Ultimate Spinach was a Boston based band, that released 3 records between 1968 and 1969, the first two being interesting examples of Psychedelic music, mixed with Rennaissance music, Westcoast harmony singing, jazz rhythms, original instrumentations (Theremin,Sitar, harpsichord) and then some.
The band was founded by Ultimate Spinach mastermind, Ian Bruce Douglas who composed all the material of the first two records and who left then, making the last incarnation of US who recorded one more record a completely diiferrent band with song oriented material reminding the Dobie Brothers. The band was promtoted under the label 'Boston Sound', with the aim to create some alternatives to the Westcoast sound,and which finally doesn't served the band too well (critics thought of the Boston Sound as a marketing hype and reacted negatively).
The very best of Ultimate Spinach (Varese/ Sarabande) gives a good overview over their output with a focus on the first two records + three short tracks from the third and last record. On the first two records there are mainly longer elaborated tracks that alternate vocal arrangements and beautiful instrumental passages, with the strong identity of Bruce Douglas's compositions. Ultimate Spinach deserves to be added under Proto Prog.
Edited by Alucard - August 01 2006 at 10:16