They may boast two of the originals (Erik Braunn and Ron Bushy) but the sound of the 1975 Iron Butterfly owes more to the Stooges of Fun House, the Velvet Underground of The Velvet Underground and 1966 in general than it does to In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. In fact, the album seems so truly inspired by 1966 punk rock that it becomes naive by today's standards, and it's ironic to think that a band considered so progressive in its heyday could seem so dated now, even if its sound has altered into one that is lighter (by comparison) and more appealing. Scorching Beauty eschews glossy production for what sounds like a Christmas morning Sanyo portable tape recorder, and it forgos lyricism for single idea banalities. They sound more like a tin moth than an Iron Butterfly, but the result is a refreshing piece of Sixties consciousness that shouldn't be taken too seriously. (RS 184)

ALAN NIESTER