Man's debut record makes it easy to either love or hate them from the jump, being equal parts exasperating and charming. What else would an enterprising new act in the late 60s do but build on the Sgt. Pepper template, frame their friendly but sloppy acid-fried ramblings within the larger Story of Mankind, include a track with a woman feigning orgasms to further grab people's attention, and even throw in a VERY orgy-suggestive cover and.....??? Oh wait! You have Revelation - Man's debut album.
I cannot help but compare this to an old Night Gallery episode "The Flip-Side of Satan" where Arte Johnson played a nefarious disc jockey sent to what turns out to be his last shift. But this time it's Jerry Stiller as a crotchety talk show host and none other than George A. Romero himself wrote this episode...which, unlike Arte Johnson's entry, is a real Debbie downer. Sorry, but I've always preferred rock 'n' roll style disc jockey banter.
It's a crime to rate this album and pretty much irrelevant as to who Grey Ghost is (although they provide solid backing) but it's clear this was Ruby Starr's show. And it's a show you don't want to miss.
The Dolls' second and last album of their original run was a memorably slipshod document which on paper (their idol/inspiration Shadow Morton in the producer's chair), should have surpassed the original. In reality, this was an outfit whose time had come and gone, and their partnership with Morton was nothing more than a misguided last-hour shot at the brass ring. The howling, madness-filled ending of "Human Being" definitely included.
