AMG Review of Alive and in Full Bloom

John W. Patterson
All Music Guide

I quote David Bischoff when writes, "...Noodling? Jamming? Wanking?...garage rock...guitars fuzzed and dorked...big weird door called The '60s..." Not much has changed, to my ear. Steady bass and drums set the flow, and guitarists and keyboards bungee-jump into improv-land. Take surf music, add the Ventures, feed Quicksilver Messenger Service some Happy Trails 'shrooms, request Soft Machine as backup band, catch an Iron Butterfly, ask Big Brother and the Holding Company to make up something quick cuz Janis Joplin has left the building; mix ALL this up, drink two or three White Russians, and let the jams tickle your nostalgia jive spot -- long overdue for that blacklight, body-painted, go-go girl in a macrame mini. You're there man -- dig it. Now talk fast without exhaling. Ah, you almost remember -- Status Quo, Lemon Pipers, and Strawberry Alarm Clock 45s covered in candlewax. Ooh...trails -- now what was this band's name again?