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Bubble Puppy-A GATHERING OF PROMISES CD (International Artists/Charly UK)

Can't seem to find my copy of the ELMER FUDPUCKER AT THE NUDIST COLONY Cee-Dee-Are right now (hmmmm, it was in the same pile as the rest of the Bill Shute burns...maybe the folks grabbed it for laffs!), so I'll guess I'll settle on reviewing this exquisitely-packaged reissue of the Bubble Puppy album done in the same bookbound fashion as the Golden Dawn's POWER PLANT album, not forgetting a few more of these reissued International Artists platters that I might even buy one of these days. You can read my review of the Puppy's chart-topping single "Hot Smoke and Sasafrass" here if you so desire, but if you're one of those many members of the record buying public circa. 1969 who snatched this single up and didn't bother to engage in any more research (and regret it), well here's yet another chance to do so w/o breaking the bank for a prized original.

You may be expecting A GATHERING OF PROMISES to be one big heavy metal throbfest, right? I sure was. Well, it wasn't quite the hard-edged metallic roll of thunder I was expecting, but if you think I was disappointed you're WRONG as usual because although this platter ain't quite as indicative of what an early HM classic could entail it's still a mighty good record outta nowhere that came atcha and went off w/o a trace. It sounds more Midwestern than Texan, with a style that comes off one part late-garage band-era/early-punk, another part early progressive (more or less like 1968 garage mutating into the early prog beat as performed by kids who weren't aware of what havoc they would wreak!) and yet another part early heavy metal back when that emerging form didn't know whether it wanted to be hard blues or all out crank. It is a great combination, especially when you throw a little mid-sixties folk rock harmony into an already-overloaded mix resulting in a record which frankly I can hardly categorize myself if only to explain what you dolts might be in for taking a chance on this rather unique-sounding record.

I'd be lyin' if I said that I thought A GATHERING OF PROMISES was a total wowzer high energy headspinner, but then again I have the feeling that this one will grow on me as the years progress. Yeah, I know that for most of you a good record is one that usually hits you immediately or leaves you cold forever, but in many a case I, like Lester Bangs, have originally felt tepid towards certain platters but have come to like them after a few plays, or after the artist/label whose record I "dissed" wrote me to complain. Well, I do like this one, and I'll betcha dollars to doughboys that before my life is through I'll probably enjoy it all the more to the point where this one'll top one or more of my own personal charts which exquisite fanzines of the future will be more than glad to publish once I become the trendsetting maverick of rock fandom that I've always fashioned myself to be lo these many years.

Oh yeah, and it even comes with (besides the enclosed booklet detailing the history of the band) the prerequisite bonus tracks including the mono single take of "Sasafrass" not forgetting such b-side rarities as "What Do You See" which has to be my SECOND fave-rave Bubble Puppy song (as if you didn't know what my primo fave was!).