Vanilla Fudge - Spirit Of '67 - 2015
From somethingelsereviews.com
One of the greatest and most influential bands ever, Vanilla Fudge is back with a bang. But the truth is, they never really went away.
Born 1966 in Long Island, New York, Vanilla Fudge created an immediate stir with their moody extended covers of popular songs of the day. Not only did the band fit right in with the psychedelic climate of the times, but they added something extra and exciting to the enterprising environment. Stately and weighty, Vanilla Fudge threaded their endeavors with improvisational escapades and symphonic measures, leading them to be quite a unique animal. The band definitely invented a style all their own, and are properly regarded godfathers of both progressive rock and heavy metal.
Although 1967 through 1970 was when Vanilla Fudge gleaned their biggest success, they reunited on numerous occasions to wild applause. The band’s latest incarnation, which features original members Mark Stein (lead vocals, keyboards), Carmine Appice (drums, vocals) and Vince Martell (guitar, vocals), along with Pete Bremy (bass, vocals), is slated to hit the tour circuit soon in support of a fantastic new album, Spirit of ’67 (due March 3, 2015 via Purple Pyramid) that pays homage to well-known songs of the fabled year.
Vanilla Fudge’s funk aspirations rise to the top on brash and bewitching versions of the Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin'” and the Motown classic, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” while the Monkees are saluted on “I’m A Believer,” which snakes and shuffles with skull-crushing grooves and gospel-induced harmonies. Sparked by military drumming, Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” then takes on a quieter tone before developing into a spinning jam.
Born 1966 in Long Island, New York, Vanilla Fudge created an immediate stir with their moody extended covers of popular songs of the day. Not only did the band fit right in with the psychedelic climate of the times, but they added something extra and exciting to the enterprising environment. Stately and weighty, Vanilla Fudge threaded their endeavors with improvisational escapades and symphonic measures, leading them to be quite a unique animal. The band definitely invented a style all their own, and are properly regarded godfathers of both progressive rock and heavy metal.
Although 1967 through 1970 was when Vanilla Fudge gleaned their biggest success, they reunited on numerous occasions to wild applause. The band’s latest incarnation, which features original members Mark Stein (lead vocals, keyboards), Carmine Appice (drums, vocals) and Vince Martell (guitar, vocals), along with Pete Bremy (bass, vocals), is slated to hit the tour circuit soon in support of a fantastic new album, Spirit of ’67 (due March 3, 2015 via Purple Pyramid) that pays homage to well-known songs of the fabled year.
Vanilla Fudge’s funk aspirations rise to the top on brash and bewitching versions of the Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin'” and the Motown classic, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” while the Monkees are saluted on “I’m A Believer,” which snakes and shuffles with skull-crushing grooves and gospel-induced harmonies. Sparked by military drumming, Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” then takes on a quieter tone before developing into a spinning jam.
01. I Heard It Through the Grapevine
02. The Letter
03. I Can See for Miles
04. Break on Through (To the Other Side)
05. The Tracks of My Tears
06. I'm a Believer
07. Gimme Some Lovin'
08. For What It's Worth
09. Ruby Tuesday
10. Whiter Shade of Pale
11. Let's Pray for Peace
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