Medicine Chest

Album Review

A band's name evokes certain associations, meaning the odder the name, the stronger the associations. Spookie Daly Pride, then, prepares one for something out of the ordinary, and the album Medicine Chest reinforces this impression. The band combines odd songs with a bit of soul and a bit of rock to create something like a throwback to the late '60s in some alternate universe. The singer of "The Personal Ad Song" describes what a terrible match he'd make for just about anyone: his place is a mess, his personal hygiene questionable, and he hates long walks on the beach. The song, though, is funny in an understated fashion, because it basically undermines all of the stupid clichés and dishonesty that go into the typical personal ad. Other songs like "Tie-Dyed Tan" make one think that Spookie Daly Pride might fit in just fine on the jam band circuit with other oddly named bands like the String Cheese Incident. And while the band is not particularly into jams, it is eclectic, clearly comfortable with goofy rockers ("The Bumpin' Uglies Song") and gentler ballads ("Hope to Hold"). The arrangements, while fairly simple, include odd organ parts that add to the "throwback" factor, and the lead vocals remind one of what Howlin' Wolf might have sounded like had he grown up in San Francisco during the 1960s. All this is to say that Medicine Chest is unlike anything else out there and it's lots of fun. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide