Metamorphosis (Iron Butterfly album)

Metamorphosis is the fourth studio album by Iron Butterfly, released on August 13, 1970. It reached number 16 on the US charts and number 31 in Canada.[1][2] Mike Pinera and Larry "El Rhino" Reinhardt became members of Iron Butterfly in the early part of 1970.

Metamorphosis
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 13, 1970
RecordedMay–July 1970
StudioAmerican Recording Co., Studio City, California
Genre
Length40:50
LabelAtco
ProducerRichard Podolor
Iron Butterfly chronology
Live
(1970)
Metamorphosis
(1970)
Evolution: The Best of Iron Butterfly
(1971)

The album was recorded at American Recording studio and produced by Richard Podolor, engineered by Bill Cooper.

The single "Easy Rider" reached number 66 on the Billboard chart and number 48 in Canada, making it the band's biggest hit aside from "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".[1][3] The album is noted for having one of the earliest uses of the talk box on a rock album, which Pinera used on "Butterfly Bleu."

Reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [4]

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated Metamorphosis three out of five stars. He explained that "the group continued its musical explorations, adding a layered production to its sound." He also stated that "[the] ambition [...] makes for an interesting listen."[4]

Track listing

edit

All tracks are written by Ron Bushy, Lee Dorman, and Doug Ingle, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Free Flight"None0:49
2."New Day"Ingle, Pinera3:21
3."Shady Lady" (music: Bushy, Dorman, Ingle; lyrics: Robert Woods Edmonson)Ingle3:58
4."Best Years of Our Life"Pinera4:00
5."Slower Than Guns" (music: Ingle; lyrics: Edmonson)Ingle3:50
6."Stone Believer"Ingle, Pinera4:26
Side two
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
7."Soldier in Our Town" (music: Bushy, Dorman, Ingle; lyrics: Edmonson)Ingle3:22
8."Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" (music: Bushy, Dorman, Ingle; lyrics: Edmonson)Ingle3:07
9."Butterfly Bleu"Pinera13:57

Songwriting credits per BMI Records. The album sleeve ambiguously credits the songs to "Iron Butterfly".

Personnel

edit

Iron Butterfly

edit

Additional personnel

edit

Charts

edit

"Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)"

Chart (1970) Position
Canada[5] 48
Billboard Hot 100[6] 66

Singles

edit

US singles

  • "Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" b/w "Soldier in Our Town"
  • "Stone Believer" b/w "Silly Sally" (Non-LP cut)

Non-US singles

  • "Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" b/w "Soldier in Our Town"
  • "New Day" b/w "Soldier in Our Town"
  • "Best Years of Our Life" b/w "Shady Lady"
  • "Silly Sally" b/w "Stone Believer"

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Joynson, Vernon (1995). Fuzz, Acid, & Flowers Archived 2011-08-25 at the Wayback Machine. London: Borderline Books.
  2. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums - October 10, 1970 - page 10" (PDF).
  3. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - December 12, 1970" (PDF).
  4. ^ a b "Metamorphosis - Iron Butterfly | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  5. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - December 12, 1970" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 - Iron Butterfly". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2017.