Grapefruit
Deep Water - RCA 1969 Comments:"Deep Water" was Grapefruit's second album, originally released in 1969. If you like their first "Around Grapefruit" you may not necessarily like this one too. In fact, I was a bit disappointed with it in the beginning. I had expected more of the catchy psychedelic sounds which characterized their first album. This album has not got much of this.
The addition of a new lead singer and a musical change towards a more soul-rock styled has made this something quite different. The main song writer is still George Alexander, elder brother of George Young of the Easybeats, and he writer first-rate material also for this album, it's just a new style. Actually many of these song sound a little like the Easybeats` later records like "St. Louis". This album has now changed to be my favourite Grapefruit album
The title track and opener "Deep Water" is a one of these Easybeats/Boxtops sound-alikes - great catchy tune. "Can't Find Me" is another strong George Alexander effort - a country styled ballad.
After couple of decent soul-rockers, style changes with the acoustic country track "The Right Direction" - another favourite a mine. New member, guitarist and singer, Bobby Ware contributes 3 songs, 2 of them pretty good -"L.A. and Back Again" and "Blues in Your Head".
The closing track on the original album is for me the stand-out track. A beautiful melancholy ballad. George Alexander disbanded the band shortly after the release of the album.
The 2 bonus tracks come from a single recorded by a a short-lived reconstruction of Grapefruit - featuring George Young and Harry Vanda. Both songs are good, but maybe not particularly memorable
|