JOYRIDE - THE CRYSTAL SHIP

THE JOYRIDE - ’The Crystal Ship’/’Coming Soon’ (World Pacific 77877) 1967 There were several harmony flower psych groups from Los Angeles after the initial folk-rock boom that still, to this day, have yet to receive any sort acclaim. The Joyride are one such group that are still unknowns, none of their songs have ever been compiled, although their sounds have circulated among psych-pop fans for several years. It is believed that The Joyride were a studio recording outfit put together by former Hi-Lo’s member Clark Burroughs who probably had the pick of available musicians in L.A. as well as enough studio time to create such beautiful sounding flower pop. The Joyride’s first 45 was a stunning version of one of The Doors best songs ’The Crystal Ship’. In my opinion the arrangement by Don McGinnis is as good as anything pieced together by the lauded Curt Boettcher (and that’s saying something). All of The Joyride’s material bring to mind another classic Los Angeles male/fem vox outfit The M.C. Squared. So if you dig those guys you’re sure to flip on out to The Joyride.