Harpers Bizarre - Feelin' Groovy 1967

One of the bands that came to Warner Bros. in their buyout of Autumn Records were the Tikis. They had only recorded a handful of singles, and in terms of musical direction and group identity, they definitely had potential. Enter producer Lenny Waronker and session musician/arranger/songwriter/general musical architect Van Dyke Parks. The two of them brought then-drummer Ted Templeman up to the front as co-lead vocalist, along with Dick Scoppettone, and created a soft rock identity for the group, renaming them Harpers Bizarre. Their first single was perhaps their greatest shot: a cover of the then-brand-new Paul Simon song "Feelin' Groovy." Buttressed by an amazing Leon Russell arrangement and some great performances from the A-list of L.A. session cats, the song quickly went into the Top 20. The resulting album is almost as great as the single, with songs by Van Dyke Parks ("Come to the Sunshine"), Randy Newman ("Debutante's Ball"), and others. An excellent and definitive slice of California soft pop. AMG.

listen here or here or here

Harpers Bizarre - Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre 1968

Harpers Bizarre's third album continued their mildly eccentric soft rock direction, remaining as mildly eccentric ever, but growing ever softer. In truth, this skirts adult contemporary Muzak almost as it does anything that could be considered rock music, and is rather a dark day in the annals of sunshine pop. The covers are a motley assortment of largely pre-rock standards given ornate arrangements and the group's trademark high, measured harmonies. What call there was for remakes of "Battle of New Orleans" (a real low point), Bacharach-David's "Me, Japanese Boy," "Sentimental Journey," and the Gershwins' "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" by a pop band in 1968 is questionable. Anachronism wouldn't matter so much if the results weren't so damn prissy. Ted Templeman and Dick Scoppettone's few originals are a little less objectionable, but no more memorable. The melancholy "Bye, Bye, Bye" is about the best, segueing strangely into Randy Newman's "Vine Street." Several half-minute interludes connect the tracks to give it a suite-like feel and create the impression that the work is more important than it is. Beau Brummels fans might want to note the inclusion of a so-so good-time Ron Elliott composition, "I Love You, Mama," which Elliott also arranged (as he did two other tracks). The 2001 CD on Sundazed adds two bonus tracks, the 1968 non-LP single "Small Talk" (written by Bonner-Gordon of "Happy Together" fame) and a cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." AMG.

listen here