The Jukebox Rebel

There had already been hints of the exotic / bizarre on the Electric Prunes debut album but it’s highly unlikely that fans of the west coast psychedelic rockers were quite prepared for what came next – a religious rock opera sung in Latin and Greek. Er, featuring no Electric Prunes members. LOL! David Axelrod was hired by Reprise Records to arrange and produce the album after the group’s manager David Hassinger had got them to sign the rights to their name over to Axelrod. He was given carte-blanche by Hassinger to do what he wanted with the Electric Prunes. Initial work on the arrangements was done by bassist Mark Tulin, but it became clear during the recording that Axelrod’s intentions outstripped the band’s technical abilities, Jim Lowe commenting that “David Axelrod was so far above what we, as a garage band, were able to deliver.” The band reportedly broke up during the recording, and Axelrod completed the album using Canadian band The Collectors and other session musicians. That this sort of farcical situation can occur is a travesty for a band – especially one which had showed some good promise. Shocking stuff. As for this LP - more weird religious chanting, less rocking out would’ve been much better. And that’s coming from an atheist…

The Jukebox Rebel
14–Nov–2009

A1	[03:21] The Electric Prunes - Kyrie Eleison (David Axelrod) Psychedelia
A2	[05:45] The Electric Prunes - Gloria (David Axelrod) Rock
A3	[05:02] The Electric Prunes - Credo (David Axelrod) Prog
B1	[02:57] The Electric Prunes - Sanctus (David Axelrod) Prog
B2	[04:52] The Electric Prunes - Benedictus (David Axelrod) Prog
B3	[04:29] The Electric Prunes - Agnus Dei (David Axelrod) Rock

ratings by TJR