Although Tommy Flanders (who'd already left the band by the time this debut hit the streets) is credited as sole vocalist, four of the then-sextet's members sang; in fact,
Danny Kalb handles as many leads as Flanders (four each), Steve Katz takes center stage on
Donovan's "Catch the Wind," and
Al Kooper is featured on "I Want to Be Your Driver." The band could be lowdown when appropriate (
Kalb's reading of "Jelly, Jelly"), high energy (
Muddy Waters' "Goin' Down Louisiana" sounds closer to
Chuck Berry or
Bo Diddley), and unabashedly eclectic (tossing in
Donovan or
Eric Andersen with no apologies).
Kalb's moody take on "Alberta" is transcendent, and the uptempo arrangement of "Spoonful" is surprisingly effective. [The Acadia label reissued Live at the Café Au Go Go in 2004 with six bonus tracks, including an alternative version of "Who Do You Love?"] ~ Dan Forte