Ok, this is my first review and my first post on this site. I hope you enjoy! I'm 15 and have been hunting psych vinyl for 1 and a half years now. I don't have years of experience, but I do love the genre and the era. I also realize that The Animals are a bit more mainstream then some of these other ones but, then again, Iron Butterfly's In-A-Godda-Da-Vida was the first platinum record right?
Winds of Change by Eric Burdon and the Animals
I bought this album at an Antique Shop the other day and was NOT expecting the eerie psychedelic opening track to pop out of the grooves of an Animals record. A far cry from House of The Rising Sun, Inside - Looking Out, Don't Let me be Misunderstood etc. , Winds of Change put a tear in my eye.
The first few tracks of the album are echo-filled spoken word tracks with someone (eric?) blowing into the mic for a wind effect. Eric's voice seems distant as if he was singing from the top of a mountain. Great use of a violin in Poem by the sea as well.
Their cover of Paint it Black is in the style I imagine Vanilla Fudge would if they picked up the violin.
The Black Plague is another trippy spoken word song. I really don't have too much to say about this track. I can't imagine he expected commercial success with a song like this, which makes it all the better.
Track 5 answers Jimi Hendrix's question Are You Experienced? Yes.
Side 2 of this album turns less psychedelic and closer to the old animals, although there is no mistaking them for the mid-60's lineup. Personally Man-Woman reminds me too much of "Troglodytes" to enjoy, but it isn't bad.
"It's all Meat" sounds like the garage psych in earlier posts in this thread. Fast paced with a smooth solo and short cut in the song with a string instrument fill. I think this the 3rd or 4th song on the album that mentions Ray Charles too...
I tried to put some links in, but I need 15 posts first, if you want the links, I'll come back later and put 'em up. Or you could pm me. (couldn't put up the album art either)
Enjoy.