One of the most inauspicious debuts by a major rock group, this subdued slice of country boogie might be called the missing link between
Moby Grape and the later, revved-up
Doobies of "Listen to the Music." Only a handful of West Coast hippies bought this record originally, but it lays the blueprint for
the Doobies' future radio-friendly sound: chugging rhythm guitar, stretched-out harmonies,
Tom Johnston's joyful R&B vocals, and
Patrick Simmons' acoustic picking. A muffled mixing job helped keep this album in the morgue, which is sad, because "Nobody" and "Greenwood Creek" rate with some of
Johnston's best tunes, and they deserve issuance on a definitive
Doobie Brothers compilation. ~ Peter Kurtz