Ultimate Spinach – Ultimate Spinach

Following the release of the second Ultimate Spinach album, band leader Ian Bruce-Douglas either disappeared of his own accord or was fired, depending on who's telling the story; Ted Myers and Tony Scheuren, whose Alan Lorber-produced Chamaeleon Church had recently disbanded, still owed Lorber another album and so were drafted to replace Bruce-Douglas in Spinach. In his 2017 memoir MAKING IT, Myers its: "There were a few good songs on that album, but to be perfectly honest, I never felt this band was truly my baby... to both Tony and me, this was really more or less a ‘bread and butter gig,’ something we did to pay the bills." (Judging by the no-frills production, Lorber too seems to have been rather less invested in this album than usual.)

In spite of all that, I concur with GrayWings and biff77: I like the album very much, flawed though it is. True, it's Ultimate Spinach in name only, and has nary a psychedelic bone in its body... but then, how many bands in the Class Of '67 WEREN'T trying something different by '69? Although Myers doesn't mention them, to my ears the major influence here is clearly Moby Grape - and I say that's no bad thing. "Some Days You Just Can't Win", "Happiness Child" and "The World Has Just Begun" are exceptional songs and the rest are more than decent (but what is "Just Like Romeo & Juliet" doing here??), Jeff Baxter was an impressive guitarist even at that tender age, and - though I am a fan of the first two Spinach albums - as singers and especially as lyricists, Ted Myers and Tony Scheuren have Ian Bruce-Douglas beat by miles and miles.

A further note, courtesy of Myers' book: although Russ Levine is credited with playing bass on the album, and is shown in the band photo on the back cover, he was "let go" shortly after the new line-up's rehearsals began and replaced by roadie Tom Caulfield (who received only a "SPECIAL THANKS" for his trouble).

I actually like this album, it's not really Ultimate Spinach anymore except for 2 or 3 original . Reasons is the only track on the album which I can't stand. Barbara Hudson was good at singing Ballad of the Hip Death Goddess.

It's not that bad. "Reasons" and "Somedays You Just Can't Win" are decent songs. The only thing which is really really bad is the cover artwork ;)

Unbelievably dull, boring and lame. Sounds nothing like their first two albums. Essentially a different band under the same name. Jeff Skunk Baxter played guitar and the vocalist is new as well. Run of the mill schlock, which is a real shame. It’s a waste of time - avoid.

The third and final LP from this seminal "Boss-town Sound" group,
This was their weakest effort and it failed miserably at capturing the
type of psychedelic sound that their first two LP's were full of. It Has
maybe one OK track, but generally should be avoided.