Produced and Arranged by Mel Friedman
1966
Recommended ****
Mostly known for the title track that opens this sole album from this one-hit St. Louis outfit, the set doesn’t really begin until they get through that number, the album featuring several cuts that put the title track to shame, including some convincing covers of R&B classics, a pair of rocking versions of soundtrack themes (Virginia Wolfe and Batman), and perhaps the first version of Hazlewood’s “These Boots Were Made For Walking” told from the male point of view, all of this punched home with horns, guitar, organ and of course a driving rhythm. The sound is a bit of a throwback, as much R&B as 1966 garage rock, the band sounding like they’re taking their cues from Stax, JB, and Ike.
For the title track and some of the other more low-key cuts, Curtis Mayfield appears to be the main influence.
This is a varied set but it’s a worthwhile listen if you can find it. (Heck, the cover is almost worth the price of admission.)
—Winch (author of Kalamazoo: Growing Up Sideways in the 1970s and the two-part novel Junk Like That.)
Sounds Good 