- Crimson and Clover · 1968
- Crimson & Clover · 1968
- I Think We're Alone Now · 1967
- 1971 · 1971
- Crimson and Clover / Some Kind of Love [Digital 45] · 1968
- Crimson and Clover · 1968
- Celebration: The Complete Roulette Recordings (1966-1973) · 1969
- Woodstock Rock · 1969
- The Complete Roulette Albums · 1966
- I Think We're Alone Now · 1967
- Crimson and Clover · 2002
- Crimson & Clover · 1968
- Dance Craze Hits · 1966
Essential Albums
- The psychedelic era changed the game for everyone. Hard rock artists worked on the album format and singles artists like Tommy James & The Shondells worked up singles that were their own peculiar trip. While James and his cohorts were lumped into the “bubblegum” category, their artistic range and experimentalism led them far further afield than their radio reputation suggests. “Crimson and Clover” was the overwhelming hit here, and deservedly so, but the artful “Crystal Blue Persuasion” was a close runner up. However, beyond these two well-noted tracks are some beautifully freaked-out moments such as “I’m a Tangerine” and “Sugar On Sunday” and power-pop cuts like “Do Something to Me,” “Breakaway” and “I’m Alive,” where the band explores their funkier side (which had always been part of James’ arsenal reaching back to the first album). “Kathleen McArthur” is a sweet ballad worthy of Donovan. It’s amazing just how unforced and eclectic James actually was. For those who wish to peek behind the curtain, this is a fine place to start.
- Tommy James & The Shondells were known as a singles artist; their albums were considered a secondary concern. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t record several substantial albums during their prime. There is no conceptual thrust here or any grand ambition, but the songs themselves are quite good. “Mony Mony” was the blockbuster hit, but other tracks such as the nicely orchestrated “Do Unto Me,” the Beach Boys-like vocal swoons of “(I’m) Taken” and the ambitious jolt of “Somebody Cares” make for a satisfying snapshot of mid-‘60s pop-rock. “Gingerbread Man,” with its groovy organ, proves the group was very aware of the psychedelic world, figuring out ways to acclimate without losing their commercial appeal. “Some Kind of Love” adds congas to the lively vocal interplay that gave the group much of their glory. While 1968 was a dark time for the nation and much of the music reflected this, Tommy James & The Shondells found rays of light to keep spirits up.
Albums
About Tommy James & The Shondells
A band who smoothly transitioned from making dance-craze anthems to crafting psychedelic trips, Tommy James & The Shondells are responsible for some of the ’60s-rock era’s most lasting standards. The band formed in 1959 in Niles, MI, as Tom and the Tornadoes, with a preteen Tommy James (then using the last name Jackson) on vocals, debuting with the 1962 single “Long Pony Tail.” Two years later, James renamed his band The Shondells, and they covered the punchy dance tune “Hanky Panky.” Thanks to the efforts of a Pittsburgh DJ, “Hanky Panky” became a hit in 1966, and the band, with James now top billed, signed a record deal. Tommy James & The Shondells’ 1967 gem “I Think We’re Alone Now” straddled the line between rock rave-up and bubblegum, while 1968’s feisty “Mony Mony” furthered the group’s reputation as a frothy pop act. James, frustrated by that pigeonholing, veered into acid rock with Crimson & Clover, whose title track became one of the late ’60s’ defining psych-pop tracks. James left the band in 1970 after an onstage collapse; his bandmates rechristened themselves Hog Heaven but disbanded shortly after. Their legacy has since been kept alive via hit covers by the likes of Joan Jett, Billy Idol, and Tiffany.
- FROM
- Niles, MI, United States
- FORMED
- 1964
- GENRE
- Rock