Book a Trip ! Psychedelic Era of The 66-70 Capitol Records

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Book a Trip has 26 tracks from singles released on Capitol from roughly 1966-1970, most of them making their CD debut. The actual sounds are very much more "pop" than "psych," and it might be more accurate to peg these as pop recordings reflecting some influence of the psychedelic era rather than tracks combining pop and psychedelia. Certainly they're obscure and collectable, however, with just a couple of unlikely popular acts (the Four Preps and the Lettermen, neither of them groups associated with psychedelia or rock), as well as a few (the Shanes, Stained Glass, Chris & Craig) who might be recognized by specialist '60s collectors. The songs and productions are generally period pieces that are pleasant but not innovative, with little that approaches the classic or even extremely commercial. The arrangements often show strong traces of Capitol's biggest American group, the Beach Boys, in both the harmonies and musical backing; a good share of Association influences crop up, too. One of the strongest tracks, "Chris Craft No. 9" by the Shanes (actually a Swedish group), is much more in the guitar-oriented British Invasion style than its surroundings. The numerous famous names and connections to bigger acts, detailed by the excellent liner notes, are arguably more interesting than the music itself. Chris & Craig went on to lead one of the better obscure Los Angeles folk-rock groups, the Penny Arkade; a couple tunes were written by Dick & Don Addrisi, of "Never My Love" fame; David Axelrod co-wrote and co-produced Moorpark Intersection's "Yesterday Holds On," and produced the Lively Set's "Let the Trumpets Sound," written by David Gates; the Exception, whose "My Mind Goes Traveling" very strongly emulates the late-'60s Beach Boys, featured a pre-Chicago Peter Cetera; Leon Russell arranged and conducted the orchestra on the Four Preps' "Hitchhiker"; "Along Comes Mary" composer Tandyn Almer arranged and played on Pleasure's "Don't Take the Night Away"; and Summer Snow's "Flying on the Ground" is one of the earliest covers of a Neil Young song.

Track Listing

1

Book a Trip

Buddy Buie / James Cobb

This Side Up

02:13

2

Chris Craft No. 9

Kit Sundqvist

The Shanes

02:08

3

I Need You

Craig Smith

Chris & Craig

02:49

4

Yesterday Noontime

Eric Sampson / Mark sampson

The Act of Creation

02:00

5

Strawberry Tuesday

D.A. McDowell

Sidewalk Skipper Band

02:50

6

Popcorn Double Feature

Scott English / Larry Weiss

Tim Wilde

03:03

7

Autumn Afternoon

Dick Addrisi / Don Addrisi

Teddy Neeley Five / Teddy Neely Five

02:26

8

Robins Robins

Tony Decker

Fargo

01:59

9

Lady in Lace

Phillip Francis Stumpo

The Stained Glass

02:10

10

Whisper Words

Les Emmerson

The Staccatos

02:39

11

I Think I'll Just Go and Find Me a Flower

Dave Blume / Jerry Keller

Moorpark Intersection

03:06

12

Cynthia at the Garden

D.A. McDowell

Sidewalk Skipper Band

02:37

13

Written Charter

Santo Ciccarello / Joey DeSane

The Tuneful Trolley

02:44

14

My Mind Goes Traveling

Exception / The Exception

02:22

15

Hitchhiker

The Four Preps

02:32

16

Mr. Sun

Danny Jannsen / Steve Kingsford

The Lettermen

02:39

17

Let the Trumpets Sound

David Gates

The Lively Set

02:47

18

Poster Man

The Carnival Connection

02:24

19

When Charlie's Doin' His Thing

Stephen Schlaks / Charlie Weiss

The Phoenix Trolley

02:51

20

(Would You Believe) It's Raining Flowers in My House

D.A. McDowell

Sidewalk Skipper Band

02:14

21

Flying on the Ground

Neil Young

The Summer Snow

02:25

22

Pleasure of Her Company

Dick Addrisi / Don Addrisi

Burgundy Street Singers

02:25

23

Yours Till Forever

Kenny Nolan

Griffin

03:03

24

Yesterday Holds On

David Axelrod / Jay Lewis

Moorpark Intersection

02:06

25

Don't Take the Night Away

William Elder

Pleasure

02:56

26

Seventeenth Summer

D.A. McDowell

Sidewalk Skipper Band

02:48

Enjoy

Ty To Original Sharer

"I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free"

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