Ultimate Spinach - Ultimate Spinach
Track List:
Ego Trip
Sacrifice of the Moon (in 4 parts)
Plastic Raincoats
(Ballad of) The Hip Death Goddess
Your Head is Reeling
Dove in Hawk’s Clothing
Baroque #1
Funny Freak Parade
Pamela
A note before I start my listen
I picked this because it’s a shorter one and I have plans after work so I am trying to squeeze my listen into a lunch, I will try to take a break from 60’s psychedelia for a few days after this
Ego Trip
Reminds me of California Dreaming. The lyrics seem to be talking about someone that the narrator has some disdain for, but there are also lyrics that make me think of a psychedelic trip, multiple times mentioning synesthesia.
Sacrifice of the Moon (in 4 parts)
I like this a lot. It’s an instrumental and I just love the soundscape and the movement that flows between the parts.
Plastic Raincoats
A more folky jam. I wonder if this was a live recording or if it's foley. The lyrics seem to be a commentary on culture or counter culture specifically, and how shallow and materialistic it is for some folks.
(Ballad of) The Hip Death Goddess
Much darker tone. This song seems to warn about the risks associated with heavy use of drugs in the hippie movement of the late 60’s. People burning out on psychedelics. Almost a warning for potential hippies. I don’t like the recording style overall, the song is amazing but the recording I am listening to sounds like it has too much gain and is getting distorted, perhaps that was intentional but it reminds me of listening to Music from Big Pink.
Your Head is Reeling
Really neat imagery in the spoken word intro, then a near march style to lead into the music. So the narrator describes approaching a city and hearing instructions on a loudspeaker. There are people watching them. Hippies are gathered and forced to conform. Lack of individuality prevails and the power that be is trying to make sure everyone conforms. This is broken up with the droned speech of “Your head is reeling” after each verse. A warning about approaching conformity and materialism.
Dove in Hawk’s Clothing
A song about the draft. The narrator doesn’t wish to be drafted but the draft board doesn’t care. They say he will be harmless like a dove but made to kill like a hawk. He tried to be a conscientious objector but that fails and he is imprisoned and he relates that he is still a dove but now in convict’s clothing.
Baroque #1
Another mostly instrumental. This still sounds fantastic. Like a classical take on psychedelic music.
Funny Freak Parade
This seems to describe an encounter that the narrator had with an unusual group of people. It includes an aspect that authorities don’t like this group for no apparent reason.
Pamela
Another slower one with a different feel. Sounds like there are some reversed sounds that make a twinkling. The ending is very discordant. Seems to be another song that tries to shine the light on the hippie movement at the time.
Thoughts after a listen
Well that was a different experience. The sound is very much the late 60’s psychedelic sound but the actual songs were much darker. Almost trying to give the perspective that you don’t get from the Grateful Dead or Strawberry Alarm Clock. Not everything is incense and peppermints.
