PSYCHEDELIC SUNDAE: THE BEST OF VANILLA FUDGE

In my opinion the underrated New York based VANILLA FUDGE is a pivotal progressive band like KING CRIMSON, COLOSSEUM and THE NICE. The best way to get an impression of the dynamic and alternating VANILLA FUDGE sound is the compilation-CD "Psychedelic Sundae (The Best Of.)": some Rhythm & blues with soul/gospel-like vocals and vocal harmonies but mainly music that is based upon great interplay between the fierce electric guitar (like Jimi HENDRIX) and the powerful Hammond B3 organ. The compositions range from slow, almost hypnotizing to propulsive with heavy outbursts. The vocals sound soulful, a rather unusual combination in prog rock. Discover this captivating, very progressive blend of different styles and keep in mind that YES, DEEP PURPLE and URIAH HEEP pointed at VANILLA FUDGE as their main influence!

Driven by Mark Stein's screechin' organ and a penchant for rearranging pop classics in a psychedelic manner, Vanilla Fudge was a great psych-rock group whose inclusion is quite possibly unwarranted. For what it's worth, I've always associated VF with its contemporaries Iron Butterfly and the first incarnation of Deep Purple (also a very creative cover band).

This CD compilation culls 18 tracks from four of the five studio albums (Vanilla Fudge, Renaissance, Near The Beginning and Rock & Roll) as well as some non-LP singles that the group recorded during its frantic peak years of 1967-1969. Incidentally nothing from the second album, the much-derided concept album The Beat Goes On was deemed worthy of inclusion.

Some of the rearrangements are stunning, leaving barely a skeleton of the original tune. The Supremes' You Keep Me Hangin' On is turned into a brilliant, dramatic yet concise little opera (and in fact was a #6 hit single in 1968), The Beatles' Ticket To Ride is slowed down and stretched out to good effect, Junior Walker & The All-Stars' Shotgun becomes a psych raver and both Donovan's Season Of The Witch (whispers, poetry reading, and all) and Nancy Sinatra's Some Velvet Morning are given a rather sinister treatment. While I tend to prefer the original in most cases, these are really unique versons that deserve to be heard. Stein's soulful vocals, the interplay between his organ and Vince Martell's guitar, and the fearsome rhythm section are a real treat if you haven't been exposed to it before. In fact, each member of the group was an unappreciated heavyweight of the late 60s scene.

What has often gone unnoticed is that Vanilla Fudge also wrote some excellent psych tunes of their own. Stein's Where Is My Mind and That's What Makes A Man, Martell's Thoughts, drummer Carmine Appice's multi-dimensional Faceless People and the heavy- rockin' group compositions Good Good Lovin' and Need Love offer undeniable proof that the Fudge could really have been a contender.

Now it's not all great though. On occasion, Stein's vocal histrionics can get annoying and I'm not fond of every song here. Take Me For A Little While, the psych/gospel (!!!) Lord In The Country, All In Your Mind and Street Walking Woman (despite a strong fade out in which Stein and Martell furiously trade solos) don't score high on my chart and I do feel that the comp loses momentum towards the end (perhaps an indication of the band's troubles). I also question the prog value of Vanilla Fudge as a whole, but this is definitely a great collection of songs by an essential and very influential psych group. ... 56% on the MPV scale

This CD worked as a good guide to the works of VANILLA FUDGE for me. Their hit "You Keep Me Hangin' On" is presented here as a single version, and there's also "Ticket to Ride" from their first studio album. "Where is My Mind" and "Look of Love" are then exceptionally fine late 60's psychedelic songs, carved out from the more conventional 60's pop tunes. Also a band called PESKY GEE, which would change it's name as BLACK WIDOW recorded their version of the song "Where is My Mind". There's good selections from their best album "Renaissance" and others here too. I'm not sure if this is a good compilation for those who are known to the bands work, unless they have their albums on vinyl, or you want to have only one album from them. I loaned my copy from the local library at Tikkurila, which has lots of prog content to be loaned for free!

This is a good album but not all prog rock fans are gonna love it. If you like alot of Pyshcadellic stuff, then you'll like it and i recomend you pick it up. If you really like Metal Prog, don't even think about it becuase you will hate it so much it will surprize you. But its quite enjoyable.

Noteable Songs: Seasons of the Witch That's what makes a man Faceless People

They all are good in their own ways these ones just sticks out.

A trifle appealing

Vanilla Fudge pioneered a heavy grunge sound with lots of swirling organ. Their forte was cover versions of popular songs, performed in a unique and exciting way. Tracks 1 and 4 on this collection give an excellent indication of this, being covers of a Motown classic ("You keep me hanging on"), and a Beatles standard ("Ticket to ride") respectively. "Seasons of the witch", a Donovan cover from the "Renaissance" album also proves the band's creative talents in interpreting and arranging less known songs.

Bands like Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath were clearly influenced by Vanilla Fudge's early work, indeed it would be reasonable to credit them with laying the foundations for the sub-genre we now call heavy prog.

Psychedelic Sundae purports to be a "Best of collection". Whether it does in fact represent their best is debatable, but a good cross section of their albums is represented. Original albums "Vanilla Fudge", "Rock'n'roll", "Renaissance", "Near the beginning", and "I can make it" all contribute at least one track, the collection also including 2 non-album tracks. The songs are presented pretty much in chronological order, making it possible to see how the band progressed during their first and most significant existence.

One of the non-album tracks, "The look of love", which formed the B-side of the single "Where is my mind" is a soft yet heavy cover of the Bacharach/David song. The version of the Beatles "Ticket to ride" here is different to that on the band's first album, this being a single remix.

This collection is useful from the point of view that it contrasts rather nicely the band's cover versions with their rather overlooked original material. Songs such as "Come by day, come by night" and "Need love" demonstrate that Vanilla Fudge could also come up with some fine compositions themselves.

Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert provide the distinctive heavy back-beat on which the band was based. The two went on to form Cactus after their planned collaboration with Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart was thwarted by Beck's motorcycle accident. They would later work with Beck in Beck, Bogert and Appice.

In all, an excellent introduction to the music of Vanilla Fudge, but be warned, by buying it you will simply find yourself wanting to obtain the original albums anyway.

This compilation is an excellent way for a neophyte to discover this very special US band.

Their full psychedelia is well present in here : "Where Is My Mind", "That's What Makes a Man etc. as well as their incomparable talent for playing disjointed covers : "You Keep Me Hangin' On", "Ticket to Ride" and several other ones described later on (but I have never been over enthusiastic about the Donovan "Season of the Witch").

Almost the whole of their best album (IMHHO) "Renaissance" is represented here : seven out eleven tracks even if the great "The Sky Cried when I Was a Boy" has been left out. This compilation sells for so cheap (less than four ?) that it is a great alternative to the expensive original album.

Another blunder is to have forgotten the one and only great song from "Rock'n' Roll". IMO, "The Windmills Of Your Mind" was absolutely fantastic. Instead, we get the very good "Need Love" of course but I am very sceptical about "I Can't Make It Alone and "Lord In The Country" (awfully gospel). But I guess that each fan has his own "best of" in mind, so. Same treat out of their average "Near The Beginning". One monster track : "Some Velvet Morning". And, yes : it is included here as well! A killer and one of my fave cover song from the band. But the band could also write their own great music. Just listen to Faceless People (from Renaissance as well). Another fave of mine (but there are plenty here)

So, if you are a vinyl holder and wants some Fudge music to put in your CD player or just curious to listen to the Fudge, don't hesitate. Grab this "Psychedelia Sundae" : it is great psychedelic soul and heavy rock "avant la lettre".

Four stars (but they could have made it a five star one if track selection was slightly different).