The Quinaimes Band - The Quinaimes Band (Reissue) (1971/2008)

Members, Danny Mansolino, Mike Rosa and Dave Palmer were from New Jersey garage band (and another cult favourite) The Myddle Class. Dave Palmer went on to some success as an early vocalist with Steely Dan. Kenny Pine was in The Fugs and Jerry Burnham had worked with acts like, The Strangers, James Taylor and The Flying Machine, Jake and the Family Jewels, and The Fifth Avenue Band.
They were probably formed in New York City though New Jersey is home ground and Martha's Vineyard, in Massachusetts comes up as a possible formation point.
The sound is country rock as was popular at the time though it is of a East Coast nature. We (or at least I) tend to associate country rock with California and the south-west and I think that is fair but there is a whole branch of country rock that came up through the sounds of the South, the Appalachian mountain country and up into the north-east of the United States. The Band, southern by nature (despite the overwhelming number of Canadians in the band) set up shop in upstate New York and there is something of the Catskill Mountains in their sound, at least there is when they are playing with Bob Dylan.
The country rock of the East is country rock but without all the familiar country rock stylings … it's older (and more old sounding like The Band), or, more urban with jazz, psych or funk sounds introduced, or, quirkier with more traditional or folk elements in the music, or, more humorous.
It's a bit of a hodgepodge as you would expect form any music overflowing into the country surrounds from the melting pots that are New York City or Boston. What is important is the "feel" of the country … the sense that there was an escape (real or imagined) from the cities in which most of the bands, no doubt, resided and gigged in.
Arlo Guthrie, James Taylor, Rowan Brothers, later Seatrain, early Dr Hook also play in this "rural rock" paddock.
The Quinaimes Band (a naff name) are a good example of this. There are country stylings, with psych and rock elements or are they rock with psych and country elements?...