Giant Crab -

Giant Crab was an American psychedelic blue-eyed soul band from California. They cut three singles followed by the 1968/69 albums A Giant Crab Comes Forth and Cool It…Helios.

They featured two sets of brothers: the Oroscoe’s (Ernie, Raymond, and Ruben) and the Fricia’s (Kenny and Dennis).

Members: Ernie Oroscoe (vocals, guitar), Raymond Oroscoe (bass, keyboards), Ruben Oroscoe (bass, drums, saxophone), Kenny Fricia (keyboards, horns, vibraphone, backing vocals), Dennis Fricia (drums, horns)

Background

Giant Crab emerged from the Central California rock scene as the successor to Ernie and the Emperors, a Santa Barbara group founded by guitarist/vocalist Ernie Orosco. Initially performing British Invasion-inspired pop, the Emperors featured Ernie’s younger brothers, bassist/keyboardist Raymond and drummer/saxophonist Ruben. After winning multiple local Battle of the Bands and opening for acts like the Isley Brothers, the group became the house band at Santa Barbara’s Earl Warren Showgrounds. Their lone single under the Emperors name, “Meet Me at the Corner” (1965, Reprise), enjoyed regional success. When original bassist Randy Busby departed, brothers Kenny and Dennis Fricia joined on keyboards and drums, solidifying a five-piece lineup. Around this time, the band adopted the new name Giant Crab, taking over a recording identity originally used by Corby Productions session musicians.

In early 1967, the group began issuing singles under the Giant Crab name on Corby Records. Their debut, “Listen Girl” backed with “Soft Summer Breezes,” appeared in May, followed that summer by “Day By Day (It Happens)” b/w “Kind of Funny.” A third Corby single, “It Started with a Kiss” b/w “The Answer Is No,” continued their blend of harmony pop and blue-eyed soul. Parallel to these efforts, Ernie issued a single under the alias Ernie’s Funnys (“Thru the Fields” / “Shimmy Like Kate”) on Yardbird Records. As their presence grew, Giant Crab transitioned from a live-oriented act to one increasingly focused on studio output. Their early singles laid the groundwork for a more expansive sound that would fully materialize on their first LP for Uni Records in 1968.

A Giant Crab Comes Forth

Giant Crab released their debut album, A Giant Crab Comes Forth, in November 1968 on Uni.

The album opens with a brief spoken-word prologue and proceeds through 16 short-form tracks that span blue-eyed soul, brass-driven psych, and sharp-edged garage. The material revisits earlier singles—reworking “It Started with a Little Kiss” and “Thru the Fields”—while expanding the band’s range through compact arrangements that shift from warm harmonies to bursts of distortion and fuzz. Interludes of vibraphone, brass, and layered organ ground the album in period production while highlighting the group’s tight internal interplay.

Ernie Orosco takes lead vocals and wrote or co-wrote most of the album, often with bandmate Raymond or producer Bill Holmes. Contributions from outside writers include two tracks by Holmes and John Fairchild, as well as a cover of “Hi Ho Silver Lining” by Scott English and Larry Weiss. The set’s musical arrangements were handled by Ernie and Raymond, with vocal charts credited jointly to the band and Howard Davis.

Songs like “Directions” and “The Chance You Take” use abrupt tempo turns and organ/brass breaks to shift focus mid-track, while “Hot Line Conversation” applies saturated guitar tones against pulsing rhythms. “Intensify Your Soul” and “Thru the Fields” move briskly, layering harmony vocals against short guitar runs and upbeat organ phrasing. “Lydia Purple” slows the pace, built on rounded instrumental textures. In contrast, “I Enjoy Being the Boy” veers into off-kilter territory, its vocal and instrumental phrasing notably less controlled.

A1. “A Giant Crab Comes Forth” (2:18) – Opening narration, spoken over minimal instrumental backing
A2. “It Started With a Little Kiss” (2:30) – Reworking of earlier Corby single, co-written with producer Holmes
A3. “Directions” (3:03) – Distorted guitar with uptempo drive
A4. “Watch Your Step” (2:37)
A5. “Intensify Your Soul” (2:30)
A6. “Enjoy It” (2:04) – Light arrangement by Claus Ogerman with clean brass lines
A7. “Hot Line Conversation” (3:00) – Saturated guitar over pounding rhythms
A8. “I Enjoy Being The Boy” (2:45) – Looser arrangement, uneven vocals

B1. “Lydia Purple” (2:42) – Textured ballad with softened instrumental tone
B2. “Groovy Towne” (2:37)
B3. “Thru The Fields” (2:39) – Re-recorded version of earlier single; layered organ and vocal breaks
B4. “The Chance You Take” (2:44) – Rapid dynamic shifts, structured around organ/horn accents
B5. “Believe It or Not” (2:54)
B6. “The Answer Is No” (2:59)
B7. “Hi Ho Silver Lining” (2:30) – Cover of the Jeff Beck single
B8. “Why Am I So Proud?” (4:07) – Raymond/Ernie composition, longest track with expanded arrangement

Recorded and engineered by Paul Buff, the sessions took place under the direction of producer Bill Holmes. Effects—including fuzz, clavinet, and reverb manipulation—were handled in-studio by band members, who incorporated them selectively across tracks. Each member contributed to vocals and instrumental layering, with rhythm sections anchored by Dennis Fricia and Ruben Orosco.

Two singles were drawn from the LP: “Hi Ho Silver Lining” backed with “Hot Line Conversation” in November 1968, and “Believe It or Not” backed with “Lydia Purple” in January 1969. While the album received little promotional backing, it set the foundation for Giant Crab’s more expansive 1969 follow-up.

Cool It…Helios

Giant Crab released their second album, Cool It…Helios, in 1969 on Uni.

The album follows a concept-driven opener, “The Invasion of Helios,” a spoken-word piece layered with psychedelic effects. After this, the record shifts toward concise pop compositions with polished arrangements and tight performances. The collection features no original compositions by the band, instead relying on professional songwriters such as Scott English, Mark Barkan, Kenny Young, and Claus Ogerman. Brass and horn arrangements appear throughout, supporting the polished pop sound.

Songwriting credits are dominated by external writers, with Scott English appearing on the majority of tracks alongside various collaborators. The album’s arrangements involve contributions from Paul Buff (horns/brass) and Claus Ogerman, indicating a focus on layered instrumental textures.

Musically, the album blends upbeat pop with horn-driven rhythms and occasional touches of psychedelia. The opening track offers sitar and narrative elements, while “Cool It” features Latin percussion and punchy horn lines. Tracks like “Help Yourself” and “Hello Yesterday” emphasize bright, radio-friendly textures. Some songs carry a Motown-inspired feel, and others recall folk-rock roots, evident on “Walking in Different Circles.”

A1. “The Invasion of Helios” (2:30) – Spoken narrative with electric sitar and storm effects
A2. “Cool It” (2:45) – Latin percussion and layered horns underpin brisk rhythms
A3. “Hello Yesterday” (2:12) – Pop ballad with horn arrangements
A4. “Trust Somebody” (2:49) – Blue-eyed soul rhythm with brass accents
A5. “Don’t Make Me Leave You” (2:12) – Horn-powered pop with active bass line
A6. “What Became of Yesterday’s Hero” (2:12) – Short ballad featuring fuzz guitar
A7. “Welcome To The World” (2:12) – Mainstream pop with energetic drumming
A8. “Help Yourself” (2:37) – Bright pop with falsetto-like backing vocals

B1. “It’s Getting Harder” (2:20) – Edge-driven vocal with synthesizer textures
B2. “Who Can Teach a Songbird How to Sing” (2:20) – Harpsichord and electric sitar; lysergic-tinged ballad
B3. “Everything Comes Sooner or Later” (1:56) – Pop tune with repetitive structure
B4. “Cleo” (2:47) – Sappy ballad with MOR sensibility
B5. “Don’t Jump to Conclusions” (2:24) – String and horn arrangements complement structured pop
B6. “Popcorn Double Feature” (2:45) – Baroque-pop take with textured layers
B7. “Walking in Different Circles” (2:37) – Folk-rock-rooted melody with subtle variation
B8. “I Don’t Want to Live This Way” (2:39) – Pop tune with chorus-driven structure

Paul Buff engineered the album. Arrangements were handled by the Orosco brothers alongside Howard Davis and Paul Buff on horns and brass. The cover art was created by Ron Wolin. The album’s single, “Cool It” b/w “Intensify My Soul,” appeared in May 1969.

Cool It … Helios presents a polished, radio-friendly pop record with occasional nods to psychedelia and folk-rock. It features clear, strong vocals and tightly arranged instrumentation across its sixteen tracks.

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