The Amboy Dukes (album)
The Amboy Dukes is the debut studio album by American rock band The Amboy Dukes. It was released in November 1967 on Mainstream Records.
| The Amboy Dukes | ||||
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| Released | November 1967 | |||
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| Length | 37:39 | |||
| Label | Mainstream | |||
| Producer | Bob Shad | |||
| The Amboy Dukes chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Amboy Dukes | ||||
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Composition
The album is noted for containing an energetic recording of Joe Williams' blues standard "Baby, Please Don't Go",[2] as well as covers of Pete Townshend's composition "It's Not True", and Cream's "I Feel Free".[1] AllMusic said that the album fused "the psychedelia of the early Blues Magoos with Hendrix riffs and British pop" and described the song "Colors" as psychedelic hard rock.[1] The publication compared "Down on Philips Escalator" to Syd Barrett-period Pink Floyd, and said that "The Lovely Lady" "almost sounds like the Velvet Underground meets the Small Faces by way of Peanut Butter Conspiracy."[1]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
"Baby, Please Don't Go" was released as a single, with the song "Psalms of Aftermath" as the B-side.[1] Ultimate Classic Rock said that the album received "little, if any, fanfare outside of [the band's] home base of Detroit".[2] AllMusic wrote in a retrospective review that the album is "as essential to the Amboy Dukes' catalog as the non-hit material on Psychedelic Lollipop was to the Blues Magoos, the first album from the Amboy Dukes is a real find and fun listening experience. [...] This is a far cry from Cat Scratch Fever, and that's why fans of psychedelia and '60s music should cherish this early diamond."[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Baby, Please Don't Go" | Big Joe Williams | 5:35 |
| 2. | "I Feel Free" | 3:42 | |
| 3. | "Young Love" | 2:45 | |
| 4. | "Psalms of Aftermath" |
| 3:19 |
| 5. | "Colors" |
| 3:20 |
| Total length: | 19:47 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Let's Go Get Stoned" | 4:24 | |
| 7. | "Down on Philips Escalator" |
| 3:00 |
| 8. | "The Lovely Lady" | Farmer | 2:58 |
| 9. | "Night Time" |
| 3:11 |
| 10. | "It's Not True" | Pete Townshend | 2:42 |
| 11. | "Gimme Love" |
| 2:43 |
| Total length: | 20:05 | ||
Personnel
The Amboy Dukes
- John (J.B.) Drake – vocals
- Ted Nugent – guitar
- Steve Farmer – guitar
- Rick Lober – piano, organ
- Dave Palmer – drums
- Bill White – bass
Technical
- Bob Shad – producer
- John Cue – engineer
- Maxine Epstein – album coordinator
- Jack Lonshein – cover design
References
- Viglione, Joe. The Amboy Dukes at AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
- Swanson, Dave (April 30, 2015). "How Amboy Dukes' 'Journey to the Center of the Mind' Bridged Psychedelia and Hard Rock". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 25, 2023.