SPOOKY TOOTH/IT'S ALL ABOUT ILPS 9080 (-68) UK

Spooky Tooth has to be one of the most eclectic (i.e. adaptive, imitative or just indecisive) UK bands ever, during a decade or so going through an unprecedented number of different names, settings, genres and collaborations. Started as pop/rock combo Ramrods 1960, three years later playing r&b with renewed setting as VIP:s. Reformed as Art 1967 with yet another setting and recorded a psych album - "Supernatural Fairytales" - produced by Guy Stevens. Thereafter following Stevens through the 1967 Hapshash & The Coloured Coat sessions, providing backing as "The Heavy Metal Kids". First album as Spooky Tooth - "It's All About" - 1968  produced by Jimmy Miller. Later they would back French electronic and experimental composer Pierre Henry on his album "Ceremony" and do a collaboration with Joe Cocker's Grease Band on "The Last Puff", as "Spooky Tooth Featuring Mike Harrison", before dissolving 1970. However in 1972 they reappeared and continued with various settings up to final breakup 1974. Got this copy first late in life and since I previously enjoyed both "Supernatural Fairytales" and "Spooky Two" I expected greatness.  Though sadly it didn't hit me much at first.  Garage soul with often screamy vocals and good as such, but without anything truly special - like the "For What It's Worth" cover on "Fairytales",  "Waitin' For the Wind" on "Spooky Two" or the fabulous version of "I'm The Walrus" on "Last Puff".   I do get a rather raw cover of Janis Ian's "Society's Child" with good organ and hard working drums,  "Bubbles" is appealing in a Traffic kind of way and the "Tobacco Road" version garnished with tons of intense guitars.  Now I'm slowly starting to warm up and appreciate it a lot more than before.  Uneven indeed, but not without highlights and certainly worth spinning when you're in the mood for some diligent garage.  Initially issued on vnyl in US (Bell 6019), also as mono promo. Canada (black Island WIS 4704), Downunder (Festival SFL 933,049), Germany (Fontana 885 444 TY), South Africa (Fontana STL 225). UK 2005 CD on Repertoire Records came with eight bonus tracks, including a couple of mono versions. Reissued in US 1971 as "Tobacco Road" on A&M (SP-4300).  Premiere UK had structured label as shown here and fully laminated cover. (ÖSÄP*)  (FSÄ*)