1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die - #121. The United States Of America - The United States Of America (1968)

The United States Of America - The United States Of America (1968)

Label – Columbia
Producer – David Rubison
Art Direction – Eric Schon
Nationality – USA
Running Time – 37:07

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. The American Metaphysical Circus
2. Hard Coming Love
3. Cloud Song
4. The Garden Of Earthly Delights
5. I Won’t Leave My Wooden-Wife For You, Sugar
6. Where Is Yesterday
7. Coming Down
8. Love Song For The Dead Ché
9. Stranded In Time
10. The American Way Of Love

This is a self titled debut album released in 1968 by The United States of America – their one and only album and it received positive reviews on its release. I had actually never heard of this group nor had heard any of their music. And I still wish that I never had. This album was just dreadful. Featuring no guitars and just synthesizers, the music is like a bad acid trip. Although I suppose at the time if you were on acid this was probably a pretty decent record. Think Velvet Underground – just nowhere near as good – and I can’t stand Velvet Underground!! Think about it - the group’s leader was a member of the communist party - in a group called The United States of America getting a recording contract and having a record released. Only in the sixties!!
To be fair, I just don't care for this type of music and only the track "Coming Down" held my interest for very long.
Somehow the album spent nine weeks on the charts in the United States, peaking at number 181 on the Billboard album charts in May 1968. For reasons unknown, the album has been re-issued several times and continues to receive critical acclaim decades after its original release. It is however not recommended.


You can purchase the CD here

ON THIS DATE
1964 The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.

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