Bit 'A Sweet - Hypnotic 1 (1968)

Bit a Sweet was reportedly a top draw at the big discotheques in New York City. Their only album, Hypnotic -- released by ABC in 1968 -- is a rare, and often over-looked, high-concept pop-psych album of the first degree. Today it is highly praised by collectors who are interested in psych-pop production values (phased vocals, electric sitar, strings, fuzz guitar). Bit a Sweet was produced by the multi-talented Steve Duboff, who also wrote most of the group's material, including both sides of their heavily edited "2086"/"Second Time" single. Duboff's sometime songwriting partner on this album, incidentally, was Artie Kornfeld, who -- during this time -- was producing the Cowsills for Mercury; their "How Can I Make You See" also appears here. Another highlights include Bit a Sweet's version of the George Harrison-penned Beatle track "If I Needed Someone." (Incidentally, Kornfeld and Duboff also recorded under the moniker Changin' Times). In February 1967, a year prior to the release of this album, Bit a Sweet covered the Steve Duboff-Dave Morris-penned "Out of Sight, Out of Mind," which was released on MGM (cover versions were also waxed by the Marauders and Limey & the Yanks). This song -- which unfortunately isn't featured on their debut -- is probably the group's best-known song. If you're curious, you can see it performed, along with one other selection, during the first few minutes of the sexploitation flick Blonde on a Bum Trip, and can also be found on several psychedelic compilations . Drummer Russell Leslie later recorded with a band called Neon (produced by Tommy James) and became a session drummer. AMG.

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