Biography
In 1968 a New York ensemble issued a polished psychedelic-pop LP whose textures freely echoed the Lovin' Spoonful, the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour material, and the stacked harmonies that had defined the Zombies in 1967. The five musicians—bassist, twelve-string guitarist and vocalist Joe Arduino; rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, sitar player and vocalist Sandy Napoli; lead guitarist and vocalist Paul LoGrande; drummer Jimmy Tirella; and keyboardist John Reich—had performed steadily throughout the previous year. Their stage repertoire took the sonic palette of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band as its foundation, and their collective command of multiple instruments allowed them to replicate those textures convincingly in live settings while showcasing the original material contributed by Arduino, Napoli and LoGrande. By 1968 their growing campus following attracted the attention of English producer Geoff Turner, then employed by Art Talmadge’s New York label Musicor. Best known earlier in the decade for Gene Pitney’s hits, the company was seeking newer pop directions, and Turner therefore booked the group for a full album. Rather than rely on the songs he had already heard them play, the musicians used the studio opportunity to compose an entirely fresh, more ambitious set. The resulting sessions exceeded the modest scale Turner and Musicor had envisioned, yet the label proceeded, adding string-orchestra overdubs to several tracks and employing a session violinist plus trumpet and trombone players. The finished record, with its densely arranged vocal harmonies, functioned as a compact counterpart to Revolver or Odessey & Oracle—skillfully executed, occasionally precious in its 1968 context, yet lacking striking originality. Favorable notices appeared, but without a radio single or major-label promotion the album sold poorly, and the band dissolved by 1970.
Albums
