Band: The Nickel Bag
Album: Doing Their Love Thing
Release: 1968
Genre: Pop Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Art Rock
Country: US
Quality: FLAC | lossless
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album

There is not a whole lot in the clouds about The Nickel Bag, but their gimmick was taking the words from famous poets and tripping it out a bit with really good soulful vocals and sometimes dipping them in a bit of pop-psych dust.  However, only a handful have that kind of flavor.  A little flute here.  A wee-bit of horns there.  A dabble of organ.  A sliver of sitar.  Some light fuzz in a few corners.  Kipling, Shakespeare, Byron and so on.  They all get The Nickel Bag treatment.  There are a few songs that trip rather nicely, though.  Mostly it's just straight-up soul-pop.  But it's the strange meter each poem has that...when set to music performed surprisingly well...gives the album a fish-outta-water vibe.  Nothing heavy or mind-blowing,  mind you.  But the vocalist (not sure who's credited) and everyone else sounds seriously committed.  It's kinda pop trippy and kinda pop weird.  Not for everyone, but I liked it.

Tracklist:
A1. How Do I Love Thee (Sonnets From The Portuguese, XLIII) - 1:53
A2. A Red, Red Rose - 2:58
A3. Lovers' Litany - 2:45
A4. The Night Is Darkening Round Me - 3:24
A5. She Walks In Beauty - 3:00
B1. Shall I Compare Thee - 4:00
B2. God's Gifts - 2:54
B3. She Was A Phantom Of Delight - 3:10
B4. Tears, Idle Tears - 4:00
B5. Rubiyat Of Omar Khayyam - 3:50