Title:  Now and "Them"
Company: Tower
Catalog: ST 5104
Year: 1968
Country/State: Belfast, Ireland / US
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: minor ring and edge wear; minor soiling on white areas; plays wonderfully

In the wake of an extended American tour that left the band exhausted, things turned increasingly nasty. Unhappy with Decca Records and Phil Soloman's heavy handed management style, Van Morrison tendered notice, returning to Ireland where he spent some time relaxing and playing with friends, before accepting an offer from Bert Berns to relocate to the States and start a solo career. The McAuley brothers promptly hit the road with their own version of Them, which after some legal proceedings over rights to the 'Them' name, quickly mutated into The Freaks of Nature and then The Belfast Gypsies.

Amidst the ongoing confusion and legal wrangling lead guitarist Jim Armstrong, keyboard player Ray Elliott, drummer Dave Harvey and bassist Alan Henderson elected to continue the band. Recruiting former Mad Lads singer Kenny McDowell to fill Morrison's shoes, they started looking for a new manager, eventually asking American Ray Ruff to take the job. Originally uninterested in the job, Henderson eventually convinced Ruff to reconsider and in late 1967 he (Ruff) paid to have the revitalized line up relocate to Los Angeles. Under Ruff's tutelage the quintet released the single 'Walking In the Queen's Garden' b/w 'I Happen To Love You' on Ruff Records (Ruff catalog number RR-1086). 

While the single did little in terms of sales, it attracted the attention of Capitol's Tower subsidiary, which quickly signed the band to a contract. 

Produced by Ruff, the band made their Tower label debut with 1968's "Now and Them". While McDowell lacked Morrison's unique chops, he proved an excellent replacement, his voice more flexible and varied than the former. Even though it offered up a weird and unfocused mix of R&B ('Witch Doctor'), blue-eyed soul ('What's the Matter Baby') and psychedelic ('You're Just What I Was'), musically the set was nothing short of great. Earlier albums frequently sounded like Van Morrison and backing band, but this time out the collection sounded much more like a true band collaboration. The set was also interesting in that it sounded very much like a Southern California band rather than a bunch of Belfast toughs. Highlights included the previously released raunchy garage rocker 'Walking In the Queen's Garden', the Monkees wannabe pop track 'You're Just What I Was', and the extended raga influenced 'Square Room'. Curiously, one of the tracks listed on the liner notes 'Looking for Today' was inexplicably pulled from the set prior to release.  

- In spite of the oddball intro sound effects, the band's cover of John Mayall's 'Witch Doctor' wasn't a major departure from their R&B roots. Powered by Alexander's fuzz guitar and Elliott's organ, the track had a likeable blues vibe that served as a nice introduction to new vocals Ken McDowell without straying too far from a known quantity. While McDowell's voice wasn't as instantly recognizable as Morrison's, he acquitted himself well on the song, meshing nicely with the band's taunt performance. rating: *** stars
- 'What's the Matter Baby' found the band diving enthusiastically into blue-eyed soul. Complete with horns, the band sounded like they were having a blast. Hard to imagine Van Morrison-era Them with a smile on their collective faces. Simply a killer song !  rating: ***** stars   
- The first mild disappointment, 'Truth Machine' was an okay song, but the performance came off as a tad safe and middle-of-the-road-ish. Nice melody and backing vocals, but the overall feel was like something that had been thrown together for one of those 'hip' party scenes in a mid-1960s television show.  rating: ** stars 
- Opening up with a blast of feedback that launched into a droning, raga influenced Alexander solo, 'Square Room' was easily the album's most interesting and impressive performance. Stretched out over nine minutes it was a bit long, but the Indian-influenced trance moves made for a great slice of mid-1960s psychedelic - certainly unlike anything you'd ever heard from Them. McDowell's acid drenched vocals (impossible to image Morrison having been able to pull this one off), Elliott's flute solo (you won't see ms praise a flute solo very often), and Alexander's guitar/sitar work (especially towards the end of the song) were uniformly impressive. Very much a timepiece, but what a cool song and I'd have no problem putting it on a list of Them's top-5 performances.   rating: ***** stars  
- Offering up a nifty mix of jangle guitars, sweet harmony vocals, a couple of lysergic touches, and an insidiously catchy melody, at least to my ears 'You're Just What I Was' sounded like a Monkees track ... by the way, that wasn't meant as a criticism. Perhaps the album's most commercial offering, it would have made a dandy single.   rating: ***** stars
- As mentioned above, though it was listed on the liner notes, 'Looking for Today' was dropped from the album. Would love to hear it ...
- I have to admit that every time I hear 'Dirty Old Man (At the Age of Sixteen)' it brings a smile to my face. The contrasts between the lyrics and the poppy Association-styled backing vocals made the song all the funnier. Another great performance and one of the set's most commercial numbers.   rating: ***** stars
- The album's second disappointment, their cover of the Jimmie Cox chestnut 'Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out' was thoroughly forgettable. Them blues remakes were usually had at least some passing interest, but this one was a total waste.   rating: ** stars
- Previously released as a single, 'Walking In the Queen's Garden' was a fantastic throwback to their earlier R&B/garage sound. Kicked along by Armstrong's meltdown guitar solo and Elliott's keyboards, the track sounded positively raw and dangerous compared to the rest of the album. The perfect song for anyone who thought they'd lost their rock and roll edge. Another one that would effortlessly go on my top-5 Them list.   rating: ***** stars
- Previously released as a 'B' side, 'I Happen To Love You' offered up another slice of garage rock. This one really sounded like a mid--1960s American garage band - echoes of The Electric Prunes, The Human Beinz, Shadows of the Knight, etc. Another personal favorite.   rating: ***** stars
- Supported by some breath taking Beach Boys-styled backing harmonies, 'Come To Me' was a surprisingly likeable ballad with McDowell turning in one of his best lead vocals. Nice way to end the album.   rating: ***** stars

For a band that was just undergone major trauma with the loss of their front man and creative leader (Morrison), this was a pretty impressive comeback. Most bands would have been hard pressed to deliver something this good on their best days. Shame Tower didn't do anything to promote it ... definitely an album that deserves the hype that surrounds it. Perhaps my favorite post-Morrison release, the set sold next to nothing, making it a valued collector's item.

For diehard collectors, Tower also reissued the earlier single and a follow-up:

- 1968's 'Walking In the Queen's Garden' b/w 'I Happen To Love You' on Ruff Records (Tower catalog number 384)
- 1968's 'Square Room' b/w 'But It's Alright' (Tower catalog number 384)

"Now and Them" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Witch Doctor (John Mayall) - 2:33
2.) What's the Matter Baby (Otis - Beyer) - 2:45
3.) Truth Machine (L. Thornton) - 2:05
4.) Square Room (Them) - 9:51

(side 2)
1.) You're Just What I Was (Gerry Goffin - Carole King) - 2:55
2.) Looking for Today
3.) Dirty Old Man (At the Age of Sixteen) (T. Lane) - 1:44
4.) Nobody Loves You When You're Down and Out (Jimmie Cox) - 3:33
5.) Walking In the Queen's Garden (Them) - 3:02
6.) I Happen To Love You (Gerry Goffin - Carole King) - 2:52
7.) Come To Me (Them) - 2:20