The Ultimate Spinach were originally a psychedelic/underground band, but by the time of their third and last album, the group had changed personnel so much that their connection with the original lineup was tenuous in both sound and body. (Actually, the original band had broken up after their second album; the Ultimate Spinach heard on
III included a couple of musicians that had recorded on the first two records, but was essentially an entirely different outfit.)...
III, perhaps due to the somewhat ad hoc lineup, is so diffuse that it sounds like the work of a few different bands. There's an anachronistic (but actually okay) cover of the old pop-soul hit "(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet," pretty psych-pop ballads, and some...hard blues-rock jamming. Collectors may be interested to note the presence of guitarist Jeff Baxter (later to play with
Steely Dan and
the Doobie Brothers)... ~ Richie Unterberger