Go all the way (Raspberries) (LP 3604 - 3609)

Raspberries  Raspberries (Vinyl, Capitol Records, 1972) ****  

Raspberries  Fresh Raspberries (Vinyl, Capitol Records, 1972) *****  

Raspberries  Side 3 (Vinyl, Capitol Records, 1973) *****  

Raspberries  Starting Over (Vinyl, Capitol Records, 1974) ***  

Raspberries  Raspberries Live on Sunset Strip (CD/DVD, Ryko Records, 2007) ****

Raspberries  The Raspberries - Capitol Collector Series (CD, Capitol Records, 1991) *****   

Genre: Power pop 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Marbecks Records, HMV

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Go All The Way (Raspberries)

Gear costume: Ecstasy (Side 3), Drivin' Around (Fresh)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I love a wide range of power pop bands. These tend to be bands heavily influenced by The Beatles (songcraft), The Who (those power chords), The Small Faces, The Beach Boys (those harmonies) and The Hollies amongst others.

Two of the best power poppers were Badfinger and Raspberries. They have a few similarities in that they had a range of different writers and singers to carry the load and in Pete Ham and Eric Carmen they had two amazing talents - both great singers/ writers who, incidentally are both the rhythm guitarists who also play piano in their bands (like Lennon). 

Raspberries and Fresh Raspberries are both from 1972. Eric Carmen's Go All The Way is the first song on the debut and it's also one of their best. It does tend to dominate the album but the eight minute long closing number - I Can Remember is also a brilliant song.

Wally Bryson (lead guitar, vocals) and Dave Smalley are great foils for Carmen and they contribute some excellent songs to the band's catalogue. Combined with Jim Bonfanti on drums, they stop things getting overly sentimental (Eric's big problem post Raspberries).

Fresh Raspberries built on the debut and featured the hits Let's Pretend, Drivin' Around and I Wanna Be With You. The rest of the album contained songs that could also have been hit singles.  

Side 3 was a second five-star effort. The guitars are meaty and the songs varied because of the three distinctive writing styles. Everything about this album is great, including the cut-out cover in the shape of a bucket of raspberries. The big hits from Side 3 were Tonight, I'm a Rocker and Ecstasy.

 

The el cheapo cover to Starting Over says it all. Gone are Smalley and Bonfanti, replaced by a new bassist and drummer. The album does contain Overnight Sensation and Cruisin' Music but there are too many lacklustre songs. It would be their last album. The final track (Starting Over) is a neat bridge to Carmen's solo career.

That just leaves a couple of post career CDs in my collection. First is the three disc set of Raspberries Live on Sunset Strip. There is a bonus DVD with 5 songs being performed - coincidentally their 5 best songs: I Wanna Be With You, Tonight, Overnight Sensation, Ecstasy, Go All The Way.

The set was performed by the classic Raspberries band - Carmen, Bonfanti, Bryson, Smalley. It's really good - nice and meaty. Not exactly like the records, but with some grit and texture that is absolutely appropriate.

The Capitol Collector Series is a greatest hits compilation that is a really vital addition to my collection. It cherry picks all their greatest moments and is probably all a casual fan needs.

Where do they all belong? Eric Carmen's solo albums have their moments. I've already reviewed them here.