Orpheus

We just loved the first Orpheus album. We played it all the time at home and at parties. It was on local radio all the time. That was one big difference between Boston and the rest of the world; we heard these Boston Sound albums on the radio regularly. They were an extra chapter in our rock and roll book. That's also the reason I'm doing these pages, I guess. I see all these LPs on the same level as Cream, The Jefferson Airplane and Hendrix. Embarrassed by the Bosstown Sound? No, not at all. I enjoy them as music and a time machine to 1967-68 - great years to be on the Boston music scene.

The first album - ORPHEUS

This album brings it all home. The LP was recorded in the fall of 1967 and released in January of 1968. The lush orchestrations by all reports the doings of Alan Lorber are a perfect accompaniment to the Orpheus voices, punctuating a phrase or enhancing the songs feeling. They move along smartly with the songs' not weighing them down. The arrangements are light when they have to be, full and deep when required.
The songs are so memorable and all fit onto the LP as a unified whole. Many have a wonderful lilt or swing not bothering to be rock at all. The ballads create a moody glow you sink into. All in all a very romantic album. Can't Find the Time was the big Kahuna but absolutely every song here was thoughly digested by the Boston fans. Can't Find the Time was a big almost-hit, a fumble by the record company prevented a full blown hit.
I think that even now this would be an enjoyable musical experience for a new listener. Orpheus forth album

When people said there was no common Boston Sound what they really meant was that Orpheus didn't sound like the rest of the groups. The Spinach and The Beacon Street Union were both in the ballpark, but put Orpheus in the mix and you have cognitive dissonance (Cognitive dissonance). This sort of thing never bothers me but it seemed to be a major problem in 1968 with all concerned. Too bad. Where would we be if we left Orpheus out of the mix? Poorer, much poorer.

They had three more very good albums all produced and arranged by Alan Lorber. The second LP called Orpheus Ascending and the third called Joyful fulfilled the promise of the debut with wonderful songs throughout.
The fourth album came out after a longer hiatus and deserves a little note. It was written entirely by Steve Martin who had contributed a few songs before and was considered 'the fifth Orpheus'. The difference is that Martin was now the guiding light. CLICK for Steve Martin web site.The album has a much darker tone that the others and the production is more low key. It is on Bell Records not MGM like the others although Alan Lorber is still involved. Like all things Orpheus it's a class act and is part and parcel of the Orpheus canon.

Now I'm not going to go on and on about Orpheus here. They have been very popular and have got their music out there pretty good along with favorable reviews, something unique when it comes to Bosstown Sound groups. They also have their own very good web site that features the new version of the group. Orpheus Reborn website.

The original Orpheus broke up in December of 1969.

Here we see Orpheus on the Billboard charts on December 14, 1968. Right in the middle of some bubblegum, smaltz, and then some good stuff. They had been on the charts 12 weeks at this point, pretty good.

Billboard showing Orpheus on the charts.