The Youngbloods - The Youngbloods 1967

The New York quartet comes off as a mini-Lovin' Spoonful on their engaging debut, with a deeper touch of melancholy and more prominent electric keyboards. As with the Spoonful, they would have been better off leaving the blues alone, but the rest of the material is good, highlighted by "Get Together" and the achingly tuneful "All Over the World (La-La)." AMG.

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The Youngbloods - High On A Ridge Top 1972

Not an auspicious end to the band, but an improvement over the similarly low-key Good and Dusty. The selection of material is much more diverse and appealing, and the use of harp, saxes, and mandolin spices up some of the arrangements. Young's "Dreamboat," the sole original song here, is a good example of the Youngbloods in light R&B mode, and would fit nicely on their best album, Elephant Mountain. Among the cover versions, the swinging, saxophone-enhanced "Running Bear" is fun, as is the jazzy take on "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window," with nice slide guitar and acoustic piano work. Likewise, the piano-based "I Shall Be Released" may not be essential, but it is an able, enjoyable Dylancover. Fittingly, for a band so enamored with the blues, the Youngbloods bring the curtain down withRobert Johnson's "Kind Hearted Woman," as satisfying a blues track as they cut. AMG.

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