TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Conception" - Frantic (1970)

"Conception" - Frantic (1970)

     How can you not love the psychotic yellow-pink artwork that screams, "THEY'RE COMING TO GET YOU, BARBARA!"  Awesome.  Without ever listening to it, I knew the Frantic album "Conception" was a square I wanted to own just for the jacket alone.  Fortunately, the music inside is good.  It doesn't reach that intensely mad level the artwork implies, but it does satisfy the palate.  The songs are mostly heavy blues-rock, garagey in nature, with a churn of biker-psych blended into the butter.  Frantic doesn't move the needle too far from the decade they're leaving behind, but it's not boring.  

     "Conception" contains quite a few covers, but they are performed in the band's own style, with a couple of songs kissing outstanding.  The originals are fine, as well, but don't really push things forward.  I like it.  The album is good for what it is, if not strong enough to stand out from the rest of the pack.  Frantic's one-and-done album is a blister of its time and a fun one to spin.  If they had another album in'em, we'll never know.  
 
"Conception" - Frantic (back)

"Conception" - Frantic (inside gatefold)

Favorites include:
"Hey Joe"
"Her And Her Mountain"
“Morning Dew”

     Average copies for this album sell for $60 or more, but this copy has Scotch tape on the spine and requires a thorough cleaning.  I offered half.  I haven't had the chance to clean the album yet, but I've looked closely and for the life of me, I don't see any reason for the tape.  There are no seam splits or tears.  Just scotch tape.  

     I'm considering using the blow dryer trick to remove the tape, but haven't worked up the courage yet.  I'm hoping I can clean it up better for display.  Either way, I love it.  The vinyl is in strong VG+ condition, so I'm happy with what I paid.  The album is on the short-lived Lizard label, with "MR in a circle" stamped in the dead wax, which denotes a Monarch pressing. The band hailed from the state of Montana, which both surprises and pleases me.

Lizard label

Cat #
A-20103
SIDE 1  DEADWAX
A 20103-A  (MR)  △14722      
SIDE 2  DEADWAX
A 20103-B  (MR)  △14722-y

"Hey Joe" - Frantic / "Conception" (1970)

TRACKS:
A1  "Baby" 3:10
A2  "Wicked Woman" 3:15
A3  "Scitnarf" 1:57
A4  "Hey Joe" 5:12
A5  "More Of A Man" 3:47
B1  "Little Girl" 2:56
B2  "Shady Sam" 3:45
B3  "Her And Her Mountain" 2:34
B4  "Morning Dew" 4:00
B5  "Midnight To Six Man" 4:03

PERSONNEL: 
Max Byfuglin - vocals
Dennis Devlin - guitar
Kim Sherman - guitar
Jim Haas - keyboards, vocals
David Day - bass
Phil (Gordo) Head - drums

Good stuff.

Follow me on FACEBOOK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interview:-- Joan Staley (Actress - Classic Movies & Television)

Image
  "Elvis,  do you really want me to slap you?"  ~ Joan Staley ~     So my friends and I were talking about first crushes. First tv and movie crushes.  For me, it was easy.  It was Alma. (Joan Staley)   I broke into the double-digit age of 10 in 1993.  That was the summer I discovered my favorite Don Knotts movie while flipping thru cable one Saturday morning... "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken." Everyone has seen it.  It was a funny haunted house story similar to an episode on Andy G. with a cast of familiar characters, trippy organ music, and the prettiest girl I had ever seen...Alma. She was beautiful alright.  I was love-stung so bad, I swear I could smell flowers coming out of the TV set.  And best of all, she was nice.  She didn't like the smart alec, the wise guy, or the show-off.  Alma was digging Luther (Don Knotts) and that just made her that much prettier.  And from then on... But unfortu...
Read more

Interview -- Henry Lee Summer (Singer/Songwriter)

Image
"I just always have played music.  For better   or worse, I banked my whole life on it." ~ Henry Lee Summer ~     It's strange how music lets you travel through time as if there truly was no time.  I played the shit out of this album growing up.  Nothing deep or complicated.  Nothing outta bounds.  Nothing to get hung about.  It's deceptively simple.  But here's the thing... Henry Lee Summer  is serving aces all over this heartland square. This is the 35th anniversary of Henry Lee Summer's self-titled album and this one falls under that sweet spot between raucous and chill.  It's a large cup of iced coffee with a nice soulful blend.  Not usually my type of go-to and yet this album easily fills a void I didn't know I had.  Let this spin be your own private Idaho.  " Check it out, Leroy!"   Henry Lee Summer... Go get you some. Henry Lee Summer Interview -- August 2023 Henry Lee Summer Casey Cha...
Read more

Interview -- Elliot Lurie (Looking Glass)

Image
"...Your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea." ~ Looking Glass ~ Elliot Lurie was a singer/songwriter for the 70s band Looking Glass . The band recorded two albums and had a couple of hits along with a handful of deep-track FM cuts.  And as many bands are wont to do... Looking Glass called it a day and handed over the keys.  However, before cutting out, Looking Glass did leave us with the #1 hit song... "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)."   Now there have been plenty of #1 songs that have climbed to the top spot faster.  And plenty of #1 songs that have stayed at the top spot longer.  But the list begins to thin when it comes to #1 songs that have had some real staying power years and years after their run.  And as the 50th anniversary draws to a close, the song  "Brandy..." still remains an ageless and endearing wonder. A song of unrequited love without all the drippy, maudlin sadness that often stains so many other attempts.  Every boy dreams ...
Read more