Moby Grape

Moby Grape is the legendary 1967 self titled album by Moby Grape.  Moby Grape emerged in San Francisco in the late 60s where the brand of psych rock they played thrived.  The album reached #24 on the charts and they were put into a bidding war with Colombia Records who desperately wanted to sign them.

My roommates father gave us this album when we told him we were listening to a lot of early Grateful Dead stuff.  We were not disappointed.  This album packs a punch and kicks a lot of ass.  It is regarded as a psych rock masterpiece and it is just that.

 Gene Sculatti and Davin Seay wriote in their book San Francisco Nights, "Moby Grape remains one of the very few psychedelic masterpieces ever recorded." Justin Farrar wrote "it's no understatement to hail the group's 1967 debut as the ancestral link between psychedelia, country rock, glam, power pop and punk."

The album is just that, it combines all these genres into a hodgepodge of musical mastery.  This is what psych rock should always sound like.  The songs are catchy and straightforward, there's nothing weird or experimental about any of the songs which makes for a very easy listening experience.

The sixth track, "Omaha" is regarded as one of the 100 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone.  

Track Listing:

Side one

1. "Hey Grandma" (Jerry Miller, Don Stevenson) – 2:25
2. "Mr. Blues" (Bob Mosley) – 1:55
3. "Fall on You" (Peter Lewis) – 1:50
4. "8:05" (Miller, Stevenson) – 2:17
5. "Come in the Morning" (Mosley) – 2:04
6. "Omaha" (Skip Spence) – 2:19
7. "Naked, If I Want To" (Miller) – 0:51

Side two

1. "Someday" (Miller, Stevenson, Spence) – 2:30
2. "Ain't No Use" (Miller, Stevenson) – 1:33
3. "Sitting by the Window" (Lewis) – 2:38
4. "Changes" (Miller, Stevenson) – 3:13
5. "Lazy Me" (Mosley) – 1:39
6. "Indifference" (Spence) – 4:09

Personell:

• Peter Lewis – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Bob Mosley – bass, vocals
• Jerry Miller – lead guitar, vocals
• Skip Spence – rhythm guitar, vocals
• Don Stevenson – drums, vocals