on the CD and misses the song's nice little piano intro. Great stuff, but buyer beware or at least aware.

I often start reviews, especially of singles band, saying the single is not always indicative of the album, but with the Lemon Pipers, "Green Tambrouine" was. That melodic, jaunty pop provided a stark contrast to Dione Warwick and Bobby Goldsboro on 1968 AM radio.


The rest of this album, with some gradations, follows the same idea. Pop or at times baroque pop filled with harpsichord and strings. Some of the later tracks on Love Beads and Medication even delve into garage.

But this is all quality work , and you can't do much better for AM 1960s top 40.