TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Puff" - Puff (1968)

"Puff" - Puff (1968)

It was the last day for me to use my 15% discount and all the really good stuff looked like they had been pulled from the used record bins. Disappointed and in a hurry, I came across Puff's self-titled square for $10.  Band...unknown.  Album...never seen.  I was hoping it might be some early psych and that's exactly what it is.  Pop-psych with a couple of fuzzy psych breaks and a few floaty tracks to mix it up.  A little flute here and there, as well.  All really good and with enough trippy goodness to please the psych pallet.  From front to back, Puff was a surprisingly solid spin.  The songwriting is top-notch, too.  Clever and catchy, with each song bringing something a little more than you first expect.

Before Puff...the band was known as The Rockin' Ramrods, a more garagey, almost proto-punk band out of Boston and, along with other Boston bands like The Remains and The Barbarians, were quite popular.  Here they took a different approach. 

"Puff" (back)

Favorite tracks include the fuzzed-up "Of Not Being Able To Go To Sleep" and the floaty, head spin, "Changes."  "Walk Upon the Water" is a groovy, flutey kinda worm thing.  And the wonderful "Dead Thoughts of Alfred" is pure pop-psych goodness. This was to be Puff's only album and it's an especially nice contribution to any psych shelf.  Price-wise, Puff's self-titled offering is still flying under the radar low-dollar...so if you find it cheap, I suggest you grab it.  

"Puff" (front and back MGM sleeve)

MGM Records label

Cat #
SE4622
SIDE A  MATRIX
SE4622 - Side 1  MGS-1920-1A  1  LT
SIDE B  MATRIX
SE4622  MGS-1921-RE-1  11  L

"Changes" - Puff / "Puff" (1968)  (35:36 mark)


TRACKS:
A1  "Dead Thoughts of Alfred" 2:02
A2  "Rainy Day" 2:42
A3  "Vacuum" 2:12
A4  "Walk Upon the Water" 2:00
A5  "Who Do You Think You Are" 2:27
A6  "Of Not Being Able to Go to Sleep" 5:09
B1  "When I Wake Up in the Morning" 3:05
B2  "Trees" 3:00
B3  "It's My Way" 2:52
B4  "I Sure Need You" 6:29
B5  "Go With You" 2:55
B6  "Changes" 2:30

PERSONNEL:
Vin Campisi - guitar
Jim Mandell - piano, organ, flute, vocals
David-Allen Ryan - bass, vocals
Bob Henderson - drums, vocals

Good stuff.

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