Album review: THE PALACE GUARD – All Night Long: An Anthology 1965-1966

Omnivore Recordings [Release date 21.5.21]

Garage rockers The Palace Guard may not have enjoyed the success of fellow Hawthorne natives The Beach Boys, but their entire recorded repertoire is now celebrated with this superbly remastered and restored compilation.

They released five singles in total, along with one where they backed Don Grady, which were originally released by either Orange-Empire or Parkway. Their early line-up was also notable for including future Merry Go Round / solo genius Emitt Rhodes on drums.

Their sound had a heavy Anglophile influence and the band members kitted themselves out in red British guardsmen’s uniforms on stage. Their killer track was 1966’s Mersey-style pop number ‘Falling Sugar’. This made it onto the expanded version of the seminal “Nuggets” in 1998, with compiler Lenny Kaye describing it as a “catchy Moptop-ish toe-tapper brimming with youthful fervour”.

The jangly Byrds-meets-Beatles of ‘All Night Long’, which became a local hit, was arranged and conducted by Jack Nitzsche. It’s drenched in harmonies, and replete with an infectious “coochie coochie coochie coo” refrain!

Although much of their material was self-penned by brothers Don and John Beaudoin, they also released an excellent version of the David Gates song ‘Saturday’s Child’ (which was also recorded by The Monkees). The darker ‘A Girl You Can Depend On’ shows a different side to their sound, while ‘Party Lights’ (written by Claudine Clark) has an almost ‘gospel country’ feel.

Despite limited success at the time, The Palace Guard’s legacy is worthy of discovery for any fans of harmony-drenched 1960’s garage rock. The booklet includes various archive photos and ephemera, along with a definitive band history penned by bass guitarist Rick Moser. ***1/2

Review by Jim Henderson

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