The Grapevine - Things Ain't What They Used To Be Anymore/ Ace In The Hole

Label: Liberty

Year of Release: 1968

This track was apparently lifted from the soundtrack of the 1968 sci-fi/mod crossover film "Popdown". This unlikely flick apparently consisted of the adventures of two space aliens as they ambled through Swinging London encountering men with Hank Marvin glasses and women in mini-skirts. Despite this enticing mix of ideas, and the fact that cult psychedelic stars Dantalian's Chariot "appear as themselves", it was recently dismissed by Time Out magazine as "embarrassingly dated and tedious".  That's not going to put me off tracking down a copy, readers.

It's not clear who The Grapevine were, although the involvement of Harold Winn and Joseph Hooven in the producer's chairs would suggest they were from the Los Angeles area (unless they were just session musos drafted in to do a bit of soundtracking work). The A-side is a bouncy piece of elaborately arranged and soulful pop of a faintly psychedelic hue. Filled with strings and an aching nostalgia, it's over before you've really had enough of it and - I so very rarely say this - could easily have stretched its playing time out a little bit more. 

The flip is a bird of a different feather, being some rather moody hippified pop, and almost sounds like the work of a different band entirely. 

If anyone has access to a copy of "Popdown", they know who to call.