Is Spreading – THE PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY***

It’s A Happening Thing/Then Came Love/Twice Is Life/Second Hand Man/You Can’t Be Found/Why Did I Get So High/Dark On You Now/The Market Place/You Should Know/The Most Up Till Now/You Took Too Much

Is Spreading was the debut album from the Los Angeles psychedelic band The Peanut Butter Conspiracy. Their music was a cross between the Mamas & Papas and Jefferson Airplane. (US:196)

“Spreading is a decent first effort, but it has a rather piecemeal quality to it. While not a singles band, the album plays as if PBC were one. Thus, the tracks work better individually than as a well-integrated album.”

“The quality of the songs, vocals, musicianship and arrangements are second to none. You cannot get away from feeling that this band should have been absolutely huge.”

“Upon initial listening The PBC appear like a less arresting version of The Mamas & Papas but then their slightly different, more frantic harder edged style, starts to attract. It's A Happening Thing is nice and breezy with massed vocals and captures that magical year 1967 fairly well. Then Came Love is different, via gentle baroque overtones, with heavenly harmonies much in the style of The Mamas & Papas.”

“They're pretty good. Sit back and enjoy the ride, it will satisfy a lot of 'What ifs?'. Mine has always been, what if there was a group that had great harmony and good music behind it? Well there was, and the conspiracy is spreading.”

“These people meld The Mamas & The Papas with the Jefferson Airplane and a dash of Peter, Paul and Mary to create a sound all their own.”

"Now I see how people became fed up with it, and quickly moved on to the next thing. Spreading is another hippie dippy extravaganza with mediocre songwriting. However, I do like the sound, production, enthusiasm and amateurism. A worthy addition to my psych folk collection."

“One of the better LA outfits of the late 60s, featuring male/female vocal harmony style pop, with fuzz guitar breaks, and a great period flavour. Though their material is in a flower pop vein, their somewhat non-melodic approach to songwriting almost disqualifies them from the genre.”