H.P. Lovecraft

Formed in Chicago during 1967 by former folk musician George Edwards, the group paired his voice with that of classically trained keyboardist Dave Michaels, whose four-octave range allowed for intricate dual-lead singing. Their sound combined hauntingly hazy arrangements with imaginative material rooted in both pop and folk traditions, placing them among the stronger psychedelic outfits of the late 1960s. The self-titled debut album issued that same year showcased their strengths through a mix of original songs and covers drawn from early work by Randy Newman and Fred Neil, while also introducing “White Ship,” one of the earliest favorites on underground FM radio. After relocating to California the next year, the band produced H.P. Lovecraft II, a more sprawling and loosely assembled effort that nonetheless contained occasional highlights. A later spin-off project simply called Lovecraft issued a pair of albums in the 1970s, yet these bore scant connection to the original lineup’s approach.