The Raspberries Albums Ranked
Raspberries were an American pop rock band formed in 1970 from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their pop-rock sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring “exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies. The members were known for their clean-cut public image, with short-hair and matching suits, which brought them teenybopper attention as well as scorn from some mainstream media outlets as “uncool”. The group drew influence from the British Invasion era—especially The Beatles, The Who, The Hollies, and Small Faces—and its mod sensibility. In both the U.S. and the UK, the Raspberries helped pioneer the power-pop music style that took off after the group disbanded. They also have had a following among professional musicians such as Jack Bruce, Ringo Starr,[6], and Courtney Love. Here are all of The Raspberries albums ranked.
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4. Side 3 (1973)
“Carmen opens the album with the crashing power-pop of “Tonight,” sustains the electricity with “Hard to Get Over a Heartache” and “Ecstacy,” and contributes the melodramatic mid-tempo Beach Boys styled “On the Beach.” Bryson’s “Last Dance” begins as a Zombies’ styled mid-tempo number before effortlessly segueing to a fiddle-based country break and closing coda.”
3. Fresh (1972)
“When you ask Raspberries fans which album is their favorite, they tend to cite this one over and over again. Maybe it’s the perfect distillation of all their Sixties-influenced British Invasion pop magic. Maybe it’s the amazing sequence of musical gems that is side two…from “Nobody Knows” right down to “Drivin’ Around.” But if you listened only to side two you’d miss their classic “I Wanna Be With You”…the song with which they’re opening their reunion concerts.”
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2. Starting Over (1974)
“This last hurrah is a vague concept album about the hopes and realities of being in a rock ‘n roll band, from Eric Carmen’s determination to create an immortal hit record (the hit, “Overnight Sensation”), to Wally Bryson’s jaded-but-humorous “The Party’s Over”. The Raspberries don’t try to sound like wholesome pop idols on this one: “All Through the Night” has Carmen coldly mocking and tossing aside a groupie, and the drunken Beatles’ campfire of “Hands On You” is no less sexist (but no less entertaining). The finale title track bursts with melody, but Eric Carmen deliberately torpedoes any chance of commercial air-play with the opening line “I used to be so f***ing optimistic”. This wasn’t the same “scratch-and-sniff” album-cover Raspberries from before.”
1. Raspberries (1972)
“This is an incredible, unacknowledged album. Every song is outstanding and the layout of the songs was very well done. If you like the sounds of the late 60s with its folksy yet simple melodies, this is for you. A charming introductory album – not their best effort, but it will give you an idea of just how talented these musicians are. Highly recommended.”
