Betty: Handful

Only 200 copies of these California bluesrockers’ Handful album were pressed in 1971. This ensured future rarity status and the inevitable hype that goes along with it. Like many big-ticket albums, Handful doesn’t match the hype. At least the press release’s claim that it’s “better” than Moby Grape is ludicrous — and yet when taken outside of that context, it’s not too bad. Without having the one spearhead track that might have landed the band a major-label deal, it does get a nice bluesy groove going, with a few good songs in “Just for Fun” and “Handful (of Love)”, suggesting that Betty may have progressed further had they lasted. But apparently (there are no liners), they didn’t, so this slightly above average release is all that’s left.