"Moby Grape '69" is the third studio album by the American rock group Moby Grape. It was released on January 30, 1969, by Columbia Records. Coming after the departure of the band's manager and the release of the "Wow" album, the remaining members of Moby Grape returned to the recording studio with an evident shift in their musical style.
It was a key album in Moby Grape's discography, demonstrating a move from the psychedelic San Francisco sound they had helped craft towards a more laid-back country-rock style. David Rubinson produced the album, reflecting a marked change from the band's previous efforts and capturing the unity of the band's harmonies.
The band at the time consisted of Peter Lewis, Jerry Miller, Bob Mosley, and Don Stevenson. Notably absent was co-founder Skip Spence, who was undergoing treatment for a mental breakdown, and only appeared on one track, "Seeing."
"Moby Grape '69" received positive reviews upon its release, with critics commending the band's return-to-roots approach following the mixed reviews received by its predecessor, "Wow." Key tracks from this album include "Ooh Mama Ooh," "Trucking Man," and "If You Can't Learn from My Mistakes". Despite the positive reviews, the album did not fare as well commercially, failing to breach the Top 100 in the Billboard Top LPs chart. While the band would go on to release more music, "Moby Grape '69" is often seen as the end of Moby Grape's most influential period.
