This CD not only contains
Fever Tree
's 1968 self-titled debut long-player, but also an additional seven previously unreleased sides, including a live version of the group's sole charting effort (it reached number 94),
"San Francisco Girls (Return of the Native)."
The initial incarnation featured
Rob Landes
(keyboards/woodwind),
Dennis Keller
(vocals),
John Tuttle
(percussion),
E.E. Wolfe
(bass), and
Michael Knust
(guitar), as well as their patrons
Scott Holtzman
-- who was one of Houston's top
pop
DJs -- and his wife
Vivian Holtzman
. The pair were no strangers to music publishing, either, having worked with the likes of
Tex Ritter
and even
Walt Disney
during the 1930s and '40s. Not only did they provide promotional and presumably financial assistance, they also wrote several of the band's best tunes, including the aforementioned "hit"
In addition to strong originals,
also chose exemplary covers. Among them are
Buffalo Springfield
's
"Nowadays, Clancy Can't Even Sing,"
Wilson Pickett
"Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won't Do)',"
and an intriguing medley of
the Beatles
'
"Day Tripper"
and
"We Can Work It Out."
This particular coupling is worth mentioning as the songs in question were the respective "A" and "B" sides of the same 45 rpm single. Contrasting the
psychedelic pop
leanings are the introspective
"The Sun Also Rises,"
as well as the brilliantly noir and surreptitious
"Unlock My Door."
Internal conflict began a history of perpetual personnel alterations for
, with both
Landes
Tuttle
leaving prior to the second outing,
Another Time, Another Place
(1969). No specifics on the bonus material are given; however, the inclusion of
Al Jarreau
"You Don't See Me"
-- which wasn't issued by the
jazz
vocalist until the late '70s -- leads to the conclusion that the supplementary sides are from subsequent incarnations. Although the liner info could be considered skimpy at best, the sound quality is thoroughly excellent. Since the band's first two LPs are available on the two-fer title
Fever Tree/Another Time Another Place
(1997),
San Francisco Girls
(2003) is more for the hardcore collector and enthusiast rather than the casual listener. ~ Lindsay Planer