Artist: The Ace of Cups
Album: Ace of Cups
Label: High Moon Records
Release Date: 11.9.18
If you were going to San Francisco between 1967-1972 with flowers in your hair (of course), seeing the euphoric Ace of Cups live should have topped the travel itinerary. Relying on a strong currency of colorful psychedelia, glorious harmonies and vibrant, engaging songwriting, the all-girl quintet gained coveted entry into an exclusive club of the city’s musical revolutionaries, acquiring a cult following along the way while opening for The Band and the Grateful Dead and inspiring moony adoration from Jerry Garcia, Buddy Miles and Michael Bloomfield. Even Jimi Hendrix took a liking to them.
Many missed the boat, however, which is not surprising considering that Ace of Cups—comprised of bassist Mary Gannon, keyboardist Marla Hunt, guitarist and harmonica player Denise Kaufman, lead guitarist Mary Ellen Simpson and drummer Diane Vitalich—never got a chance to put out a record. Decades later, their wide-ranging self-titled debut has arrived, a sprawling 2-disc set stuffed with about 50 years’ worth of material highlighted by the sweeping, ravishing beauty of a string-laden “Indian Summer.” Everything from the watery, immersive folk and big acoustic guitar strum of “We Can’t Go Back Again,” where a conflagration of sooty organ spreads as the pace picks up, to the slowly churned, smoky blues of “Mama’s Love” and the stark, swaying gospel hum of “Life in Your Hands”—a darkly soulful, hypnotic hymn featuring the legendary Taj Mahal—is carefully arranged and richly produced. Their abiding love of catchy, high-energy rock ’n’ roll, however, is undeniable.
When the swerving, ecstatic rush of melody and irresistibly sunny hooks of “Feel Good” kicks down the door, Ace of Cups blissfully surfs waves of The Bangles’ earliest and brightest pop-rock. “Stones” shakes some infectious garage-rock action, as rough snippets of wilder performances from yesteryear crop up in the brief scrapbook “Interlude: Transistor.” Changing on the fly, they take on the light, but sorrowful, Appalachian carving of “As the Rain” with famed actor Peter Coyote. A more relaxed air permeates a carefree “The Well,” where Bob Weir and Ace of Cups conjure a summery breeze of gently rendered Americana, as Ace of Cups seems comfortable working in any genre.
Aging gracefully, while also managing to retain the innocence and enthusiasm of youth, Ace of Cups doesn’t appear to be bitter or burdened by regret over how things turned out. Instead, with their incandescent vocals and tasteful instrumental accents and flourishes, they simply seem to enjoy collaborating with friends like Buffy Sainte-Marie, as they unite to cook up an organic and delightfully swampy “Pepper in the Pot.” Ace of Cups is making up for lost time.
—Peter Lindblad
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