Captain Nemo - Sundowners

The Sundowners' sole album suffers from the problems afflicting many similarly obscure late-'60s pop/rock LPs on major labels. One, the group can't really decide what they want to be, which though leading to some admirable versatility, also ensures a sort of anonymity. Two, there aren't any really good songs, though one or two come close. It might be backhanded praise, but as those sort of records go, this is considerably above the average; the production's very good and full, the singing and harmonies are decent and committed, and the Sundowners play pretty well. Still, they almost sound like different groups from track to track, or at the very least like they're not quite sure whether to be all-out commercial, or try and slip some hipness in on the side. There are some engaging near-Association-strength vocal harmonies and bouncy melodies that put them close to the sunshine pop camp at times, yet at other times they skirt mushy easy listening rock. "Dear Undecided," clearly the best track, is like a fusion of the Hollies and (if this isn't a contradiction in terms) Herman's Hermits at their toughest, and the one you're most likely to have heard before, since they played it onscreen in an episode of the popular late-'60s TV show It Takes a Thief. Other passages indicate they might have been serious Byrds and Who fans -- "Ring Out Wild Bells" has heavy traces of both groups -- yet they don't pursue those inclinations as all-out as they could have, to their detriment. Then there's a mediocre soul-rock instrumental, slightly psychedelic pop/rock (the title cut), and forced blue-eyed soul. It's not that bad on the whole, but certainly not all it could have been. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide