The Back Porch Majority - That's The Way It's Gonna Be (1966) [2016] [Hi-Res]

The Back Porch Majority just came along too late to ride the wave of zesty, fresh-faced commerciality for folk acts like the New Christy Minstrels. Here they turn up on the cover, the boys in suit and tie, the girls in pretty pink frocks, while the title song of the album was co-written by Phil Ochs, one of the '60s more caustic protest singers. Most of the songs, however, are by producer/"presenter" Randy Sparks, and they are in the neo-traditional folk style he created for the Christys. The group sings well, if anonymously, and it's all pleasant enough, but it was past its time the day it was released, and hasn't gotten any more timely since. -- William Ruhlmann