Album #2 from the Prunes! Includes the bonus tracks, 'Everybody Knows You're Not In Love' & 'You Never Had It Better'. First time on CD. Standard jewel case. 2000 release.
Album #2 from the Prunes! Includes the bonus tracks, 'Everybody Knows You're Not In Love' & 'You Never Had It Better'. First time on CD. Standard jewel case. 2000 release.
CD Reviews
Wind Up Prunes
SHAI NOBELMAN | Ramat Gan Israel | 10/15/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Electrc Prunes. What a great name for a band! "I had too much too dream last night" was a psychedelic masterpiece- short, crazy and unexpectable. It was a big hit and was taken from their debut album which was O.K. You could easily here the potential in great tunes such as "Bangles", but overall the album was not perfect. Underground, the band's second offring is something completly different. The guys did their homework, wrote some classic songs and produced ,what would be, one of the greatest albums of the sixties. There is no one bad track on this underrated masterpiece. The production is fantastic- great fuzzy guitars, strange organs, beutiful vocals harmonies and some surprising string arrangments. The lyrics are mystical, sometimes childish ("Antique doll", "Wind up toys", "Children of rain"), Freaky( "Dr. Do- Good"), or sentimental ("Big city"). The melodies are Great! "The Great Banana Hoax" is simple but arranged as a one long trip. Others has some crazy chords changes (listen to "wind up toys").UNDERGROUND is one of the best offrings of the late sixties. This great Pop album still sounds fantastic these days."
...and they used to call this punk!
Junglies | Morrisville, NC United States | 03/19/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After reviewing Mass in F Minor, I happened upon the Collectors Choice reissue of Underground and sought to replace my old vinyl copy.Listening to it again it is hard to understand how I let it out of my regular listening albums in the first place.Psychedelia meets punk and what a combination. The album is drenched in guitar and organ effects, surreal lyrics and playing yet with a hard edge at times. There are some great songs on this, a personal fasvourite being the weird, I, and a variety of styles.Buy this album, listen to it on headphones, or if you have them those Sharper Image goggles. Play it LOUD, play it often, play it to your friends. Experience this album.You will be glad you did.Especially recommended to anyone interested in this era!"
The Best Music the Prunes ever did.
David Rutherford | Australia | 09/22/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Electric Prunes grow up on their second LP release.
Most fans of the 60's psych/punk genre include these guys 1st LP ('I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night') as an essential example of this type of music, but take the 2 singles off that album ('I Had too Much to Dream' and 'Get Me to the World on Time') and you have a pretty mediocre record.
What we have with 'Underground' is that absolute rarity... a genuine 60's Psych/Punk LP that you can listen to without having to skip tracks. The only other bands of the genre who managed that were the '13th Floor Elevators', 'The Music Machine' and possibly 'The Shadows of Knight', 'The Chocolate Watchband' and 'The Seeds'.
Listen with headphones to pick up the subtleties of David Hassingers wonderful stereo mix.
Best Tracks: The weird 'Great Banana Hoax', the spooky 'Antique Dolls', the sinister nursery rhyme 'Wind Up Toys' and the fantastic vocals on 'I Happen to Love You'.
Forget 'Mass in F Minor' - that's a studio concoction that involved more session musicians than band members (psychedelia by numbers for the tourists). 'Underground' is the Prunes lasting contribution to rock, and with their recent reformation it may finally get the recognition it always deserved."
Actually a more mature sounding group. Believe it, or not
D. R Hayes | Clermont, FL. United States | 07/12/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is the sophomore effort from the Prunes. I feel this was unjustly panned by the critics as it shows the group growing up in thier sound. They would go from a teenage wet dream set to the tone of a fuzz guitar to a more tight sound, and more introspective songs. The liner notes were written by Barbara Harris. I'm not sure if she's the one who was in the domineering mother comedy "Oh Dad...Poor Dad" with Johnathan Winters, but she was a fox in that movie. Anyway the songs range with "The Great Banana Hoax" has a more soul sound to it, and there's some punkish tunes like "Children Of Rain", and then there's the stabs at psychedelia with "Antique Doll", "I", and "Hideaway". There's also a novelty song released as a single called "Dr. Do Good". Unfortunately the Prunes fell in the box with a bunch of other groups written off as "One Hit Wonders". The only other tunes that saw the light of day were "Everybody Knows You're Not In Love" off the "Release Of An Oath" album, and "Kyrie Elliason" which wasn't heard until the movie "Easy Rider". It was a fickle audience and managers that killed the band. "Underground" was definitely underrated."
Electric Prunes at their Best
Scott E. Stinson | 08/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you liked I had too much to dream, I would highly recommend this album. The songs have beautiful harp-like sounds and excellent vocals. This is a must have for anyone who collects 60s music."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1