J.D. Blackfoot: The Ultimate Prophecy

When I was growing up, The Ultimate Prophecy was something of a cult favorite, at least on one of the radio stations in St. Louis, Missouri. Mining the fertile fields of country and hard rock, the first five tracks on this disc make the strongest case for The Ultimate Prophecy as something of a lost curiosity. “One Time Woman” sports some excellent lead guitar work, and wouldn’t have sounded out of place on an early Pure Prairie League album. As for the other tracks, “Good Day Extending Company” is the hardest thing on side one, although the vocal is mixed a bit low and the lyric is dumb. “I’ve Never Seen You” is just as melodic as the Fuller songs, but not especially memorable. And then the record flips over and goes to pot. But the first several songs are great, and if you’re a fan of obscure but mostly accessible early-’70s rock with occasional country leanings, J.D. Blackfoot’s The Ultimate Prophecy will introduce you to at least a few excellent songs. If ridiculous conceptual suites are your bag, well, there’s something for you, too.