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Aum - Bluesvibes (1969)

Track listing:
  1. Tobacco Road 6:57
  2. Mississippi Mud 4:05
  3. Bay Bridge Blues 5:45
  4. Chilli Woman 4:38
  5. A Little Help From You 6:56
  6. Movin Man 7:51
  7. You Can't Hide 7:27

Notes

First album (1969) from this SF act who were a very popular act around the city's ballrooms in the late 60's.This album is a more bluesy affair than their second although still contains heavy psychedelic touches throughout. Fantastic Rick Griffin artwork adorns the sleeve..

Led by singer/multi-instrumentalist Wayne Ceballos, the little know Aum stand as also-rans in the lexicon of sixties San Francisco bands. With drummer Larry Martin and bassist Ken Newell rounding out the trio, the group's initial reputation stemmed from their jam-oriented concerts.

Initially signed by the London-affiliated Sire label, as one would expect from the title, the group's 1969's Bluesvibes found them working in a distinctively blues-vein. Reflecting the band's live act, the Richard Gotthrer produced debut featured a series of seven extended jams, (the shortest song clocking in at four minutes). With Ceballos writing the majority of the material, in spite of period excesses (e.g. aimless soloing), originals such as Mississippi Mud and Chilli Woman weren't half bad. Moreover, Ceballos proved a decent singer, injecting considerable energy into his performances. Among the few short-comings, the band's ponderous cover of John Loudermilk's Tobacco Road would've been suitable for Vanilla Fudge.

One of the first acts to be signed to Bill Graham's Fillmore label, 1969's Resurrection teamed the band with producer David Rubinson. As one might have guessed from the album title (let alone the back cover which showed three crosses), their sophomore effort found the band pursuing a pseudo-religious agenda. In spite of occasionally clunky lyrics and an irritating degree of echo, Ceballos-penned material such as God Is Back In Town, the ballad Only I Know and Today And Tomorrow wasn't too bad. Boasting a nifty Ceballos guitar solo, the stately title track is the stand-out cut. Elsewhere, the driving Bye Bye Baby and Little Brown Hen recall Quicksilver Messenger Service. Certainly not likely to get top-40 airplay, but San Francisco certainly turned out worse sounding bands. Commercially the band did nothing; the trio calling it quits shortly thereafter.(BorderlineBooks)