Electric Prunes
Underground - Reprise 1967 Comments:On their second album The Electric Prunes were given much more musical freedom, compared to their debut where most of the songs were borrowed from outside songwriters. The album is more basic and direct and reflects to a much higher extent the band’s own ideas.
Female songwriters Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz only contribute three songs to this album, where as on the debut they were behind the majority of the songs. "Dr. Do-Good" was picked out for a single, but it did not have the commercial appeal like "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)" and "Get Me to the World on Time" from their debut album. Of the other two songs "Antique Doll" is a nice melodic pop/psychedelia thing, whereas “I” is really quite boring.
Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote another highlight "I Happen to Love You", which has the great sound of the best tracks on the debut.
As songwriters band members James Lowe and Mark Tulin were obviously growing and some of their songs are quite strong and original. Especially “Hideaway” is a standout.
Some songs are pretty ordinary, and the songwriting does quite live up to the debut. On the other hand there is a more consistent atmosphere and the playing is longer, and it does actually work better as an album.
Earlier comments:
The second Electric Prunes album "Underground", released the same year as their debut, gave more way to the band's own material. Generally the album comes out more consistent and more like a tradtional "garage" rock album, though quite a few psychedelia sounds pop up here and there.
Three songs "The Great Banana Hoax", "Dr. Do-Good" and "Long Day's Flight" were tried for singles, but all failed to make it to the charts. They were great songs but were obviously not commercial enough; the most commercial track "Hideaway" might have made it for the group but it was only used as a B-side.
Bandmembers Jim Lowe and Mark Tulin show promising songwriting on "The Great Banana Hoax", "Hideaway" and the bonus-track single "Everybody Knows" / "You Never Had it Better"; strange that this catchy single did not make it.
Songwriter Annette Tucker contributed the fine "Antique Doll" as well as the single "Dr. Do-Good" and the dreamy "I".
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