Customer Reviews

Supersnazz

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

 

 

The Flamin' Groovies major label debut, the already-old school rock & roll of Supersnazz entered the 1969 San Francisco pyschedelic milieu like a trouser cough in a crowded elevator. At the time, the Groovies' brand of trashy R&B revisionism was considered closer to the cheap nostalgia of Sha Na Na than the rock-as-art zeitgeist. But time, it turns out, was on their side. Supersnazz is a fine document of Nuggets-era garage rock, its only flaw being that the sound was cleaned and polished by the record company to within an inch of its life. Subsequent releases would see the Groovies correcting that mistake with gusto.

For me, Supersnazz, is still my favorite Flamin' Groovies LP. I know Flamingo and Teenage Head among others are supposed to be rated over it, but not for me. It's one of my favorite LPs from the late 60's/early 70's. Some albums have a unique sound -- Sunflower by The Beach Boys is one that comes to mind. The production gives the album a life of it's own. There is something about the songs, the smoothness of the acoustic and electric instrument sound with added weirdo touches -- and yet it still rocks and is a lot of fun. I particularly like Around the Corner (another Beach Boys reference point) and The Girl Can't Help It. Oh yeah, the album cover's a lot of fun too.

I saw this band in a small venue, The Old Mill in SLC, UT, in the sixties or early seventies. It was like a private Stones concert. It was one of the best concerts I ever saw and still remember it to this day. I went right out and bought this album. It is not a lot like the concert but still quite good. They have a "best of" album also.