Sandy Bull's third and most experimental album is his weakest, comprised of a pair of extended tracks (17-minutes and 21-minutes each) that rely on an electric guitar output split four ways, plus the oud and finger cymbals. The results sort of resemble the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's East-West, except that it's dull and enervating. The quality...

Sandy Bull's third and most experimental album is his weakest, comprised of a pair of extended tracks (17-minutes and 21-minutes each) that rely on an electric guitar output split four ways, plus the oud and finger cymbals. The results sort of resemble the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's East-West, except that it's dull and enervating. The quality of Bull's playing is undeniable, and his mid-tempo ramblings on "No Deposit -- No Return Blues" sometimes threaten to become interesting, especially when it passes through a Bo Diddley-like beat for a few moments, but this is an illusion -- it never justifies its own length. "Electric Blend" is one of those ambitious psychedelic experiments with extended noodling that doesn't have much purpose except to show off Bull'd prowess. Back in 1968 when it was recorded, this probably seemed like a great idea, but it hasn't held up as well as, say, "In A Gadda Da Vida." ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi