VANILLA FUDGE [AKA: YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON]

My friend's father recommended this album to me many years ago, when he introduced to me many other great progressive rock bands (like KING CRIMSON, GENESIS and RENAISSANCE), and I must admit I was not disappointed by his suggestions.

I guess this was my first introduction to serious psychedelic music, though I was already familiar with the works of BEATLES, which has influenced this album very much. It begins with a cover version of their "Ticket to Ride", and there are short noise sections between the tracks titled magically as "Stra", "Wber", "Ryfi" and "Elds", and it ends to a cover version of "Eleanor Rigby". Though the original version of "Eleanor Rigby" is a classic, I still enjoy the experimental version of this song on this album too. Also "Ticket to Ride" is much better than the original version, as it has much more power and emotion it than BEATLES could produce. I believe all the other song too on this album are cover songs, but it doesn't matter as they are all quite basic 60's numbers, and they are given a very imaginative and artistic treatments here. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" is the big hit here, and clearly the best version of this famous and recycled song around anywhere. "People Get Ready", "She's Not There", "Bang Bang" and "Take Me For A Little While" are also good tracks.

I recall my father described the music on this record as "a music for pissheads" as I played it for him. I guess "potheads" would have been more accurate description, but I believe one can enjoy psychedelic music without any substances, and only a good imagination is the only ability required in that process, I think. I would recommend this album for the fans of psychedelic music, and also those who appreciate organ driven rock like URIAH HEEP, PROCOL HARUM, BLACK WIDOW and FUZZY DUCK. Some other albums by VANILLA FUDGE are also worthy to check out, like their following LP "Renaissance" which is probably their best album.