Ashes

The rare and sole album by is worth seeking by aficionados, though it's not truly essential, and not worth the high prices it commands on the collector market. It's low-key circa-1967-1968 , highlighted by 's assured, stirring vocals. Like , there are bits of Los Angeles giants like and floating around that don't coalesce into anything as recognizable or significant as or . , though, have a more pronounced touch at times than do. They also don't sound like they're trying quite so hard to be far-out and beatific, and for that reason they might be more appealing to some listeners than are. Nothing on the album is as good as the best cuts from their more -oriented non-LP singles, and some of the songs are mediocre, like the cover of and the infrequent junctures during which a male singer (or singers) take over the leads from . It has its share of nice songs, though, like and is at its best when emphasizes her vibrato timbre. ~ Richie Unterberger