For as many rock n' roll bands and artists who have made it huge over the years to the point where they have a widely renowned legacy, there are countless more who have unfortunately slipped through the cracks and mostly been forgotten. One such band is a highly under rated Detroit based hard/blues/psychedelic rock group named Frijid Pink; which began in 1967. Before vanishing off the face of the Earth after numerous line-up changes in the mid-70's, the band released a slew of singles as well as six studio albums.
Amongst the band's underground following, the most highly regarded album from Frijid Pink is their self-titled 1970 debut album Frijid Pink. On this album Frijid Pink takes the idea of late 60's psychedelic and blues rock of bands like Cream and Jimi Hendrix and takes it to a whole other level. This was stoner rock with a punch to it. In a way it really was the beginning of the hard rock genre as we know it. This album was like a transitioning point in a way.
The song that Frijid Pink has become best known for over the years is their cover of House of the Rising Sun, as made famous by The Animals and countless other artists. It keeps that solemn psychedelic presence as The Animals' version, but they decided to put more power and gusto into it. The guitars pack a punch and the vocals by Kelly Green absolutely howl from start to finish. It really is the only version I know of that comes even close to The Animals' version of the song. It's big. It's epic. It is arguably the best version of the song.
When listening to the track I'm On My Way you might think that the album accidentally contains a song written and recorded in the 50's to be played at a sock hop or whatever 50's teenagers got their groove on at. That would be understandable. It's a boogie tune that is upbeat, melodic, bluesy, and fun. There is some fantastic slide guitar work done by guitarist Gary Ray Thompson. It's a great tune to get up off your feet and dance to.
Frijid Pink isn't exactly an easy album to come by, but if you come across a copy in a record store then I HIGHLY advise you pick it up. It's a great addition to your vinyl collection. Of course you could just go the lame cop out route and get mp3's or a CD, but what fun would that be? The music is creative and innovative for its time. It has its serious and powerful moments, but also some fun ones as well. Frijid Pink really are an under rated band and should have gotten more notoriety in their heyday than they did. Have a listen if you get the chance.
Frijid Pink, by Frijid Pink receives 4 out of 5 stars.
Track List:
1. God Gave Me You
2. Crying Shame
3. I'm On My Way
4. Drivin' Blues
5. Tell Me Why
6. End of the Line
7. House of the Rising Sun
8. I Want to be Your Lover
9. Boozin' Blues
10. Heartbreak Hotel
11. Music For the People
Buy the album on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Frijid-Pink-FRIJID-PINK/dp/B000006YUF/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428036426&sr=8-1&keywords=Frijid+Pink
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