Search - The Mojo Men :: Not Too Old to Start Cryin': The Lost 1966 Masters

The Rest of the Story

Joe B. | Nashua, NH USA | 08/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the early spring of 1966, the Mojo Men saw their label Autumn Records go bust and their contract sold to Warner Bros. Records; then had a falling out with their original drummer, resulting in the addition of Jan Errico (formerly of the Vejtables) on drums. She quickly integrated into the band also as a songwriter and vocalist, both solo and harmony with original lead singer/bassist Jim Alaimo.



These recordings span a one-year period beginning in June 1966, all recorded in the band's home base of San Francisco. Primarily intended as demos for Reprise (WB's sister label), the home office in Burbank rejected most of these songs; a few were rerecorded in Los Angeles, where almost all of the released Reprise recordings took place. The 24 songs are a mixture of the Mojo Men's original British Invasion/garage sound (much improved over their early 1965 recordings), San Francisco folk-rock and psychedelia/fuzz, some nods to the Mamas & Papas and Sonny & Cher, and a preview of the baroque-style pop that came to mark their Reprise years, all performed and (aside from three covers) written entirely by the band.



The CD booklet's excellent liner notes by compilation producer Alec Palao covers the group's history well and is illustrated with vintage photos, concert posters, etc. The recent discovery of the 4-track master tapes is the source of the stellar sound quality.



The group deserved better than one-hit (plus two lower Top 100 entries) wonder status. With the lack of a Reprise LP release in the 1960's, the band wasn't really given the opportunity to showcase their full musical talents and escape being pigeonholed as a singles band. However belated, this CD provides that showcase and stands equally alongside their better-known singles as the best work of the Mojo Men

"

Superb cache of mid-career garage/pop/folk/psych demos

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 12/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The San Francisco-based Mojo Men are best remembered for their top-40 hit cover of Stephen Stills' "Sit Down, I Think I Love You." By the time that ornate 1967 single was released, the original group had recorded several bravado-filled sides for Tom Donahue's Autumn label, fallen out with their drummer, picked up former Vejtables drummer/vocalist/songwriter Jan Errico, and recorded these demos before recording for Reprise. To be fair, "demos" is a coarse description given the recordings' sparkling studio quality and the care lavished on the vocals and overdubs. But even though many of these tracks rival their output on Autumn and Reprise, the sessions were used to work out new material, showcase the band's songwriting to their new producers, and to suggest outside material that might be suitable. The only aural artifact that really suggests "demo" are hotly mixed vocals that don't always lay firmly in the instrumental backings.



The addition of Jan Errico had a noticeable impact on the band's sound, pulling them in more melodic directions and adding a folk-rock vibe to numerous tracks. The macho sentiments of the group's earlier "She Goes With Me" may not have fit the new lineup (though they did essentially reprise their earlier "Dance With me" on "There Goes My Mind"), but Errico could sing with full-throated force. The vocal attack of "What Kind of Man," for example, sounds like a midway point between the sharp verbal punctuation of Mary Travers and the snotty garage attitude of Paula Pierce. Errico and bassist/vocalist Jim Alaimo made a solid rhythm section, and their voices blended into winning harmonies. The group could equally well rock a primitive Bo Diddley beat for "'Til I Find You" as they could take it down tempo for the ballad "Don't Leave Me Crying Like Before."



The influence of former Autumn labelmates The Beau Brummels is heard on "Is Our Love Gone," and a cover of Jay and the Americans' "She Cried" adds fine group harmonies. Several of Alaimo and Errico's originals were re-recorded for later albums, but many more are only heard here. These mid-career recordings fit perfectly between the garage rock of the Mojo Men's Autumn sides and their more polished Reprise recordings, and are sure to enthrall fans of either. Big Beat's "West Coast Promotion Man" Alec Palao offers up top-quality liners and photos from his personal archives to round out a stellar package. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]"

Superb!

Burritoman "USA" | Pennsylvania | 09/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a fantastic release, some of the finest pop that the San Fransisco scene had to offer. It appears that, finally, the Mojo Men are receiving some credit after 40 years of neglect. They deserve it.

Now we're waiting for a reissue of the only 'real' album they actually released during their time together, 1968's gem "Mojo Magic" (simply credited to Mojo).

Big Beat, how about it?

Recommended."