ONE MORE TIME AROUND

By Christian Nelson

Nothing says summer like fresh fruit. Likewise, few names can compare to the Beatles when it comes to pop music.

What better way could there be to get through the second half of spring quarter than by listening to the music of the Raspberries, a Beatle-esque power pop group from the early 1970s?

Although the Raspberries' career was tumultuous and short lived, lasting only from 1970 to 1975, the band was quite productive, releasing four great albums that show a steady growth in their sound—music that has had a lasting impact, influencing groups such as the Cars, Romantics, Posies and Fountains of Wayne.

The Raspberries' first, self-titled release takes the listener back to the early days of the British Invasion. Somewhat amateurishly, they cobble together the softer side of the Beatles with the Who's hard riffs and attitude. Consider the Raspberries first hit, "Go All the Way," which jumps from a heavy Pete Townshend-like opening riff into a warbling ballad and back again. One must wonder if the title itself is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the Raspberries' roots. In any case, it's clear that things had changed since the Beatles' release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

By the time of their third album, the aptly titled Side 3, the Raspberries hit their stride musically—if not commercially—by finding a unique sound and taking risks, while still retaining the retro essence and fun that had made them popular to begin with. "On the Beach" is an experimental blend of romance and melancholy, while "Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak" and "I'm a Rocker" are straight-ahead, timeless pieces of pop-rock genius.

Unfortunately, Starting Over, the group's fourth and final album (most purists would deny the 2000 partial-reunion disc Refreshed as being a bona-fide Raspberries concoction) found the group in shambles, with two new members and a slightly disjointed sound. This could be explained by the introspective and self-conscious nature of the lyrics, which manifest a slight schizophrenia in the songs "Starting Over" and "Party's Over." The album still rocks, though, with smoking tracks such as "Play On" and "Cruisin' Music," and a newly prominent piano that gives the songs a new dimension.

Along with declining sales, the band suffered from numerous power struggles, most of which have been attributed to front man Eric Carmen. Casual music consumers may recognize this name and his solo smash hit "All By Myself." Even in this case, it appears that time has worked its magic, mending musical fences. All of the Raspberries' original members reunited in 2004 for one show at Cleveland's House of Blues, an event which lead to this year's small tour.

Although Side 3 is the best of the original releases, you would be doing yourself a favor this spring by picking a few Raspberries records from the store shelf—or, if you are feeling generous, give the music lover in your family a fun gift of Raspberries and Cream, the recent Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductees featuring Eric Clapton.

The University of Washington Daily / May 5, 2005