Though The Byrds or The Lovin' Spoonful might have come closer to being America's Beatles in terms of mainstream impact, San Francisco's Beau Brummels were musically much nearer to taking the U.S. Fab Four title (though there were five of them). Their 1965 debut album, produced by Sly Stone, held two hits ("Just a Little," "Laugh, Laugh") that married haunting, minor-key melodies with irresistible pop hooks, revealing guitarist/songwriter Ron Elliott's sophisticated palette. They were early riders on the country-rock train, rocking up Don Gibson's "Oh, Lonesome Me," and they lent a garage-rock touch to Jimmy Reed's blues grinder "Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby." But for much of the album, they fly the flag of mid-'60s U.K.-style beat pop boldly into American territory.