Simply put I can't get enough Turtles at the moment. Their entire output from '65 to '69 is littered with gems aplenty, and today I will highlight a current favorite which is the excellent 'Grim Reaper Of Love' originally released as a non LP single in Mid 1966. Co-written by original Turtles bassist Chuck Portz and guitarist Al Nichol, 'Grim Reaper' is quite a departure from their previous single 'You Baby' which saw the Turtles taking on the commercial pop sound that they are most recognized for.
All commerciality is set aside on this outing as heard in the opening harmonies which hauntingly set the dark mood of the music and lyrics. 'Grim Reaper' sits more comfortably next to an Electric Prunes burner than any P.F. Sloan penned material. It's even been labeled 'raga rock' which I will neither agree nor disagree with. This must have been a bit confusing for the DJ's at the time, and the single was a flop overall. It still managed to reach no. 81 on the pop charts, although it was predicted to reach the top 60 by Billboard.
On the flip is 'Come Back', a Howard Kaylan original which is decent enough, but forgettable in comparison. The sound sits somewhere in between folk rock and sunshine pop which is exactly where they were in 1966. SPOILER ALERT: You can expect to hear some Turtles on the next Drifting Radio Broadcast.
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| Billboard Pop Spotlight May 28, 1966 |
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