Customer Reviews

Without Rhyme Or Reason

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The chance to Time Travel - to the real heart of 1968, when visionary musicians dared to "Give A Damn" whether it was commercially viable or not. This pristine marvel, which I'd given up hope of ever hearing again, transcends time, place and the repackaged, nostalgic slot most people identify as "The Sixties".

Like "Sergeant Pepper's...", a conceptual trip through a sophisticated landscape unlike anything of its day - or now, for that matter! The first "side" is all of a piece - thematically connected by the musical framework , blending disparate elements into a seamless trip and exemplary of a time when many artists made music just for the pure joy of it.

Stereo was just being discovered - and Elaine, et al, took this new spatial element to its limits, playfully enhancing music that was already lush and full and innovative. Taken with the sublime "Prescription For The Blues" (from the "Like To Get To Know You" album,) "Mecca Flat Blues" seals Elaine MacFarlaine's spot among the all-time great interpreters of traditional Blues.

This is headphone music at its best! Dive in and be enwrapped in a giddy, emotive, multi-colored soundscape that is singular, joyful and informed by a deeply musical wisdom that sounds so spontaneous - but that was crafted with meticulous wisdom.

I was there - it was amazing then; it remains so. Slipping it on the CD player, with no intro, and watching the amazement sparkle - in the eyes of people 30 years my junior - is a connective and wondrous testament to the power of the 'true' that remains forever alive in all timeless music.

This is one of the greatest (and most under-appreciated) masterpieces of 1968. An eclectic mix of pop/folk/blues/nightclub/humor featuring the sophisticated, innovative production and songwriting talents of Stu Scharf and Bob Dorough, whose arrangements polish the presentation of the Gang's complex vocal harmonies.

Critically deemed, "not earthy enough for '68 hipster values," and quickly lost to the LP cut-out bins, this re-master from VIVID SOUND is a crystalline reproduction of the original that literally scintillates with stunning digital clarity. There is virtually NO evidence of tape hiss! (How did those guys do it in analog '68? Why no one snapped 'em up for their production values when S&OG disbanded remains a mystery to this day.)

This is the S&OG CD to savor! Better than either "Greatest Hits" collection, they blend natural ambient sounds, electronic sonics, and pseudo-"archival" spoken work between the tracks that flow together as no release has done since.

Very much worth the wait for the import to arrive. If you have ever enjoyed lush harmonies over thoughtful and often amusing lyrics in an entirely satifying musical "stew," BUY THIS DISC. You won't be disappointed!

Spanky and Our Gang is another of those groups (like Pages, or The Sons of Champlin) that had a brief moment in the sun, then vanished for reasons that defy reason. They never approached the commercial success of the Mamas and the Papas, with whom they were often compared, even though they were far, far better (for one thing, they could sing in tune!)"Without Rhyme or Reason" was their high water mark: high production values, pieces carefully integrated into a seamless whole, interesting song selection (including Hoagy Carmichael's hilarious "Hong Kong Blues"). This recording is a period piece to savor, and it is so EARNEST ... like the era from which it came. One has the feeling that everyone involved with this felt they were creating something important. And they were.

Just on a whim, I decided to check one more time to see if this, one of my all time favorite albums, was finally on CD. Lo and behold, there it was! Quite pricey, but worth every penny. I strongly believe Spanky & Our Gang is one of the most under-appreciated groups of the 60s and yet one of the most talented, and this album features them at their very best. It's an eclectic collection of songs: rock, pop, blues, and some that defy categorization, all utilizing the best that stereo separation has to offer. There's a seamless transition from one song to the next that gives this a concept album feel. And best of all, the harmonies...ah, those harmonies! Some of the best you'll hear anywhere. This was a hugely talented group of musicians. No true 60s pop collection is complete without this album. If you've never heard it, you've never really fully experienced Spanky & Our Gang. In fact, I'd bet many who don't normally like them would still enjoy this masterpiece.

This is one of my all time favorites. One of the most fun albums I ever listend to. It is up there high on the list of conceptual albums, like Sgt. Pepper etc. Now I have found it on CD.... I can toss the burned copy of the LP and order the CD !!!!!!!!!!!!!Smile!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have not listened to the CD, but I used to own the LP version
I remember enjoying almost all the songs on the album. "Give A Damn", "Jane", "And She's Mine", "Yesterday's Rain", "Without Rhyme or Reason", and "Since You've Gone" are all fine songs. If only the CD were available for 1/3 of the price of the import, it would definitely be worth buying.

Of all the albums or CDs I have owned this is probably my favorite. I bought the vinyl version from Toronto's Sam the Record Man's 3rd floor discount section for a $1.00 way back when. I liked Give A Damn and that was probably the reason I purchased it. Little did I know that it would become a treasure. I thought I was crazy when I bought the pricy import but the magic of album transcended to the CD. This would be one of my desert island CDs.

This was circa Sgt. Peppers. So the Beatles and Spanky where basically using the same era of recording equipment. But from where I sit Spanky put out a far superior product. It's too bad that this gem never received the credit it deserved.

WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON/ANYTHING YOU CHOOSE is easily one of the most unusual record albums of all time, musically and artistically.

The psychedelic design of this 1969 classic was really quite remarkable. The record, which is protected by a brightly colored sleeve, is removed from the LP's top, rather than the side. One face of the cover was called WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON while the other was ANYTHING YOU CHOOSE. The outer jacket didn't have a traditional front or back-- it was more like a giant-sized 45.

This finest of Spanky & Our Gang albums has a diverse mix of songs, from traditional blues (Spanky as Bessie Smith) to hallucinogenic-- the segues are particularly astonishing. One example would be the highly-pitched vocal on "Jane," which metamorphoses into a nightmarish air raid siren that seamlessly transitions into "Since You've Gone." Hoagy Carmichael's "Hong Kong Blues" gets an upbeat treatment here. The socially conscious "Give A Damn" received some Top 40 exposure, but was banned in some cities for being too controversial. "Yesterday's Rain" is an overlooked masterpiece, and should have been a single.

With it's various sound effects, clever outro links and abrupt stylistic changes, WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON/ANYTHING YOU CHOOSE leaves a carnivalistic impression on the listener. It's an experience not to be missed. Highest recommendation.

Just fished this out of a budget bin on vinyl. The album has some really great moments: "Give a Damn" is a great peice of harmony pop. (This got banned on the radio in 1968. It was later used in governemnt public service announcments. Crazy--it seems so gentle now) The title track has a nice, jazzy feel to it, and the band even plays with psychadelia on Lepord Skin Phone.

But there is still too much that could have been cut--like Mecca Flat Blues and 1-3-5-8. The producer is still trying to make them sound cute.

Had they dropped the comady and the vauldville, and gotten a Bruce Botnick or a Gary Usher to produce them, they could have competed with the Byrds and Love on FM radio. They seem to be hinting at this here much more than the first two albums. Its too bad that they didn't go for broke and decide to tighten this up into an seamless album.

Instead, they put out a few more singles on AM, and broke up.

This is great music. LIke fusion, it has rock and blues and jazz tied together with some great lyrics and voices. It would be nice to get this at a better price as a normal CD, not an import. Would love to see local producers talk to more "hippies" and find out what great albums need to be put out as a CD (not cut up and put out on a "best of" collection).