SWEETWATER- s/t RARE 1968 ORIGINAL 2-TONE REPRISE LABEL PSYCH FOLK ROCK VG+/EX

$

30

"SWEETWATER"

 1968 Reprise RS 6313 label

The condition of the cover is VG+ with moderate cover and seam wear (see photos), no cut-outs, seam splits or writing.  The condition of the disc is a conservative EX and it plays nicely!

::::SWEETWATER:::: their first & best LP is produced by David Hassinger (Electric Prunes producer)

Due to the excellent voice of Nansi Nevins plus the absolutely innovative and eclectic blend of influences in their music, they were immediately recruited by Warner Reprise and released their self titled debut album "Sweetwater". This LP was ahead of their time, the killer keyboards of Alex Delzoppo were efficiently back grounded by the unusual (for that moment) flute of Albert Moore, Cello by August Burns and Conga of the amazing Elpidio Cobian plus the usual instruments of a Rock band.

Sweetwater had their own sound, but at times effectively aped the Peanut Butter Conspiracy and Jefferson Airplane their female vocalist, (Nanci Nevins is a dead ringer for Grace Slick), with slightly jazzier bends, but their music was too much for its time -- decades later, lyrics like "What's wrong with our schools/What's wrong with our zoos" are quite entertaining.    The highlight of this album is probably “My Crystal Spider” with its heavily drug- suggestive keyboard dirge and erratic cello solo The overall feel is of kind of a precocious “White Rabbit”, and this was reportedly a concert favorite. A Naïve flower-power atmosphere abounds, particularly in “Two Worlds” and the above mentioned “What’s Wrong”, but given the time in which this was released this is understandable.    Overall "SWEETWATER" the album, is blessed with good songs and great instrumental work, and the band blossomed, appearing regularly in California, on national TV shows, and scoring a gig at the legendary Miami Pop Festival in the last week of 1968, where they fit in well with the festival's eclectic mix of performers.

An unusual rock group in both the size of their lineup (which numbered eight), the instrumentation employed, and the eclectic scope of their material. Lead singer Nansi Nevins was backed not just by conventional guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, but also flute (Albert Moore), conga (Elpidio Cobian), and cello (August Burns). Their debut album was the kind of release that could have only been the product of the late '60s, with the music flying off in all directions, and a major label willing to put it out. They blended Californian psychedelia with complex keyboards moves and classical bent, edges, especially in the flute and cello. Sweetwater was formed from a group of friends that jammed at coffee houses in California in the mid '60s. Harvey Gerst, who had written a Byrds song with Roger McGuinn ("It Won't Be Wrong"), was an unofficial member of sorts, sometimes acting as road manager and playing guitar. For their debut album they were produced by Dave Hassinger, who had worked, as recording engineer and producer, with the Rolling Stones, Electric Prunes, and the Grateful Dead. In the late '60s they opened for a lot of big-time acts, and played a bunch of festivals without breaking into the headliner ranks. In fact, they were the third band to take the stage at the Woodstock Festival in '69.
In December 1969, twenty year old Nansi Nevins was in a serious car accident in which she suffered severe brain trauma and damaged her vocal cords, putting her in a coma for weeks and necessitating physical therapy for years. Although she had recorded a couple of tracks on their second Reprise album, she was unable to rejoin the band, which had to stop touring and lost any career momentum it had developed.

1968 ORIGINAL FIRST PRESSING IN NICE KEEPER CONDITION!

COMBINED SHIPPING RECOMMENDED! INTERNATIONAL: $5 PER ADDITIONAL LP'S UP TO 4 POUNDS & DOMESTIC: IS $1 PER ADDITIONAL LP'S

ALL LP'S SHIPPED IN A PROFESSIONAL LP MAILER WITH STIFF INSERTS

THANK YOU & GOOD LUCK!