The lead vocals have some of the homespun grit of the Band or Grateful Dead's Pigpen, and they ground the more cosmic qualities of the music, thus making it more palpable and accessible. At other times the band utilizes some of the atmospherics of psychedelia to dress up its hard rock in an ambience that sounds more edgy than the songs actually are and despite the fact that the band shows itself perfectly adept at drumming up its own earthy brand of Midwestern psych on the momentous 'The Earth Song' and the spacy acoustic ballad 'The Prophet.' Both songs are gorgeous from composition to execution and get at a kind of hazy acid rock that starts to show distinction from either the West Coast or the New York strains of psychedelia.

With lovely ringing acoustic guitars and suitably abrasive organ runs, the song is an epic accomplishment that gives some insight into the sort of prettiness Tongue was capable of. There are bits of country-rock and jugband music (the title track cover of Donovan), and Jerry Garcia personally complimented the band on their version of Tim Rose's 'Morning Dew.' It is, indeed, a stellar effort, perhaps the best performance on the album, occasionally recalling the Bob Mosley folk-rock ballads of late-'60s Moby Grape. On the quickie country interlude 'Slap Her Down Again Paw,' they even show a comical side. Tongue doesn't dip into the good-time roll of Tayles' music too often, but they do have a blues-based, organ-heavy sound that is primarily earnest while verging at times on the musically whimsical, as on songs like 'Get Your Shit Together' and the fabulous 'Jazz on the Rag,' a falsetto beauty like nothing else on the album. There are significant similarities between Tongue and fellow Wisconsin band Tayles. That power doesn't always manifest itself on their sole album, but it remains an enjoyable effort.

But Keep on Truckin' was recorded near the beginning of their career, thereby capturing the band during the early peak of their powers. Yet another rock band that emerged out of the copious student population of countercultural Wisconsin, Tongue spent ten years developing into one of the most road-savvy ensembles in the state.

Song keep on truckin