CRITTERS 1969 Project 3 RARE 3rd LP RUBBLE SOUNDS Koobas Creation The Move HEAR

$

30

CIRTTERS "CRITTERS 3" LP

ORIGINAL 1969 LP ON THE US PROJECT 3 label, STEREO PR 4002 SD

COVER IN NEAR MINT shape, beautiful, tiny cutout hole

VINYL has numerous light scuffs, marks, looks G/VG, plays better, VG to VG+

Original pressing of the Critters’ third and by far RAREST album on the Project 3 label from 1969.  You remember the Critters, right?  “Mr. Dieingly Sad,” “Younger Girl,” right?  Wonderful soft pop songs and big hits hummed by the turned-on housewives of 1967.  But why would someone who searches the “psych” listings of Ebay on a daily basis be even remotely interested in a Critters album anyway?  Because the Critters who recorded THIS self-titled album 2 years later were definitely not your FATHER’S Critters.  Forget everything you know about ‘em.  First clue that something is amiss in Critterland comes in the first few seconds of track 3, “The Teddy Bear Affair,” with a series of slashing WHO’S NEXT power chords, followed by a twisting Eastern snake dance melody.  Gone are the soft pop harmonies, replaced by an amazing slice of mod pop art that sounds more like ’67 Creation than Spanky and Our Gang.  It’s the Critters’ own “A Quick One (While He’s Away),” but who knew?  “Avon Iris” is one of the best Move tributes around, and “King Street Flying Circus” could hold its own alongside all the big UK RUBBLE heavies like Jason Crest and the Koobas.  And check out the opening acoustic guitar chords of “Maiden Of The Sea” and see if you don’t agree that a young Steve Howe mighta swiped ‘em for part of Yes’s “Close To The Edge” a few years later, even though the Critters’ take is spookier, trippier, and doesn’t need 18 minutes to get you there.  In fact, the closest these Critters get to a real Jon Anderson prog rock epic is the incredible and adventurous 6-minute “Wooden Soldiers” which closes Side 1.  It’s a tour de force, starting out as a moody bit of prog/psych before veering off suddenly into a menacing jazzy march a la vintage King Crimson.  After this short Starless and Critter Black diversion, the band take yet another hard left turn into some swinging supper club lounge funk featuring some wildly ostentatious Hammond organ runs like Keith Emerson at the Des Moines Ramada lounge bar.  Like I said, definitely NOT your father’s Critters.  But then again, that cover art shoulda tipped you off – Heironymous Bosch by way of TARKUS.  Rainbow pigs, acid clip art books and a high school exercise in perspective.  Dad was not amused.

HEAR IT!

PLEASE NOTE I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).  BUYERS FROM ITALY AGREE TO PAY FOR GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL INSURED ONLY!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  Overseas shipping has, unfortunately, gone way up in the fast few months, which translates to $15 for the first LP to Canada ($3 each one thereafter) and $24 for the first LP everywhere else in the world, with each add'l LP an extra $5 (so it pays to buy more, nudge nudge wink wink).   I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

 For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.