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Harry Deal & the Galaxies - I Feel Good

Harry Deal & the Galaxies

synopsis

review

A very rare private pressing from 1966, Harry Deal and the Galaxies' only album release of the 1960s sits comfortably between garage and surf rock. The Galaxies were formed in 1959 in North Carolina and played in local clubs around the area for years.

The title track, "I Feel Good All Over" blends the best of the surf music's falsetto and harmonies with the homegrown neighborhood garage rock to create something very unique. With mentions of GTOs and the beach, this is one of the best of the later surf tracks. "My Girl", a cover of the Temptation's infectious hit, strays away from the surfy sound and more towards soul. A rather lame version of "Hang on Sloopy" is followed by an ultra-1960s (and ultra white) version of Marvin Gaye's "Stubborn Kinda Fellow". Gershwin's "Summertime" is equally as uninspired. Another popular early garage rocker, "Money (That's What I Want)" is enjoyable enough but ends up going nowhere.  The controversial "Double Shot (of My Baby's Love)" makes a rare appearance, while the Drifters' 1964 hit "Up on the Roof" is a commendable cover though it doesn't quite reach the same heights as the original. Following in the vein of lackluster covers, the Searchers' "Sweets for My Sweet" and Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame" takes up some space on the record. A Galaxies original, "Night People" is actually a nice mix of early sunshine pop and mod-rock, though not anything to search out - it could've easily been an outtake from the excellent Yellow Balloon album. An innocuous "Midnight Hour" ends the album on a rather bland note.

Private pressings are always hit and miss but I Feel Good All Over is unfortunately one of those albums that has one good song and the rest is just filler. There's also an alternate cover of this release with a black-and-white cover. 

I Feel Good All Over

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// 1966 on Lotus Records (No Catalog #)

I Feel Good All Over / My Girl / Hang on Sloopy / Stubborn Kinda Fellow / Summertime / Money (That's What I Want) / Double Shot (of My Baby's Love) / Up on the Roof / Sweets for My Sweet / Shame Shame Shame / Night People / Midnight Hour

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CHOICE CUTS:
I Feel Good All Over / Night People / Up on the Roof

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