Other Half

Recording information: Golden State Recorders, San Francisco.
Photographer: Tom Hall .
This album has been kicking around for ages, first in cut-out bins in the 1970s and subsequently on want lists, ever since "Mr. Pharmacist" (which was not on this long-player) turned up on Rhino's Nuggets, Vol. 12. It turns out to be not at all bad, if not exactly distinguished -- the Other Half were a much better garage band than they were a psychedelic outfit, their frantic, crunchy rockers (which dominate this record) being far more memorable and impressive than their efforts at trippy, spaced out, languid psych ("Wonderful Day"). "I Need You," and "Feathered Fish" give lead guitarist Randy Holden the opportunity to stretch out in the best Jeff Beck manner (circa the Yardbirds' Roger the Engineer), and even their more primitive numbers, such as "Oz Lee Eaves Drops," are good showcases for the group. Holden and rhythm guitarist Geoff Westen also get into some entertaining faux mandolin sounds on "Morning Fire," but when the band tries to get too serious, as on the two-part "What Can I Do for You," the results are fairly dire, which makes the last ten minutes of the original LP (which didn't even run 30 minutes) easily dispensable. ~ Bruce Eder