The Youngbloods are another folk band. This is one way to see trends in music. At one point there was a lot of jazz on the list of 1001 Albums… that i reviewed and now there seems to be more folk music. The Youngbloods’ Elephant Mountain album mixes folk with psychedelic music. They had one hit song “Get Together” which was released a second time in 1969 and became a bigger hit than when it was originally release in 1967.
I am not sure if I like this album. I accidentally listened to their 1969 album and I liked it. It had catchier songs. This album did not grab me quickly. I have listened too it 4 times now.
I hated the first song so it was difficult to focus on the rest of it. The album does not start for me until “Sunlight“. It is the most listenable song on the album. At times the band sounds more like they are singing soul music than folk music, especially on songs like “Beautiful“.
Elephant Mountain is not terrible at all. If they could have written more poppier songs, then they may have had a few more hits. “Quicksand” is a good song, but deals with depression and suicide. If you are going to do suicide, then do it better than I did it. I could not even do that right.
Quicksand forcing me to realize
Nothing that I see
Can get through this wall to me
Quicksand and I’m losing track of time
Sinking like a stone
All the dreams that I have ever known
This is my life. I feel like I am sinking in quicksand. I cannot get out of it. I try everything and nothing works. I am being smother and dying is happening so slowly.
“Rain Song (Don’t Let the Rain Bring You Down)” is a bit of humour thrown into a song, but that is all I really like about this album.
I think they were a decent band, but they could have used a bit of help with their sound and lyrics. I am not sure why they are on the list because I do not hear anything unique in their sound. 5/10.
hey it's osh 