The Mandrake Memorial, The Mandrake Memorial (side A)

Less twee than The Left Banke, less baroque than Fever Tree, and less driving than Kak—somewhere in the middle lies Philadelphia's Mandrake Memorial. Their 1968 LP The Mandrake Memorial was on Poppy, which released records by everyone from Amanda Trees to Chris Smither to Townes van Zandt. The album is well recorded and performed with strong songwriting. The sound was distinguished by electric harpsichord (throughout the record!) and fragile tenor vocals. Guitarist Craig Anderton has earned minor fame as the author of books about recording—I accosted him about Mandrake Memorial when our paths crossed at the Audio Engineering Society convention last fall.