LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Just in time for 1967's Summer of Love, Moby Grape rode its thunderous, three-guitar, five-part vocal harmony lineup — and its excellent songwriting — so hard they were a slam-dunk for rock 'n' roll immortality. And now this illustrious band will have its classic Columbia Records catalog restored to print by Sundazed on October 9, beginning with the first three Moby Grape albums: Moby Grape, Wow and Grape Jam. The final two Columbia albums by this San Francisco legend — Moby Grape '69 and Truly Fine Citizen — will follow in November.
The initial trio of Moby Grape albums will be made available as remastered compact disc reissues, complete with many bonus tracks, rare photos and detailed liner notes. Sundazed will also issue exact replicas of the original 12-inch vinyl versions of these three much-heralded releases.
Sharing stages with fellow San Francisco heroes Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin with Big Brother & the Holding Co., the Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape was a scintillating blend of all the music they loved: rock 'n' roll, blues, folk and honky tonk — with just enough psychedelia to blow more than a few minds.
Bassist Bob Mosley, guitarists Skip Spence, Jerry Miller and Peter Lewis and drummer Don Stevenson sounded like they'd been waiting all their lives to cut their breathtaking, self-titled 1967 debut album. Featuring topnotch songs like "Omaha," "Fall On You" and "Hey Grandma," it almost doubles as a Greatest Hits package. Wow, the Grape's second longplayer, released in 1968, is also laced with absolute winners, including courtroom-paranoia classic "Murder In My Heart For The Judge," the sprawling, two-wheel tale of "Motorcycle Irene" and the rollicking, horn-laced epic "Can't Be So Bad." Originally packaged together with Wow was Grape Jam, a loose-knit LP of the band jamming with Mike Bloomfield and keyboard whiz Al Kooper on a set of full-ashtray, 4:00 am recordings.
Long overdue for this vital reissue release, the catalog of Moby Grape can now take its rightful place alongside the work of the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jefferson Airplane as the cornerstones of San Francisco's celebrated Love Generation, a movement that truly changed the world.
Track listing:Hey Grandma / Mr. Blues / Fall on You / 8:05 / Come in the Morning / Omaha / Naked, If I Want To / Someday / Ain't No Use / Sitting by the Window / Changes / Lazy Me / Indifference / Rounder (instrumental)* / Looper (audition rec.)* / Indif ference (audition rec.)* previously unissued / Bitter Wind* previously unissued / Sweet Ride (Never Again)* //
*CD bonus tracks
LP is mono - CD is stereo