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Plain and Fancy

Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Ohio Express - Beg, Borrow and Steal / Yummy Yummy Yummy (1967-68 us, garage beat bubblegum with a slice of psychedelia, 2010 Dogtoire edition)



This was one of the number of bubblegum acts put together by producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz. From the start this was more of a 'project' rather than a single band. Beg, Borrow Or Steal was recorded by The Rare Breed. The outfit that first went on the road as Ohio Express was another Mansfield, Ohio group Sir Timothy and The Royals, led by Tim Corwin. They were involved in many of the earlier studio recordings and Corwin stayed on through later personnel shifts. Other early tracks were recorded by the Measles (who included Joe Walsh and were later known as Lacewing), before Levine took control of the project.

They are best remembered for their hits Yummy, Yummy, Yummy and Chewy, Chewy, which were typical of the bubblegum genre (heavy repetitive bass beat, simple lyrics and nasal vocals), but they also enjoyed several other minor hits. Two of their albums made the Top 200:- Ohio Express (which included Yummy, Yummy, Yummy climbing to No. 126 and Chewy, Chewy peaked at No. 191, but bubblegum music really aimed at the singles market. Their first seven 45s were sung and written by Joey Levine, who was on Buddah's staff, but Buddy Bengert was lead singer on Pinch Me and Graham Gouldman (later of 10cc fame) performed the vocals honours on Sausalito (Is The Place To Go).

On their eponymous second album whilst the studio musicians performed songs like Yummy Yummy Yummy and Down At Lulu's, they left the rest of the material to the band pictured on the cover. Tucked away on this album are some very pleasant surprises. For fans of pop-psych with beautiful harmony vocals, She's Not Coming Home is simply exquisite and the breezy pop of Winter Skies may appeal too. Into This Time has a great psychedelic guitar ending, First Grade Reader showcases a harsher side to their music - it also features some fine guitar work. Turn To Straw is a superb slice of psychedelia and the jewel in the crown is garage-popster The Time You Spent With Me which contains some great psychedelic guitar passages.
by Fuzz Acid and Flowers


Tracks
1.Beg, Borrow And Steal (J. Day, L. Zerato) - 2:54
2.And It's True (R. Sepulveda) - 1:45
3.Had To Be Me (J. Pfahler) - 2:10
4.Let Go (J. Katz, J. Kasenetz, D. Kastran) - 2:18
5.Soul Struttin' (Tony Orlando, Marty Thau) - 2:59
6.Try It (J. Levine, M. Bellack) - 2:40
7.I Know We'll Be Together (J. Pfahler) - 2:09
8.I Find I Think Of You (J. Walsh) - 2:10
9.Stop Take A Look Around (E. Chiprut, J. Katz, J. Kasenetz) - 2:50
10.Hard Times (J. Pfahler) - 2:41
11.It's Too Groovy (T. Corwin) (2:52)
12.Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (A. Resnick, J. Levine) - 2:18
13.Winter Skies (K. Laguna, S. Laguna) - 2:58
14.Into This Time (D. Kastran) - 2:45
15.First Grade Reader (P. Karwan) - 3:03
16.Mary-Ann (K. Laguna) - 2:29
17.Down At Lu Lu's (C. Resnick, J. Levine) - 1:55
18.Turn To Straw (J. Pfahler) - 4:05
19.Vacation (J. Pfahler) - 1:45
20.She's Not Comin' Home (J. Pfahler) - 2:52
21.It's A Sad Day (It's A Sad Time) (K. Laguna) - 2:46
22.The Time You Spent With Me (K. Laguna) - 5:05
23.Yummy Yummy Yummy (Mono) (A. Resnick, J. Levine) - 2:24
24.Zig Zag (J. Katz, J. Kasenetz) - 2:08
25.Yummy Yummy Yummy (Italien) (A. Resnick, J. Levine, Gomocchio, Tortorello) - 2:26
26.Da Lulu (Italien) (C. Resnick, J. Levine, Somjust) - 1:56
27.Roll It Up (C. Resnick, J. Levine, J. Katz, J. Kasenetz) - 2:08
28.Grazia (Italien) (J. Levine, Feldmann, Rompigil)- 2:30
29.Pinch Me (J. Katz, J. Kasenetz, Woods) - 2:42
30.Sausalito (G. Gouldman) - 2:15

Ohio Express
*Dougal Asgrassel - Guitar
*Tim Corwin - Drums
*Dean Kastran - Bass
*Joey Levine - Vocals
*Jim Playler - Keyboards
*Dale Powers - Guitar

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A Joint Effort - Final Effort (1975 canada, fine psych folk rock with country shades, Radioactive release)



A Joint Effort is a very rare psych folk album which was released out of Fredericton, New Brunswick. It was released on Little Records Ltd. and Red Rock Hotel Productions out of the University of New Brunswick. Side one is a more light folk rock side and relies on decent cover tunes; side 2 sounds like a few local browns and some smoke were added to the equation, a bit more rock and garage sound with some fuzz guitar. Only 200 copies were pressed. It is a very rare and sought-after album in the collector market. Interesting take on Oh! Canada. Came withan insert with lyrics.

"We started jamming in Rm 310, Bridges House, University of New Brunswick in 1973. The album was recorded in Fall of 1975, it was the last performance of the band, afternoon outside in front of the Student's Union Building (all five of us blaring on acid) plus some cuts from a bar performance at the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel in Fredericton.

Rick and Grant are still in Fredericton and still play together periodically. My brother Tim is near Oshawa and he and his wife breed, raise, and train English Setters and Canadian Horses. Brian is still playing bass with Rawlins Cross and whoever, and I am entering my 4th decade soon playing for a living and having done 7 or 8 albums on my own.

Some guy in New Jersey got a copy of Final Effort from my brother and reproduced it. We each got ten copies."
by Terry Tufts and Robert Williston 


Tracks
1. Battle of New Orleans - 1:52
2. Molly and Tenbrooks - 3:37
3. Tequila Sunrise - 2:35
4. My Man - 3:11
5. Winter - 4:01
6. Hitchikers Dream - 3:02
7. Champagne Junction - 4:26
8. Bus Song - 5:09
9. Greed for Gold - 4:26
10.Oh! Canada - 3:59
11.Horse with No Name - 7:34

A Joint Effort
*Tim Tufts - Guitar, Vocals
*Rick Bastedo - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
*Grant Harrison - Drums, Guitar, Vocals
*Brian Bourne - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
*Terry Tufts - Guitar, Vocals

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