Friday Night Catnip: Mandrake Memorial - Puzzle (1969)

[TexasTowelie]

Mandrake Memorial was an American psych/progressive rock band from the Philadelphia area and were active from 1967 to 1970, known for their Baroque sound and unique songwriting. The album Puzzle was their third album and included an orchestra and filled out the songs with full choir, children's choir, orchestral splashes and elaborate production. Puzzle was a progressive rock masterpiece, but did not sell well enough to make back its considerable production costs. It did garner critical praise, however. "The idea they have is very great," wrote classical conductor Seiji Ozawa in the May 23, 1970 edition of Billboard magazine. "I love this recording. With some recordings, I can listen to only one selection, but this recording I love to hear from the very beginning, from the first note to the last." Fusion, a major rock music publication at the time, added that it was "a symphony of the mind; one of the most important albums of the decade to come."

So once again, break out the catnip and chill to the psychedelic sounds of the 60s.

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Earthfriend Prelude" 2:49
2. "Earthfriend" 6:17
3. "Just A Blur (version 1)" 0:53
4. "Hiding" 3:15
5. "Just A Blur (version 2)" 0:51
6. "Tadpole" 2:25
7. "Kyrie" 3:24
8. "Ocean's Daughter" 3:35

Side two
No. Title Length
9. "Volcano Prelude" 2:09
10. "Volcano" 5:59
11. "Whisper Play" 3:00
12. "Bucket of Air" 9:37
13. "Children's Prayer" 3:25
14. "Puzzle" 3:08
15. "Just A Blur (version 3)" 0:51