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The Acid Archives (List of Obscure LPs With Reviews 1965-82) - Patrick Lundborg PDF
The Acid Archives (List of Obscure LPs With Reviews 1965-82) - Patrick Lundborg PDF
The Acid Archives (List of Obscure LPs With Reviews 1965-82) - Patrick Lundborg PDF
ABBREV'S (SC)
RON ABERNETHY ( )
"Solo" 1975 (Avanti)
Mix of cosmic loner folk and some tracks with
electric rock setting.
ACES COMBO( )
"Introducing" 1966 (Justice 134)
"Introducing" 199 (CD Collectables 0605)
No surprises on this Justice LP; Carolina beach music
standards, surf instros, couple of lame top 40 covers
done 2 years too late. No traces of any Brit
Invasion. Musical skills below average from the very
young band; sloppy drummer and crude vocals give a
certain basement edge to the proceedings, as does the
muddy recording. Would you pay $350 for an LP where
an instro version of "Secret agent man" is the
hippest thing? Hearing a 14-year old kid trying to
sound like Ray Charles is worth something though.
[PL]
~~~
Justice's typical bare bones production work didn't
exactly hide the group's musical limitations, but the
ragged tempos and blown notes somehow served to
highlight the album's low tech charm. The same is
true with the strained vocals, which were
occasionally borderline painful (check out their
cover of 'Laugh It Off'). Those overlooked charms
were only underscored when you consider that these
guys were only 14 and 15 years old when they recorded
the album. Admittedly, musically you're unlikely to
find anything here that will drastically change your
life, but there is something quite charming about the
band's enthusiasm and drive. Every time I read the
liner notes I have to laugh and wonder how a record
company could misspell the word rhythm. As an added
bonus, they managed to mis-title two of the cover
songs. [SB]
A CID SYMPHONY (Berkeley, CA)
"A Cid Symphony" 1967 (no label) [3 LPs; colored vinyl; 3 inner
sleeves + 2 cvr slicks; outer plastic bag; 1000p]
"A Cid Symphony" 1999 (CD Gear Fab gf-135) [2 CDs; +3 tracks]
"A Cid Symphony" 2000 (Akarma, Italy) [3LP box set; poster;
inserts; +bonus tracks]
The artists' name are actually Fischbach & Ewing,
while the LP is often listed as "Acid Symphony". The
music is stoned acoustic counterculture brainstorms
with an Eastern vibe. More bluesy/folky beatnik angle
than psychedelia, so beware of the usual dealer
hyperbole. Interesting period piece in any event,
pre-dating the hippie era in its vibe. Engineered by
Denise Kaufman of the Ace Of Cups, who handled the
publishing via her Thermal Flash Music company (this
is not the label). The records are on green, orange,
and purple vinyl with matching inner sleeves. [PL]
~~~
We'll be real clear and tell you this ain't rock and
roll. What you get are six sides of acoustic
instrumentals that blend Eastern and Western
instruments (dulcimer, guitar, sarod, sitar) and
cultural genres (country, blues, flamenco, jazz,
folk-psych and raga). There's nothing terribly wrong
with the results, which have a certain quiet dignity
and are occasionally quite impressive given they
sound like improvisational pieces. Anyone who enjoys
material such as "Magic Carpet" or post-Mighty Baby
"Habibiya" will almost certainly find this collection
engaging. That said, trying to sit through all three
LPs in a single session can be a trying experience.
[SB]
ADAMKOSKY (OH)
"In Your Eye" 1973 (Coronet no #)
Singer/songwriter with folk and blues influences,
often hyped as "acid folk".
DOUGLAS ADAMS see Light Rain
AESOP'S FABLES ( )
"In Due Time" 1969 (Cadet Concept 323) [wlp & printed promo
exist]
Falling somewhere in the musical spectrum between The
Young Rascals and Blood, Sweat and Tears, the shortlived and little known Aesop's Fables deserved a
AFTON (VA)
"First Day of Summer" 1975 (Lark 2288)
Rural stoner guitar rock.
"Eden's
"Eden's
"Eden's
"Eden's
Island"
Island"
Island"
Island"
1960
1960
1998
2003
AINA (HI)
"Lead Me to the Garden" 1980 (Kumanu km-1001) [gatefold]
While this album has a distinctive 1970s vibe, forget
all the dealer hype you read about acid folk, psych,
etc influences. Some tracks showcased a clear
religious agenda, though thankfully most of the
material avoided a hard sell approach for a more
subtle approach. Other tracks occasionally recalled
something like Seals & Crofts, or perhaps America
might have recorded had they abandoned the mainland
for a life in the islands. With the exception of a
couple of social and political statements, notably
ALBATROSS (IL)
"Albatross" 1976 (Anvil 1001)
Extended numbers such as 'Cannot be Found' and
'Humpback Whales' make it pretty clear these guys
worshipped at the altar of Yes. As the owner of more
than my share of Yes albums, I'll admit that isn't
necessarily a bad thing, but then its probably not
the smartest concept with which to pursue a musical
career. Okay, enough of the negativity. All five of
the tracks, including the 14 minutes plus epic 'Four
Horsemen of the Apocalypse' are worth hearing.
Novak's voice will be an acquired taste for some
folks, but his delivery fits the material well. Lead
guitarist Roe is quite impressive, but most of the
spotlight is on keyboardist Dahlgren who effortlessly
manages to span the gauntlet from tasteful
ALEITHIA (KY)
"Aleithia" 1975 (Airborn 750460)
Christian rural folkrock with female vocals, organ,
12-string. Nice flow, with some electric guitar
parts. [RM]
ALI-BABA REVUE ( )
"Let It All Hang Out" 196 (Boss BLP 1129)
Local lounge/beat obscurity, described as "lame".
ALL OF THUS(NY)
Mike Berkey which contains folky stuff recorded 19731980 (Hidden Vision, 2002). [PL]
"Sower" 1980 (War Again)
"Brainwashed/ Sower" 2000 (CD Hidden Vision ac-27/28) [2-on-1]
Man, these guys were just so good! Wailing away one
minute - folk mood, jazz lightness the next. Seems
impossible on paper, but with ASFB it works. All
tracks are standouts. Maturity in sound and lyric.
Many changes in tempo and very effective use of
keyboards. Full of smoking guitar from Glenn
Schwartz, wonderful use of solo violin, co-ed vocals.
Beautiful Morning is pretty psychy with that organ
outro. And a soulified killerized cover of Old
Rugged Cross. All their albums are treasures with
layers of interest both musically and lyrically. Dig
deep. Bizarre liner notes describing prophesies to
mate horses. The band has one track from "Sower" on
the excellent "Holy Fuzz" compilation. [Bob Felberg]
~~~
see -> Lynn Haney
AMBUSH ( )
"Ambush" 1981 (no label)
Hard rock/AOR, highly rated by some. There are at
least 5 different private releases called Ambush from
the hard rock/metal era, so make sure you get the
right one. This has a white cover with the band name
in black on the front cover.
PAT AMENT ( )
"Songs by" 1971 (Signet)
Relaxed electric folkrock. [RM]
AMERICA IS HARD TO FIND ( )
"America Is Hard To Find" 1970 (Multi-Trax zb-176)
Half anti-war spoken word poems by radical priest
Daniel Berrigan, half Christian freak anti-war
psychedelic rock mass. The mass is great fun for its
ludicrous excess and tripped-out bohemian jamming.
"Blueprints" 1969
"Blueprints" 1985
"Blueprints" 199
"Blueprints" 1998
"Blueprints" 1999
"Blueprints" 2000
tracks; gatefold]
"Blueprints" 200
(Tayl 1) [1000p]
(Heyoka 204, UK)
(CD Flash 55, Italy)
(CD Gear Fab 120) [+3 bonus tracks]
(Void 16) [blue vinyl; insert; 500p]
(Akarma 136/2, Italy) [3-sided set w/ bonus
(CD Akarma) [+3 tracks]
AMIGO ( )
"Stepping Stones" 1977 (Vee-Jay International)
Heres a sleeper of an album, a late 70s release on a
lost old label by a band that once backed up El
Chicano and wrote for Malo and Santana. Between the
odd, nondescript album cover and the bands Latin
rock past (as detailed in the liner notes), youd
never guess that this is actually a mix of San
Francisco-styled guitar rock and Los Angeles-styled
folk-rock/rural rock with excellent harmonies and
sharp instrumentation. At times it slightly resembles
Tripsichord. As the notes point out, these guys could
really play, and theres plenty of hot lead guitar
here. The closing The Clown is the key song, a
dreamy ballad with harpsichord and evocative vocals
that builds to a stunning closing battle of fuzz
guitars. The songwriting here isnt always up to the
level of performance, but theres plenty to like on
this cool record. [AM]
AMULET (IN)
"Amulet"
"Amulet"
"Amulet"
"Amulet"
1980
199
1995
2000
(Shadow 00084)
(Off the Beaten Path) [300p]
(Shadow) [paste-on cover; blank back]) Amulet
(CD Monster mcd-003)
~~~
"24 Hours" 1968 (CRC 2129) [black vinyl; thick cover; 300p]
-- the original has 'CRC-2129A STEREO' etched in the dead wax
"24 Hours" 1983 (C.R.C.) [close counterfeit; vinyl is bluish
under bright light]
"24 Hours" 198 (C.R.C.) [counterfeit; thin cover, thin vinyl]
"24 Hours" 198 (Resurrection)
"24 Hours" 1995 (Psychedelic Archive, UK) [paste-on cover;
300p]
"24 Hours" 1995 (CD Anthology, Italy)
"24 Hours" 1999 (CD Collectables)
Odd late-night psychy folkrock that sounds like it
was recorded at 4 AM by a bunch of guys on their way
down from an acid trip - still turned on, but tired
and reflective. Instruments ramble on each in its own
time frame (perhaps more jazzy than sloppy),
supporting anemic, almost apathetic vocals sometimes
fed through weird filters. A few covers, some Deadtype instros, but mostly early spooky hippie
folkrock. Not a real fave of mine but still an
interesting LP, and sleeve too - note the hookahs.
[PL]
ANVIL see Boa
A PASSING FANCY (Canada)
"A
"A
"A
"A
Passing
Passing
Passing
Passing
Fancy"
Fancy"
Fancy"
Fancy"
1968
1988
199
2002
(Boo 6801)
(Breeder, Austria)
(CD Afterglow, UK)
(CD Pacemaker)
~~~
This sampler is a more consistent listen than most
Mainstream albums, compiling a number of light psychstyled pop songs. The four bands have a surprising
stylistic consistency, and while nothing on this
album reaches the heights of the best songs on, say,
the Bohemian Vendetta or Growing Concern albums,
overall this is one of the most enjoyable Mainstream
LPs. [AM]
JON APPLETON (CA/NY)
"Appleton Syntonic Menagerie"1969 (Flying Dutchman fds-103)
"Human Music" 1970 (Flying Dutchman)
Avant garde electronics. The 2nd LP was a
collaboration with noted jazz musician Don Cherry.
There was also a 1974 LP on Folkways with some
overlap with the earlier LPs. Jon Appleton had
several more releases that fall outside the scope of
the Archives.
APPLETREE THEATRE ( )
"Playback" 1968 (Verve Forecast ft-3042) [mono]
"Playback" 1968 (Verve Forecast fts-3042) [stereo]
Somehow, this popsike concept album found its way
into the late 70s book "Rock Critics' Choice: The Top
200 Albums." It's the brainchild of John and Terry
Boylan, and is a concept album mixing spoken words,
song-stories and songs. It's a much more enjoyable
listen than most similar records (i e: Family Tree)
because the songs themselves are so strong. It's
grade-A sunshine pop with occasional psychedelic
arrangements, dipping occasionally into hard-edged
soul and music-hall. Jaded Beach Boys or Sagittarius
should like it. John Boylan later formed Hamilton
Streetcar, on whose interesting but less successful
concept album he would re-record a few of these
songs. [AM]
~~~
see -> Terry Boylan; Hamilton Streetcar
ARROW (PA)
"Coming Attractions" 1977 (JAMA)
Melodic xian rock. Rumbling electric guitar, subdued
drumming, with the vocals way out front. The singing
is really special on this LP, high and clear akin to
Robert Plant crossed with All of Thus! The primitive
'recorded in a tunnel' production only adds to the
creepy moodiness. The record does have a notable xian
component but the songs are more about being 'down
and out' than evangelizing, so downer fans should go
nuts. Highlights: 'Reach Out' with gurgling, ringing
wha-wha and the creepy lostness of 'Drum Fever'. [RM]
ART (Alaska)
"Art Is Whatever You Can Get Away With" 1972 (Oosik)
Zappa/Fugs-like stoned goof basement folk, a live
performance by Rudy Palmtree and his Exotic Fruits.
ASIA (SD)
"Asia" 1978 (no label, no #)
"Armed To The Teeth" 1980 (no label)
Early 70s-influenced progressive guitar and
mellotron rock in a Purple/Captain Beyondschool from band formerly known as White
Wing; no relation to the more famous band,
naturally.
ED ASKEW ( )
"Ed Askew" 1968 (ESP Disk 1092) [reverse-negative cover of a
riot scene)
"Ed Askew" 199 (CD ESP 1092, Germany) [art cover]
"Ed Askew" 200 (CD) [+bonus track]
This is a unique acid folk item, even by ESP
standards. Askew plays the tiple, an acoustic
ASYLUM (VA)
"First and Last" 1973 (no label nr-3217)
"First and Last" 2005 (World In Sound rfr-20, Germany)
[insert]
On the back cover of this Military Academy rarity is
a list of the band's influences which seems OK until
the names Carole King and Roberta Flack jump out at
ya. Further proof is in the grooves, where several
tracks are female singer/songwriter laments with
piano, well-written, well-sung and well-played and
therefore completely misplaced on what is elsewise a
1968
1968
1988
199
"Help"
"Help"
cover]
"Help"
"Help"
"Out
"Out
"Out
"Out
"Out
Of
Of
Of
Of
Of
The
The
The
The
The
Bachs"
Bachs"
Bachs"
Bachs"
Bachs"
1968
1992
199
1997
2004
(Roto no #) [500p]
(Del Val 007) [350p]
(Flash 43, Italy)
(CD Flash 43, Italy)
(CD Gear Fab) [+bonus track]
ISABEL BAKER ( )
"Beat
"Beat
plain
"Beat
acid guitar. So on
one. The liner
actual recording
[PL]
1971
198
200
2004
(F-Empire no #)
(F-Empire) [bootleg]
(CD Zeno) [actually a CD-R]
(Jackpot)
JOE BECK(PA/NY)
"Nature Boy" 1971 (Verve Forecast 3081)
"Nature Boy" 2002 (Breeder Backtrack, Europe)
Jazz guy goes rock here with impressive results. The
album starts with a wonderful heavy version of the
title tune, with tons of wah-wah soaked guitar. The
rest of the album offers plenty more wild lead
guitar, though none quite as sublime as on this
initial song. Fans of this kind of Hendrix-inspired
playing could do much worse; I think this is more
interesting and satisfying than better-known genre
artists like The Road, Peter Kaukonen and John
Ussery. If youre not a fan of the style, you may
still find it a worthwhile album, as the arrangements
vary, with a few solid ballads (one heavily acoustic)
and some tasteful horns on a couple of tracks. 45
minutes is probably a bit too much, and the
songwriting is only average, but this works because
Beck is such a great guitarist and because his music
isnt beholden to any particular hard rock style.
[AM]
~~~
see -> John Berberian
JACK BEDIENT & THE CHESSMEN (Wenatchee, WA)
BEO WULF ( )
"Too Late To Turn Back Now" 1972 (Crown CST-632)
JOHN BERBERIAN [& ROCK EAST ENSEMBLE] (New York City, NY)
"Middle Eastern Rock" 1969 (Verve Forecast fts-3073) [wlp
exists]
"Middle Eastern Rock" 1999 (Verve Forecast) [bootleg; textured
sleeve]
"Middle Eastern Rock" 2003(CD Acid Symposium 006, Italy)
This is Berberian's key album for 1960s psych fans, a
tremendous East-West amalgamation with both the oud
and Joe Beck's fuzz given plenty of space. It's hard
to imagine this trip being done better; strongly
recommended to fans of Orient Express and the US
Kaleidoscope. Berberian is an oud master of Armenian
descent. Prior to this cross-over LP he did several
LPs that are more traditional ethnic-folky, as
follows: "Expressions East" (Mainstream 6023, 1967),
"Oud Artistry" (Mainstream 6047, 1967), and "Music Of
The Middle East" (Roulette, 1968). "Ode To An Oud" is
a 2LP repackage of the two Mainstream LPs from 1974.
Some of these albums have been reissued in recent
years. Another Verve LP features Berberian's playing
as a backdrop to poetry readings by DJ Rosko ("Music
and Gibran", 1968). [PL]
~~~
see -> Joe Beck
"Mid Eastern Odyssey" 1971 (Olympia olp-1001)
"Mid Eastern Odyssey" 200 (CD Olympia)
"Echoes of Armenia" 1972 (Olympia olp-1002)
Berberian continued to record and release albums
through the 1970s, via his own private Olympia label.
These albums are harder to find than his 60s works,
and while they are not "rock" genre-wise they attract
some collectors. Another LP on Olympia is "The Dance
Album".
ERIC BERGMAN (NY)
"Modern Phonography" 1978 (Patron Saint ps-1) [gatefold;
insert; 100p]
Lost basement folk and folkrock sound from leader of
Patron Saints, with slide guitar and some acoustic
solo tracks. There is also a second LP from 1982,
"Sending Out Signals".
"Strictly Canadian".
V.A "THE BEST OF THE HIDEOUTS" (Detroit, MI)
"Best of the Hideouts" 1966 (Hideout hlp-1002) [1000p]
"Best of the Hideouts" 199 (Hideout) [bootleg]
A rare sort of companion piece to the "Friday At The
Cage-A-go-go" LP with several enjoyable tracks by
local folkrock/garage wizards like the 4 Of Us, Suzi
Quatro's Pleasure Seekers and the Underdogs, most of
which also came out on 45s. A couple of numbers have
been comp'd as well. An equal mix of folkrock, moody
garage and soul covers. The Underdogs are perhaps the
stars of the show with some classy tunes. All over
not quite as good as "Friday At The Cage" but an
appealing snapshot of a legendary scene nevertheless.
Nice sleeve with band photos. The 1990s bootleg may
have been a counterfeit attempt; it's an old-style
cardboard sleeve with paste-on slicks and exact label
repros. The sleeve photo repros have some wear
residue from the original copy used, and there is no
title on the spine. The true original has
'XCTV121245-1A' in the dead wax. [PL]
V.A "THE BEST OF TWIST-A-RAMA USA" (NY)
"The Best
"The Best
cover; +2
"The Best
tracks]
BIKE (IN)
"Bike" 1978 (no label 34160)
Hardrock with Don Pierle. Don is Ray Pierle's brother
(McKay, Rhythm of the Highway) but did not play in
the Pierle Brothers Band.
DON BIKOFF ( )
"Celestial Explosion" 1968 (Keyboard k711-s)
New York City label. Instrumental guitar tracks with
a cosmic edge.
BILL HOLT'S DREAMIES see Dreamies
BILLY (Minneapolis, MN)
"Persephone" 1972 (Orion s80-462-2823s) [promo exists]
Laid-back druggy folk from Billy Hallquist. This LP
is typically listed as Persephone Billy. "Persephone"
is one of the songs and promo copies make it clear
the artist is "Billy". About 2000 copies were
pressed, according to the man himself. There's also a
second LP, "Travelling". Ex-Thundertree.
BLACKBIRD ( )
"Blackbird" 1974 (Vinnick Studios var-122)
Moody acoustic folkrock with hippie vibe.
"The Ultimate
insert]
"The Ultimate
"The Ultimate
"The Ultimate
"Black Voy Alley" 1972 (Black Voy Alley Records BVA 82172)
Obscure 70s cover band doing several Three Dog Night
numbers, mixed with Deep Purple, Traffic, Blue Oyster
Cult.
BLACKWELL (TX)
"Blackwell" 1970 (Astro 9010)
Psychy bluesy rock.
HAL BLAINE (Los Angeles, CA)
"Psychedelic Percussion" 1967 (Dunhill d-50019) [mono]
"Psychedelic Percussion" 1967 (Dunhill ds-50019) [stereo]
Famous L.A. session drummer dons the studio psych hat
and gets real. Spaced-out drum rock with Paul Beaver
(Beaver & Krause) contributing electronics!
BLAZERS (GA)
"On Fire" 1967 (Perfection Sound Studios 5022/23)
Obscure Southern teen-band club LP.
BLESSED END (Philadelphia, PA)
"Movin'
"Movin'
"Movin'
"Movin'
On"
On"
On"
On"
for doom and gloom lyrics, and the band simply can't
match Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger in terms of
compositional skills or instrumental prowess. [SB]
BLISS (AZ)
"Bliss" 1969 (Canyon 7707)
"Bliss" 2002 (Void 023)
One of our favorite recent discoveries, "Bliss" was
released by the L.A.-based Canyon Records. Musically
the LP offered up a mix of originals (all three
members contributing material), and blues covers.
Based on the cover which shows a chalice and a young,
angry looking priest, our initial expectations were
that this might be a Christian-rock LP. Those
thoughts were reinforced by the opener "Ride the Ship
of Fool" which blended a nice melody with sweet
harmonies and a pseudo-religious lyric and "Cry for
Love". While those characteristics are enough to send
a large segment of the population running for cover,
in this case the results aren't half bad. The
BOA (MI)
"Wrong
"Wrong
"Wrong
"Wrong
Road"
Road"
Road"
Road"
1971
199
1998
1998
Vendetta"
Vendetta"
Vendetta"
Vendetta"
Vendetta"
Vendetta"
1968
1968
1997
199
1998
199
BOLD (MA)
"The Bold" 1969 (ABC s-705)
"Lullaby Opus 4" 2003 (CD Misty Lane 067, Italy) [album +6
tracks]
Overlooked psych-era album from band with famous
garage 45s; the LP is an appealing mix of floating
dreamy Northeast organ psych a la Freeborne and early
rural rock, has some really good psych tracks and is
worth checking out. Three wellknown covers lessen the
impact but not enough so to ruin the LP. Vinylsourced CD reissue has the band's garage-era 45s as
bonus. [PL]
~~~
This Bosstown album probably failed to attract
attention because it came a few years after the hype.
Looking at the cover and seeing three familiar cover
versions, youd expect something unremarkable, but
this is a real find, an original, highly creative
album that stands with the best from the city. Lots
of cool organ, interesting experiments (including a
shimmering guitar instrumental that anticipates
ambient music), jazzworthy chops, hooks that sneak up
on you. Should appeal equally to psych and prog fans.
Even the cover versions are great. Despite being on a
major label, this rarely shows up for sale. [AM]
BOLDER DAMN (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
"Mourning"
"Mourning"
"Mourning"
"Mourning"
1971
1991
1997
2001
BONDSMEN ( )
"Bondsmen" 1966 (Austin)
Quite obscure teenbeat LP.
BONNEVILLES (NC)
"Bringing It Home" 1967 (Justice 146)
"Bringing It Home" 1967 (CD Collectables 0623)
Perhaps the archetypal Justice LP, even has a ballsy
statement declaring the death of the "Liverpool
Sound" and the "Tottenham Sound", and the coming
victory of the blue-eyed frat-soul Justice sound. The
lame-ass Billboard R'n'B 100 covers and uninspired
playing found on the actual record stand in stark
contrast to this bravado. Usual fare for the label,
the hippest things being an incorrectly interpreted
"96 tears" and a closing instro. Organ upfront,
sloppy drummer, harmony vocals with lyric mistakes
left intact; everything you can ask for. Band are 6
shorthaired dorks, 2 with glasses. [PL]
BONNIWELL MUSIC MACHINE see Music Machine
T S BONNIWELL (Los Angeles, CA)
"Close" 1969 (Capitol st-277) [green label]
Dark crooner LP from Music Machine main guy. Held in
low regard by MM fans but in fact well worth checking
out for fringe/downer lounge LP fans. Bleak and
introspective interiors from the acid hangover era:
"Candles at noon, still shining/Poetry cold,
unrhyming." [PL]
~~~
see -> Music Machine
BOOT (FL)
"Boot" 1972 (Agape lp-2601)
This hard rock album by some down home Southern guys
has an amusing album cover and some excellent music.
Side one has four winners : theyre hooky, the guitar
playing is hot, the rhythm section is tight and the
singing is very good. There are no keyboards on this
album, but the guitars provide plenty of variety,
with slide guitar, lots of wah-wah, acoustic to add
color, and two nice side-ending washes of feedback.
The sound is hard without being heavy; the tempos are
upbeat, the vibe is bar band rock and roll. Side two
adds a hint of a rural edge (after all, these guys
are Southerners), and while its not quite as
consistent as side one, its strong enough to make
BOULDER BROTHERS ( )
"A Period Of Time" 1975 (Sheepeater 000-1)
Obscure rural/countryrock with nice double exposure
front cover.
BOUNTY (CA)
"Bounty" 1981 (Harts 755)
Synth-led progressive. Including ARP Odyssey, Solana
string ensemble, Steinway piano, guitar, bass, drums.
BOW STREET RUNNERS (Fayetteville, NC)
"Last
"Last
"Last
"Last
Laugh"
Laugh"
Laugh"
Laugh"
1970
1991
2000
200
Rot"
Rot"
Rot"
Rot"
Rot"
Rot"
1975
199
200
2005
2005
2005
"I Can Hear The Ants Dancin'" 1994 (OR 004) [paste-on; white
label; 225#d]
"I Can Hear The Ants Dancin'" 1994 (OR 004) [printed cover;
stock label; 1000p]
"I Can Hear The Ants Dancin'" 2005 (CD Bona Fide) [+10 tracks]
Local Maryland legend that's been popular almost
since day one with collectors due to his
uncompromising underground attack. He has an amazing
voice full of snarl and venom plus layers of murky
fuzz and phasing in the background. The overall feel
of "Jungle Rot" is like looking out at a 70s ghetto
street full of garbage and car wrecks from the window
of a basement crash pad. Stylistically interesting as
The
The
The
The
Beginning"
Beginning"
Beginning"
Beginning"
1969
1987
199
2004
(Now rss-6700)
(Antar 7, UK)
(CD Afterglow UK)
(Akarma, Italy)
BROTHERHOOD (OH)
"Stavia" 1972 (Rite BH 501)
"Stavia" 1995 (no label, France) [300p; +2 tracks]
Obscure mellow hippie rock with organ and flute,
similar to Borealis soundwise, plus some Santana
moves. Listenable OK but hardly the stuff private
press heads crave. The original was issued through
the Rite recording plant, famous for dozens of great
60s punk 45s. Oddly, two tracks on the reissue
actually are lifted from the UK "Psychedelic Salvage
Co" comp and have nothing to do with the Brotherhood.
Can anyone explain this? [PL]
BROTHERHOOD OF PEACE (NC)
"Cuttin' Loose" 1975 (Avanti 12003)
Brotherhood Of Peace, despite the hippie name, are a
straightforward mainstream 70s rock band. The album
has a couple of hard rockers that will appeal to fans
of bands like Magi or Sweet Toothe, but for the most
part it's straightforward rock without distorted
guitars. It does have a crude production style that
might appeal to fans of garage rock. For the genre,
it's not bad, but not great. Don Dixon produced. It's
one of his earliest and most primitive productions.
Greer fans won't find nearly as much songwriting
talent or creativity on display here, but it's still
a reasonably enjoyable album. [AM]
BROTHERS & ONE (New Waterford, Canada)
"Brothers & One" 1970 (Audat 477 9038)
Little-known item on same label as Borealis,
longhaired sextet with sax playing funky basement
psych/rock.
BOBBY BROWN (CA)
"Enlightening Beam of Axonda" 1972 (Destiny 4002) [booklet]
"Enlightening Beam of Axonda" 197 (Destiny 4002) [re-press]
"Enlightening Beam of Axonda" 2004 (CD Akarma, Italy)
As you probably guessed from the title, "The
Enlightening Beam of Axonda" is pretty spacey, but in
a surprisingly laidback and agreeable fashion. Brown
had a nice voice (technically I think he'd be called
a basso-profundo), that lent itself well to
atmospheric tracks such as "I Must Be Born", "My
Hawaiian Home" and "Mama Knows Boys a Rambler".
Brown's liner notes claimed he had a six octave
range. Lyrically Brown's hippy-dippy lyrics were
pretty hysterical. Complete with between-the-songs
narratives, the album almost qualifies as a concept
piece with a plotline apparently having to do with
Brown's search for fulfillment, though I'm not quite
sure how the space aliens and space travel fit into
the storyline. That said, be warned that nothing here
exactly rocks. Most of the ten tracks are quite
melodic, tough in a new age kind of way. In fact,
stuff such as "Tiny Wind of Shanol" and "Axonda"
would be right at home playing as background music in
something like the Nature Store. There are a couple
of exceptions. "Mamba Che Chay" was pretty
experimental and did little for our ears, while
"Preparation Dimension of Heaven" sounded like a bad
lounge act effort. Still, the set's goofy enough to
be intriguing.Later pressings lack the booklet and
have ordering info on back cover; the price differs
between the re-pressings. Brown's later LPs
"Live" (Destiny, 1978) and "Prayers Of A One Man
Band" (Destiny, 1982) are less interesting than
"Axonda". [SB]
BROWN COUNTY BAND (IN)
"Brown County Band" 1980 (Programme Audio Gold) [1000p]
An extremely obscure private LP that's been adopted
by the Swiss collector mafia who favor music that
straddles the fence between Americana and
psychedelia. A traditional bluegrass band that moved
into more progressive directions for their first
album, adding drums and electric bass to standard
bluegrass instrumentation and vocal harmonies. The
best moments veer into Modlin-Scott territory ("Far,
Far Away" "Brown Paper Bag Rag") but the banjo
dominates almost all tracks and all feet are squarely
in the zone of contemporary bluegrass. What a handful
of collectors hear here will likely evade most
listeners. The band returned to traditional bluegrass
and changed their name to Pine Mountain (after a song
on this record) after this album, eventually
disbanding in 1989. [SD]
CHARLES BROWNING (DC)
"A Choirboy's Lament" 1976 (SRI)
1970s folk with percussion, bass and female vocal
harmonies and a surprise appearance by Emmylou
Harris. Cover versions of Joan Baez and "Codine",
rest is originals.
BRUNSWICK PLAYBOYS (New Brunswick, Canada)
"Looking In" 1965 (Excellent esp-109)
Pop beat with covers and originals. Cover shows the
band sitting on a gigantic 45 floating in space.
~~~
see -> Best Of Frank's Bandstand
BRUTE FORCE (Los Angeles, CA)
Of
Of
Of
Of
Of
Promises"
Promises"
Promises"
Promises"
Promises"
1969
1978
1993
199
199
BUCCANEERS ( )
"In Duane's Pirate Cavern" 1965 (Custom Recorded lp-101)
Early fratrock sound, very weak.
BULBOUS CREATION ( )
"You Won't Remember Dying" 1994 (Rockadelic 13) [300p]
1970 recordings of great jammy downer hardrock/psych
with an intense atmosphere, far-out vocals and only
one weak cut. Lyrics deal with smack, 'Nam, satanism
and more; a merciless snapshot of the post-flower
power era. In my opinion among the very best of all
the Cavern Sound Studios stuff (Stoned Circus,
Crank/Thump Theatre, Phantasia, Trizo 50) that has
appeared. The reissue has the usual Rockadelic sleeve
obsession with heroin and death, which is well
matched by the sounds inside. The label was unable to
locate the band which explains the lack of info. [PL]
BULL (Richmond, VA)
"It's A Rock'n'Roll World" 1979 (Wheels Records)
Southern rock and hardrock with macho vocals and
guitar action. The band leader later made an LP as
the Ray Pittman Band ("Getcha Some", 1981) which has
been raising some interest.
BUMP (MI)
"Bump"
"Bump"
"Bump"
"Bump"
"Bump"
1970
199
2000
2000
200
CAL (NY)
"Rock and Roll - Homegrown" 1980 (no label)
Despite the 1980 release date, this upstate NY album
feels like vintage 70s stoner music. It's mostly mild
hard rock with some psych and prog moves. It features
some effective moog, decent guitar playing, and good
songs with idiotic lyrics. The album's highlight is
probably "Courageous Cat" (based on the children's
cartoon of the same name), which is slower and
moodier than most of the album. The album's lowlight
is definitely "Party Party," as bad an attempt at a
rock anthem as you will ever hear and possibly the
worst song on any album I own. Otherwise, the lack of
brains on this album is perversely appealing. [AM]
CALLAHAN & NAZ (Albany, NY)
BOBBY CALLENDER ( )
"Bobby Callender" 196 (Music Factory mfrs-20) [2LPs; no
cover]
Presumably issued to promote "Rainbow", this set
WILLARD CANTELON ( )
"LSD - Battle for the Mind" 1966 (Supreme m-113)
"LSD - Battle for the Mind / Instant Insanity Drugs" 2002 (CD)
[2-on-1]
Spoken word ties LSD in with spirituality in oldschool paranoia propaganda. Drop some acid, laugh and
learn about the 'dark and terrifying national
menace'. Early, well-known title for spoken word drug
LPs, with outstanding front cover art.
&
&
&
&
&
Shine"
Shine"
Shine"
Shine"
Shine"
1968
2002
2003
2004
2004
(B T Puppy 1018)
(CD Air Mail Recordings, Japan)
(CD Rev-Ola, UK)
(CD Beatball 005, Korea)
(Merry Go Round/Beatball 006, Korea)
CASUALS (CA)
"Absolutely 100% Live" 1981 (private) [#d; insert]
Jammy blues-rock with fuzz leads, recorded in San
Francisco.
CATALINA (CA)
"Live from the Chi Chi Club" 1970 (Avalon)
Bluesy sleazy club rockers, cover versions all
through.
CATHEDRAL (PA)
"Sing Me a Song" 1974 (Sky Piece)
Melodic rock with rural AOR moves.
CENTER LINE ( )
"Sayin' It... Together" 196 (Vanco 1008)
Late 1960s Northwest rural lounge rock on the same
label as Easy Chair. Memorable for a 'so bad it's
good', nearly side-long, Beatles' medley.
CENTURIONS ( )
"Louie Louie" 1965 (private) [10" 1-sided LP; no cover]
Hot guitar frat rock with surfy leads. This is
probably a different band from the surf group.
CEPHAS (Pittsburgh, PA)
"Teen Challenge Presents Cephas with Jeff Cogswell" 197 (No
Label 32217/8)
"Tanyet"
"Tanyet"
"Tanyet"
"Tanyet"
1968
1968
199
1993
DON CHAFEY ( )
"Blue Iron Crown" 197 (private)
Late 70s/early 70s local release of freaky folk/blues
with pagan elements.
CHALIS ( )
"One Small Chance" 1975 (Ellen Abbey 25389) [gatefold]
Symphonic progressive.
CHARIOT ( )
"Chariot" 1969 (National General 2003) [promos exist]
Heavy psych-rock typical of the era, with Cream
influence.
CHARISMA (FL)
"Charisma Is Raptured" 197 (Rite 29556)
Charismas two LPs are probably the most low-budget
rock recordings Ive ever heard. It appears on this
one that the master tape even dragged for a second on
the first song when the record was being pressed!But
the cheapness of the recording cannot mask the
enthusiasm and strong songwriting of this teenage
Florida band.Liner notes describe the sound as
Afro-jazz, pure folk, country, acid rock, and
ballad. Well I dont know if theres anything on
here Id call Afro-jazz or acid rock, but what I
do hear I like: lots of piano-based rock (recalling
early Elton John) and folky cuts, with lead vocals
shared by James Dudley (composer of 9 of the 11
songs) and Marijean McCarty, whose beautifully
expressive voice brings me close to tears.Overall
the folkrock sound predominates, but the rocky
moments are there (screaming crashing dissonance
the liner says) foreshadowing the groups second
release. [KS]
"Last Days" 197 (Rite 32700)
Wait a minute. I do believe you could classify this
as... yes... here comes the "p" word... progressive!
Well, OK, maybe more like garage rock with some prog
influences. Whatever you call it it's miles above
their debut. Charges off from the start with the 10minute groovin' jam feast 'Down At The
Crossroads' (not the Cream/Clapton cover) with
guitar, piano, organ, and flute all getting their
turn at lead, not to mention a lengthy drum solo at
the end. 'Last Days' is a creative mysterious
apocalyptic piece, percussion heavy with time changes
and psychy guitar. 'Jesus The Messiah' is rather
dramatic and includes a cool prog mid-section that
has flashes of the sacred Vindication LP. A couple
bluesy cuts: the upbeat 'Nowhere Blues' with slide
guitar and piano and the moodier 'Blue Woman'. A few
nice piano-led ballads in the neighborhood of the
first lp. Real low-tech sound again, especially that
organ - but it's far from irritating, more often
giving the set a wonderful homegrown basement charm.
Every track strong. One of my faves. Both these
albums are bigtime rarities. Nice bellbottoms fellas!
[KS]
ROBERT CHARLEBOIS (Quebec, Canada)
"Charlebois/Forestier" 1969 (Gamma 120)
This is considered to be the most significant FrenchCanadian album of the psychedelic era. Charlebois, a
big star in the province, shocked Quebec by following
up a few mellow folk albums with this wildly
experimental effort, going places he never went
before and never would again. Listening all these
years later, it doesnt sound particularly freaky, or
even all that rock, due to the formal sound of the
CHARMER (FL)
"Your Presence Requested" 1977 (Jazz Forum cm-1068)
"Your Presence Requested" 1977 (Illusion 1070)
CHELSEA (NY)
"Chelsea" 1972 (Decca dl-75262)
-- also released in Australia
This album has become collectable mostly because it
contains a pre-Kiss Peter Cris. Some of it is
uninteresting boogie rock, and at least one song
(Hard Rock Music, which prints bizarre fake lyrics
on the back cover, probably to disguise the real
songs stupidity) is truly atrocious. A few songs
rock convincingly, though, and a few others are great
orchestrated dreamy psych. Despite the variety of
styles, the odd production creates a thematic
consistency. All of the rhythm guitars are acoustic,
and the leads are trebly and often ear-piercing,
moreso because the rest of the instruments form a
wall of sound. On the good songs the overall effect
is pretty powerful, but on the weaker ones its just
strange. The hard rock songs, lacking electric
rhythm guitars, rely on lots of lead guitar, loud
drums and crazed vocals, not really to the musics
advantage. This is a spotty album, but its weird and
distinctive and has its moments. [AM]
CHENANIAH (MN)
"Chenaniah" 1977 (no label 7071-n-11) [1000p]
Little-known Christian 1970s melodic folkrock at the
commercial westcoast end of the spectrum, comparable
to Harvest Flight. Opens with excellent psych-vibe
track, rest is a little too much feel-good hippiedippy for my tastes. Nice arrangements with guitar
tapestries and smooth CSN/America vocal harmonies,
some countryrock moves, listenable OK with a relaxed,
non-preaching attitude, although the lead singer is
sort of dorky. A few lowkey folk tracks with acoustic
guitar and strings project an appealing Tim Hardin
feel. [PL]
CHI-RHO (IL)
"Chi-Rho" 1972(Aslan 0100)
Christian obscurity with horns and deep vibe, like
the missing link between Khazad Doom and the more
spiritual tracks on Search Party. Brass arrangements
are in a classical/liturgical style that fits the LP
well, and the male/female vocals have the right eerie
sacred feel. Not really a "rock" sound, yet with
obvious influences from contemporary folk and
psychedelia. Lack of guitar leads and the overall
weirdness makes this an aquired taste, but I found it
rather interesting. All originals except for oddball
version of "Jesus Is Just Alright". The LP was
recorded in Illinois as an 'outreach of Jud Youth
Ministries'. The front cover has a gold negative
photo of the band. The back has a black and white
photo of the band walking down train tracks looking
Way
Way
Way
Way
Out"
Out"
Out"
Out"
"The Inner
"The Inner
label]
"The Inner
"The Inner
"The Inner
"The Inner
1967
1967
1994
199
198
1981
198
1994
(Tower) [bootleg]
(Raven 1001, Australia)
(Eva, France) [+2 tracks]
(CD Sundazed 6024) [+4 tracks]
"Turn On!! Music for the Hip at Heart" 1967 (Memorare ess101)
A 50-minute tribal spiritual organ/percussion
improvisation with occasional sanskrit chanting, as
much a product of the beatnik seeker era as a
precursor of 1970s communal tripouts. Not really a
"rock" record, more a unique early psychedelic fringe
artefact along the lines of Alan Watts' legendary
"This is IT", less intense, more eerie, and just as
interesting. An unplugged version of Beat Of The
Earth also springs to mind. One of my personal
favorites in the off-the-beaten-path category. [PL]
~~~
This record was connected to the Himalayan Academy
Research Center in San Francisco (what an amazing 60s
town!!) and the label address was a P.O. Box at the
Los Angeles airport. It's definintely in the 'real
people' zone, basically an acoustic no-fi hippie
freakout. Musical improvisations with church organ,
some sitar, chanting, flutes, and even a kazoo. Fans
of trancy Krautrock excess might go for this. There
are no track listings on the LP. [RM]
~~~
see interview
"Christopher"
"Christopher"
"Christopher"
"Christopher"
"Christopher"
"Christopher"
1970
1970
1989
199
1998
199
CHRYSALIS (NY)
"Definition"
"Definition"
"Definition"
"Definition"
"Definition"
1968
1968
1968
1993
2005
CHURLS (Canada)
"Churls" 1969 (A&M SP 4169) [wlp exists]
Canadian band merges the garage band sound of the
Ugly Ducklings and the Haunted with a more up-to-date
hard rock vibe. There are too many songs, and most of
the lead guitar work doesnt go anywhere, but theres
also a youthful energy and solid vocal style that
wins out in the end. The trippy Time Piece blows
away everything else on the album but there are lots
of pleasures that reveal themselves with multiple
listens. They also released a second album on A&M,
"Send Me No Flowers," which is less collectable and
more mainstream in sound (though still pretty good.)
[AM]
CINCINNATI JOE & MAD LYDIA (Cincinnati, OH)
CLAW (IL)
"Diggin' In" 1978 (GDS 2051)
Crude hardrock boogie. Back cover notes "Play this
Ass Kicker Loud!", in case you were in doubt. ExEighth Day, who had two songs on the much earlier
"Psychedelic Six Pack of Sound" comp.
DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS (Toronto, Canada)
"And The Shays A-go-go" 1966 (Roman 101)
"Sings It Like It Is" 1966 (Roman 102)
These early LPs from the future Blood Sweat & Tears
vocalist are both moderately desirable teenbeat/r'n'b rarities.
The first LP was "reissued" with overdubbed horns by
Decca in the 1970s, beware!
CLEARING (Newton, MA)
JOE COHEN ( )
"Pages" 1975 (Friendship Music) [photo & letter inserts]
Rural hippie folk with two electric wah-wah tracks.
Possibly the same guy who had an LP out in 1982,
"Writings on my wall".
MIKE COHEN ( )
"Mike Cohen" 1973 (Diadelphous Stamens) [insert]
COMPANION (TN)
"Reap the Lost Dreamers" 1974 (RAV) [insert]
"Reap the Lost Dreamers" 2003 (Gear Fab)
The title is appropriate here, because this is
definitely dreamy, ethereal music. Its American, but
the closest comparison I can come up with is Ithaca,
(or, at their most melodic moments, the Alan Parsons
Project.) The album oddly begins with a cover, a
version of Blackbird that omits the familiar guitar
parts and places the emphasis on the vocals. Its a
good lead-in to what follows. The vocals are soft and
sensitive, the many keyboards layered like clouds,
and the songs slow and carefully constructed. Spacy
sound effects here and there work well with the
memorable melodies. A few songs are a bit heavier,
with some fuzz guitar, others have some Eno-like
electronics. The songs on side two are a bit less
inspired and drag a little, but it still all sounds
very nice. A distinctive album. By the way, this is a
Christian record, but youll never know it unless you
pay very close attention. [AM]
COMPANION (CA)
"On The Line" 1977 (Sleepy Eye)
Rural 1970s rock from Bay Area band; presumbaly no
relation to the guys below.
COMPANION (CA)
"Mr Head Live" 1980 (Akashic)
"Mr Head Live" 2005 (CD Syn-Ton, Austria)
Dead/Allman Bros-style guitar jammers.
BURT COMPTON & STEVE MELE (FL)
"Rock n Roll Genius" 1977 (Wizard 1303) [500p]
This one is a guilty pleasure. The first couple of
songs are pretty heavy with an ahead-of-its-time-butstill-annoying squealy guitar sound (this is a year
before the first Van Halen album opened the
floodgates so that it would soon be the only guitar
sound on FM radio). After that, though, the music is
more mainstream, but quite appealing, radio pop/rock.
They cant sing too well, and they arent so
original, but they have a sense of humor (one song is
CONAN (CA)
"Tell 'Ol Anita" 1973 (Earthchilde ercd-101)
The artist is Conan R.H. Dunham. Conan is a horrible
singer but writes interesting, moody introspective
tunes. Mostly folky offbeat singer-songwriter sound
but three good heavier tunes with seedy fuzz and
synth. Sacramento label. [RM]
CONDELLO (AZ/CA)
"Condello: Phase 1" 1968 (Scepter srm-542) [mono]
"Condello: Phase 1" 1968 (Scepter sps-542) [stereo]
This fascinating album moves from sparkling pop to
near heavy metal, almost like a compilation album by
one man. Condello is an interesting figure, being
connected to diverse figures like Lynn Castle and
Warren S. Richardson, so its not surprising that his
album runs the gamut. The popsike songs near the
beginning of the album are the strongest tracks, but
all of it is interesting and worthwhile. A neat
artifact of a time when such diverse styles of music
sat nicely side by side on radio, and here, on LP.
Condello also released a number of 45s and EPs
including the "Soggy Cereal" track of Pebbles fame.
[AM]
C1 C2 see Mad Dog
LARRY CONKLIN & JOCHEN BLUM (Seattle, WA)
"Jackdaw" 1980 (no label 11233)
Little-known local album of haunting UK-style folk
with 12-string and violin.
V.A "CONNECTICUT'S GREATEST HITS" (CT)
COVEN (IN)
From
with
From
with
COYOTE (MD)
"Coyote" 1973 (Chariot CH-500)
Silly mid-1970s hard rock album that wastes almost
seven minutes on a goof of a song called Horney
Coyote and also includes an ode to a Flat Chested
Woman. Even the straight hard rockers here include
lyrics like I think hes a turd. This would all be
well and good if the novelty songs were funnier, or
if they rocked, but theyre as lame musically as they
are lyrically. There are also a few throwaways
(including an organ-heavy instrumental). All of the
above is just side one. Its hard to imagine why
anyone ever would turn the record over, but
surprisingly there are some decent hard rock songs on
side two. The rhythm section is solid, and the
keyboardist is quite good too. The styles a bit
prog/AOR, though, and the album ends with a terrible
attempt at a soul ballad. Youve been warned. The
album cover is pretty twisted, by the way. [AM]
COYOTE ( )
"Cast Off Your Old Tired Ethics" 1975 (Old Dog no #)
Biker hardrock from bearded quintet, "Peter Gunn
Theme" is an unexpected cover among the band
originals. Housed in appropriate primitive cartoon
cover. No relation to the Coyote on Chariot.
CRACK ( )
CROMAGNON (CT)
"Cromagnon"
"Cromagnon"
"Cromagnon"
"Cromagnon"
"Cromagnon"
1969
1969
199
199
199
CROSSRODE (SC)
"Crossrode" 1980 (Strawberry Jamm lp-801)
Rural Southern hardrock with dual leads.
CYCLE (Canada)
"Cykle"
"Cykle"
"Cykle"
"Cykle"
"Cykle"
1969
1988
1994
1997
199
DADDY WARBUCKS ( )
"Daddy Warbucks I" 1976 (Tiger Lily)
This typically obscure Tiger Lily LP has something
most do not: accurate credits. Members of this band
were previously in Goodthunder and would later form
the melodic hard rock/AOR bands L.A. Jets and 1994.
Daddy Warbucks are cut from the same cloth, but with
some added prog moves (despite short songs.) This
album is chock full of wonderfully used synthesizer
and has its share of tricky rhythms/time signatures.
It also has a bunch of catchy tunes. Check out the
frantic bass playing on "Blue Eyes" or the atonal
synth on "There's a time" and you can see that these
guys had serious pop smarts. In fact, if it wasn't
for the typically early 70s bluesy male vocals, this
would be a grade-A power pop album. As it is, it's a
grade-A mainstream rock album. In a similar fashion
to the first two Cars albums, it shows that
synthesizers need not be used only to make
"synthesizer music," but can be beautifully
integrated into a rock band as lead and rhythm
instruments. It's a bit mainstream for psych fans,
but if Crack and Steve Drake can be highly sought
after by collectors, it stands to reason that this
equally (maybe more?) rare album should be too. Note:
A song from the Goodthunder album is remade here with
a new title and new lyrics. In usual hilarious tax
scam fashion, the back cover lists a song that's not
on the album and the total time is a scant 21 minutes
and 53 seconds, not a second of which is wasted. [AM]
DALLAS (TX)
"Casualty of Love" 1979 (Shimmer Bros. 97-15)
Nice acidic folk with originals and Byrds and Neil
Young covers.
DAMASCUS ROAD ( )
"Damascus Road" 1973 (Icthus)
Acoustic rural rock with some heavy garagy moments.
DAMON (CA)
"Song Of A Gypsy"
back]
"Song Of A Gypsy"
"Song Of A Gypsy"
"Song Of A Gypsy"
"Song Of A Gypsy"
"Song Of A Gypsy"
"Song Of A Gypsy"
bonus EP; insert]
"Song Of A Gypsy"
DAMON (ND)
1968
1986
199
2000
2000
(Chartmaker 1102)
(Breeder 565, Austria)
(CD Flashback 009, UK)
(World In Sound 010, Germany) [500p; +3 tracks]
(CD World In Sound 1001, Germany) [+3 tracks]
~~~
see -> Bridge
MOSSY DAVIDSON (Alaska)
"North Wind Calling" 1977 (Northwoods MD 101) [2 LPs]
Mellow rural femme hippie folk LP with Alaskan
themes, samey in sound but highly rated by some genre
fans. Acoustic guitar, flute, piano, steel guitar.
JEFF DAVIS (TX)
"Dear Jeff" 1977 (Tap 0030)
Mostly acoustic Christian folk on Houston label,
originals all through, some use of female harmonies
and environmental sounds.
DAVY & THE BADMEN (Lawrenceville, NJ)
throughout. I'm not too hip on this era & style but
enjoyed it just the same. The band has no relation to
fellow Okies Cosmic Debris. [PL]
~~~
Great '76 proto-punk private press, kinda similar to
Cleveland scene of the same time. Basement trippy and
freaky with obvious Beefhart and Stooges influences,
it also includes a more unexpected Hawkwind vibe due
to the quite massive use of electronic sound fx,
echos, tape loops and such, to a great druggy effect.
Not really your typical psych LP but definitely
rewarding after a few spins, especially if you're
into early Pere Ubu, Electric Eels and such. Maybe
experimental, but never arty, this is a great LP.
When you wake up in your living room at 04.00 in the
morning, totally confused because someone obviously
spiked your cough syrup with acid, this might be the
perfect soundtrack. [MM]
"Psychedelic
"Psychedelic
"Psychedelic
"Psychedelic
"Psychedelic
"Psychedelic
Moods"
Moods"
Moods"
Moods"
Moods"
Moods"
1966
1966
1989
1993
199
2004
being prepared.
DESERT ESKIMO ( )
"Desert Eskimo" 1982 (North Star)
California label. Aggressive 70s sound power trio,
good LP.
BOB DESPER (Portland, OR)
charms. Among them are high energy songs (all but the
ballads are fast), amusing use of talkbox and
electronics, and spastic bass and lead guitar
playing. Certainly there's more enthusiasm than
talent here, but it's fun nonetheless. The snotty
vocals are clearly inspired by another Motown hard
rocker, Alice Cooper, but lack his sense of theater
and irony. Eventually they become annoying,
especially on the otherwise enjoyable ballads. Side
one has five medium length songs, side two three long
songs, including the two ballads, which respectively
have nice reverbed lead guitar and crazy dual leads.
Often this album is reported as having a lot of
synthesizer, but actually it's only a small amount on
two songs. [AM]
DOUGLAS FIR ( )
"Hard Heartsingin'" 1970 (Quad qus-5002) [wlp exists]
"Hard Heartsingin'" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 149)
"Hard Heartsingin'" 2000 (Akarma, Italy)
Recorded in Portland, Oregon. Mystic folkrock and
bluesy, roots sounds. A bit Doorsy at times with the
moody vocal and organ backing.
DRAGONFLY (CO/CA)
"Dragonfly" 1970 (Megaphone 1202) [gatefold]
-- a gold title sticker was attached to the shrink wrap
"Dragonfly" 1992 (CD Eva b-27, France)
"Dragonfly" 2004 (CD Gear Fab 208)
Well-loved heavy psych album is worthy of the hype,
for the most part. No one song stands out and blows
you away, but its solid throughout, and the
occasional trippy effect adds to the fun. It includes
a Who ripoff even more obvious than that on the
Morgen album, but stealing from the classics is what
hard rock is all about, right? [AM]
~~~
"Dragonfly" offered up an excellent set of fuzz
guitar-propelled psych/hard rock. Strong melodies and
searing vocals made original material such as 'Blue
Monday', 'Enjoy Yourself' and 'I Feel It' well worth
hearing. Personal favorites were the fuzz and
backward guitar drenched 'Crazy Woman' and the
extended closing number 'Miles Away'. The set wasn't
perfect; several numbers on the flip side found the
band occasionally incorporating C&W elements into the
mix, but overall the collection was nothing short
than great. [SB]
DRAGONWYCK (Cleveland, OH)
"Dragonwyck" (1st
"Dragonwyck" (1st
reversed]
"Dragonwyck" (1st
"Dragonwyck" 2004
tracks; poster]
"Dragonwyck" 2004
DREAM (MI)
"Living in a Dream" 1979 (Dreamusic Ltd. 5354) [lyrics insert;
300p]
Light mystic proggy folk floater. Delicate 12-string,
piano, flute, baroque shadings.
DREAMIES (DE)
"Auralgraphic Entertainment"
[insert]
"Auralgraphic Entertainment"
[bootleg; blue vinyl]
"Auralgraphic Entertainment"
"Auralgraphic Entertainment"
1968
1968
199
199
EARLYWINE (CA)
"The Long Journey Home" 1977 (Award)
Rural rock guitar jams.
EARTHEN VESSEL (Lansing, MI)
[PL]
EASY STEAM (Duluth, MN)
"To Be Alive" 1976 (Conglomerated) [red or blue peacock cover;
lyric insert; photo]
"To Be Alive" 1976 (Conglomerated) [paste-on or blank cover]
Rather dull melodic jazzy progressive. A total of 600
records were pressed, but the silk screen machine
used for the cover design (alternately done in red or
blue) broke before all covers were completed. The
rest came in a paste-on cover approximating the silk
screened original, or were sold without the cover at
all.
STEVE EATON (Boise, ID)
"Hey Mr. Dreamer" 1974 (Capitol ST-11245)
"Steve Eaton" 1979 (Mountain Bluebird SE 46753)
Eaton was previously in the horn band Fat Chance and
wrote songs that were covered by better known artists
(including Art Garfunkel and Glen Campbell). His solo
LPs are in a folk/country singer-songwriter vein, and
the Capitol album is every bit as hard to find as the
privately pressed second album. He continues to
perform and has several subsequent releases.
EBBANFLO (Kent, WA)
"Spectre Of Paradise" 1980 (Harmonic Tremor Records)
Though this co-ed folk duo's album was released in
1980, the back cover lists dates next to each song,
and those dates range from 1969 to 1979. There's no
way of knowing if the dates refer to the year the
songs were written or the year they were recorded,
but the sparse arrangements (acoustic guitar, some
congas, some flute) and unfettered production
certainly don't scream out "1980." They also have a
very 70s hippie aura to them. The album is heartfelt
and energetic, but there's nothing to separate it
from a hundred other albums of its type, and it
really could have used some kind of edge (and the
flute, which I find annoying, isn't that edge.) The
title track is by far the highlight of the album, a
jazzy folk-rock tune that has the albums only drum
track, and is the only song with a remotely dark mood
to it. Susan Smith's vocals are quite nice. Overall,
this is well-meaning but not distinctive, only
recommended if you're truly in love with the style.
[AM]
ECHOES AND A DREAM ( )
The
The
The
The
The
Hands
Hands
Hands
Hands
Hands
Of
Of
Of
Of
Of
Karma"
Karma"
Karma"
Karma"
Karma"
1968
1983
1996
200
200
(Nasco 9004)
(Psycho 8, UK)
(CD Golden Classics)
(Akarma, Italy)
(CD Akarma, Italy)
"Elizabeth"
"Elizabeth"
"Elizabeth"
"Elizabeth"
1968
199
2001
2001
Used
Used
Used
Used
to
to
to
to
Think"
Think"
Think"
Think"
1968
199
199
199
exists]
Well-regarded psych/hard rock transition LP and
undoubtedly one of the better LPs in that often
disappointing genre. Obvious influences from the UK
mod scene, covers two tracks from that era with
fairly good results. Tight, pro-sounding affair with
the token macho vocals a minus and a good modernsounding drummer a plus. Not 100% up my alley, but
respectworthy. Ralph Mazzola of Lazy Smoke plays
guitar, while other members came from the Ones and
the Cobras, making this a New England "supergroup" of
sorts. [PL]
~~~
It's understandable why this has become one of the
most collectable hard rock albums of the period. A
couple of ace songs on side one veer from the
straightforward heavy sound towards a moodier psych
sound, and the rest rock hard and true without
succumbing to boring guitar solos or bluesy
posturing. Great rhythm section--the bass playing on
their cover of "Gimme Some Loving" is powerful and
chill-inducing. [AM]
~~~
see -> Lazy Smoke
EUPHORIA (CA)
"A
"A
"A
"A
Gift
Gift
Gift
Gift
From
From
From
From
Euphoria"
Euphoria"
Euphoria"
Euphoria"
1969
1996
2004
2005
~~~
see -> A Pot Of Flowers; Bernie Schwarz
~~~
~~~
see -> The Moon; Rocket Science; Thorinshield
EVERYDAY PEOPLE (SC)
"Born Too Soon" 1976 (United Music World)
Mixed bag
"Stepping
messed up
unrelated
"New Gods: Aardvark Through Zymurgy" 1977 (World Theatre TC1/2) [photo insert; 200p]
"Nova Psychedelia" 2005 (CD Anopheles 010) [2CDs; bonus
tracks]
Rather amazing teenage suburban prog/proto-punk
science fiction concept epic with a garage psych feel
in the fuzz leads and Vox organ, while moogs and
oscillators galore add a mid-70s Ohio avantgarde
layer. The listening experience is difficult to
describe as the LP deflates any "good/bad"
dichotomies and comes across as an irresistable piece
of zeitgeist, straight out of home-made drugs, bad
sci-fi TV re-runs and hazardous bedroom science
projects. Musically quite competent with solid
playing and inventive prog hardrock arrangements, yet
Todd-O:s half-sung deadpan teen vocal style spells
"incredibly strange" across the board. You haven't
truly lived until you've heard morose recitations
such as "My eyes blazing like a death ray/When the
new gods unite in me/I shall conquer the universe".
With a regular vocalist this would have been a
completely different but not necessarily betterLP.
What is it all about? Not sure but it involves a new
evolution of the human brain, somehow. Do not miss.
Todd Clark has hung around the psych scene for many
years and made several more recordings. The Anopheles
CD was released as by Todd Tamanend Clark and
contains the entire Eyes album. [PL]
~~~
see -> Todd Clark Group
EYES ( )
"We're In It Together" 1978 (Quiet Canyon) [lyric inner]
Melodic hardrock AOR with Jeff Cannata (Arc Angel,
Jasper Wrath) and James Christian (House of Lords).
Searing guitar work and great vocals up there with
Alpha Centauri.
EZEKIEL (WA)
"Inspired At The
cover; insert]
Cross"
1977
(Cross
75-101)
[plain
white
FACEDANCERS ( )
"Facedancers" 1972 (Paramount pas-6039)
Early crossover album headed in a prog direction but
before the ground rules for that genre had been
established. Some uninteresting solos, but mostly
creatively designed songs that show thoughtful
experimentalism. The lead singer claims that he hits
the highest note ever recorded by a man on a rock
record, and its hard to dispute that claim. Indeed,
the girly-sounding vocals work well in this context.
A few songs are pretty creepy, with one called
Nightmare being a stand-out. Interesting album that
rewards a few close listens. [AM]
FACTS OF LIFE (TX)
"Facts Of Life" 1970 (Sevens International 1038)
Mostly garage and AOR covers
Strung Out". The front cover
negative image of a Drive In
exceedingly rare and hard to
on.
1968
1985
1997
1997
(Shamley 701)
(Time Stood Still 2, UK)
(CD Afterglow 015, UK)
(CD Sundazed 6094) [+3 tracks]
"Fapardokly"
"Fapardokly"
"Fapardokly"
"Fapardokly"
1967
1983
198
1995
Love"
Love"
Love"
Love"
Love"
Love"
1969
2000
2001
2001
2004
2004
(Athena 6001)
(Teenbeat TB-196)
(CD Gear Fab) [+bonus tracks]
(Gear Fab)
(CD Rev-Ola, UK) [+bonus tracks]
(CD Beatball 13, South Korea) [+bonus
material. [AM]
~~~
see -> Underground Electrics
FIRE ESCAPE (CA)
"Psychotic Reaction" 1967
"Psychotic Reaction" 1967
exists]
"Psychotic Reaction" 198
orange label]
"Psychotic Reaction / Raw
1]
ED FISSINGER (MN)
"Light Years Away" 1978 (no label)
"Lunar Blues" 1983 (no label)
"Lunar Blues" is loner folkrock with flute and 12string. Some downer fuzz psych moves as well. Sounds
ten years earlier. These albums were recorded with
local musicians including ex-Podipto members.
Fissinger has released a CD sampler of tracks from
the two albums, titled "Fishbowl", as well as a selftitled CD of recent recordings. [RM]
FIVE EMPREES (Benton Harbor, MI)
"Five Emprees" 1965 (Freeport 3001) [mono and stereo exist]
"Little Miss Sad" 1966 (Freeport 4001) [mono and stereo
exist]
"Little Miss Sad" 2004 (CD Arf Arf) [+bonus tracks]
Clearly recorded in a rush, this album offered up a
mixture of popular pop and soul hits, including a
cover of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "Mama
Didn't Know". While there wasn't anything
particularly original to be found here the
performances were surprisingly engaging and
enthusiastic. Don Cook had a surprisingly versatile
voice that was capable of handling the band's diverse
repetoire. Moreover, in spite of their youth and
clean cut all-American looks, on tracks such as
"Georgianna" and "Johnny B. Goode" the band played
with an enjoyable garage edge. As is frequently the
case, the best track here was the lone original,
"Why". There were also a couple of non-LP 45s on
Freeport and Smash. "Little Miss Sad" is a repackage
of the debut LP to exploit their near hit. [SB]
FIVE KINETICS ( )
the results sported a distinctively heavy, Hendrixinspired sound. Propelled by Gossan's likeable voice
and Dangel and Johansen's twin leads extended guitar
rave-ups like "Crackpot" and their Byrds/Stones
instrumental medley should strike a chord with the
two hard rock fans out there reading this. Elsewhere
another "Hey Jude" cover wouldn't have sounded like
the year's most imaginative move, but these guys
managed to pull it off. Envision the song redone as
an instrumental with a heavy edge that would have
sounded good on an early Allman Brothers album... In
fact the only real disappointment is the routine
bluesy closer "Gonna' Lay Down 'n Die". Much better
than the standard references would have you think,
and surprisingly hard to find in decent shape. [SB]
FLOOD (NY)
the
the
the
the
Sunshine"
Sunshine"
Sunshine"
Sunshine"
1969
2000
2003
2005
(Allied 11)
(Void 14)
(CD Folklords) [+2 tracks]
(CD Pacemaker 047)
is
is
is
is
a
a
a
a
Dream"1969
Dream" 2000
Dream" 2003
Dream" 2005
Overlooked and fairly impressive major label studiopsych LP in the Sgt Pepper tradition, comparable to J
K & Co, the psych angles of Rainy Daze, and the 2nd
Mandrake Memorial. Some ripping fuzz reveals the
release date as 1969 rather than 1967. One of several
good Capitol psych LPs, although a little too
zeitgeist derivative for my ears. Vocalist Steve
White later did an obscure Christian 45 as Vision.
[PL]
~~~
Mysterious, wondrous masterpiece that most collectors
dismiss as the little brother to the other Capitol
monsters (Gandalf and Common People) when its
actually the best of the three. Intensely emotional
and dramatic; these guys had a vision and multiple
1969
1969
199
1997
2005
(Venture 7001)
(Maverick MAS 7001, US)
(no label, Italy)
(CD Flashback, UK) [album + bonus tracks]
(CD Pacemaker 019) [album + 9 bonus
The mix of 60s pop sounds and garagy rock works well
here, and there are surprising production fillips
(i.e. the acoustic guitar licks on the opening Now
That Im A Man.) A few songs flirt with soul with
reasonable success, while others have some noisy fuzz
guitar. I think this is much better and more
ambitious than a lot of US Monkees-style pop albums
(i.e. Lewis & Clarke Expedition), but its probably
not unusual enough to explain the hefty price tag.
The Canadian and US pressings seem to be about
equally rare. The Pacemaker CD includes some
excellent non-LP tracks as bonus. [AM]
FORUM (WA)
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Our Tree" 1971 (Vanco)
Early 70s organ fuzz barband AOR jams with covers of
"Southern Man", "Evil ways" etc. Same label as Easy
Chair.
FOUL DOGS (Concord, NH)
FOUR OF US (CO)
"Illusions Of Hope" 1972 (RPC AZ 66401)
Live recording of vocal harmony folk-group, in the
same generic sleeve as the second Fenner, Leland &
O'Brien.
4TH CEKCION (TX)
"4th Cekcion" 1970 (Solar 110)
Loungy barband rock in a cool, primitive cover.
"Phases
"Phases
"Phases
"Phases
&
&
&
&
Faces"
Faces"
Faces"
Faces"
1968
1993
1996
200
(Forte 80461)
(Medium) [bootleg; 1 track omitted]
(CD Arf Arf 061) [+5 tracks]
(Medium, Germany) [laminated sleeve]
Impressions"
Impressions"
Impressions"
Impressions"
1969
199
199
199
"At The Apex Of High" 1972 (LRS 6032) [blank back; two
inserts; circa 500p]
"At The Apex Of High" 1995 (LRS) [bootleg]
I've seen some inaccurate descriptions of this
("Yahowa-style psych" etc) but it is art school
experimental music with atonalities, free-form
rhythms, and more. Parts are too much like amateur
avant jazz, others are inspired and trancey; could be
compared to the most farout aspects of the first
Velvet U or vintage Krautrock. Mostly instrumental
with some bent vocals. From Berkeley, where the
freaks are in majority. Note: this is not psych, much
of it isn't even rock. Features Stuart Copeland,
later of the very un-psychedelic and non-freaky
Police. Some copies had one of the inserts pasted to
the back cover. [PL]
~~~
One has to assume the reason this 1972 set continues
to attract attention has to do with the fact the line
up included a young, pre-Police Stuart Copeland, or a
lot of folks just enjoy hearing minimally talented
California kids thrash their way through 30 minutes
of vinyl. First off, let us warn you, we've seen
various sales list advertise the LP as psych. It
ain't! While it's hard to provide an accurate
description of the album, just imagine hearing
guitar, clarinet and drums in a free fashioned jam
and you'll get a feel for much of the album.
Exemplified by "Idiomatic Interlude" and "Zonation of
Galactic Cosmoidal Entities" (the latter recalling
something out of Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music"),
most of the seven tracks are experimental
GABLES (MA)
"Snake Dance" 1966 (Fleetwood gab-1)
Garage beat teens.
GABRIEL GLADSTAR (Bellingham, WA)
"Garden Song" 1973 (Flying Guitar no #, Canada) [color art
cover]
"Garden Song" 1981 (Flying Guitar no #) [reissue; b & w photo
cover]
Mostly acoustic flowing cosmic folk. The album was
recorded at Haveaniceday Studios in Seattle and
received some local airplay.
GALAXY (FL)
"Day Without
"Day Without
"Day Without
"Day Without
"Day Without
tracks]
Sun"
Sun"
Sun"
Sun"
Sun"
1976
1989
1997
1999
1999
JAMES GALYON ( )
"James Galyon" 197 (no label) [test pressing; no song titles;
300p]
Loungy singer-songwriter with cheesy synths. ExMason.
GAMES (CA)
"Stargazer" 1977 (Cascade Court DAT-LP211)
Melodic synth progressive pop with delicate female
vocals. Too pop for some on the love songs but the
synth textures, sweet vocals, and lively production
are quite distinctive for a local LP. [RM]
~~~
Take this review in context, because there may be
nobody who likes this album as much as I do, and it's
possible that this album could send a pure psych fan
off of a bridge. But... for what it is, this is an
amazingly accomplished record. It's possible to
describe it as the world's only disco/prog merger, as
it has dance beats, keyboard textures and high female
vocals that could only have come from 1976/1977, but
also long complex songs with elaborate structures and
clever synth playing. Fans of Abba (or early
Cardigans, for that matter) will love the vocals and
the melodies. The unusual jazzy chords and sweet
vocals definitely have the same feel as the first few
Cardigans albums, but the long songs, keyboard-heavy
arrangements (there are no guitars on this album) and
occasional rhythms straight out of Broadway put this
somewhere else entirely. Disco that you can do a
chorus line dance to? Every song has an infectious
melody, yet at the same time the songs are
complicated and unusual enough to reveal new depths
multiple listens. The vocals are lovely (even the
cheesy backing vocals), but show real strength when
necessary, and it's clear that tons of time was put
into perfecting these songs. Lead singer Colleen
Fitzpatrick is very, very talented. Every vocal
nuance is perfectly suited to the songs. For a
private press, this is very well produced, too. Your
friends will make fun of you for playing this, but
collectors should be brave, no? [AM]
GANDALF (Greenwood Lake, NY)
"Gandalf"
"Gandalf"
"Gandalf"
"Gandalf"
"Gandalf"
"Gandalf"
"Gandalf"
"Gandalf"
1968
198
1991
199
200
2002
2003
2003
"The
"The
"The
"The
Grey
Grey
Grey
Grey
Wizard
Wizard
Wizard
Wizard
Am
Am
Am
Am
I"
I"
I"
I"
1972
1986
2003
2003
(GWR 007)
(Heyoka hey-207, UK)
(Gear Fab 208) [+bonus tracks]
(CD Gear Fab 202) [+bonus tracks]
GATES OF FREEDOM ( )
"A Religious Rock Service" 196 (Covenant)
Jewish x-ian rock service with garage teen backing
group. Sitar on one track, haunting melodies, femme
choir, and overblown vocals in the Ylvisaker
tradition. Likely to appeal to 'real people' fans.
[RM]
V.A "GATHERING AT THE DEPOT" (Minneapolis, MN)
"Gathering At The Depot" 1970 (Beta s80-47-1414s)
Local bands recorded live, with unique tracks from
the Litter, Thundertree, Danny's Reasons, and others.
V.A "GATHERING!" (Madison, WI)
"Gathering" 1969 (Coliseum lp-711-dm)
Local bands including Wizzard, I D E C, Danny & the
Aces, Parabolic Rush and Myrckwode.
GATORS (Nashville, TN)
"In Concert" 1965 (Bulletin 27981)
Obscure teenbeat LP from band featuring Dan Folger on
keyboards, who later became a successful songwriter.
Line-up includes piano and sax and the sound is
mainly non-Brit Invasion, with instros, frat, pop and
soul covers; not terribly exciting. Front cover is a
cool live shot of the band.
GATSBY (Philadelphia, PA)
"Life Goes On" 1977 (Maxfield) [insert]
Basement hardrock and loungy progressive covers.
Dedicated to the Moody Blues.
ARTHUR GEE (Toronto, Canada / CA / Denver, CO)
"The End Is The Beginning" 1969 (Two:Dot) [1-sided]
"In Search Of Arthur" 2004 (RD Records 13, Switzerland)
[+bonus tracks; insert]
Ron describes this better than I can, see below. The
last track is a killer deep guilt-trip on level with
Perry Leopold, re-done in a less effective way on the
Tumbleweed LP. Arthur Gee was originally from Canada
but spent some time in Colorado and in California
where this 1-sided demo LP was recorded for a small
GENTS (CT)
"Glory: A
[bootleg]
"Glory: A
"Glory: A
"Power Plant"
reissue]
"Power Plant"
"Power Plant"
"Power Plant"
"Power Plant"
JON GORDON ( )
Jon Gordon 1976 (Tiger Lily 14008)
Theres quite a bit of variety here: folk rock with
12-string guitars, guitar-heavy blues rock, rural
rock, mild prog, old-style rock and roll and even a
violin hoedown. Gordon has a decent pop sense and
there are several catchy songs here, as well as some
nice guitar hooks and solos. At least two songs steal
blatantly from the Beatles. Amusingly, the albums
one ballad is a love song to his television. This
certainly isnt an unusual or freaky record in any
way, but as mainstream 70s rock goes its pretty
enjoyable. In typical Tiger Lily fashion, the cover
and label omit mention of one song, and there are a
few obvious mastering glitches. Unlike a lot of tax
scam records, though, it has a substantial running
time. [AM]
"Grodeck Whipperjenny"
-- a Canadian pressing
"Grodeck Whipperjenny"
"Grodeck Whipperjenny"
Concern"
Concern"
Concern"
Concern"
1968
199
1996
2004
"Album No.1 (in two sides): The Unicorn" 1974 (P.G 101) [500p]
"The Unicorn" 1995 (CD Parallel World cd-2) [+6 bonus tracks]
If you want to go as far out as it gets, this
underground cult album from a gay hillbilly NYC
visionary provides a map. One of the more remarkable
LPs I've heard, or to quote its original advocate
Paul Major's classic description: "Johnny Cash and
Gandalf the Grey drop acid and meet under the altar
to discuss religion while perfoming weird sex acts."
One track is like stumbling into a Salvation Army
meeting while tripping, another is a 9-minute lament
with incredible lyrics. There's ripped off choral
music, basement electronics, lots of bluegrass, and
more. The primitive recording and occasionally
unfinished arrangements should not obscure the fact
Lantern"
Lantern"
Lantern"
Lantern"
Lantern"
Lantern"
1968
1987
1996
1996
2001
2001
(Chaparral CRM-201)
(Osmose, Europe)
(Sacred Temple 2001, UK) [400p]
(CD LSD 007)
(Gear Fab/Comet GF-176) [gatefold]
(CD Gear Fab GF-176)
Shop"
Shop"
Shop"
Shop"
Shop"
1969
199
1998
2004
200
"Hickory Wind"
100p]
"Hickory Wind"
cover; 300p]
"Hickory Wind"
"Hickory Wind"
"Thank You For Your Love" 196 (H-H Records HHMR 113)
Obscure mid-60s teenbeat from goofy-looking guys with
older vibe. One even has a moustache. Plenty of group
originals with mix of rockers and ballads, plus cover
of "Stormy Monday" and a track called "Five to
one" (!). The band also had two 45s out.
H M S BOUNTY see Merrell Fankhauser
HOI' POLLOI (Richmond, IN) see interview
II"
II"
II"
II"
1970
1982
198
2005
Ground
Ground
Ground
Ground
Ground
Sound
Sound
Sound
Sound
Sound
Of"
Of"
Of"
Of"
Of"
1967
1967
2003
2003
2004
To Katherine
To Katherine
To Katherine
To Katherine
tracks]
December"
December"
December"
December"
1968
2004
2004
2004
~~~
see full-length review
In
In
In
In
In
U.S.A"
U.S.A"
U.S.A"
U.S.A"
U.S.A"
1970
1986
199
200
200
(URA 101)
(Breeder 568, Austria)
(CD) [+2 bonus tracks]
(Akarma 210, Italy) [+2 bonus tracks]
(CD Akarma 210, Italy) [+2 bonus tracks]
~~~
This Texas rarity comes from a bunch of places
(mellotron-heavy prog, mainstream AM rock) that could
have made it a piece of crap, but somehow it's great.
Chalk one up for great songwriting, tastefully brief
songs and the kind of eerie underground vibe that
permeates private press records. It's AOR for psych
heads! The first CD reissue has digital skips. [AM]
~~~
see -> Stardust; Ultra
HOMESTEAD & WOLFE (Cupertino, CA)
"Our Times" 1975 (Topo HB-100)
"Our Times" 2004 (CD Anopheles 008) [+6 tracks]
Despite being recorded at Gold Star in LA and
featuring heavy session names such as Hal Blaine and
Al Casey, this irresistable femme-vox melodic
folkrock/psych delight has remained mysteriously
unknown for 30 years. You'll be hard pressed to find
faults with its mix of various late 1960s California
styles, ranging from lyte Neighb'rhood Child'n top 40
psych over Carolyn Hester Coalition/Yankee Dollar
folk moves into all-out westcoast acidrock a la Ill
Wind. The songwriting and arrangements are excellent
throughout and come courtesy mainly of the remarkably
talented JoAnn Avery, although the entire group
contributes most skillfully. The blend of the female
vocalists works well in a manner similar to Mamas &
the Papas, and indeed the album as a whole plays like
something out of one of John Philips' more inspired
daydreams. The release year of 1975 seems almost
impossible, although traces of a more sombre 1970s
mood can be found in the "Soldier Blue"-inspired
Indian (and Vietnam) massacre lament of "See The
Children Die", and the Nashville-flavored "Rhythm of
the wind". I also have to throw in a word for the
super-catchy "King Of The Mountain" which is the
musical equivalent of a giant smiley face and will
send you right back to 1974 and upbeat children TV
shows of the era. In general the psychiest stuff such
as the twofisted punch of "Your Freedom's In
Question" and "I Am Cain" is the best, but the
lightest and tradiest moves are agreeable too. "The
beat of the drum" is perhaps the ultimate marriage of
the band's all strengths into one superb piece of
music, including hard raga leads straight out of
1968. Any psych fan not enjoying this album needs to
come up with a creative explanation why. [PL]
HONEYBEE RIDGE (IL)
"Honeybee Ridge" 1979 (Beaver Creek Revolution) [2 inserts]
Communal hippie folk and stoned country with full
setting plus accordion and piano. "What's Gonna
Happen To All Us Old Hippies" is a telling song
title.
HONEY, LTD. (Detroit, MI)
Truth"
Truth"
Truth"
Truth"
1972
1993
1997
1997
Richardson (of Guess Who fame), the quintet's selftitled debut is hard to get a handle on, but little
of the material is remarkable. Clearly interested in
making a grand statement, material such as "Where Do
You Want To Go", "One Man" and "Find Him" boasts a
Christian agenda. Unfortunately, for the most part
the band just couldn't deliver the goods. Exemplified
by material such as Croegart's "Deliverance", weak
vocals, inane lyrics and hackneyed arrangements
combined to make the album professional, but
plodding. Hard to imagine saying this, but give us
the Moody Blues any day.[SB]
HOPI KLANSMEN (NM)
HORIZON (FL)
"Horizon" 1978 (Sweet Spirit SS1608)
Christian mellow rock reported as unexciting, but
housed in a great cover of a hooded figure on horse
slaying a dragon.
HORSES (CA)
"Horses" 1969 (White Whale WW 7121)
"Horses" 2003 (CD Gear Fab 201)
"Horses" 2004 (CD Revola 041, UK) [+bonus tracks]
Westcoast psych-rock that features pre-Miami Vice
actor Don Johnson in a Carter/Gilbert-mastered bid
for teen-idol success. The other band members later
turned up in Dead-related outfit Kingfish, and
reportedly have no fond memories of their spell with
Johnson. The LP has been compared to label-mates the
Rockets, and is worth checking out. The LP also came
out on 8-track, and an Australian vinyl pressing
exists.
HORTON ( )
"Dance Hall for Midgets" 1976 (Horton BH 1000)
Messed up hard blues psych from obscure trio, with
demented vocals similar to George Brigman or Circuit
Rider. Cool cover of stoner guy in a giant eye.
HOSANNA (Green Bay, WI)
"Hosanna... In the Morning" 1974 (Diversified Media 740607)
Mix of rural xian rock and dreamy introspection. Some
heavy fuzz moves a la Rainbow Promise.
HOT DOG (Memphis, TN)
"Hot Dog" 1977 (Guinness)
Hot Dog is the same band who released an LP and
single on the Ardent label as the Hot Dogs. They have
connections to Terry Manning and Big Star. The Ardent
recordings were moody 70s rock with powerpop
tendencies. This time around they're less poppy, rock
quite a bit harder and use more straightforward
arrangements. It's a solid but unexceptional
rock/hard rock album, not especially heavy and with
rather pedestrian lyrics. The singing and rhythm
section are excellent throughout, which elevates some
of the more mundane songs. The best song is "You
Can't Live," which has a strong guitar hook and
powerful, driving organ. This is one of the toughest
"Does Their Own Stuff" 1971 (Hot Poop hps-3072) [lyric insert;
500p]
Like Cains "A Pound Of Flesh", this album is more
famous for the cover than for the music within. The
front shows the band in a barn, with three of them
shooting up, one passed out (or dead), and another
taking a dump. On the back cover theyre all nude,
except that the woman has a dick and the guys dont.
Unsurprisingly, the lyrics are equally ridiculous,
mostly about sex and cars. Collectors should know
that other than some noisy fuzz guitar, theres
nothing psychedelic about this. The music is more
like a combination of surf and roots rock played by
people who just learned their instruments last month.
A ridiculous falsetto vocal on a couple of songs
sends it into novelty territory. As sloppy and inept
as this is, its still pretty listenable, and
definitely gets points for grossness. Its hard to
imagine that in 1971 or 1972 this album could have
been made at all. Sealed copies still show up today,
but since the band themselves hoarded them and sold
them to rare record dealers, the claim that there are
only 500 copies could be true. [AM]
JIMMY HOTZ (OK)
"Beyond the Crystal Sea" 1980 (Vision vl-777) [gatefold]
Hotz is a producer and electronics wiz, kind of the
Christian version of Tom Scholz. The list of people
he's worked with (or who have used his gadgetry) is
pretty impressive. His own album is considered my
many the pinnacle of Christian Prog, and
unsurprisingly his techological knowhow is to the
fore throughout. To be honest, I think it's a lot
more impressive than listenable. The songwriting
isn't the primary focus, but rather a vehicle for a
slick production style that, unlike most of the late
70s and early 80s recordings reviewed here, sounds
completely of its time. Also, his vocal style is
really pretentious in a Brit-prog-wannabe way.
Japan"
Japan"
Japan"
Japan"
1968
199
199
199
Of The Id"
Of The Id"
Of The Id"
Of The Id"
tracks]
Of The Id"
1967
1967
199
2005
ILLUSION (HI)
"Illusion" 1974 (Sinergia 7654) [insert]
Soft rock with a couple good anti-war tracks like
"Not Yet" (with loud fuzz break) and a stunning
reverse-negative cover. Same label as These Trails,
but not at all on the same level.
1968
1968
199
199
2001
2001
"I Love You Gorgo" 196 (Suemi 1090) [100p; wlp exists]
"I Love You Gorgo" 199 (no label, Austria) [300p]
Atmospheric late 60s El Paso comp that's clearly
better than the average local sampler. Three groups
are featured with four tracks each; Intruders who are
late beat, Lode Star who are west coasty garagepsych,
and my personal faves Truth, who do bent folkpsych
like the Patron Saints. Originals throughout and all
three groups are obvious talents. Lodestar later
evolved into Swift Rain who recorded for Hi. Classy
reissue. [PL]
ILTAR (PA)
"Iltar" 1977 (Tiwa 777)
Stoned progressive/jazz-rock a k a "new fusion".
Fuzz, sitar, flute, sax.
IMAGINE (Tampa, FL)
"Images, Clear Skies, and Rainbows" 1980 (Light Horse)
"Images, Clear Skies, and Rainbows" 2001 (Akarma 160, Italy)
[+bonus tracks]
"Images, Clear Skies, and Rainbows" 2001 (CD Akarma 160,
Italy) [+bonus tracks]
Melodic guitar prog, produced by David Peel,
featuring ex-members of Peel's band. Same generic
cover as Euphoria's "Lost in Trance". There is also a
second LP, Playin Around 1981 (Light Horse) which
is similar to the first album, and has a John Lennon
tribute.
IMMIGRANTS (NJ/NY/KS)
~~~
see -> Just Us
INFINITE COMPANIONS (OH)
"Sanity Rests In The Ability To Fly" 1972 (no label 30102)
[insert]
Obscure spacey folk/prog led by Glenn Saiges, with
keyboard and sax.
INN CROWD (LA)
"Live At The Belmont" 1968 (Continental 100 484)
Local club act with Hammond organ and covers of
Buffalo Springfield, Beatles, etc.
INNERVISIONS ( )
"Beginnings End" 1977 (private)
Seedy femme-vox lounge-rock with appeal for genre
fans, in a psychy cover.
INNOVATION (Canada)
"Innovation" 1970 (Birchmount 577)
Dorky-looking guys & gals folk quartet.
INSIDE OUT (IA)
At
At
At
At
Home"
Home"
Home"
Home"
1968
198
1991
2000
INVADERS ( )
"Golden Hits" 1965 (RPC 1272)
Local teen-beat with sax on famous custom label.
INVADERS (Richmond, VA)
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's
"It's
All
All
All
All
All
Meat"
Meat"
Meat"
Meat"
Meat"
1970
199
199
2001
2001
(Columbia 374)
(no label, Italy)
(CD Fingerprints)
(Void)
(CD Void) [+bonus tracks]
1973
199
199
199
(Periwinkle 7309)
(Periwinkle) [bootleg]
(CD Lazer's Edge)
(CD Labyrinth)
Oil
Oil
Oil
Oil
Oil
Man"
Man"
Man"
Man"
Man"
1970
198
199
2000
200
mixture of blues, country, Gospel minstrel and freakout. Starting to see how odd this album is? Next,
making Leon Redbone sound like a young choir boy,
Jay's voice is definitely an acquired taste. All
hyperbole aside, this is one of those albums that can
clear a party out in record time. Released on his own
Memphis-based Brandie Records, the LP is a little
different than most of his other releases in that it
largely forgoes original material (the rambling title
track being the lone exception). Call this Jay's
covers album in that it finds him taking on a series
of classic American songs like 'Way Down Upon the
Swanee River and 'Amazing Grace'. Propelled by his
deep growl and electrified banjo, the results are
definitely strange in that Jay slows every one of
these songs down to a funeral pace that will either
drive you crazy, or make want to check the results
out time after time. It's not clear which "Backbone"
cover came first. The first variation is subtitled
"This is Real Show Nough Bicentennial Music", so 1976
is an educated guess for the release year. [SB]
"One Man Band" 2003 (CD Subliminal Sounds, Sweden)
Abner Jay is a blues artist, regarded by some as the
last in the line of original Southern minstrel
performers. However, many of his most ardent fans
seem to be of an esoteric mind-set, which is why he
belongs in these Archives. I've only heard the recent
"One Man Band" sampler CD, which is remarkable and
recommended. You've never heard Georgia blues this
way before, mixing hilarious spoken rants with high
intensity one-man-band numbers and lyrics that deal
with 'modern' topics (hippies, LSD, Vietnam) as seen
through the eyes of an original Dixie bluesman. Jay
is a strong vocalist and performer, and some numbers
achieve a startling intensity, after which you're
thrown into burlesque jokes like an X-rated WC
Fields. As pure and invigorating as the Swaunee river
water, an essential piece in the Americana puzzle.
There is a brochure that came with some of the
records with additional information. In addition,
there are a couple of early 45s, probably from the
1960s. [PL]
J B & THE PLAYBOYS (Montreal, Canada)
"J B & the Playboys" 1966 (RCA 1086)
Pre-Freedom North beat. The band also cut a 1-sided
LP of Coca-Cola jingles for the Hallmark label.
J C & THE B's (PA)
"1st and 10" 1975 (Essay sa-325) [paste-on front; blank back;
200p]
Bean
Bean
Bean
Bean
Bandits"
Bandits"
Bandits"
Bandits"
1968
1968
199
2003
JO JA BAND (GA)
"Cold Winds" 1977 (Rag Doll)
Rural Allman Bros-style rock/hardrock.
RENE JOHN (MI)
"On The Road To My Cathedral" 1975 (no label M1001)
There are less than five known copies of Rene John's
"On the Road to My Cathedral," a 100-press holy grail
for collectors of Michigan rarities. The record
certainly looks promising, a classic home-made 70s
loner folk vibe all over it, and one of the really
great LP titles in the genre. Musically the quickest
reference point is a mid-period Neil Young LP with Ed
Sanders on vocals. And, while that may sound
promising, go make a list of the first hundred things
that makes Ed Sanders interesting and then check it
to see if "vocalist" is on there. The Neil Young
reference is also really stretched. John's writing
has a few flashes along the way that grab your
attention -- 3rd song on side one, the solo acoustic
"Material Disease" has some promise -- but the back
up band sure isn't Crazy Horse and Rene isn't Neil by
any stretch of anyone's imagination. If it's possible
to break free of the gravitational pull of the "ultra
rare private press LP" radiation coming off the
record in waves and listen as if it were just another
record, "On the Road..." comes off like a C grade
local LP, not at all horrible, but thoroughly
undistinguished and one I doubt I'll pull out to
listen to again. [SD]
JOHN BUNYAN'S PROGRESSIVE PILGRIM'S (CA)
"Apricot Brand and Albatross" 1969 (Alshire S-5154)
Apparently aimed to cash in on British "rock" sounds
of the era, the cover claims the set was recorded in
London. A doubtful claim. In all likelihood 1969's
"Apricot Brandy and Albatross" was recorded by
anonymous, cash starved studio musicians - perhaps
the same group responsible for the label's earlier
rock exploitation releases. Like the earlier albums,
the set offered up a mixture of popular hits and
similarly-styled originals. An all instrumental
collection, the covers weren't half bad, though the
rote performances really didn't add much to tracks
such as Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross" or The Who's
"Summertime Blues". Originals such as the freak out
"Mozart's Dilemma", "Spaced Out" and "Winter Draws
On" were full of fuzz guitar solos and screaming
organs, making them surprisingly good for what were
clearly throwaway efforts. All told one of the better
exploitation LPs out there... [SB]
JOHNNY & THE HURRICANES (Toledo, OH)
"Live At The Star Club" 1965 (Atila alp-1030)
Man"
Man"
Man"
Man"
Man"
1970
1983
199
199
199
super-raw version.
KATH (MD)
"Kath" 1975 (no label) [60p; gatefold]
"Kath" 2005 (Rockadelic 51) [+bonus tracks; no gatefold; 500p]
Obscure and quite impressive melodic basement
garage/psych excursion with a lo-fi atmosphere that
would have most purveyors flip out, hits the Ampex
two-track echo & tinny drum sound dead on. The sound
is a bit "Canadian" to me, with a few French language
snips and a typical Maple Leaf sound with lots of
keyboard and reverbed vocals, not unlike the best
tracks on Rockadrome. As it turns out the band was
actually from Maryland, though leader Val Rogolino
was part-French. In any event, it's mostly originals
with a few covers including a fuzzed-out cough syrup
take on "Norwegian Wood" that could be the best
version ever. The selfpenned material is good, with a
60s teenbeat sensibility rather than heavy/hard rock.
At times the vibe is almost like Mystery Meat or
Index, and that's not something you run across every
day. At the same time there are obvious hints that
this dates from a later era, and it was in fact
recorded over a period of several months in 1974.
Good fuzz throughout, charming amateur vocals, and a
late-night rehearsal space ambience. "It doesn't
mean" is a highpoint for me. There are also brief
snips of aural experiments for the right $15
avantgarde touch. "Kath" appears to be a reference to
from the 1966 LP, along with a promo poster. The King
Mob CD contains an entire album's worth of killer
material related to the hilarious Berkeley Vietnam
rally prank from the Fall 1965. [PL]
"The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" 1986 (Fan-Club)
"Acid Test, vol 2" 1999 (CD-R, no label) [self-released CD-R]
Both the LP and the CD-R contain edited highlights
from the S F State Acid Test in October 1966.
Excellent trip stuff with mostly Kesey monologues
plus some cool music, both pre-recorded and
improvised. Wavy Gravy and Jerry Garcia are also in
there somewhere. The CD-R contains a significantly
longer edit, while the LP has snips from a 1980
interview with Kesey and Garcia. [PL]
~~~
see -> "LSD" (Capitol)
KEVIN & CLARE ( )
"All The Roads" 1975 (no label)
Mid-1970s moody hippie folkrock duo with male/female
vocals.
KEYMEN (Las Cruces, NM)
"Tales
"Tales
"Tales
"Tales
Untold"
Untold"
Untold"
Untold"
1974
198
199
2001
and mellow bluesy rock, quite interesting and wellplayed. They tend to be lumped in with late-70s postDead artists like Walnut Band and Mad Fables, but
this is really its own animal. If the singing were
even remotely bearable, Id recommend it. The fantasy
cover promises a prog album, which this most
definitely is not. Sometimes this album is listed as
being by Michael Barash. Its not entirely clear if
Lady Chaser is the album name or the bands name.
[AM]
LAFAUCI (LA)
"Lafauci" 1978 (Uncle Meat)
This is a pretty solid southern rock/hard rock album.
It's got that Molly Hatchet style of singing and the
ubiquitous dual lead guitars, lots of hooks, some
tasteful moog, concise, tight songs. A couple of
ballads are weak, but otherwise if you like this
style of music this is a good one. Short album, less
than half an hour. [AM]
LAKOTA ( )
"Lakota" 1979 (JSR Records 1506)
Rural/southern rock sound by Native American band on
New Jersey label, highly rated by some.
DAVE LAMB & GYE WHIZ( )
"I'll Be Alright" 1971 (SYMA ad-1000)
"I'll Be Alright" 2000 (Fanny, Belgium)
Obscure basement hippie folkrock affair. Sound is
somewhat reminiscent of quirky rural UK folkprog LPs
like Gygafo or Candida Pax, especially the
enthusiastic amateur vocals. Primitive 1970s folkrock
setting with occasional keyboards, spirited
atmosphere and coffeehouse folk remnants. I've heard
some negative comments on it and while not too bad in
my ears, it's hard to single out any particular
appealing aspect to this LP. "Shine on me" is perhaps
the most interesting track, with a fragmented,
confused rural folk sound that may recall A-Austr.
One of those private pressings where the rarity is
more significant than the musical quality. [PL]
PAUL LAMONT (San Francisco, CA)
"Psychedelia" 1969 (Golden State)
Improvisational avant hippie piano noodling, two
side-long excursions that Lamont encourages you to
play loud for best effect.
LANDSLIDE (NY)
"Two-sided Fantasy" 1972 (Capitol 11006) [green label]
"Two-sided Fantasy" 2002 (Akarma 238, Italy)
"Two-sided Fantasy" 2002 (CD Akarma 238, Italy)
Appealing mosaic of various early 70s styles,
delivered with a confident smooth groove that had me
believe this was a black band which appears not to be
the case. Sounds more rural/west coast than NY to me.
Traces of Dead, Santana, Airplane plus some
harder/bluesier aspects, still with an original vibe
and even some Christian lyrics.[PL]
~~~
Heres another Capitol rarity, and its a really good
one. Its a dual guitar hard rock album with tons of
great hooks and some unique arrangements (Creepy
Feeling has a chord progression that lives up to the
title, the final song has an intense set of buildups,
and many songs appear to have two drummers.) Equally
good songwriting on the ballads and heavy songs, and
subtle and creative guitar playing make this one of
the best 1970s albums in the genre. Weird creepy
album cover too. [AM]
ROBBIE LANE & THE DISCIPLES(Toronto, Canada)
"It's Happening" 1966 (Capitol T 6182)
Teen-beat from popular band with several 45 releases
and a CBC TV slot. The sound is more pop than garage.
~~~
see -> "Meet The Lively Ones"
TONY LANE & THE FABULOUS SPADES ( )
"Introducing" 1966 (Justice 133)
"Introducing" 1996 (CD Collectables)
Good opening Them cover sets the tone for a fatter
and rockier club trip than most LPs on the label. Use
of organ, sax and Tony's tambourine creates a
contemporary mid-60s sound, and the big guy's vocals
aren't bad at all, making even the token ballads
acceptable, while a couple of energetic frat covers
garner bonus points. "Long Tall Sally" with awesome
bass runs is a highpoint, as is a fuzz-lead "See See
Rider" which I'd rate as one of the best versions
ever. Rated highly by Justice aficionado Jeff Jarema,
this LP's main drawback is the lack of group
originals. [PL]
LANGLEY SCHOOLS PROJECT see Hans Fenger
LARRY & MYRA (MA)
"Alien Nation" 1970 (Eat the Day ls-101)
LATTER RAIN(KY)
"Latter Rain" 1976 (New Life 610203) [500p]
Christian rock with churning organ, wah-wah, and
powerful vocals. Half the LP is smoking hardrockers
and the remaining mid-tempo tracks take on a more
progressive turn with the organ out front. Good LP.
[RM]
~~~
Most of this is pretty standard bluesy 70s Christian
rock, with vocals that dont quite hit the harmonies
and a drummer and organist who try to overreach their
bounds. A few songs have some rather heavy guitar
with wah wah, which is surely what attracted psych
collectors to the album, but basically this is not a
hard rock album. The singer desperately tries to show
a little soul, but he just doesnt have it. This is
the kind of album that may seem kind of daring within
the Xian context, but once you give it a few close
listens youll realize it doesnt do anything a ton
of other bluesy rock albums do, and most of those do
it better. [AM]
ANTON LAVEY see "The Satanic Mass"
LAZY DAY (Sioux City, IA)
"Straight 'Atcha" 1973 (Magic) [insert]
Midwest bluesy rural piano/guitar rustic jamming.
Laid-back Allman Brothers moves. The band later
became Bonesteel and kept going for many years. [RM]
LAZY SMOKE (MA)
"Hey Joe" 1966 (Surrey lps-3005) [mono; plain white cover with
promo sticker]
"Hey Joe" 1966 (Surrey/Mira lps-3005) [mono wlp; Surrey label;
Mira cover]
"Hey Joe" 1966 (Mira lp-3005) [mono]
"Hey Joe" 1966 (Mira lps-3005) [stereo]
"Hey Joe" 198 (Mira) [bootleg]
The debut LP from the fathers of "Hey Joe" is OK but
an obvious rush/filler job typical of the era. Apart
from the classic title track hit there's 2-3
worthwhile tracks like "Dr Stone" and "Too many
people"; the rest is 2nd tier beat & folkrock
comparable to the weaker aspects of the Blue Things
album. The band formed at San Fernando Valley State
College in Northridge. Also released in France, and
in Italy with an altered cover. [PL]
"All The Good That's Happening" 1967 (Capitol t-2638) [mono]
"All The Good That's Happening" 1967 (Capitol st-2638)
[stereo]
"All The Good That's Happening" 2005 (Capitol)
The second LP is often referred to as being superior
and more significant, and shows the band hinting at a
Buffalo Springfield type development. In all fairness
this isn't terribly impressive either but it does
have a more mature sound and some interesting tracks
like "Twilight Sanctuary". A combination of their two
albums would have been pretty enjoyable. There is a
green vinyl retrospective LP from 1982 titled "1966"
on the Panda label, including unreleased and live
tracks.Other retrospective releases and reissues
exist but won't be listed as the band is a borderline
inclusion. [PL]
V.A "LEBANON COMMUNITY THEATER" (Lebanon, PA)
"Experiment In
"Experiment In
[275p; altered
"Experiment In
tracks]
#)
Rare rural folkrock and blues in the typical early
1970s private press style, with electric guitar
leads, flute, some female vocals.
LONG HOT SUMMER see Friday At The Cage A Go Go
LONG TIME COMIN' (IN)
"Long Time Comin'" 1974 (no label)
Local rural rock with steel guitar and jammy feel.
LOOSELY TIGHT (AZ)
"Fightin' Society" 1981 (Star Struck Records TDS 020559)
Local hardrock/metal led by Dino Livingston. The band
later became Icon.
LORD SITAR ( )
"Lord Sitar" 1968 (Capitol st-3916) [rainbow label]
Session musicians featuring Big Jim Sullivan on
sitar. Fun lounge instro rock with lead sitar, organ,
and some bumblebee fuzz. Covers of the hip songs of
the day including three Beatles' covers. [RM]
LOS PERDIDOS (NJ)
LOVE MACHINE ( )
1970
2001
2001
2001
(Gallo 2869)
(Void 25)
(Akarma 044, Italy)
(CD Akarma 044, Italy)
LUMBEE (PA)
"Overdose" 1970 (Radnor r-2003) [with drug game]
"Overdose" 2001 (CD Gear Fab gf-166)
Heavy drug rock with fuzz and some vocal. Pretty weak
but the drug game is cool, and represents at least
half the value.
GARRETT LUND (San Bernardino, CA)
1970
1992
199
2000
2000
MADHOUSE ( )
"Serve 'Em" 1972 (Today tlp-1010)
Here's a cool soul/funk LP for people who are tired
of their P-Funk albums. There's a strong Sly Stone
influence here, but also a bit of Funkadelic-style
lead guitar, a very heavy political message, and, on
one song, rhythms that sound like Tago Mago/Ege
Bamyasi-era Can. This isn't as heavy or "rock" as,
say, Purple Image, but it will appeal to psych fans,
especially on the two long jams, both of which are
quite dark (one is about an overdose, the other about
the apocalypse) and have a lot of free form
instrumentation. Spacious arrangements highlight some
excellent bass playing. A very good album, a sleeper
in the genre. Today was a subsidiary of New York
label Perception. The cartoon cover shows President
Nixon serving the group tea. [AM]
MADRIGAL (New York City, NY)
"Madrigal" 197 (Spyder 136)
If anything here in the Archives fits the term
"underground," it's this. Supposedly only about 50
copies were made and when one of the band members was
found he was rude and refused to talk about his album
or disclose the whereabouts of his bandmate. The
record itself is a basement-sounding recording by two
guys with no help from anyone else, and only a tiny
bit of overdubbing. One guy plays guitar, one plays
theremin, both sing, one of them runs a drum machine.
The vocals are heavily reverbed. About half of the
songs are random improvisations (including a 12minute mess called "Stoned Freakout") with unhinged
screaming, feedback-laden guitar and other various
noises. The other half are pop songs, basically done
with just voice, guitar and drum machine. Some of
these songs are quite good, and as awful as fake
drums can be, something about this primitive machine
only adds to the lonely DIY feeling here, making
these guys sort of a cross between Suicide, Moolah
and Index. The vocals are very good. "Ballad," which
is so quiet that you can barely hear the singing, is
especially eerie. The closing instrumental is really
lame, like the instrumentals on the North County Rock
Association album. Obviously, much of this album is
boring and/or annoying, but some of it is pretty
memorable too. More importantly, it's one of those
albums that sounds absolutely like nothing else,
which always means that someone out there will fall
Or
Or
Or
Or
Lose"
Lose"
Lose"
Lose"
1976
1987
199
2005
1969
1986
199
199
1998
(Armadillo 8031)
(Hype 02, UK)
(CD Flash 44, Italy) [digipak]
(Gear Fab gf-204)
(CD Gear Fab gf-116) [+8 tracks]
MAGIC BUBBLE(Canada)
"Lie"
"Lie"
"Lie"
"Lie"
"Lie"
1970
1970
1987
199
199
"Perpetuum Mobile"
cover; insert with
"Perpetuum Mobile"
"Perpetuum Mobile"
"Perpetuum Mobile"
"Perpetuum Mobile"
"Perpetuum Mobile"
~~~
Heavy blues psych band with sixteen year-old Eric
Johnson on stun guitar, Vince Mariani handling drums,
Jimmy Bullock on bass. Lead vocals are handled by
several singers including Bill Wilson, Darrel Peal,
and Jay Podolnick. The playing gets anthemic at times
but the lyrics are regrettable. The recording session
was done outside in a wooded area. The German CD is
made from a rough copy of the LP and is very noisy.
The bonus track is a much later Eric Johnson version
of "Little Wing". All reissues have new sleeve
designs as the original was plain cover. [RM]
~~~
Eric Johnson the wunderkind is on display here, but
the band was named after the drummer, and ultimately
is as boring as, say, a Ginger Baker solo album.
Johnson was talented but not especially original as a
teenager, and there isnt a solo here that wouldnt
have been better if it was half as long (the drum
solo, of course, would have been better if it didnt
exist at all). Even with the Johnson connection, its
a mystery to me why this is such a sought-after
album. I can think of hundreds of better late
60s/early 70s hard rock albums. [AM]
~~~
see -> American Peddlers; Electromagnets; Bill Wilson
MARIANUS (Andover, MA)
"Visions From Out of the Blue" 1981 (Jupiter) [lyric insert]
This is hyped as a prog album (and occasionally as an
AOR album), but defining it by that genre doesn't
tell the whole story about this oddity. It takes cues
from pretty much every rock style of the preceding 25
years, even glam and new wave (those two are
especially apparent on the irresistible opening
track.) There's a bit of mellotron on the album, a
spacy instrumental, a bunch of catchy choruses,
bizarre backing vocals and a singer who is the
missing link between Steve Harley and Geddy Lee. The
guitar riffs on the early verses of "Man From Another
Planet" really hit the spot. The songwriting
throughout is creative and intelligent. This is weird
and distinctive! I'm not sure who the audience is for
this one, but it's pretty great. [AM]
DEREK SCOTT MARKEL (Canada)
"Derek Scott Markel" 197 (no label RH 074601)
Rural folkrock and singer/songwriter with full
setting, piano, even accordion, the Band moves and
some psychy guitar. Highly rated by some.
MARK IV(Canada)
"Vol 1" 1965 (Rusticana CKL 1225)
Obscure teen-beat LP in neat sportscar cover.
MARSADEES (SC)
"Marsadees" 1967 (Justice 150)
"Marsadees" 1996 (CD Collectables)
Probably the rarest LP on the label, this wasn't even
known to exist for many years. It's not bad either,
clearly among the better in the Justice catalog, with
a crude surf and frat approach similar to the nongarage stuff on the Tempos LP. Should appeal to
anyone interested in local pre-Brit Invasion sounds,
even though it dates from around 1967! Cool cover
photo of the very young band. One group original, a
sleepy surf instro. [PL]
MARY BUTTERWORTH (South Gate, CA)
ALICIA MAY ( )
"Skinnydipping In The Flowers" 1976 (Golden Anchor 7777)
[lyric inner]
Femme vocal folk that has been compared to Linda
Perhacs. California label.
~~~
see -> "Guitar Picks"
MAYAN CANALS see Rich La Bonte
MAYPOLE (Baltimore, MD)
MAZANTI ( )
"Philosopher" 1979 (Mazanti Music)
Southern hardrock with some folky tracks and Jethro
Tull moves.
MAZE (Fairfield, CA)
"Armageddon"
"Armageddon"
"Armageddon"
"Armageddon"
1968
1989
1995
2006
(MTA 5012)
(no label, Europe) [bootleg]
(CD Sundazed sc-6060) [+6 tracks]
(Beat Rocket) [alternate mono mix]
MCALLEN (MI)
"McAllen" 1971 (Spirit 964S-2002) [gatefold]
Downer folk/folkrock with Woolies member helping out,
acoustic and electric backing. Back cover shows
McAllen next to a huge cannabis plant.
BOB MCCARTHY (Cambridge, MA)
"Advice & Company" 1974 (Wandra no #)
Coffeehouse folk and singer-songwriter with
occasional band backing, including second guitar,
bongos, violin, dobro, bass and drums.
JAMES MCCARTHY ( )
"Born a Loser" 1971 (Audio House ahs-3771) [blank back cover;
translucent blue vinyl]
Acoustic flower folk from noted Kansas studio and
custom label.
KATHY MCCORD ( )
"Kathy McCord 1969 (CTI 1001)
"Kathy McCord 1999 (CD Vivid, Japan)
Female singer/songwriter album that is highly rated
among genre fans.
MCDONALD & SHERBY (MN)
MCGRAW BROS(NJ)
"Scotch On The Rocks" 1966 (Tore 1)
Scottish-American group doing club band frat & Brit
invasion covers with honking sax, dressed up as
Scotsmen on the sleeve. A couple of band originals
also.
LARRY MCHUGH (PA)
"Son Of David" 1978 (BE 845)
A fine example of the more subdued, reflective mood
that emerged on Christian rock LPs towards the end of
the 1970s. Post-acid westcoasty melodic studio rock
with a highly professional, sophisticated sound
create a backdrop for McHugh's relaxed, unassuming
vocals. Lyrics are typical Jesus movement concerns
and stay close to the known path, leaving the music
to do the peregrinations in a quite appealing way. In
fact this album has some of the best guitar-picking
I've heard on a private from the era, sparse flowing
jazzy scales that fit the mood perfectly. The band as
a whole radiates a selfconfident late-night groove,
occasionally getting into jammy bits that flow just
right. Keyboards and moog fx are used in a way
similar to the more relaxed tracks on One St Stephen,
while the overall nocturnal feel is reminiscent of
Christian colleagues Ark and Windwords. McHugh does
get dangerously close to the "better safe than sorry"
repetition spectre that can haunt this type of work,
but emerges a winner on the strength of some terrific
dreamy tracks such as "Come to me" and "Waters of
life". This is not a local basement trip like
Kristyl, but a very pro-sounding affair with mature,
jazzy moods. I was rather impressed. [PL]
~~~
Folky Christian singer who cant really hit all of
his notes, but has a pretty solid musical backing.
The title track is pretty great, full of phase
shifter happy guitar solos (lots of scales), a dreamy
chorus, and ends with a great rock guitar solo and
some surprising moog. Terrific song! There isnt
anything else here that gets up as much of a rocking
head of steam, but most of the album is decent
acoustic folk and soft-rock with a rhythm section
that stands out despite the quiet nature of the
songs. The Christian lyrics are reasonably subdued. A
few songs veer towards a jazzier direction, and
arent quite as appealing. A lot of the electric lead
guitar sounds like improvised noodling, and the weak
singing grates after a while, but the more carefully
constructed songs are quite good. Other than the
title track, the oddly structured Hold Your Love
High is probably the highlight, as it fits frantic
bass runs, dreamy ah ah singing and a somewhat long
tracks]
"Music From Merkin Manor" 1997 (Akarma, Italy)
A real enigma, popular with many psych fans despite
being easy-breezy sort of 1970s pop-psych rather than
the typical heavy guitar blowouts. Some have compared
this to the poppier, non-jammy side of early Santana.
I have heard it many dozens of times but can't really
put my finger on it - there's nothing quite like it.
The LP they play at seaside resorts when all the
summer visitors have left! "Take some time" is a
personal favorite with a simple yet memorable guitar
hook, while the sad ballad "Goodbye" has lots of
admirers. A marvy negative purple/silver sleeve adds
to the appeal. Recorded in LA 1972 but not released
until 1973. [PL]
~~~
I recall feeling disappointed when I put this LP on
the platter having eagerly purchased the first
reissue. I had read descriptions of the two copies
auctioned in lists that featured those four words
heavy, psych, private and monster. This was not what
Id expected. My initial disappointment gradually
gave way to love and wonder. It was certainly three
of these overused descriptors and with that
thunderous and yet twangy bass it was genuinely
heavy. The impression left when the stylus reaches
the end is that of very, very happy musicians playing
together and having the times of their lives. Like
their label mates Creation Of Sunlight this oozes
good vibes from every groove. Theres a lounge feel
on some tracks like "Ruby" and "Sweet Country". The
sound is very professional, but those tunes, boy,
they had some great and sometimes brilliant ones up
their sleeves. You will be humming them all day.
Nothing else really sounds like this LP, it is as if
innocent sixties youths had been lifted out of their
dream and placed in bed with a well-meaning whore
with a heart. It occupies that fruitful transition
phase between psychedelic pop and more meaningful,
heavy music of the early seventies. Has the reverse
negative sleeve to end all reverse negative sleeves.
Special as it comes. [RI]
MERRY AIRBRAKES (MA)
Messengers.j
(66853
bytes)
female impersonator.
MIKE MINGO(OH)
"To All My Friends" 1976 (private)
Strange folkrock/rock with wah-wah and organ by army
veteran in a crude paste-on cover.
MINSTREL STRING GUILD (WA)
"The Nightbirds Are Screaming" 1976 (no label) [insert]
Folkrock and singer-songwriter from sibling duo with
fuzz and some captivating female vocals. There is a
second LP from 1977, "Music Swims Back To Me".
MIRTHRANDIR (NJ)
"For You, The Old Women" 1976 (Mirthrandir 2276) [insert]
"For You, The Old Women" 199 (CD Syn-Phonic)
Symphonic progressive with good and heavy chaotic
runs. Dual guitar, synth, flute.
LES MISERABLES (Quebec, Canada)
"Les Miserables" 1967 (Jupiter JDY-7011)
"Les Miserables" 1999 (No Tyme, Italy) [+bonus tracks]
Highly enjoyable garage & beat from moody FrenchCanadian punks, with dynamite 3-chord action on the
best tracks, such as the two-fisted punch of
"Chemises" and "Miserablement votre", both of which
could have fit on any garage comp, with snotty
vocals, a stripped-down garage sound, and a dynamite
Bo Diddley mid-section on the latter. "Vivre avec
toi" is another great track in the same fuzzed style,
while the excellent "Ecoute-moi" brings in a driving
Spencer Davis Group organ club groove. Although
essentially a Brit-styled band, they are somewhat
less Stones-inspired than Les Differents, with a bit
of Yardbirds & Beatles influence reminiscent of
upscale Euro-beat bands such as the Mascots or the
Motions. Just to screw with this theory, there is a
French-language version of "Tell me", and indeed the
reissue CD contains a whole bunch of Frenchified
versions of current hits like "The letter", "Western
union" and (sadly) "When a man loves a woman". Some
discrimination is needed when swinging with Les
Miserables, but ultimately they were a respectworthy
band that need to be checked out by any fan of prepsychedelic 60s sounds, provided you can handle the
French-only vocals. They also had several 45s. [PL]
MISSING LINKS (MA)
1969
2001
2001
2001
MOONSTONE(PA)
"Moonstone" 1977 (Baldwin CS 8200)
Hardrock/AOR with keyboard and some prog moves, has
been compared to early Kansas.
JEFF MOORE & FRIENDS (Canada)
"The Youngest Son" 1974 (no label 07-42031)
"The Youngest Son" 2003 (Orange Doubledome) [300p]
High school project. Acoustic and dreamy folkrock,
mixed vocals.
LES MOORE (New Orleans, LA)
"Yesterday" 197 (Natural 2154)
Loner folk local recorded in his home direct to two
track. just a guy his guitar and dark thoughts. some
Leopoldian moments and a scary jump into the abyss
long version of "A Day in the Life". [RM]
R STEVIE MOORE (Nashville, TN)
"Phonography" 1976 (Vital 0001) [b & w collage cover; blank
back; 3 inserts; 100p]
"Phonography" 1978 (HP 30734) [2nd press; b & w portrait
cover]
"Phonography" 1998 (CD Flamingo) [+bonus tracks]
"Delicate Tension" 1978 (HP 30735)
"Delicate Tension" 2004 (CD Cordelia 036, UK)
R Stevie Moore is the all-time king of do-it-yourself
recordings, as for thirty years he produced home made
cassettes and sold them to his cult audience. He
produced literally hundreds of 60 minute albums.
Obviously anyone who never throws away a single idea
is unlikely to have particularly consistent albums,
but his occasional LP releases are best-ofs from his
tapes. The two LPs that will be most of interest to
Archive readers are "Phonography" and "Delicate
Tension", his earliest LPs on his own label. Moore's
music is basically guitar pop with quirky lyrics,
even quirkier arrangements, and all sorts of
weirdness (i.e. spoken sections, sound effects)
thrown in between. He's comparable to oddball bands
like, for example, Oho, except that he has much more
of a knack for a pop hook than any post-Zappa or
semi-prog weirdos. It's conceivable that he could
have had mainstream success if the breaks went his
way, but he also tended to sabotage such
possibilities (i.e. his catchiest pop song is called
"I Wanna Hit You"). He's a long-time favorite of
Trouser Press editor Ira Robbins. "Phonography" is a
great introduction to his music, with a number of
strong songs, all sorts of weird interludes, and a
1969
199
199
2003
2003
Only
Only
Only
Only
Truth"
Truth"
Truth"
Truth"
1972
1986
199
199
1971
198
1998
1999
(Good 101)
(Good) [bootleg]
(CD Gear Fab gf-115) [+5 tracks]
(Akarma, Italy) [2LPs; +bonus tracks]
MOUZAKIS(Wilmington, DE)
"Magic Tube" 1971 (British Main 90069)
I have no idea where their name came from, but I
suppose it wouldn't be easy to find an ideal moniker
for this bargain basement mix of funk, soul, hard
rock, 50's-style rock, jazzy prog and Christian rock.
They're pretty ambitious, and the music has a
contagious energy even though it isn't good. I can't
figure out what the songs are actually about, but you
have to appreciate a title like "Long Haired
Bombardier." This album includes a spastic live
recording of "Rock Around The Clock". Throughout, the
cheesy-sounding organ is mixed way too loud, and the
recording quality is awful. Most of the solos are
really bad. The singer is better, but barely. Somehow
this album isn't boring, but I wouldn't exactly
recommend it. Demo copies were issued with a four
page promo insert. [AM]
MOVING SIDEWALKS (Houston, TX)
"Flash" 1969 (Tantara 6919) [unipak]
"Flash" 1980 (Tantara, Europe) [counterfeit; 300p]
"99th Floor" 1982 (Eva 12002, France) [LP +bonus 45 tracks;
altered cover]
"Flash" 1993 (CD Afterglow 002, UK)
"Flash" 1994 (CD TRC, Germany)
"Flash" 199 (CD) [+bonus tracks]
"Flash" 2000 (Akarma 117/2, Italy) [3-sided LP; +5 bonus
tracks]
"Flash" 2000 (CD Akarma 117, Italy) [+bonus tracks]
If in the mood for guitar-driven late 60s blues-rock
with psych moves, this is one of the best LPs in the
style. For a debut album it's quite accomplished,
showing a band with no weaknesses and a lot of heart
in their music. The Hendrix factor becomes too heavy
on tracks like "Pluto, Sept 31st", but after hearing
endless generic "heavy psych" albums from the LA area
it's a delight to encounter an album in the same
style that sounds emotionally genuine, whether it'd
be bourbon-soaked laments or acid-fried studio
experiments. Though not a masterpiece, this LP has
aged well. Their non-LP 45s are excellent. The 1980
counterfeit is close, but the graphics are blurry and
lack the machine stamped 'MR' (enclosed in a circle)
in the trail-off. True originals also have title
stamped on spine inside the gatefold. [PL]
~~~
Well-known rarity outside of collector circles
because of the ZZ top connection and because of the
non-LP single on an early "Pebbles" comp. The album
moves beyond the garage rock of that single to
Hendrix-inspired heavy psych with lots of wild
guitar. The last two songs are a complete freakout
that surely baffled ZZ Top fans who dug this one up
in the 70s and 80s. Most of this is very good, though
it's marred the by one of those long blues jams
typical of the genre. [AM]
"Mu" 1971
"Mu" 1974
"Lemurian
cover]
"Mu" 1988
"Mu" 199
"Mu" 1997
1971
198
198
199
199
199
"The Many Moods Of The New Breed" 1970 (New Breed 13634)
This local album offers up a mixture of nifty
original numbers and popular soul and pop hits.
Opening with a cover of "Shotgun" probably wasn't the
most original move in the book, but propelled by
frantic drumming and enthusiastic blue-eyed soul
vocals, the result may be the best cover of the
Motown classic I've heard. As good as the group's
covers are, the five originals are even better. The
only original on the first side, the molten
"Rockbustin Blues" served to show these guys were
rockers at heart. Showcasing a great lead guitar,
side two started out with another winner in the form
of "Mississippi Delta", while the other three
originals on side two were just as good. The only
disappointment was the closer "Never Ending Song of
Love" which sounded like it was being performed for
an audience of polka fans. All told, a nice obscure
find. The band had won a Pepsi Cola contest and their
rendition of the Pepsi jingle was used in an ad
campaign; in addition they were given a recording
contract for one year. [SB]
NEW COLONY SIX(Chicago, IL)
"Breakthrough" 1966 (Sentar 101)
"Breakthrough" 1984 (Eva 12008, France)
"Colonization" 1967 (Sentar St-3001) [mono]
"Colonization" 1967 (Sentar Sst-3001) [stereo]
"Colonization" 199 (CD Sundazed sc-6026) [+2 tracks]
1000p]
"There's
"There's
"There's
"There's
A
A
A
A
New
New
New
New
Dawn"
Dawn"
Dawn"
Dawn"
1994
200
2001
2001
Black Egg"
Black Egg"
Black Egg"
sleeve]
Black Egg"
NIGHTRIDERS(NC)
"Introducing" 1967 (Justice jlp-157)
"Introducing" 1994 (CD Collectables 0603)
One of the last Justices is a straightforward mix of
organ/guitar instrumentals way past their due date
and classic frat sounds lifted from the Kingsmen
catalog. The usual soul element has been reduced to a
nervous cover of "Come see about me", while the band
shows class in covering "Double Shot" and "Louie
Louie". Only one lameass ballad makes this LP at
least in theory an agreeable basement instro/frat
excursion whose main fault is that it was made 3
years too late. Very basic soundscape from these 16year olds who probably were pleased that they managed
to play all songs through without mistakes on their
newly purchased gear. Drummer sounds like he's only
handled the sticks for a few weeks which messes up a
few tracks, but they get all the elements right for a
closing "Journey to the stars", the album's obvious
highpoint which has also been comp'd on Relics vol 2.
[PL]
NIGHTSHADOW a k a LITTLE PHIL & THE NIGHTSHADOWS(Atlanta, GA)
and "Money" give a high reading on the Stupid-OMeter. Most songs have crude fadeouts and the album
as a whole displays a lo-fi $15 production value. Not
bad at all for fans of local frat sounds a la "Ho-Dad
Hootenanny" or Hipsville vol 2 & 3, although the
total effect of a whole LP's worth is a bit mindnumbing. The cover has a color photo of the group (in
matching red jackets) glued on. [PL]
NOMADDS(Freeport, IL)
"The Nomadds" 1965 (Radex 6521)
Way above average local beat (read: Merseybeat) LP
with five excellent originals and classy
sound/performances; an appealing snapshot of the
brief post-Invasion, pre-garage era. Songwriting is
remarkably mature and ambitious, and the band is very
tight after honing their craft on the local club
scene. Superb Gerry Marsden-like vocals add further
atmosphere, while a number of OK but more mundane
covers can't help but damage the total impression
somewhat. In another time and place, these guys could
have hit the big time. [PL]
1"
1"
1"
1"
1968
1968
2004
2004
OBJECTS (VT)
"Live At The Greatwood Cafe" 1980 (Gildersleeve) [insert]
Vermont show from 1978. Garage punkish trio with
Scott Gildersleeve (pre-Queers) and Marc Weinstein
(pre-MX-80 Sound). The LP has been offered as "rare
garage psych" by record dealers since the mid-1980s,
but not many people seem to like it, and it's not a
highly rated title today.
Forth"
Forth"
Forth"
Forth"
Forth"
1971
1990
1995
2000
2005
(Organic org-1)
(Trip 1000) [new sleeve]
(CD Timothy's Brain 103)
(CD Odyssey)
(Lion, Italy)
Densely layered cosmic synth progressive with sidelong tracks, on the same label as Iasos. Home studio
one-man-band with lots of electronics and found
sounds in the mix. Chakra-based concept somewhere in
the burbling noises. Opinions differ on its merits.
There may also be a slightly later pressing. Steve
McLinn went on to release lots more music on tape and
CD.
OMEGA (IL)
ONE (CA)
"Creation Earth" 1977 (Children's Village) [2LPs; gatefold;
inner sleeves; poster]
Communal concept folk-psych with apocalyptic religous
concerns. Nice organ and fuzz in spots, mixed vocals.
One of the few communal groups that (at least here)
didn't float away into guru love chanting or
hedonistic atonal dreck. The first LP contains a
reference to Lite Storm, which was an earlier
incarnation of this spiritual outfit, with the same
key members. All of it was done under the spiritual
aegis of the guru, Sai Baba. The title is a k a "Who
Am I?"; promo variants have been found with bonus
45s. Later recordings exist, and shows the band
moving into new age electronica while retaining a
hippie folkpsych core. The commune still exists as of
this writing, and offers CD and cassette reissues of
most of their works from their Idaho base. No
relation to the band and LP on Grunt.
100% UNKNOWN FIBERS (Laguna Beach, CA)
"Odd Lots" 1971 (no label) [plain stamped cover]
"Odd Lots" 2004 (Little Indians, Germany) [10p]
ONYX (CT)
"Onyx also Featuring Wildwood" 1981 (Weathersfield) [insert]
School project teen basement hardrock covers, some
female vocals.
(Mainstream 6117)
(Mainstream, Germany) [bootleg;
(CD Head)
(Tripkick, Spain)
OWEN-B (OH)
KAREN H OZNICK ( )
"Karen H Oznick" 197 (no label) [plain cover]
Demo LP of female folk/s-sw with mostly originals and
covers of Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen.
PACERS (AR)
"Go Wild" 1965 (Razorback)
Local obscurity tied in with the University of
Arkansas' football team, The Razorbacks. The LP has
been described as more country/rockabilly than
beat/garage, and features topical songs such as
"Quarterbackin' man" and the regional hit "Short
squashed Texan". The Pacers were 1950s legend Sonny
Burgess' backing band. There were also some 45s
released during the post-Burgess era. Several
pressings exist of this album.
PAISLEYS (Minneapolis, MN)
"Cosmic
"Cosmic
"Cosmic
"Cosmic
Mind
Mind
Mind
Mind
At
At
At
At
Play"
Play"
Play"
Play"
1970
1984
199
2004
"Fohhoh Bohob"
"Fohhoh Bohob"
altered cover;
"Fohhoh Bohob"
45; 500#d]
"Fohhoh Bohob"
creek cover.
RICK PENTA (OH)
"Hit The Road" 1977 (Jewel 737)
Melancholic basement rock with a druggy downer
atmosphere shifting from acoustic to electric with
guitar leads weaving in. Titles include "Suzi
Mesciline", "Who Is The Wise Man?". Nice color
artwork. There was also non-LP 45 with PS.
PENTWATER(Chicago, IL)
"Pentwater" 1978 (Beef no #) [insert]
"Pentwater" 2003 (CD Beef) [remix; +4 tracks]
"Out Of The Abyss" 1990 (CD Syn-Phonic)
This album starts with the completely insane
"Frustration Mass," where the singer goes totally off
the deep end. It gives hope that this will be the
kind of highly creative weirdness that gives prog a
good name, but the rest of the album is a bit more
typical of the genre, with complex song structures,
lots of time signatures, and some spacy
instrumentals. There are plenty of good and highly
creative moments here, from the mesmerizing guitar
riffs on "Memo" to the innovative dual vocal lines of
"Orphan Girl," and there are a number of highly
melodic songs as well. Initially, it's a
disappointment that the rest of the album doesn't
live up to the weirdo potential of the opener, but
multiple listens reveal all sorts of pleasures here.
It's a bit long at 50 minutes, but this is a good
one, and not something that you need to be a prog fan
to enjoy. The "Abyss" CD contains unreleased 1970s
material that some consider superior to the 1978 LP.
[AM]
PEOPLE "Rock Sounds" see Rasberry Jam
PEOPLE'S VICTORY ORCHESTRA & CHORUS (NY)
"The School" 1972 (People's Music Works) [insert]
"Weltschmerzen" 1973 (People's Music Works 270)
Communal eclectic bag of tricks of mostly hippie
boogie and blues-rock from Long Island, also some
eccentric folk, with one side femmes & one side males
on "The School". Some promo copies of this came with
a flexi 45 and 6 promo sheets.
V.A "PEORIA FOLK ANTHOLOGY" (Peoria, IL)
"Peoria Folk Anthology" 1970 (Webster's Last Word 3825)
Man's
Man's
Man's
Man's
Land"
Land"
Land"
Land"
1975
199
199
2000
(no
(no
(CD
(CD
label)
label) [bootleg]
Digital, Japan) [+4 tracks]
St Thomas 112) [+4 tracks]
"Parallelograms"
"Parallelograms"
"Parallelograms"
"Parallelograms"
+2 tracks]
"Parallelograms"
"Parallelograms"
tracks]
"Parallelograms"
1970
1970
199
2001
PerthCoRumo
(43412
bytes)
"Overdrive"
"Overdrive"
cover]
"Overdrive"
"Overdrive"
1972 (Dragon no #)
1989 (Animus Oculus 101) [300#d; inserts; altered
1999 (Akarma 009, Italy) [altered cover]
1999 (CD Akarma 009, Italy)
Divine
Divine
Divine
Divine
Divine
Comedy"
Comedy"
Comedy"
Comedy"
Comedy"
1974
1989
199
2003
2003
PIPER( )
"Next Superstar" 1969 (Century) [insert]
Obscure title on notorious custom label, light
pop/folkrock with artrock keyboard and harpsichord
moves judging by the descriptions seen.
PIRANHAS (San Marino, CA)
"Plastic
"Plastic
insert]
"Plastic
"Plastic
POLYPHONY (VA)
"Without
"Without
"Without
"Without
Introduction"
Introduction"
Introduction"
Introduction"
197
199
2004
2004
POPCORN BLIZZARD( )
"Explode" 1968 (De-Lite 2004)
A seldom seen soft pop/lyte-psych LP that has some
admirers. It appears that Meatloaf's first group of
the same name was an unrelated combo, despite the
unusual monicker. The De-Lite band also had two 45s
out, and may have been from New Jersey.
DAVE PORTER (WA)
"Dave Porter" 197 (no label, no #)
Loungey singer/songwriter guy looking like a happy
outsider on the excellent front cover. Inside is a
mixed bag of sounds, mostly unexceptional, but with
solid entertainment in "I'm The Boss" with strange
lyrics and inappropriate scat-singing, and the
driving "Why I can't love you", while the memorable
panoramic Vegas lounge-rock of "Where do clouds go"
is just one notch from turning into full-blown
psychedelia in the Bob Smith/D R Hooker school;
outstanding. The album was recorded in Seattle with
NW scenemaker Rick Keefer engineering, and pressed in
Canada.
JERRY PORTER ( )
"Don't Bother Me" 1966 (Mirror 123)
Acidy downer urban blues folk with guitar and
harmonica, including lengthy track "LSD fixation"
which is an early description of an acid trip. Worth
looking up for early loner/freak folk fans. He also
wrote books about the hobo lifestyle. Produced by NY
upstate legend Armand Schaubroeck for his Mirror
label, this was a "Capitol Custom" job with actual
distribution.
~~~
"Just Like Me" 2000 (CD Gear Fab GF-143) [+3 tracks]
Excellent local power-trio sound with a ballsy
vibe, psych residuals, good guitar-playing. If
hadn't been 900 copies found in a warehouse in
early 1990s, this would be rated a lot higher.
member was formerly with Brother Fox & the Tar
Cream
there
the
One
Baby.
PURPLE SMOKE( )
"Vol 1" 1969 (Mark 1446)
Seldom seen light psych/loungy fare with some appeal
and a cool cheesy purple smoke drawing cover.
JOSEPH PUSEY (Los Angeles, CA)see interview
"In My Lady's Chamber" 1977 (Cerebella 1001)
UK-influenced progressive folk with superb playing
and some moody psych residuals. Not trad folk in the
rural sense, more in a direction towards renaissance
court music. Acoustic guitars, bells, gong, some
flute; a cerebral, refined atmosphere. Vocals aren't
impressive but OK while the instrumental passages
will leave any guitar student with his mouth hanging
open. Consistent LP with a strong identity and grower
qualities. Epic "Red planet descends" is a highpoint.
Pusey passed away in 2004. [PL]
RAW HONEY( )
"Ragweed" 1974 (RH 1057)
IL.
RED PONY (OK)
"Red Pony" 1975 (Artco 1123)
Local band doing hardrock and prog with female vocals
and a Janis Joplin cover.
RED SHADOW (Cambridge, MA)
"Live At The Panacea Hilton" 1975 (Physical 21-005) [insert]
Underground radical folkrock with mixed vocals and
counterculture politics. Track titles include
"Stagflation" and "Understanding Marx", a Ray Charles
take-off with a spoken segment with a hip female
explaining how she got turned on to Karl Marx. This
bizarre LP still sounds like satire, but hardly in
the way it was intended. There is a second LP,
"Better red".
REFINED BY FIRE (CA)
"Refined By Fire" 1980 (no label)
This is 70s sounding mellow Xian rock with some quite
good (often jazzy) guitars and the genres usual
pretty but soulless vocals (there are several female
singers and one male singer.) Much of this is average
bland AM-style pop, but a couple of songs have a
dreamy beauty to them and the closing song has a cool
heavy guitar solo that flows underneath a catchy
repeated end chorus. Not a great album, but here and
there it hits the spot. [AM]
REFLECTIONS (Sidell, LA)
"The Unique Sounds Of" 1970 (RSVP MC 1371)
Atmospheric instrumental home recordings of
trumpet/organ-led lounge duo, with a 13-year old kid
on drums joining forces with a significantly older
lady who manages to play bass, organ and trumpet at
the same time! This low-rent circus act handles a mix
of cocktail jazz and surf music standards, all of
which must have seem totally dated in 1970. The most
modern track is "Eleanor Rigby". There's two
originals in a 50s light-jazz/exotica style. While at
least half of this isn't "rock" by a long shot, the
end result isn't that far removed from some of the
more backwoods Justice label acts, right down to the
somnabulent, strangely hypnotic melancholy moods.
Unless made clear already, this is deep into
Incredibly Strange, and needs the proper approach to
work. A CD-R "reissue" exists. [PL]
(Paragon 19)
(no label, France)
Squires" 1990 (CD Lazer's Edge
(CD Akarma 325, Italy)
(Akarma 325, Italy)
Only Squires and Bob Bryden remain for this followup, which is similar but slightly less garage and
more mellow. Bryden wrote only three tracks which is
a pity as the other guys couldn't really compete with
him. Some swear by the long closing fuzzrocker "Enola
gay" but all over this is weaker than their debut in
my ears. It is even rarer than the Allied album. [PL]
--see -> Christmas
REJECTS(Ontario, Canada)
"Rejects" 1969 (Toad no #)
Coffehouse folk home-recordings from 1967, featuring
roughly the same crowd as on the Jeremy Dormouse LP,
with a similar primitive basement folk sound. After
the Dormouse sessions and prior to the Rejects
sessions there was also a rare EP with non-LP tracks,
titled "The Entire Castle Illusion".
RELATIVELY CLEAN RIVERS (CA)
REVERBS (CT)
"Chalk Up" 1965 (RV Connection) [blank back cover]
Obscure local teenbeat LP from Westport, featuring
typical mix of frat, surf and British Invasion, with
covers of Beatles and Stones numbers.
PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS (Boise, ID)
"Like Long Hair" 1961 (Gardena LP-G1000) [mono]
LINDA RICH ( )
"There's More To Living Than I Know So Far" 1969 (InterVarsity
03498)
"Patterns" 1970 (InterVarsity 8091-4498)
"Apple Tree" 1975 (InterVarsity 279-598)
Delicate acoustic Christian folk on the same label as
Jonathan & Charles. Her poetic lyrics and stunning
alto vocals have a dreamy quality that will certainly
appeal to folk psych collectors. "Patterns" even
features a trippy cover. [RM]
RICHARD, CAM & BERT (NY)
"Richard, Cam & Bert" 197 (Trilogy TS-91701)
Late 60s or early 70s New York street musician folk
blues. The three switch around on guitars and bass
and sing mostly in harmony. They are occasionally
accompanied by a drummer. Some nice soloing on what I
believe are amplified acoustic guitars, rather than
electric. Overall rather pleasant, but hardly earthshattering. Produced by Warren Schatz (Yesterdays
Children, etc). [MA]
REX RICHARDSON( )
"Crescent Phase" 1980 (Sage 37360) [100#d]
One side of guitar instros and one side with ISBstyle progressive folk with flute and hand
percussion. The guy has a passionate troubador vocal
style (typical for the genre) that may annoy, which
mixes with showoffy guitar runs. Songwriting doesn't
account for much, but the overall package may appeal
to Joseph Pusey fans. [PL]
~~~
Very rare outsider folk private press. The first side
consists of Faheyesque acoustic guitar instrumentals,
which are quite competent. The 2nd side is comprised
of weird loner folkie ramblings. In addition to
guitar, Richardson also plays flute on several
tracks. The LP is housed in a homemade cover with a
large paste-on front and a smaller paste-on back
cover. [MA]
KARL RICHEY (San Francisco, CA)
"Karl Richey" 1969 (Studio 10 DBX 102)
This album is on the same label as Day Blindess, but
is quite a bit different. Richey is a stoned folk
troubadour type, with a bit of a Dylan fixation, but
with more of a youthful late 60s counterculture edge.
Also without the songwriting talent. Richey might
have been a bit more convincing as a rocker, but
since this album is basically just guitar and voice,
he'd need to have something more original and
exciting to say to make these songs more memorable.
[AM]
RIGHT OF LITTLE REST(RI)
"Royal American 20th Century Blues" 1968 (Sound Canada sc7701) [color cover]
"Royal American 20th Century Blues" 199 (no label) [b & w
cover; 430p]
"Royal American 20th Century Blues" 2002 (Shadoks, Germany)
[+bonus 45]
UK-influenced beat/folkrock/psych with some good
guitar and an odd, goofy "magic banjo" concept
running through. Not really a worthwhile LP to my
ears, songwriting is a bit lame and the band has no
real edge. To my ears it sounds like one of those
budget psych LP on the UK Saga label. One extended
track with good guitar leads is worth checking out
for a sample.[PL]
--see -> Hyde
PALMER ROCKEY (Dallas, TX)
"Scarlet Love" 1979 (AB-Rock Music PR-1-LP)
"Scarlet Love" 1980 (AB-Rock Music PR-2-LP)
"Rockey's Style" 1981 (AB-Rock Music PRR-2-LP)
Unbelievable lounge lizard "real people" con-man LP
that defies description and has an amazing background
story that needs to be known for full appreciation.
The music varies from stale loungabilly to shakeyvoiced croonerisms into generic session musician
"rock". I personally prefer the 1979 version on
strength of the two unique and excellent C-grade
Elvis-impersonator tracks. Fortunately the classic
occult Holiday Inn "Scarlet Warning" track can be
found on all three pressings. Let Palmer bring the
smell of hair tonic and the sound of low-rent
dishonesty into the privacy of your own hi-fi room.
You will not regret it. [PL]
~~~
Pressing details are as follows. The first version
comes in a "1980" copyright PR-2-LP sleeve. The label
has different fonts. Includes two tracks that are not
on the other two pressings: "Lonesome Tonight" and
"Sunday Love". These are replaced with "Love, Love
Rock" and "Love Is Deep Inside", as indicated on the
PR-2 cover. Most other tracks features alternate
the same kind of wonderful dreamy feel of the wellknown orchestrated 60s Capitol psych monsters, though
through the mouth and mind of a gentle, wistful soul.
This is really an excellent album, one of the finest
acid folk items, and certainly a record that deserves
more attention. Original copies came with an 18-page
lyric booklet. [AM]
--Major label soft folk/pop with a very appealing
surface, well-written and skillfully arranged. The
moody folk tracks are excellent but only make up a
minority of the album, which also goes into more
ambitious domains with a European cabaret vibe a la
Bowie, and some truly gentle musings that are too
close to sugary 1970s soft rock for my tastes. The
Nick Drake comparisons are indeed inaccurate, and I
would expect this to appeal mainly to fans of soft
femme vocal folkpop a la Margo Guryan. There is a
certain kinship to the "Chris Lucey" LP as well. "My
spirit's calling" is the standout track to me. [PL]
RODS (NY)
"Rock Hard" 1980 (Primal p-1001) [1000p]
Rare hardrock/metal trio housed in a funny period
cover; highly rated among genre fans.
ROGER & WENDY( )
"Roger & Wendy" 1972 (Horny 71RW1) [handmade covers]
Pre-Bermuda Triangle Christian folkrock rated highly
by some, with Dylan and Beatles covers and a few
group originals. It appears to have been a very small
pressing aimed at friends and family, which is
further indicated by the hand-drawn covers with
personalized greetings from the couple.
--see -> Bermuda Triangle
ROHRBACKER, HENDREN & KINGEN (OR)
"Rohrbacker, Hendren & Kingen" 1975 (RA 2176 LPS)
Exceptionally talented Oregon trio that blends the
jangly energetic folkrock guitars and gentle closeknit harmonies of The Byrds with FM country rock,
bluesy classic rock jamming and flowing summery CSNish soft rock sounds. Instrumental lineup is the same
throughout with the dual electric guitars of Bob
Rohrbacker and Bob Hendren vibrantly resounding on
every track, including some superb lead work from Mr.
Hendren. Mark Kingen handles bass while a couple
friends alternate at drums. The opening salvo of
"Look Towards Tomorrow", "Youre In My Life" and
"Near To Me Now" is especially strong. An obvious
professionalism and true rockers mentality at work
here making this outing a quantum leap above most
homegrown Christian projects. A virtually unheard of
500-press mega-rarity. Phenomenal! [KS]
JOHN ROSPLOCK ( )
"John Rosplock" 1974 (Johnny Dollar JD 101)
Melodic folkrock/singer-songwriter LP, rated highly
by some.
ROUNDHOUSE (Wisconsin Dells, WI)
"Handle With Care" 1976 (Claremont Records)
This transitional hard rock album has AOR and prog
(some mellotron) tendencies, but veers toward power
pop too, and most of the songs are unfashionably
fast. The riffs are somewhat pedestrian and the
guitar playing pretty conventional, but the vocals
are good and their heart was definitely in it. The
album has 10 songs, unusual for a post-1968, pre-punk
hard rock record. An obvious Beatles influence is a
plus. This is a refreshing change from all of the
dumb heavy albums of its era, but its not inspired
or well-written enough to actually break new ground.
More of a case of potential than actual quality, but
not bad. [AM]
ROUSERS (IA)
"In Concert" 1965 (Fredlo 6520)
ROYALAIRES ( )
"Live vol 1" 1966 (RPC 76532)
Rare teenbeat LP on famed custom label.
R P M (NY)
"R P M" 1972 (Freeflow)
Seldom seen private press of keyboard/guitar flowing
progressive rock. It seems the band included Chris
Robison, who had two solo LPs out (see entry).
R P S ( )
"R P S" 1976 (Mars)
Midwest hardrock trio with a James Gang barband
sound.
"Sacred
"Sacred
vinyl]
"Sacred
"Sacred
SAHARAS(MI)
"Saharas" 1966 (United) [10"]
Teenbeat rarity with female vocalist Lu. Supposedly a
live recording from a Michigan college, in a fratrock style. This may be the same Saharas that had 45s
on United and the well-known Fenton label.
SAILOR( )
"Sailor" 1976 (700 West) [1000p; inner]
Obscure light westcoasty sounds on the same Indiana
label as Zerfas, receiving some hype of late.
Anthony's
Anthony's
Anthony's
Anthony's
Fyre"
Fyre"
Fyre"
Fyre"
1971
1987
1996
199
(Zonk 001)
(Breeder 563, Austria)
(Void 03) [poster; 400#d]
(CD, Europe)
1971
199
1998
1999
SANDS OF TIME ( )
"Sands Of Time" 197 (Sands Of Time 2000)
Not to be confused with any other Sands Of Time, this
is unexceptional hippie folk with male/female vocals.
The cover shows the main couple in a field.
SANDSTONE(PA)
"Can You Mend A Silver Thread?" 1971 (SA 2911)
Little-known local folkpsych trip with a total UK
sound, reminiscent of the Shide & Acorn album in
particular. Male/female vocal harmonies, acoustic
guitar tapestries, flute, piano and occasional violin
all create a dreamy, wistful mood typical of the
style. While not terribly original it is skillfully
done and hits all the right spots, and is likely to
delight genre fans in a big way. I might have opted
for even more of the female vocals but it's a minor
objection. Some trad moves here and there for an
"authentic" feel, but really a trip off the lysergic
Camelot magic first invoked by Donovan back in 1967.
[PL]
V.A"SAN FRANCISCO POP FESTIVAL" (CA)
JOHN SCOGGINS ( )
"Pressed For Time" 1976 (Tiger Lily 14059) [promos exist]
Charming dreamy 1970s pop with an early new wave
sensibility mixed with a warm, 1960s-style folkrock
sound. Light, upbeat vocals fit the music perfectly,
and the playing is fine with lots of ringing guitars.
Several songs are superb 3-minute creations in the
classic McCartney/McGuinn school, and the LP sticks
close to this credo throughout, with only a jokey
hillbilly tune wasted. While not a far out psych
monster or hardrock blowout, most people who hear
this like it, simply on ground of its talent and
sunny feel. Too bad it came out on the tax-loss Tiger
Lily label; on the appropriate label it could have
been a Shoes-type cult classic. [PL]
~~~
Along with Stonewall, this is the cream of the crop
on this fascinating label. Pressed For Time is a very
solid 70s pop album-hooky, highly melodic songs,
jangly guitars, lovely high male vocals and joyous
harmonies, and a significant Beach Boys influence. A
bit of fuzz guitar, especially on "Somebody's Sad,"
adds a nice touch of energy. The format is varied by
a goofy country tune on side one and a soulful
Easybeats cover on side two, but otherwise it's just
one memorable, hummable song after another, evoking
the best summer feelings. Power pop fans will go
insane when they discover this one. Oddly, there
exist a number of copies of this album with stickers
on the cover, some of which list the actual band
members, implying that unlike other Tiger Lily albums
at some point there was an effort on someone's part
to actually sell the thing. [AM]
SCORPION ( )
"Scorpion" 1970 (Tower st-5171) [striped label]
Black guys doing raw underground bar funk sounds,
sometimes hyped by dealers but hardly the most highly
rated LP in the style.
SCOTTI (CO)
"For Friends" 1973 (Strawberry)
Folkrock obscurity in nice color cover.
SCREAMING GYPSY BANDITS (Bloomington, IN)
"In The Eye" 1973 (BRBQ)
"In The Eye" 1996 (OR 014) [paste-on; insert; 375#d]
Nice flowing rural rock with lots of little exotic
world music touches, female vocals. Saddhu Brand
meets Hickory Wind! Member Bob Lucas had a solo LP,
"The Dancer Inside You" (BRBQ, 1974). [RM]
~~~
"Montgomery
"Montgomery
"Montgomery
"Montgomery
"Montgomery
Chapel"
Chapel"
Chapel"
Chapel"
Chapel"
1969
1994
1998
200
2004
SEBASTIAN (Canada)
"Head Roach" 1972 (Vintage) [booklet]
"Head Roach" 2005 (Void 037) [500p; inner]
A different Sebastian, with an LP of stoned folk and
Zappaesque touches, supposedly banned upon release
due to drug references.
OSH SEBROW (NJ)
"Angels Are Falling" 1982 (Osty) [insert]
Interesting early 80s pop album with folky leanings.
Sebrow did the whole thing himself, which
unfortunately means it has a drum machine. The songs
are quite good in a post-Beatles pop mode, and Sebrow
has a haunting voice. One song is a tribute to John
Lennon, but unfortunately quotes from some McCartney
songs that Lennon always hated. Lennon would be
spinning in his grave! Otherwise, though, if you can
get past the drum machine (which I can not), this is
a nice album. Osh was an Eye Surgeon and gave out the
"Angels Are Falling" LP to his patients. Due to a
quantity find it's not a pricey album at all. He also
did a much earlier LP, "I Can See Tomorrow" (Ame,
1974). [AM]
SEEDS ( )
"Hymns For A New Age" 1978 (Whatever WA 101)
Unrelated Seeds doing hippie folk.
V.A "SEE/HEAR RECORD MAGAZINES" (Canada)
"See/Hear Record Magazine #1" 1968 (See/Hear ST 55852) [folder
with info sheets]
"See/Hear Record Magazine #2" 1968 (See/Hear ST 56410)
[inserts]
Avantgarde publications including a 12" record and
various inserts/magazines. Mixes avant music with
poetry and electronic freakouts typical of the era.
Issue #2 has some members from Mock Duck. Bill
Bissett is also featured, and got to release his own
LP as "See/Hear #3".
~~~
see -> Bill Bissett
SEICHE(Chicago, IL)
"Dose After Dose" 1981(no label) [plain cover; 100p]
"Dose After Dose" 1999 (Hexamon 001) [500p; 2 inserts]
Chameleon"
Chameleon"
Chameleon"
Chameleon"
1973
1987
2000
2000
(IGL 4051-5)
(no label, Europe) [250p]
(CD Gear Fab 110) [+bonus tracks]
(Gear Fab 202) [+bonus tracks]
1972
1988
1998
2000
SKY-SAILS (Canada)
"Sky-Sails" 1973 (no label MH-93) [insert]
Obscure Canadian electronics, effects & poetry freak
LP in the Bill Bissett/Intersystems tradition.
SKYWALKER(Long Beach, CA)
"Made In Flight" 1982 (Phax pr-2001)
Hardrock trio with spacy Floydian moves.
SLEEPY HOLLOW ( )
"Sleepy Hollow" 1972 (Family FPS 2708)
The first two songs here are the most uncanny Beatles
soundalikes you'll ever hear. The first is the
perfect blend of "Abbey Road" and "Plastic Ono Band"
and the second mixes pure 1965-style harmonies with
1969-style production. So this album gets big points
for nostalgia value; like Blue Ash, Badfinger,
Zerfas, Anonymous, We All Together, Jade and so on,
it gives comfort to people who wish the Beatles never
broke up. The vocals throughout are pure Lennon, very
similar to Lazy Smoke but a bit more studied. The
rest of the album is hit and miss, with the upbeat
songs better than the ballads. Even the weak songs
have that magical feel to them, though in some ways
this feels like a McCartney solo album: everything
sounds great, but there's something a bit (sorry
about the pun) hollow to it. The long song that
closes the album, unfortunately, is not especially
compelling. If it had been up to the level of the
best songs here, this would have been something truly
special. As it is, "Sleepy Hollow" is definitely
recommended for the three or four winners and, of
course, the dj vu factor. [AM]
[gatefold]
Late 60s hippie folky rock group led by Michael
Wendroff and David Greenberg. Deep thought lyrics and
wistful acoustic jammy playing. Solid latenite
charmer. Not an expensive LP.
SMACK (KS)
"Smack" 1968 (Audio House 14468) [blank back]
"Smack" 1991 (Smack TS 9104) [altered cover; insert; 300p]
Surprisingly enjoyable guitar-psych top 40 cover LP
with tunnelvision galore as these highschool kids
blow through 4 Hendrix and 3 Cream numbers, making
the additional Kinks and Buffalo Springfield tunes
seem downright exotic. Somewhat mysteriously the
guitarplayer achieves some of the best fuzz-tone I
have ever heard, and isn't afraid to use it. The full
band has the right power-trio directness, and are
given an additional hand by an excellent in-yer-face
recording. Vocalists do credible Jimi & Jack Bruce
imitations and as a whole any sarcastic jokes aimed
at this LP come flying back like a cream pie in the
face of the listener. Only moment of stupidity is
some funny incorrect lyrics in "For What It's Worth";
other than that this is the Rolls Royce of "Purple
Haze" copy band LPs. The band met at a summer camp in
Kansas but the four members came from all over the US
and only rehearsed for a few weeks before releasing
this LP on request of the other camp kids, even
though their "acid rock" performance had been aborted
by camp management! [PL]
~~~
see -> Young Prophecies '68
BOB SMITH (CA)
"The Visit" 1970 (Kent 551) [2LPs; poster]
"The Visit" 1996 (CD Virgo 1518)
"Stop For A Visit Down Electric Avenue" 2000 (RD 6,
Switzerland) [3 LP box set; poster; +1 bonus disc]
Very good Bay Area forerunner of the epic 70s psych
sound of Zerfas, Garret Lund, DR Hooker etc. A 2 LP
set and except for one or two unnecessary
"experiments" solid all through. Wellcrafted
psychrock with strong, heartfelt vocals and marvy
sound tapestries of fuzz, flute, mellotron and more.
All psych collectors need this. The original came
with a great poster that's often missing. The retited
Swiss 3LP box-set features an LP of unreleased
material featuring Bob's post-"Visit" band Stop,
1971-72. This bonus material is remarkably good in a
style close to the double LP, and should be checked
out. [PL]
~~~
Its pretty ambitious to debut with a double album,
but Ill give Smith credit as he had enough ideas to
fill four sides. His voice is a little serious/loungy
but he does at least try to sing like a rock guy when
hes not trying to sound like a prophet. If you like
D.R. Hookers singing, youll like Smiths. The music
SPARKS (Canada)
1969
199
199
199
~~~
see full-length review
~~~
see full-length review
SPIKEDRIVERS (Detroit, MI)
"Spirits
"Spirits
"Spirits
"Spirits
"Spirits
&
&
&
&
&
Worm"
Worm"
Worm"
Worm"
Worm"
1969
1995
1995
2000
2000
Well, you can't get much rarer for a major label LP,
although the reason for the rarity and the number of
copies pressed differ depending on who you talk to.
Unfortunately, and despite some excited ramblings
I've read, this doesn't really deserve its legend.
The music is your standard westcoast hippiepop/rock,
pretty fun and enjoyable but by no means superior to
many a $20 LP, with horns on two tracks.Despite what
you might read, this sounds closer to the Fifth
Dimension than Jefferson Airplane to my ears. A 45
was released from the LP, and it appears the LP was
also released in England, despite its utter
obscurity. The band was from Long Island, except the
female vocalist who was from NJ. Prior to the A & M
signing they won a Battle Of The Bands sponsored by a
shoe store which supposedly led to them recording a
local 45, which has not yet been found. The Water
Servant boot cover is a poorly done repro of the back
cover with a different front, while the Sweet Herb
job is an exact repro with some minor crackle. [PL]
SPLIT DECISION( )
"Flight Of The Triad" 1981 (no label SD-1)
Rather quirky hard rocking AOR private press I
believe hails from New Jersey. There are occasional
arena prog moves thrown in, mainly through the
sporadic use of a synethesizer. There's some psych
vibes as well, particularly in the first two songs on
Side 2. The first is a heavy late psych sound with
liberal use of fuzz on the guitar. It flows into the
next track, a spacy guitar dominated instrumental
with a bit of a rural Dead influence. Plenty of
guitar leads permeate the LP, and a lot with effects
(phased, synthesized, etc). Good musicianship
throughout, though there is an endearing bonehead
quality to the lyrics and vocals. Extremely rare; I
know of only three copies, including the two I have.
[MA]
SPOILS OF WAR (IL)
"Spoils of War" 1999 (Shadoks 001, Germany) [+bonus 45]
"Spoils Of War" 2000 (CD Shadoks 001, Germany)
Late 1960s recordings, originally released on two
local EPs at the time, from arty college outfit who
later metamorphosed into prog-folkers Mormos. Really
two bands in one, one being an introspective
garage/folkrock band like the Rising Storm, the other
a quirky electronics psych act in a Lothar & the Hand
People/50 Foot Hose direction. Oscillator and sound
fx become annoying at times but add an interesting
intellectual finish for the most part. Well worth a
release, and combined with the great cover design
makes for one of Shadoks' better offerings. Includes
a bonus 45, even though the playtime of the regular
LP isn't particularly long.Shadoks followed this
with a 2LP set (also titled "Spoils Of War", Shadoks
55) of similar, slightly earlier material in lesser
sound, which is recommended only to hardcore fans of
this first one. [PL]
SPONTANES( )
"Play Solid Soul" 1965 (Hit Attractions 109)
Obscure teen-beat/blue-eyed soul LP in crude cover.
SPOONFED (AR)
"Rock 'n Roll Rowdies" 1983 (Zanbeck ZSP 1001)
Good Southern guitar-rock despite the late release
date.
SPRING FEVER(Canada)
"Woodstock" 1970 (Paragon 302)
Obscure power trio doing blues-rock with all covers
except one instrumental, on the same label as Reign
Ghost and Christmas.
SPUR (IL)
"Spur Of The Moment" 1969 (Cinema 1500)
"Spur Of The Moment" 199 (Cinema, Europe) [bootleg]
Pretty strange LP from rural Illinois band which is
partly novelty-tinged garbage with rock'n'roll
medleys, "funny" spoken bits etc, but also has some
very good folkrock psychers on side 2 - too bad the
STARCHILD (Canada)
"Children Of The Stars" 1978 (Axe 521)
Metallic hardrock like German band the Scorpions.
With Greg Hinz of Helix. The label had several more
releases out.
STARFIRE(CA)
"Starfire" 1974 (Crimson 4476)
"Starfire" 2004 (Void 033)
"Starfire" 2005 (CD Radioactive 137, UK)
Unexceptional local basement hardrock with guitar,
organ and some prog ambitions.
STARFIRES (Orlando, FL)
"Play" 1965 (Ohio Recording Service 34)
Typical mid-60s teenbeat from Florida band who
recorded in Ohio due to a family connection. One
member later went on to garage legends Little Willie
& the Adolescents.
STARLIGHTS ( )
"Triste-Payaso" 196 (Teardrop lpm-2015)
Tex-Mex sound with some garagy r&b ravers. "Mustang
Sally", "Stagger Lee".
STARLINERS (MN)
"Live At Papa Joe's" 1967 (Le Jac 1001)
This little known garage/club LP is above average for
the genre, due to a crazy Gerry Roslie-type screamer
on vocals and some genuinely rocking takes on the
standards; "Bo Diddley" in particular blows away any
UK r'n'b act, while their "Satisfaction" is one of
the best ever (better than the Stones). Six-minute
take on "Caravan" has terrific Gene Krupa-style drum
solo and the band is very tight. Not great all
through, but if they'd let the wildman sing all songs
and lost a couple of soul poopers this would have
been a mindblower for any garage LP fan. Comparable
to the Tony Lane LP on Justice. Seems to be an
authentic live recording, though crowd noise is
faint. "Broken engagement" is a band original, while
"I feel good" is listed as "I got you".The press
size has been reported as only 275 copies, due to a
pressing plant problem. [PL]
STARLITERS (NC)
JOE STEP ( )
"Sacrifice" 1982 (CCS)
Guitar-dominated band somewhere between hardrock and
metal. The cover shows stills from a slasher movie
the band made.
STEPHEN & THE FARM BAND see Farm Band
STEPSON ( )
"Stepson" 1974 (ABC 826)
This band actually descends from Touch and Blue
Mountain Eagle, though this time theyve gone towards
moronic hard rock, including a song about their Rude
Attitude and a hilariously crude power ballad. Its
not exactly hard rock at its most precise or
thoughtful, but it really works for dumb fun. Pretty
great, really. Marred slightly by an unnecessary and
uninteresting Animals cover. [AM]
JERRY & NANCY STEVENS (Austin, TX)
"A Little Resolution" 1976 (Troll tr-12372) [insert]
Gently baked hippie folk delicate peace and love
tunes. Lots of backing instruments and nice vocals,
right look but ultimately borderline crappy in a
sleepytime way. [RM]
LORA LEE & JANA LYN STEWART (Canada)
"Have You Heard The News?" 1972 (Wonderland QCS 1033)
Two wholesome hand-holding teen sisters who somehow
ended up with a trippy psychedelic sound on a good
third of their ultra-homemade LP. The songs to pay
special attention to are "It Seemed So Easy", "Why Do
You Keep Running?", "So Far To Go" and the sevenminute ballad "Fellowship", each of which features a
sparsely-arranged late-60s combination of psychy
organ, piano, electric guitar (including some fuzz),
drums and bass. Not just the arrangements the
melodies themselves have a moody psychedelic nature
with gloomy minor-key downer structures (the organ on
a couple of these reminded me of Azitis). Even some
subtle echo effects on the vocals in a couple spots.
A few other songs like the title track, "Cant You
See?" and a cover of "Day By Day" also manage a
pleasant underground light-rock vibe, albeit without
the psych edge. Everything has a simple stark
hypnotic loner tone overlaid with the gals delicate
soprano/alto harmonies. Unfortunately the rest of the
album consists of traditional piano hymns, but the
good stuff (all of which was written by the girls)
more than makes up for it. [KS]
"Emerges"
"Emerges"
"Emerges"
"Emerges"
1974
199
199
2004
STRANGE (CA)
"Strange" 1979 (Yantis)
Legendary obscurity, the first copy of which was
found in a garbage can. The LP has been described as
a "journey through someone's personal hell" with
bizarre lyrics, sparse piano interrupted by
Baumstaum-like heavy guitar and backwards effects.
The sound quality fluctuates wildly. Has been deemed
"too disturbing to reissue", but we'll see about
that.
THE STREET AND THE SEA (PA)
"The Street And The Sea" 1975 (no label)
Folk/singer songwriter with female vocals on some
tracks.
V.A "STRICTLY CANADIAN" (Canada)
"Strictly Canadian" 1969 (Birchmount bm-523)
Compilation LP with a mixed bag, notable for
including "High Flying Bird" by the Plague, one of
the best versions ever (has been comp'd).
STROKE BAND (GA)
"Green and Yellow" 1978 (Abacus 78-095)
Bruce Joyner led group. Proto new wave basement
realness with moog, fuzz, effects, and "big thought"
lyrics. A funny bad aural disaster. [RM]
STUD (TX)
"Stud" 1975 (Baron 002)
Highly rated hardrock LP on local Rosenberg label.
Only a handful of copies have been found, out of the
300 supposedly pressed.
DANE STURGEON (CA)
"Wild'n Tender" 1967 (Stur-Geon TS 100)
No other album had this particular sound, mid 60s
folk rock instrumental backing with 50s/early 60s
style vocals and lyrics (notably the horror tale
"Ghost of Bardsley Road.") It's a throwback to people
like Roy Orbison and Del Shannon, back when pop stars
could really sing. Like Shannon's mid-60s work, it's
terrific, and is proof that this era of rock and
roller could easily have made the transition to the
"Please
"Please
"Please
"Please
Tell
Tell
Tell
Tell
A
A
A
A
Friend"
Friend"
Friend"
Friend"
1969
1999
2001
2001
SUM PEAR ( )
"Sum Pear" 1971 (Euphoria 1)
Sum Pair 1977 (Guinness 36044)
"Sum Pear" 2004 (CD Radioactive 67, UK)
Eclectic, ambitious Eastcoast bag of tricks delivered
from a UK-influenced post-psych melodic rock and
singer/songwriter angle. Reminiscent of Westfauster
in parts, other tracks are more fuzzed and rocking a
la Whalefeathers. Serious lyrics deal with Vietnam
concerns, drugs and more. Some minor horns. Harmless
and skillful but not terribly interesting. Euphoria
was one of several Jubilee subsidiaries. The Guinness
release is the same album, but credited to 'Sonny &
Doug' and with a new album title and the songs in a
different order. More tax scam fun, and one of the
rarest albums on that label. [PL]
SUNDANCE(Chico, CA)
"Sundance" 1971 (Kapp 3659)
Early 70s hard rock album with a rural feel. Slightly
above average for the genre, but not a stand-out.
Theyre from Chico, which may be California but isnt
the usual stomping ground of rock bands. Chico
Women is a terrific song. Recommended to fans of the
style. [AM]
Peeling
Peeling
Peeling
Peeling
Of"
Of"
Of"
Of"
1971
199
1999
1999
TARBABY(FL)
"February" 1974 (New South nr-4500)
Garagy folkrock with some light fuzz in spots and a
subtle, understated feel such as on the atmospheric
instrumental "New song". Also some boogie tracks, as
you'd expect from the time and place.
JEM TARGAL (MI)
"Luckey Guy" 1977 (S'Heavy) [gatefold; insert]
[SB]
ADAM TAYLOR ( )
"Adam Taylor" 197 (Tiger Lily TL 14024)
Obscure one on this infamous tax-scam label,
impressive 1970s rural folkrock sound with a rootsy,
mature vibe. Longer review will follow.
EMMETT TAYLOR (Kirkwood, MO)
"Emmett Taylor" 197 (Kerygma 101)
Early 1970s Christian folkrock with 60s-sounding
garage and psych moves, including "Men of delusion"
with long fuzz guitar break. Highly rated by some.
The LP is credited to Emmett Taylor with Stephan
Eyre.
T C (Phoenix, AZ)
"Lamanite" 1976 (Desert City 3002)
Native American doing 1970s melodic rock and folk
with mellotron and unusual vocals, also two heavy
rock tracks. Has been hyped but not likely to blow
you away.
T C ATLANTIC (St Paul, MN)
"Live At The Bel-Rae Ballroom" 1967 (Dove 4459)
"T C Atlantic" 1983 (Eva 12014, France) [+bonus tracks]
Charming live recording of legendary Twin Cities band
that had several good non-LP 45s. This is not the
thrilling acid psych of "Faces" but more of a typical
club set from a top local act; bunch of r'n'b/soul
standards plus a couple Brit Invasion tunes and two
band originals. Good vocals, the right organ sound,
excellent recording with plenty of presence, and
solid performances all around -- sort of like what
all those Justice LPs should have been like. Only
weak spot is an endless rave-up on "Love light" that
doesn't really work. File under "party" next to the
Dimensions, the Kasuals and the Raiders' "Here they
come" LP.[PL]
T C B (Ottawa, Canada)
"Open For Business" 1970 (Traffic)
Jazzy horn rock with psych/prog touches and female
vocals.
T C T BAND ( )
"Last Time Around Folks" 197 (no label) [2 LPs]
A live performance by your typical southernhard rock
band from the earlyseventies.Long jams with guitar
and organ, mostly cover songs of the day and not one
but two songs with thepresumed drum solo (one sucks,
the other is tolerable). It's a double album that
comes intwo glued together brown paper bags with red
print. A period piece that works for people in my age
group (mid-forties to early fifties) that remembers
those free outdoorshows at a local parkcomplete
with jug wine, dirt weed and loose hippy chicks on
Quaaludes. [JSB]
TEA COMPANY (MA)
"Come And Have Some Tea" 1968 (Smash srs-67105) [wlp exists]
"Come And Have Some Tea" 2000 (CD, Europe)
Pretty freaky stuff for a major label album. Its got
every bit as much reverb as The Bachs or Index or the
Scorpio Tube. One song is just water sounds. There
are lots of sound effects and spastic guitar parts on
this album, and maybe the most bizarre cover of You
Keep Me Hanging On yet. Not a very good record, but
gets points for pure wildness. The bands name is
very clearly defined in the liner notes. [AM]
~~~
Fronted by Frankie Carr, the album featured a rather
over-indulgent set of self-penned era-psychedelia (be
sure to check out the hysterical "As I Have Seen You
Upon the Wall"). The lone non-original was a Vanilla
Fudge-styled cover of The Supremes' "You Keep Me
Hangin' On". Unfortunately, as lead singer Carr
wasn't any great shakes. Moreover, burdened by dopey
lyrics ("Make Love, Not War") and bland melodies
("Love Could Make the World Go Round"), none of the
eight originals proved particularly memorable. On the
other hand, exemplified by tracks such as the 10
minute plus "Flowers" and "Don't Make Waves (Water
Sound Effects)" the band displayed an awesome
affection for sound effects. Having missed the '60s,
we can only report that "tea" was supposedly a
reference to dope. Contrary to rumor, we can tell you
the plant shown on the cover is not marijuana. [SB]
~~~
see -> Frankie Carr; Spare Change Band
TEAKWOOD (NY)
"Teakwood" 196 (Century 34005)
Bob Tupper and Greg Rita of Hamilton College doing
late 1960s acoustic folk.
TEMPEST (Houston, TX)
"Tempest" 1979 (Earth Records 0378)
"Now And Them" 200 (CD Revola 29, UK) [+bonus tracks]
The first post-Van Morrison Them album takes their
gritty R&B sound a step into the future by adding
fuzz guitar and some Eastern musical themes. A number
of the songs are in a more straight R&B bag, and
while theyre pretty good, this is certainly of more
interest for the punky Witch Doctor and Walking in
The Queens Garden, or the freaky sitar-heavy
Square Room, than for horn-laden soul like Whats
The Matter Baby. Youre Just What I Was is a nice,
if slightly out of character, pop song. Theres a lot
to like here. I could have done without their
uninteresting version of Nobody Loves You When
Youre Down And Out, though. [AM]
"Time Out! Time In" 1968 (Tower t-5116) [mono]
"Time Out! Time In" 1968 (Tower st-5116) [stereo]
"Time Out! Time In" 200 (CD Revola 52, UK) [+bonus tracks]
This time, they get even further out, with more
sitar, more fuzz guitar, less R&B, stranger lyrics.
My favorite line: Buzz, buzz, its a wonderful
feeling/to be upside down now and waltz on the
ceiling. A lot of this is pretty great. The overall
songwriting isnt as strong as on "Now And Them", but
the consistency of style compensates. [AM]
"Them" 1970 (Happy Tiger 1004)
This is usually rated as the weakest of the band's 4
post-Van albums. For a much more enjoyable, in fact
quite outstanding Them-related outfit, check out "Of
Them And Other Tales" by Truth, a retrospective CD
release of westcoast-flavored circa 1969 recordings
from Epilogue records 1995.
Trails"
Trails"
Trails"
Trails"
Trails"
1973
1998
1999
1999
1999
(Sinergia 4059)
(Pele 1, Germany)
(Gates Of Dawn)
(CD Gates Of Dawn)
(CD Sinergia)
THIRD EDITION(LA)
"Take 1" 1973 (Rapture 1236)
Sometimes described as "garage" or "psych", but
actually a lo-fi amateur lounge-rock trio with cheesy
organ, some buzzing fuzz guitar and off-key vocals.
Three Creedence covers tells you where they're coming
from.
THIRD ESTATE (Baton Rouge, LA)
"Years Before
insert]
"Years Before
"Years Before
"Years Before
1970
199
1998
1998
(Vanguard 6554)
(Mr G no #)
(Akarma 033, Italy)
(CD Akarma 033, Italy)
rock. [AM]
TIGHT LITTLE UNIT (TN)
"Sings 'Just Send Her To Me'" 1966 (Orchid 6200)
A (presumed) live recording from Liberty Lanes
bowling alley in Millington, plain cover with
stickers. Cover versions in an r'n'b/soul
direction.The album title is sometimes listed as
"Live at Liberty Lanes".
Oak"
Oak"
Oak"
Oak"
Oak"
1972
1984
199
2002
2004
(Wishbon 721207)
(Wishbon/Resurrection)
(CD Austria)
(CD Psychosound)
(CD Red Lounge)
TOPPER( )
"At Last" 1977 (Scot t-9548)
This one may annoy a lot of people, but I love it.
Its synth-heavy 70s prog with a mild heavy tone,
much more about hooks, melodies and creative use of
Moog than about virtuoso instrumentation. The synths
are inventive and intense, and the instrumental bits
are carefully composed. Theres nothing offhand or
boring about this album. The vocalist falls somewhere
between 60s hard rock and 60s soul, and somehow fits
this mix perfectly. All of these elements could add
up to real dreck, especially on the song with a
strong disco/funk feel, but somehow it works. The
last few songs flirt with heavy metal-style
devilishness, including electronically altered
vocals, but theres a surprising mildness to this
music. The guitars are relatively sparse and
tastefully low-key (no distortion on the rhythm
guitars.) One song rips off Stairway To Heaven,
something Led Zeppelin deserves for all of their own
thievery, and adds mellotron to wonderful dramatic
effect. This really doesnt sound like anything else
I know, and maybe there arent a whole lot of people
out there who will react to it as positively as I do,
but I sure cant stop playing it. [AM]
V.A "TOP TEEN BANDS" (MN)
"Top Teen Bands, vol 1" 1966 (Budjet 311)
"Top Teen Bands, vol 2" 1966 (Budjet 312)
"Top Teen Bands, vol 3" 1966 (Budjet 313)
Quickie series of local Minnesota acts with some neat
frat and garage tracks. Vol 1 has lots of local Minn
legends like the Muleskinners, the Avanties, the
Underbeats, the Kan-Dells and the Deacons. Vol 2 has
some of the same acts, adding the Novas and some girl
group and blues outfits. Vol 3 again features familar
names, with more focus on teen-beat/garage. As
collections of local mid-60s sounds, these aren't bad
at all, especially for those who enjoy the classic
beer-soaked sounds of pre-acid Twin Cities. Most, or
all, of the tracks also came out on 45s.All three
LPs were reissued on vinyl some years back.
TOR-KAYS( )
"Tor-Kays" 1967 (Wild Enterprises WE 1003)
Sleeveless LP of local unknowns doing mostly blueeyed soul covers, indicating an Eastcoast origin.
TORMENTORS (CA)
TOTENTANZ(Canada)
"Totentanz" 1972 (no label)
Obscure LP of minimalist electronic experimental with
a spooky vibe.
TOTTY (Tulsa, OK)
"Totty" 1977 (no label bt-205) [demo press; 50p; plain cover
with sticker; lyric sheet; promo photos]
"Totty" 1977 (Our First 205) [color cover; insert]
"Totty" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)
Christian powertrio hardrock out of Tulsa with some
psych and prog flashes not unlike Truth & Janey.
Incessant guitar riffing and soloing throughout,
superb bass playing, only weak spot are the vocals
which almost drown in the music. A few weaker
barrockers, but 3-4 extended killer blowouts make
this an essential item for local 70s hardrock fans.
The closing 8-minute "Somebody help me" is about as
good as it gets for me. The band also had a lesser LP
"Too" in 1981 (Our First ofr-02). [PL]
~~~
Interesting Xian hard rock album with mild jazzy
touches to it. Its not as in-your-face heavy and
riffy as the best albums in the genre, but the songs
are well-written and it does have its share of hooks.
The lyrics are pretty interesting and sophisticated,
not your usual Christian blandness. The guitar
playing is pretty strong throughout. [AM]
TOUCH (St Louis, MO)
"Street
100p]
"Street
"Street
"Street
"Street
199
199
1997
1997
(Mainline) [bootleg]
(CD Renaissance)
(Gear Fab 105)
(CD Gear Fab 105) [+9 tracks]
Music"
Music"
Music"
Music"
1968
1997
2005
2005
On
On
On
On
On
A
A
A
A
A
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
Clear
Day"
Day"
Day"
Day"
Day"
1968
198
199
199
199
(Vault 122)
(Line 5320, Germany)
(CD Afterglow 016, UK)
(Sundazed)
(CD Sundazed 11063) [+8 bonus
"Somewhere
"Somewhere
label]
"Somewhere
"Somewhere
Milkwood"
Milkwood"
Milkwood"
Milkwood"
1970
1993
200
200
UNFOLDING (NY)
UNIVERSAL IGNORANTS(PA)
"Transitions" 1968 (WFB Productions) [split LP]
Split prep school LP with the Hilltones glee club
unfortunately taking up 2/3rds of the space. The
psychy Universal Ignorants were actually members of
the Hilltones. They do 4 songs and a short
instrumental, total time about 12 minutes. The sound
is westcoast psychedelia. I hear a very heavy
Quicksilver influence. I definitely felt the
guitarist was trying to emulate Cipollina's staccato
style. The Hilltones had a later LP "Rebirth" that is
strictly a glee club sound. [MA]
V.A "UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA STAGE BAND" (Las Vegas, NV)
"Stage Band Festival" 1967 (no label)
Very obscure Battle Of The Bands souvenir LP, of note
for a track called "LSD '67" which has been described
as a strange, chaotic instrumental aiming to simulate
an acid trip.
UPSIDE DAWNE(Lawrence, KS)
"Upside Dawne" 1967 (Audio House 12367) [no sleeve]
Surprisingly strong LP of local teen-club/top 40 band
that stands head & shoulders above the pack, with a
dynamite professional sound, strong vocals, fat
roller rink organ and a local Hendrix epigon on
guitar. Opens intensely with "7 & 7 is", after which
a good "Heatwave" segues into an absolutely ripping
cover of "Gloria" that's simply one of the best takes
ever (and of course there's zillions). Rest of the LP
is typical 50/50 late 1967 bag of Memphis/Motown on
the one hand and emerging westcoast underground on
the other, plus one good band original. "Somebody to
love" sports a 70-second raga solo you won't believe
and there's also a charming "Light my fire". Last few
tracks lose a bit of energy but I would still rate
this as one of the best in the style, and an
excellent remedy for those bored with lukewarm
Justice label & MA prep-rock artefacts. The Kansas
kids must have loved this band -- better than
Grandma's Rockers to my ears. The album may have been
a demo press only. There was also a rare EP which
highlighted the showband/soul side of the band.
Terrific lead guitarist Jim Stringer and ace drummer
Steve Hall left to form Tide (album on Mouth in 1971)
in 1968. [PL]
URSULA CREEK ( )
"Ursula Creek" 1976 (Richard Luft Music)
Mid-70s hardrock, rated as above average by most.
US ( )
"It's Just Us" 1979 (no label)
Guitar-driven rural stoner rock.
UTOPIA(CA)
"Utopia" 1971 (Kent kst-566) [gatefold]
Bluesy heavy rock with Led Zeppelin influence and
roots moves on things like "I just want to make love
to you" and "Hound dog". Dual guitar line-up with
harmonica, on the same label as Bob Smith and
apparently recorded around the same time. This album
was re-released on a major label (Discreet) under the
band's new name Growl, a name that fits the singing
style quite well. [AM]
ROBERT VALENTE ( )
"No Hype" 197 (no label)
Obscure loner/downer folk LP, rated highly by some.
VALHALLA ( )
"Valhalla" 1969 (United Artists 6730) [gatefold]
"Valhalla" 199 (CD Free 2006)
Pretentious hard rock with a lot of
by the Doors and Iron Butterfly and
not as good as) the album by Julius
kind of thing that can hit the spot
exact right mood, but to be honest,
average. Pompous sleeve of a viking
the right bonehead vibe. [AM]
BRUCE VANDERPOOL( )
organ. Influenced
similar to (but
Victor. Its the
if youre in the
its pretty
ship on fire for
VICTORIA (NJ)
"Kings, Queens And Jokers" 1971 (Dirty Martha 61471) [no
sleeve]
"Kings, Queens And Jokers" 1971 (no label) [different mix;
plain cover with stamped title; photos; press clipping; 100p]
"Victoria" 1996 (Little Indians 7, Germany) [400#d]
"Victoria" 1998 (CD Little Indians, Germany) [+7 tracks]
Reissued alongside Jungle in similarly great
packaging and is to me less disappointing musically.
An organ-based conceptual song cycle with mostly
female vocals and a Khazad Doom/school-play vibe, has
lots of good guitar but is too cheesy and uneven to
live up to the hysterical hype, at least in my ears.
Some horns, nice amateur vocals, and a confused mix
of westcoast, eastcoast and teen drama. The
outstanding closing track sounds like Strawberry
Alarmclock's "World's on fire" with female vocals.
Worth hearing, and despite reservations a must for
fans of female psychrock bands. [PL]
~~~
Band leader Greg Ruban found himself three capable
young ladies to back him on his homemade musical
fantasy. Greg himself is a pretty unusual guy... a
professional volleyball player who at 6'6" was still
playing into his 50's. Warning: Honky Hornaphobics
Beware... this LP does make use of the dreaded horn
section on 2-3 cuts and not necessarily always in a
good way. Side 1 starts off with "Peace" a nice
garagey ballad with echoey female vocals, spooky
organ and those dang horns which will be hard to
overcome for the average horn hater. "Cumberland" is
even more low key with those cool echoey female vox
and a Wendy & Bonnie feel but more amateurish. Cut #3
is fantastic... "Gevaro" starts off like a Santana
style jammer but actually gets a little Middle East
vibe going... killer fuzz guitar and the dreaded
horns but they're buried on this track and a very
bizarre drum solo (I like the "style" of this female
drummer). This is for the most part, an instrumental.
"Ride A Rainbow" starts off like a lost Hendrix cut
but quickly gets into a female vocal track about
Wizards & Dragons & Incense & Stuff. Nice guitar
break and bass line. I have to admit that I can't
think of another female psych band that are as tight
as this one (no pun intended all you perverts) and
Greg Ruban's guitar really cuts through the smoke
with a classic psych sound. "Never Knew The Blues"
slows the pace again with a great organ sound and
cool low key wah-wah pedal guitar... this is probably
my favorite cut on the LP and is what I always hoped
the Jade Stone & Luv LP sounded like. Last cut on
side 1 is a throwaway... a lame attempt at AM Top 40
drivel with horns from hell. Side Two is a totally
different trip. Two long cuts starting with the 12
minute+ "Village Of Etaf". Imagine an East Coast
version of CA Quintet's "Trip Thru Hell" done by
three chicks influenced by Joan Baez and a second
rate Herb Alpert & The Marijuana Brass. The only
redeeming thing about this track is the effects used
in the last 4 minutes that do indeed remind me of a
"Trip Thru Hell". The final cut is probably the
highlight for most owners of this LP. "Core Of The
Apple" is an upbeat, fuzz guitar 8 minute killer with
that same Middle East feel that we caught a glimpse
"Meet Your
[200p]
"Meet Your
"Meet Your
"Meet Your
WABASH RESURRECTION ( )
"Get it Off! 1975 (Pepperhead 76294) [1000p] [2]
Get it Off! 2005 (CD Radioactive 068, UK)
Apparently they sound like Led Zeppelin, but I just
cant hear that. Its probably been repeated once
someone had written it, and it became "true. At
their best Wabash Resurrection sound like a garage
Lynyrd Skynyrd after a heavy night with Crazy Horse.
The best tracks are definitive shit-kicking-ruralmullet-toting pick-up-truck-drivin rawk. Naturally
they look the part on the cover. Launches with
Pigsty Blues which seems to be about keeping yer
sheeet good and your feet flat on the ground,
essential for ones health and well being dont you
know. The second track, A Soldiers Lament is
perhaps the best, and could be straight off the Rayne
LP, thudding drumming and really groovy Crazy Horse
style guitar with perfectly subdued, downer vocals.
On the amazing In Heat they really nail it on the
head with the lines: I dig those Rhythm and
Blues/Dont try to tell me bout no astral
projections/I got horse shit on my shoes". You can
just picture the lead singer in his cowboy hat
peering skeptically at the hippie chick as she
warbles on about the Age of Aquarius. Very worthwhile
reissue, and even if youre not a fan of the genre
itll make you laugh. [RI]
TOM WACHUNAS(OH)
"Spare Changes" 1975 (Owl 63701) [1]
The back cover says that this album is a graduation
project. I assume that means college graduation, as
he looks too old to be a high school student. In any
case, this is a mix of guitar-and-voice folk and more
elaborately arranged rock songs. A few of the songs
are quite good, and the long closer has a terrific
guitar solo. Both sides drag a bit in the middle but
start and end well. He has a quirky enough
personality to appeal to loner folk fans, though this
is well-played enough not to be a real people
album. Final verdict: not a great album, but an
interesting one with a few memorable songs. Same
label as Raven, about 1000 copies pressed. [AM]
ALLEN WACHS (WA)
"Mountain Roads & City Streets" 1979 (True Vine) [1]
Country-rock/folkrock with lots of string
"White Boy & the Average Rat Band" 198 (Tradewind) [3]
This is stretching the limits of the Archives here -it's an 80s album and sounds much closer to the kind
of post-punk hard rock that got college airplay in
the late 80s than it does like anything else reviewed
on this website. That said, it's speedy not-quitemetal hard rock with a pulverizing distortion sound
(to call it "fuzz guitar" is to understate it by a
mile). One song is acoustic, but mostly this is just
an in-your-face blitzkrieg, and it's really great.
[AM]
WHITE HARVEST (OH)
"White Harvest" 1976 (Rite 36528) [insert] [3]
Almost passed this one up at a flea market when I saw
it contained the hymn "When The Roll Is Called Up
Yonder". With no band pics on the cover it could just
as easily have been some old-time gospel thing.
Fortunately I risked my two bucks anyway, unaware of
the way cool hard rock gem that lurked within. With
female vocals, organ/synth backing and an overall
exultant tone, White Harvest is similar in some
respects to Servant or The Sheep, yet with a rougher
quality. Not quite Earthen Vessel but darn close on
slow boogie jammers like "I Cant Understand" and
"Let Him In", both of which display a fair amount of
distortion and fuzz soloing. Other songs have more
the direction of west-coast rock, sometimes managing
a light psych edge. One ballad - other than that the
electric angle is present throughout (no folk or
acoustic stuff in here). All original material save
their heavy rendering of the aforementioned hymn
(which Im sure ruffled a few feathers in their
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio community). Very attractive
sleeve art of a 16th century black-on-white woodcut
print. [KS]
WHITE LIGHT(Los Angeles, CA)
"White Light" 1970 (Century 39955) [2-3] [1st version]
"White Light" 1971 (Century 40136) [2-3] [2nd version]
"White Light" 198 (Vanita)
"White Light / Mississippi" 2000 (CD Two Of Us 001, Germany)
[two-on-1]
Crude local barrock/hardrock that reminds me somewhat
of Butterfingers, which is not a good thing. Reissued
many years ago and thus a fairly wellknown title
(apparently many people incorrectly thought they were
related to the "William" 45 band), although it
strikes me as rather marginal. Primitive recording
with lots of fuzz, heavy Hendrixy riffs and growling
vocals. Mainly cover versions including some odd
choices such as Velvet Underground and the Fugs,
along with soul, blues, crooner moves and even
"Heartbreak Hotel". As a testament from a local scene
this has its moments but if the main priority is good
music, I would look elsewhere. Two different versions
of this LP exist, the first with 11 songs including
"Heartbreak hotel", the second with 9 tracks,
"White
"White
"White
"White
Summer"
Summer"
Summer"
Summer"
1976
199
199
2004
WHITEWOOD ( )
"Whitewood" 197 (Exotic EXS-1-91172) [plain white sleeve]
"Whitewood" 1999 (Rockadelic 36) [600p; +1 track] [4]
One of the more obscure Rockadelics is a crude,
unpolished gem that deserves time to manifest itself.
A reissue of one of those "we'll put music to your
lyrics" song-poem artefacts, but this one breathes
with an eerie dementia unlike the usual laugh riots;
imagine a suicidal Boa or Ant Trip Ceremony with some
fire up their ass. Title track is an instant classic,
and 2/3rds is local late 60s garage psych the way you
want it. The instrumental fillers include a roomclearing polka-rock fusion that could have been left
off, though it does add to the spooky desolate Viet
Vet vibe, as does the new front cover design. The
bonus track comes from an inferior second LP from
this same unsuccesful songwriter. [PL]
DAN WHITLEY (Los Angeles, CA)
"In Search Of Justus" 1969 (no label) [1]
Pop/orch psych with mostly originals, a sitar cover
of "Nature Boy" and some fuzz. Most of the originals
are songwriting collaborations with one Bobby
Morphis. Housed in a crude cover design, possibly a
demo LP only.
WIDSITH(NJ)
"Maker Of Song" 1972 (Aleithia) [lyric insert] [1]
Rural rock with some westcoast psych wandering. Great
songs and vocals with mainstream appeal. Like if the
Band had Van Morrison on vocals. "Singer in the
market place" is a cool ripoff of the Moody Blues'
"Nights in white satin"! [RM]
~~~
WINDFLOWER(Alaska)
"Windflower" 1974 (no label 2827) [insert] [1]
This is somewhere between genuine acid folk and
cringeworthy up-with-people commune folk. Over the
full album the sweet, passionless, vocal style (some
female) really starts to grate. A song or two at a
time, though, this can be pretty appealing, and there
are a few haunting tunes here. Not really
recommended, but if you can get past the singing
style you will probably like it. The group was
connected to the Baha'i church and included Eskimo
members. [AM]
WINDFLOWER (PA)
"Dreams" 1976 (McKee 36442) [500p] [1-2]
"Dreams" 199 (Ton Um Ton, Austria) [new sleeve; 300p]
Listenable but not more typical local mid-70s rock LP
with some moog, AOR guitar and moody vocals. A couple
of enjoyable songs but a far cry from the "heavy
guitar monster" this has been described as. The loud,
dishonest hype on this bland album caused a
substantial backlash in which it came to signify the
general overheated bullshit nature of the mid-late
1990s rare record scene, when it was first
"discovered". The reissue has a new cover design as
the original was just a title sleeve. Not to be
confused with the Alaska band of the same name. [PL]
Original"
Original"
Original"
Original"
1971
199
1999
2000
From
From
From
From
From
Kansas"
Kansas"
Kansas"
Kansas"
Kansas"
1970
199
1993
2003
2003
XEBEC ( )
"Calm Before The Storm" 1981 (Desire)
Oklahoma label. Southern hardrock with excellent dual
and slide guitar work, housed in an atypical cover
drawing of a schooner at sea.
XENOGENESIS (Miami Beach, FL)
"#1 - I Am That I Am" 1973 (no label) [gatefold]
Philosophical psych spoken word realness, sampling,
sound effects. One of the freakiest in this style.
The artist name is sometimes listed as
Sexxenogenesis.
XIT(NM)
"Entrance" 1974 (Canyon 7114)
"Entrance" 2005 (Sound Of America 145)
Retrospective release of 1967-68 recordings by wellknown Native American band Lincoln St Exit, who had a
couple of albums out in their later incarnation as
Xit. This is good early melodic psych in a Love "Da
Capo"/Strawberry Alarmclock direction, rated highly
by many. Highpoints include "Orange benevolence" and
their 45 psych classic "Sunny Sunday dream"
Contemporary releases in the 1970s include "Plight Of
The Red Man" and "Relocation".
--see -> Lincoln St Exit
XXX ( )
"Live - The First Legal Bootleg" 1973 (no label 73-101)
Mix of rural and heavy drug rock, primitive and
trashy. Later became the Elmer City Rambling Dogs.
1973
198
1999
2006
(Higher Key
(Swordfish,
(CD Captain
(Swordfish,
~~~
This album starts with lots of Yod, and with a 50
minute length, it appears that it could become an
endurance test, but he mellows out quickly and most
of this is instrumental. Its not as good as
"Penetration", but it certainly has its moments. At
one point, some wacked out guitar backs Yod making
buzzing noises, which is really intense, even when
the buzzing morphs into some out of key screaming.
The second song, in particular, has an almost
mainstream heavy sound to it, kind of a 70s update of
the best work of Quicksilver Messenger Service. It
may be their best song of all, and its an easy one
to play for newcomers because it doesnt have a
moment of Yod on it! [AM]
"To The Principles, For The Children" 1974 (Higher Key 19393)
[500p]
"To The Principles, For The Children" 1994 (Higher Key, UK)
[bootleg]
"To The Principles, For The Children" 1999 (CD Captain Trips,
Japan) [CD box-set]
Last Yahowha outing with Father Yod in charge, not
absolute top level for me but still essential for
purveyors of the scene. Yod spells it all out for you
on three long cuts with crude acidrock mixed with
some quiter moments, and even the Ya Ho Wa family
children get to pay tribute to Father on the closing
track. Another great sleeve with Yod in full
millionaire gear heading for his Rolls on the front
and dressed up as Santa Claus on the flip. The family
believed that the only thing that attracts people in
LA is money, which explains the show-offy nature of
these mid-period releases. [PL]
~~~
This one begins with a spoken word Yod bit that
cracks up his disciples, and goes on to have not only
lots of Yod singing but also a whole bunch more of
the pounding drums that were "Penetration"s one main
fault. Musically a bit mellower than past albums, and
while the guitar work is still pretty cool, theres
not much of an edge here. The cutting, menacing
guitar tone is here replaced by a phase shifter. Best
lyrical moment: Yod singing about how you should
never abuse a woman. Best musical moment: a gaggle of
kids singing oh ya ho wa we love you. But basically
this one is much more irritating than entertaining.
[AM]
"Savage Sons Of Yahowa" 1974 (Higher Key 010) [500p; inner
sleeve]
"Savage Sons Of Yahowa" 198 (Higher Key 010) [legit 2nd
press?]
"Savage Sons Of Yahowa" 1999 (CD Captain Trips, Japan) [CD
box-set]
The most "commercial" or "normal" of their LPs though
these terms are used in a strictly relative manner.
Yod isn't here at all, instead we get vaguely Neil
Young-influenced ramblings on 70s "aware" topics like
environmental concerns and Red Indians. This has less
freaky jams and is more song-oriented than their
others with some really good tracks, plus the broken
lament "I thought I was Jesus" over and over lets you
know hanging out with Father Yod wasn't all fun and
Sunrise"
Sunrise"
Sunrise"
Sunrise"
1975
1982
199
1999
Dollar"
Dollar"
Dollar"
Dollar"
Dollar"
1969
1969
2000
2002
2002
YESTERDAY's CHILDREN(CT)
"Yesterday's Children" 1969 (Map City 3012)
"Yesterday's Children" 2001 (Akarma 179, Italy)
"Yesterday's Children" 2001 (CD Akarma 179, Italy)
This is a good one for fans of really hairy, greasy
hard rockers. The guitars are grungy as hell and the
production style is appealingly loud. Two of the
highlights are covers, Wilkinsons Tricycles What Of
I and a short version of Spooky Tooths Evil
Woman, but the originals are strong too. A good one.
Highly recommended to fans of the first two Blue
Cheer albums. The band had a good 45 in their earlier
"garage" phase. An original Italian pressing of the
LP exists. [AM]
YETTI-MEN (Minneapolis, MN)
JOHN YLVISAKER(MN)
"Cool Livin'" 1967 (Avant Garde av-107)
One of the first LPs by this celebrated Christian
crooner, whose rich tenor voice makes for a
remarkable experience when delivering well-written
Lutheran messages over Grassroots type folkrock. This
finds him in a more rocking context than "A Love
Song", with excellent garage/psych tracks such as "Do
You Know What I Have Done" plus lots of penetrating
wisdom. Might be too far out for some, though
everyone I know thinks it great. He was sort of
ridiculed in one of the Re/Search books but I don't
regard him as a joke at all -- in my ears his LPs are
more clever and enjoyable than the average "real"
psych LP. There is a sampler reissue on the Mystic
label (circa 1997) with about this LP and "A Love
Song", which is pretty well selected. [PL]
~~~
ZAHARAS(Hickory, NC)
"Livin' Ain't Easy" 1977 (Vegas 9739)
This hard rock album dates to the mid-70s but sounds
more modern, almost 80s. On the first few songs, two
of which are slower and more deliberate than your
typical hard rock/southern rock fare, the songwriting
and guitar playing are surprisingly subtle for this
style of music. The hooks aren't exactly original,
but they're effective. When they veer towards more
common boogie stylings, though, they're less
interesting, and the quality of songs disspates
pretty quickly after the first three. Most of the
lyrics are love song drivel, unfortunately. For an
album that starts so well, the end result is kind of
disappointing. [AM]
"Blackbird" 1978 (Vegas) [plain cover]
The seldom seen second LP is purportedly similar but
with more personal and interesting lyrics, and
according to a band member deals with death and
occult themes on several songs.
V.A "ZEBRA SELECTION" (IL)
"Zerfas"
"Zerfas"
"Zerfas"
"Zerfas"
"Zerfas"
1973
1994
199
2004
2004
One of the top local jobs in the 1970s epic psychrock bag with an awesome westcoasty panorama
soundscape, strong vocals and brilliant late-Beatle
style songwriting. The first side is as good as the
A-side on Marcus and the vaguely progressive moves on
the flip talented and focused as well, with a peak in
the tremendous "Piper" closing track. The album sides
open with what are arguably the two weakest tracks,
which may turn some listeners off, but patience will
pay off most gloriously. A Midwest masterpiece with
wide appeal, firmly on my personal 70s top ten. I
recommend the first, legal reissue from tapes for the
best trip on this outstanding "Abbey Road" out of
Indy. Unfortunately 125 copies of this reissue were
defective so only 375 went into circulation. The
Radioactive reissues have a poor mastering job and
are not recommended.[PL]
~~~
Stunning psych album can only be described as what
might have happened if the Beatles had pushed the
psychedelic experiments of Revolver into late
60s/early 70s territory and re-discovered their youth
at the same time. An album that is so chock full of
ideas, great songwriting, and clever production
tricks that I discover something new on every single
listen. This is an example of ambitious kids setting
out to make the world's greatest record, and pretty
much succeeding. Among the many things to love about
this album is the lead guitar sound, the most perfect
I've ever heard. An album that pretty much blows away
everyone, and that rare proof that with enough time
and attention a private press can match any major
label recording. [AM]
~~~
ZIPPYR BAND ( )
"Early Sunday Mornin'" 1977 (Castle TZB 10177)
Midwest Allman Bros-style guitar rock with heavy
moves.
ZODIACS( )
"Breaking Out" 1965 (Space 12-1965) [no cover]
Seldom seen sleeveless teen-beat LP with guitars &
piano.
ZOLDAR & CLARK( )
"Zoldar & Clark" 1977 (Dellwood 56013)
I'm not a fanatical progressive collector so it's
kind of a surprise that this rather obscure album has
managed to worm its way into my heart.Propelled by a
sea of synthesizers, musically the set's firmly
entrenched in the progressive camp (check out the
extended instrumental "Luner Progressions"), though
tracks such as "Touch the Sky" and "The Ghost of Way"
are surprisingly accessible. The group certainly had
a knack for crafting catchy hooks and whoever handled
the lead vocals had a nice and quite commercial
voice. In fact with a little bit of editing, several
songs would have given bands like Ambrosia, Kansas,
Styx and even Yes a run for their FM radio play.
Sure, it wasn't the year's most original offering,
but give me these guys over Starcastle any day! Man,
side two of this album seems to go by in a flash.
[SB]
~~~
The second of the two Jasper Wrath albums secretly
released by Guinness/Dellwood is the better and more
experimental of the two. It has a similar prog/AOR
sound with a very obvious Yes influence (including a
few blatant thefts). It has more synth, more
mellotron, and more special effects than the Arden
House album, and unlike Arden House, all seven songs
here sound like they were recorded in the same
sessions. The album may not appeal to fans of the
Jasper Wrath album, or to psych fans, but as 70s US
progressive rock goes, this is one of the best albums
out there. Highlights include the truly awesome
Ghost of Way, an epic with killer mellotron and an
amazing host of instruments and structural surprises.
Its the kind of creative experimentation that I
Chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate
Moose"
Moose"
Moose"
Moose"
1968
198
1993
2002
(Sunburst 7500)
(no label)
(CD Big Beat wik-123, UK)
(CD Radioactive 010, UK)
The Attic
JOHN HOWARD ABDNOR INVOLVEMENT (Fort Worth, TX)
"Intro To Change" 1969 (Abnak ABST-2072) [ylp exists]
Without trying to sound snooty about it, John Howard Abdnor probably owes his
brief musical career to the auspices and generosity of his father. John Howard
Abdnor Sr. was a well to do Fort Worth-based business who had made a killing in
the insurance business. By the early 1960s Abdnor Sr. had turned his attention to
music, where as the founder and owner of AbnakRecords, he enjoyed quite a bit
of local success with acts such as soulster Bobby Patterson (who attended
college with Abdnor Sr.'s son) and The Five Americans. Like a good dad, Abdnor
Sr. also financed son John Howard Abdnor's own musical aspirations, which
included a myriad of mid-1960s releases credited to a slew of alias including Jon
and Robin (Robin being his wife), Jon Abnor, Jon and the In Crowd, Jon Howard,
H. Rabon and The John Howard Abdnor Involvement. Much to my surprise,
1969's self-produced LP is a fairly interesting affair. Backed by what are
apparently sessions players and friends, Abdnor had a decent voice that
combined with the album's sporadic horn arrangements, occasionally recalled
Blood, Sweat and Tears David Clayton Thomas. If you doubt the comparison,
check out the opening song 'How Do You Teach a Turtle To Fly' or 'Maintain'.
Musically the set was all over the spectrum, including stabs at R&B ('I'll Come
Running To You'), singer/songwriter ('J.D.') and country-rock ('Sandy, I'm Your
Man'). Easily the weirdest (and longest) track was the psych-influenced
'Relaxation'. Love the bizarre nuclear explosion ending. Barely clocking in over
20 minutes, in length the album sported a likeable low tech sound and feel.
Abnak also released a single off of the album - 'I'll Come Running To You' b/w
'Sandy I'm Your Man' (Abnak AB-147). [SB]
with their debut 45 'Goodbye-Farewell'. Their 1973 follow-up 'Gypsy' went top-10,
leading G.A.S. to finance an LP. Unfortunately, by the time the group started
recording the album, musical tensions had begun to flare. G.A.S. executes
demanded the band continue to work in a commercial pop vein, while the band
members were interested in a harder-rock sound. Guess which side won the
fight? Produced by Paul Gross (who contributed a couple of tracks to the LP),
1973's "Time" offered up a mix of the earlier singles and new studio material.
Boasting three lead singers in Bartley, Bertucci and Contterbill, the entire set was
enjoyable, with tracks such as 'Children's Song' and 'How To Be A Lady'
showcasing the group's knack for writing and performing commercial pop.
Imagine a Canadian version of Pilot, or The Raspberries and you'll get a feel for
most of the album. The group also enjoyed a third Canadian hit with the bouncy
'Thank You'. It's interesting that the two best songs are also the least
commercial. Both 'Woman 'O Woman' and the group-penned 'Workin' for the
Man' are thumping rockers, albeit with harmony vocals that make radio stations
so happy.Following the album's release the band underwent an ongoing series of
personnel changes that saw Bertucci, Cotterili and McPherson all quit. With
replacements the band struggled on for three more years, during which time they
shortened their name to 'The Children''. They also released one final non-LP
single - 1974's 'Goddess of Nature' on Rampage. The group finally called it quits
in 1976. Bartley, Dinardo and O'Shea subsequently formed Bang. Bertucci
continued to record under the name 'Jimi B'. The band has reformed and
continues to tour to this day, along with a retrospective double CD titled "30".
[SB]
ALBERT ( )
"The Albert" 197 (Perception 4) [gatefold] [1]
"The Albert" 197 (Perception 9)
-- different LP from above
Jazzy proggy funky rock with horns, conga. These LPs have appeal to both odd
hippie jam fans and funky jazz collectors.
The second LP (perhaps both?) recorded at Electric Ladyland Studios. [RM]
ALEXANDER RABBIT ( )
"Hunchback of Notre Dame" 1969 (Mercury 61291) [wlp also exists]
Ostensibly a band, but the album cover appears to be four very different photos
of the same guy. This guy had a vision, and this psych-prog mix is appealing on
many levels. Lots of ideas here (some stolen), good mix of experimental, poppy,
folky, and heavy sounds. The Otis Redding cover is way out of place, but the
other styles mesh surprisingly well. Occasional mystical lyrics hint at some sort of
concept that the album doesnt explore in depth. [AM]
~~~
Recorded in New York's Associated Recording Studios, the LP was co-produced
by Irving Spice and Max Ellen, the eccentric Jerry Samuels (aka Napoleon XIV)
engineering. In spite of the goofy title, the collection of original material (a rote
cover of Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long" being the one
exception), was diverse and surprisingly engaging. While the extended title track
bogged down in Procol Harum-meets-Tolken art-rock mysticism is not a pretty
combination, elsewhere the band displayed considerable versatility, capably
polishing off nifty rockers (the scorching "Goin' Down"), Association-styled
ballads ("My Woman") and decent pop-rock ("Faraway Man"). While it wasn't the
year's most consistent release, the fact it was so diverse was part of its charm.
Well worth looking for and you can still find the LP at a decent price... [SB]
AMERICAN REVOLUTION ( )
"American Revolution" 1967 (Flick Disc fls-45002)
Signed by the MGM-affiliated Flick Disc label, the quartet's 1968 debut "The
American Revolution" found the quartet working with four separate producers
(Harley Hatcher, the team of Mike Lloyd and Mike Curb, and Larry Brown).
Musically the collection was all over the spectrum, including haphazard stabs at
Rascals-styled blue-eyed soul ("Come On and Get It"), Beatles-styled
psychedelia (the hysterically inept "In the Late Afternoon" and "Opus #1") and
Buckinghams-styled horns ("Love Has Got Me Down). Unfortunately, while all
four principles sang, none could really hold a tune (be sure to check-out their
attempt at close-knit harmonies on "Crying Eyes and an Empty Heart").
Combined with the fact they couldn't write worth a damn and their choices of
outside material sucked, and you were left with an album that was largely
unlistenable. Give them an extra star for the hopelessly dated album cover. Of
course today the project's earnestness is hysterical. Richard Barcelona turned up
in one of the later (post GNP Crescendo) line-ups of the Seeds. [SB]
~~~
see -> Edge
ANTHEM ( )
"Anthem" 1970 (BuddaH BDS 5071)
Signed by Buddah this trio's self-titled 1970 album teamed them with producer
Stan Vincent. Musically "Anthem" offered up a fairly entertaining mix of
commercial pop (the title track) and slightly more experimental numbers (the
extended "Misty Morns"). While it wasn't one of the year's most original offerings,
all three members -- guitarist Bartholomew guess he didn't have a last name),
bassist Gregg Hollister and drummer Bobby Howe -- were gifted with decent
voices and on tracks such as "Florida" and "Queen" they displayed a knack for
crafting some pretty harmonies. Not sure who it was, but one of the three had a
voice that sounded uncannily like The Monkees' Michael Nesmith ("Anthem" and
"New Day"). Needless to say, the album sold roughly ten copies, instantly ending
up in cutout bins. [SB]
track worth hearing. Besides, when's the last time you heard such a glowing
review? A minor chart success, the album peaked at # 167. [SB]
"Aorta 2" 1970 (Happy Tiger ht-1010)
-- a Canadian pressing exists
The second album also saw the band undergoing a major change in musical
direction. All but abandoning their earlier psych leanings, track such as "Willie
Jean", "Little Bonnie" and "Sandcastles" offered up a mix of lighter pop and
country-rock sounds. Curiously, several of the compositions including "Beg For
His Forgiveness", "His Faith In Man" and "Devil, Maggot & Son" featured rather
blatant Christian-oriented lyrics. Taken on their own those efforts weren't half
bad, full of of nice harmony vocals and engaging melodies, but when compared
to the debut the results just didn't come close. This time around it was the
atypical numbers that provided the highlights. The furious rocker "Beg for His
Forgiveness" probably came the closest to recapturing the debut's meltdown
sound, while "Pickin' Blues" was an okay boogie/blues number. [SB]
ARCHITECT ( )
"Architect" 1978 (private) [2-3]
Obscure 1970s progressive rock.
"Cosmic Bean" 1970 (SSS International 21) [promos also exist] [1]
Here's one that almost makes it. It's got a perfectly nice folk-rock/pop feel, lovely
arrangements with lots of well-placed organ and jangly 12- string guitars, and a
fabulous psychedelic album cover. The vocals are a little weak, though, and
rarely improved with harmonies. And while the songs are all pretty good, they
lack that extra step that would take them toward greatness. A little more creativity
might have helped: a wild guitar solo, unexpected tempo change, vocal
histrionics, anything other than the albums's one attempt at a rave-up, the
unfunny "Daddy's Got The Clap." So, while Arnold Bean show plenty of promise,
this album is missing spark and intrigue. Just when you're ready to give up on it,
though, the last three songs, "I've Got The Key," "Captain Marvel," and "Nature
Boy," are the three best, so you put the album away thinking maybe it was pretty
great. COSMIC BEAN is destined to disappoint those who get their hopes up and
to be a pleasant surprise for those who don't. [AM]
ATOMES (Canada)
"Va T'En Maintenant" 1967 (Capitol 70016, Canada)
French-Canadian garage pop. [RM]
extended jams, (the shortest song clocking in at 4 minutes). With Ceballos writing
the majority of the material, in spite of period excesses (e.g. aimless soloing),
originals such as "Mississippi Mud" and "Chilli Woman" weren't half bad.
Moreover, Ceballos proved a decent singer, injecting considerable energy into
his performances. Among the few missteps, the band's ponderous cover of John
Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road" would've been suitable for Vanilla Fudge.
Commercially the set proved a non-entity; quickly vanishing into cutout bins. [SB]
"Resurrection" 1970 (Fillmore F-30002)
One of the first acts signed to Bill Graham's Fillmore label, 1969's "Resurrection"
teamed the band with producer David Rubinson. As one might have guessed
from the album title (let alone the back cover which showed three crosses), their
sophomore effort found the band pursuing a pseudo-religious agenda. In spite of
occasionally clunky lyrics and an irritating degree of echo, Ceballos-penned
material such as "God Is Back In Town," the ballad "Only I Know" and " Today
and Tomorrow" wasn't half bad. Boasting a nifty Ceballos guitar solo, the stately
title track was our nomination for standout track. Elsewhere, the driving "Bye Bye
Baby" and "Little Brown Hen" recalled Quicksilver Messenger Service. Certainly
not likely to get top-40 airplay, but San Francisco certainly turned out worse
sounding bands. Commercially the set did nothing; the trio calling it quits shortly
thereafter. [SB]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------BABY (TX)
"Baby" 1974 (Lone Starr 8670)
Described as average southern rock, sometimes hyped.
BAG ( )
"Real" 1968 (Decca dl-75057) [white label promo] [1]
"Real" 1968 (Decca dl-75057)
We've always wondered about this quartet (keyboardist Joe Di Marzo, singer
Danny Mahony, guitarist Jay Saving and drummer Al Esposito). A number of
reviewers have categorized the band's sound as psychedelic, but to us they
sound like Young Rascal clones. Released by Decca, 1968's "Real" teamed the
quartet with producer Jim Curtiss. Showcasing a mixture of originals (Di Marzo,
Mahony and Savino all contributing material) and two covers, the collection
BAMBOO ( )
"Bamboo" 1969 (Elektra EKS-74048)
Music is a tough business and if you want to make a living in it, you have to be
willing to adapt to the public's ever-changing taste. That said, Bamboo stands as
one of the more dramatic changes I'm aware. Singer/guitarist Dave Ray had
previously been a member of the folk and blues outfit Koerner, Ray and Glover.
In the wake of that trio's collapse he built a recording studio in Minnesota and
(judging by the album cover photo), decided to become a hippy. He also decided
to get back into recording via a collaboration with singer/guitarist Will Donicht.
While the cover of 1969's "Bamboo" only shows Ray and Donicht, this was
apparently a full scale band with bassist Daniel Lee Hall contributing several
songs to the collection. Produced by Allan Emig, the album finds Ray and
company opting for a much more rock oriented sound that his earlier catalog.
Tracks such as 'Girl Of The Seasons' (which sounds like something David
Crosby might have written and recorded), 'Treehouse' and the rocker 'Blak Beri
Cheri Blooz' offer up a competent, if pedestrian mix of rock, country-rock, lite jazz
and even psych touches. There's nothing really wrong here, but by the same
token, there's nothing really right. I was going to give it three stars, but decided to
dock it one for Donicht and Ray's horribly dated wardrobes. [SB]
BANTAMS ( )
"Beware" 1966 (Warner Brothers w-1625) [mono]
"Beware" 1966 (Warner Brothers w-1625) [stereo]
Preteen kiddie garage covers. Fun basement raveups. [RM]
lead guitarist, and Tom Weiner, the keyboardist. What remained was the two
'folkies', so the album is strongly bent toward progressive folk."
BEAR (NY)
"Greetings Children of Paradise" 1968 (Verve Forecast)
Produced by Appletree Theatre's John Boylan, Bear featured the talents of
keyboardist Eric Kaz, singer Steve Soles and guitarist Artie Traum (backed on
their album by Autosalvage bassist Skip Boone and drummer Darius Davenport).
In spite of the cheesy cover and title (thank Mr. John's Palace of Fashion for the
cover photo), 1968's "Greetings Children of Paradise" was actually pretty good.
With all three prime members writing (Soles penning most of his material with
brother Michael), the ten tracks were varied, including competent stabs at
country-rock ("The Hungry Dogs of New Mexico"), fairly conventional pop ("Don't
You Ever Want To Think About Them?"), rock, psych and even jazz ("What
Difference?"). Soles had a nice voice (occasionally recalling Squeeze's Chris
Difford - we're not kidding, check out "It's Getting Very Cold Outside"). (Actually,
on reflection, the set's quirky charms actually compare nicely with Squeeze.)
Sure, it won't change your life, but it's an album we keep in the occasional play
pile. A commercial non-entity, the band quickly called it quits, with Kaz
reappearing in a series of bands, including The Blues Magoos, American Flyer,
Mud Acres (with Traum) and with a solo career (see separate entries). All three
members also became in-demand sessions players. [SB]
Continuing their partnership with producer Norman Petty the album was again
recorded at Petty's Clovis, New Mexico studios. Musically the collection wasn't
too different from the debut. Anyone familiar with Lighthouse or Sugarloaf styled
horn rock will be pretty comfortable with most of the material. Slightly more varied
than the debut, the flute propelled "Communication" and "Don't You Think It's
Time?" reflected a quasi-jazzy feel, while the harmony rich "Inlook" sounded like
an Association-styled slice of pop and "Move Mountain (You Got It)" found the
band taking a stab at conventional hard rock. The overall effect was professional,
if a little short on originality and inspiration ... Packaged in one of the year's uglier
covers (credit to Charles E. Murphy), the set vanished without a trace, followed in
short order by the band. Following the band's break up Ferris and Yeazel joined
Sugarloaf, while Pasarelli hooked up with Joe Walsh in Barnstorm, followed by
an extended career as an in-demand sessions player (see separate entry). [SB]
BELSHANNY MEN ( )
"Take It All In" 196 (Orco)
Folkrock mix of acoustic and electric. [RM]
VINCENT BELL ( )
"Pop Goes the Electric Sitar" 1968 (Decca 74938)
-- an Australian pressing on Festival exists
Exploito sitar rock covers from noted session musician. He plays a Coral Electric
Sitar which produces fuzztone; the design was named after him. [RM]
BERETMUSIC (CT)
BERMUDA JAM ( )
"The Bermuda Jam" 1969 (DynoVoice DY 31907)
If you go by the liner notes, this late-'60s quartet was a multi-national affair, the
four members coming from Australia (James O'Connor), England (Paul
Muggleton), Portugal (Glen Mello) and the States (Andy Newmark). In spite of
the accents, one got the feeling this was little more than a goofball studio project,
probably masterminded by Bob Crewe, whose DynoVoice label released their
sole LP. Produced by Andy Denno, 1969's "The Bermuda Jam" was one weird
affair. Complete with sound effects and spoken word snippets, musically the set
found the quartet all over the spectrum. "Hold Me" and "Who Put the Sun In Your
Eyes (Who Put the Fly In Your Soup)" offered up harmony rich top-40 pop; "Up
Down, Turn Around" found the band turning in a decent blue-eyed soul effort,
while "Forever Young" had a C&W feel. Nothing here was terribly wrong, nor with
the exception of the meltdown "Good Trip Lollipop" was there anything
particularly right. Back to "Lollipop" - complete with meltdown keyboards, LSD
drenched vocals (the hysterical laughter and nursery rhyme fragments were a
sweet touch) and crunching guitar, it was easily the most psych-oriented effort
and the standout track, it's too bad the rest of the LP wasn't as memorable. As
you'd expect, the set vanished without a trace, followed in short order by the
band. (Nice pajamas guys ...). Within a couple of years Newmark reappeared as
a member of Sly and the Family Stone. [SB]
KAREN BETH ( )
"The Joys Of Life" 1968 (Decca DL 75148)
First album by new age singer-songwriter who is still active today is unlike
anything shed do again. The opener, with an annoying horn arrangement, is an
obvious attempt at a hit, but the rest of the album is grade-A downer folk. Her
odd voice is an acquired taste, but suits the material, some of which has the
loose feel of Tim Buckleys experimental phase or Van Morrisons ASTRAL
WEEKS. The longest songs are the best on the album; the title track and
Nothing Lasts are both up there with the best in the genre by anyone. This
album has subtle, dark, unexpected power. Possibly from New York state. [AM]
BISCUIT DAVIS ( )
"Playing on the Moon" 1973 (Amsterdam/Flying Dutchman am-12014)
Bob Thiele Jr.'s band. Rural hippie rock Deadish sound. Bob's dad ran the
Impulse and Flying Dutchman labels. [RM]
There are three vocalists, two men and a woman. All of them are reasonably
distinctive, and the woman sounds pretty eerie when she sings backup. All of the
elements are there for this to be a cool band. With maybe two exceptions,
though, the songwriting is uninteresting. In the end, this is one of those albums
that seems like its going to be really great but just isnt. [AM]
"Vol. 2" 1978 (Vetco lp-703)
Heavy rock. [RM]
BIZ (Canada)
"A Matter Of Time" 1981 (Bent WRC1-1749) [gatefold]
Melodic hardrock/AOR with guitar and keyboard.
ANNA BLACK ( )
"Meet Anna Black" 196 (Epic) [wlp also exists]
Femme folk psych. [RM]
BLACKWOOD APOLOGY ( )
"House of Leather" 1969 (Fontana)
Odd rock concept album about the Civil War. Pretty good considering. [RM]
BLADES OF GRASS ( )
"Are Not For Smoking" 1968 (Jubilee jgs-8007)
Airy pop lite folk psych. [RM]
DAVID BLUE ( )
"David Blue" 1966 (Elektra EKL-4003)
"David Blue" 2002 (CD Collector's Choice)
Produced by Arthur Gorson, 1966's "David Blue" is fascinating, if only for the fact
it shows someone laboring with an overwhelming Dylan fixation (geez even
Blue's haircut looks like mid-'60s Dylan). There's no doubt Blue was a talented
performer. Unfortunately, those talents included being blessed (or cursed) with a
gruff voice and a half-sung/half spoken delivery that bore more than a passing
comparison to Dylan. As a writer Blue wasn't bad, but in the shadow of Dylan's
best work, originals such as "So Easy She Goes By" and "Midnight Through
Morning" simply couldn't compete. On the other hand, his debut is better than
99.9% of material released by Dylan-wannabes. So what makes it so good? Give
Blue credit for hiring a first rate backing band (including bassist Harvey Brooks,
guitarist Monte Dunn and keyboardist Paul Harris - all had previously played with
Dylan), and having the smarts to rock out. Up tempo numbers such as "The
Gasman Won't Buy Your Love", "If Your Monkey Can't Get It", The Byrds-doDylan-styled "It Ain't the Rain That Sweeps the Highway Clean" and "It Tastes
Like Candy" are great and literally save the album from the typical annoying
angst of Dylan-inspired singer/songwriters. Anyone into Dylan circa "Blonde On
Blonde" or "Highway 61" will be impressed (and have to wonder if these aren't
simply Dylan outtakes). [SB]
BLUEBEARD (CA)
"Bad Dream" 1979 (Parliament 3661)
Dual-lead hardrock with colorful fantasy death cover. [RM]
BLUE BEATS ( )
BORBETOMAGUS (NY)
"Borbetomagus" 1980 (Agaric)
By the mid 1980s Brennan was already in his mid 50s when he decided that his
calling was to become a rock star. Gathering up a collection of similarly selfdelusional musical misfits, as J.D. Brennan and Gold Fever, they began playing
the local Boston club circuit. 1984's self-produced "Pot of Gold" (the LP was
reportedly recorded in Brennan's basement), is an odd collection of mostly 1950s
covers, rounded out by four period sounding originals and a cover of Bruce
Springsteen's 'Pink Cadillac'. Rather than try to describe the album, here's what
the back cover liner notes say: "...'Pot of Gold' is a collection of some of our
favorites tunes that we have played and liked over the years. Early artists like
Elvis Presley, Jimmy Reed, [...] and Rochelle and the Candles influenced our
style as well as that of perhaps Bruce Springsteen, whose "Pink Cadillac" has a
definite fifties ring to it. We hope to flash to the past and our own tunes, "Ninety
Pound Weakling", "See Me Tonight" and "Gold Fever Rock" will let you know
without a doubt: "Chantilly Lace" is here to stay." Gawd only knows how the
collaboration came to pass, but Grammy winning guitarist Luther Johnson
provides a nifty solo on 'Be Bop a Lula'. Having listened to this set a dozen times,
I can't decide whether Brennan's simply goofin' around (especially on tracks such
as 'Is It So Strange' and 'It's Only Make Believe' when he kicked into his pseudoElvis vocal mode), or if he was deadly serious ... Definitely different and should
appeal to real people aficionados even if it's a little outside of the typical
timeframe! [SB]
"Stratosphere" 1987 (Scyne VPAG-LP-4196) [200p]
"The Unknown Soldiers of Vietnam" 198 (Scyne) [200p]
"Thru The Years" 198 (Scyne) [200p]
"Guitar Slinger" 1990 (Scyne VPAG-LP-5283) [200p]
Amazing 50 year old "real people" rocker who manage to sneak in a powerful
psychedelic edge to his echoed rockabilly twist that only adds to the overall
haunted lysergic feel. Mr. Brennan plays a mean guitar and sings and is backed
by a full band called Goldfever. This is real emotional, the guy really puts himself
on the line and sings and plays as if every note would be his last. The LPs were
done in pressings of 200 copies only. [SK]
BRETHREN (NY)
"Brethren" 1970 (TFS-0013)
1970's "Brethren" teamed the band with producer Jay Senter. With three of the
four members contributing material (Cosgrove was the mainstay composer), the
album featured a mix of what a friend has labeled "white boy blues" ("Hitchin' To
Memphis" and "Everybody In the Congregation") and country-rock numbers (a
nice cover of James Taylor's "Don't Talk To Me Now" and "Mississippi
Freighter"). Cosgrove had a nice raspy voice, well suited to the up tempo
material. He was also a capable guitarist (check out his sterling performance on
the funky "Outside Love" and the meltdown instrumental "Success Brand of Oil").
While much of the set recalled something out of the early-'70s Bobby Whitlock, or
Delaney and Bonnie catalogs, nothing here was particularly original or
commercial. To our ears, the Gospel-influenced rocker "I've Been Provided For"
provided the album's highlight. The album's also interesting for it's bizarre mix of
guests - The Blossoms (providing backing vocals), Dr. John and Poco's Rusty
Young. [SB]
--This debut has attracted some attention as the track "Outside Love" has been
heavily sampled in recent years. The band had a 2nd LP, "Moment Of Truth".
JEANNIE BRITTAN ( )
"Gentle Explosion" 1969 (Decca dl-75054) [also exists as mono wlp]
Described as orchestrated AM pop.
(Criteria)
BOB BROWN ( )
"The Wall I Built Myself" 1970 (Stormy Forest sfs-6007) [promos exist]
BROWNSTONE (TX)
"Brownstone" 1973 (Playboy)
Heavy blues rock with acid leads and fine vocals from Barbara Lopez. [RM]
--Barbara Lopez has a powerful voice but doesnt know how to do much with it,
and thats the best that can be said about this album. Its essentially hard rock,
with Barbara belting it out for all shes worth, but it comes off as awfully wimpy
anyway, and there isnt a memorable tune here. The FM-friendly sound doesnt
help any. Weak. [AM]
Woman" has a certain top-40 charm and they would have made a great bar
cover band. [SB]
JOE BYRD [& THE FIELD HIPPIES] (Tucson, AZ / Los Angeles, CA)
"The American Metaphysical Circus" 1969 (Columbia Masterworks ms-7317) [1]
"The American Metaphysical Circus" 1996 (One Way 26792)
"The American Metaphysical Circus" 199 (Columbia) [bootleg]
"A Christmas Yet to Come" 1975 (Takoma c-1046)
"Yankee Transcendoodle" 1976 (Takoma c-1051)
Experimental acid psych, electronics pastiche with female vocals on the debut;
one of the few "rock" LPs released on Columbia's classical/art music imprint. The
Takoma LPs are less acidic but still into proggy, experimental stacked synth
explorations. [RM]
~~~
This is harder to find that the United States of America album, and while it's got a
bunch of interesting experimentation on it, it's mostly disappointing. Dorothy
Moskowitz' vocals are sorely missed, and the songwriting is pretty bland. The
lyrics are reasonably evocative, but the tunes just aren't memorable. The addition
of guitar to the mix actually works against the electronics, making this sound a lot
more ordinary than United States of America. [AM]
~~~
see -> United States of America
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------CALDERA ( )
"Moog Mass" 1970 (Kama Sutra ksbs-2020)
The appeal of this one is obvious and it is somewhat hard to find. Their later LPs
had some commercial success and are not nearly as interesting from an
underground perspective. [RM]
--This is avant/synth, more than underground pop/rock.
CARGOE ( )
"Cargoe" 1972 (Ardent ads-2802) [laminated cover]
Heres another power pop treasure on the same label as Big Star and the Hot
Dogs. Cargoe feels much more Southern and laid back than either of those
groups, but have much more melodic vocals than most rural rock bands. The
arrangements are creative and thoughtful, including some mild psychedelic
touches and some tasty backwards guitar. Overall, it feels like they were
reaching for greatness and only falling a rung or two short. The laminated album
cover is annoying and usually peels the second you touch it. [AM]
CATCH (CA)
"Catch" 1969 (Dot DLP-25956)
Here's another unknown late 1960s outfit... Apparently a California-based quintet,
their self-titled 1969 album doesn't even provide performance credits. Produced
by J.R. Shankin, "Catch" has it's moments. With the 11 tracks credited to M.
Collings and R. White, most of the set sports a modest country-rock feel. In this
case that's meant as a compliment since tracks such as 'Amber' and 'Come Near
Me' emphasize the genres' best characteristics - tight harmonies and some
catchy melodies. 'Storm' and 'The Dandelion and the Butterfly' offer up more
orchestrated pop, but are just as good. Unlike anything else on the album, 'Crash
and Burn' is a take no-prisoners slice of fuzz guitar rock. It's easily the stand out
track. Also worth hearing is the moody eight minute 'Nine Roses'. Too bad they
didn't have more of these in their catalog. Two 45s were also released from the
album. [SB]
CHARITY ( )
"Now" 1969 (Uni 73061) [gatefold]
Mix of rock, psych, and even funky moves.
CHIMPS ( )
"Monkee Business" 1967 (Wyncote SW 9199) [1]
"Monkeys A-Go-Go" 1967 (Wyncote SW 9203) [1]
Exploito Monkees covers and pop fuzz originals. One track from the 2nd LP was
reissued on the "Lyte Psych" compilation on Arf Arf, which lists the band as being
from PA.
RON CHRISLOCK ( )
"Ode to A Warrior" 1977 (Silent Thunder c-1007)
Moody folk rock singer-songwriter. Acoustic and electric guitars, piano, drums,
cello, congas. [RM]
C K STRONG ( )
"C.K. Strong" 1969 (Epic bn-26473)
Lynn Careys first group, pre-Carrie Nations. Pretty standard blues rock, which at
first seems better than it is because her vocals are so hot. Three songs sung by
one of the guys fall into the what were they thinking category. Includes some
entertaining lyrics and a mildly ambitious suite about John The Baptist. Neil
Merryweather haters should pick up this album because its Lynns only one
without him. [AM]
~~~
see -> Mama Lion; Ivar Avenue Reunion
singles feature the original band, the White Whale material is just Randy Shaw
singing over L.A. session musicians.
CLOCKWORK ( )
"Clockwork" 1973 (Greene Bottle) [gatefold]
Clockwork is an album that will undoubtedly remain obscure and rise and rise in
value when more people hear what is in these grooves. The band, probably from
the American westcoast, number 7 members, but there is no horn rock or soft
commercial trite pop here. This album may be the record that is the last rural
heavy psych into rural melodic intense rock/prog crossover to come out before
the 60s were more than just a memory. The sound is killer throughout, with lots
of heavy wah-wah/fuzz guitar blasts, strong melodramatic harmonies and a lead
voice that are very similar to Wizards From Kansas, and 3 clever rearrangements
of cover tunes including a storming heavy psych version of "Hazy Shade Of
Winter." The few tracks that head off into a mellow acid CSNY vibe are done
tastefully and when the harpsichord comes to the fore reminiscent of The
Mandrake Memorial. With every track at least really good and a bit over half of
this totally killer this album lives up to the amazing creepy die cut sleeve. I
recently saw this for 125 on an online list, I also saw it gone when I wanted to
check about it again, so this will be one that climbs up fast ala the also excellent
and slightly similar LP by Fresh Air. For progressive fans who also want hooks
and melody, and for psych heads who want a late flash of the westcoast vibe this
is essential. -- Ben Blake Mitchner
BILL COMEAU ( )
"Gentle Revolution" 1969 (Avant Garde avs-122) [gatefold]
"Fragments From an Unknown Gospel" 1970 (Avant Garde avs-123) [gatefold]
Christian flowery dreamy folk pop on "Gentle Revolution" including Beatles,
Byrds, and Joni Mitchell covers. On "Fragments From an Unknown Gospel" Bill
recites his poetry with odd piano backing by Carmel Signa. One of those
Christians that is kind of 'out there' with hippie crossover appeal. [RM]
COMFORTABLE CHAIR ( )
"Comfortable Chair" 1969 (Ode z12-44005)
What little attention 1969's "The Comfortable Chair" has gotten seems to stem
from the fact The Doors' Jim Morrison discovered them, while John Densmore
and Robbie Kreiger served as producers for their sole 1969 album. That's
unfortunate since this set is actually quite impressive in its own right. Featuring
all-original songs (virtually every band member contributing to he writing chores),
the album bounces all over the musical spectrum. Lead singers Bernie Schwartz
and Barbara Wallace are both quite good, navigating through the different genres
without any trouble. Highlights include the opening rocker 'Ain't No Good No
More', the sweet ballad 'I'll See You' and ''Let Me Through. Exemplified by 'Some
Soon, Some Day' and 'Stars In Heaven' much of the set features a lazy, dreamy
aura that's quite captivating. Had it been a little more original and the band
churned out a couple more rock numbers, and the album could have been a
classic. As is, the album makes for a fascinating game of 'spot theinfluence'. My
ears hear bits of David LaFlamme and It's a Beautiful Day (luckily without the
violins) and even The Jefferson Airplane ('Be Me'). Ode also tapped the album
for a pair of instantly obscure singles. [SB]
COPPERHEAD (CA)
"Copperhead" 1973 (Columbia KC-32250)
Wow! I guess I wasn't expecting all that much from Quicksilver Messenger
Service's lead guitarist John Cipollina. I was wrong... By the late 1960s Cipollina
had grown increasingly dissatisfied with his role in Quicksilver Messenger
Service (QMS). Friction with Dino Valenti and a desire to stretch out beyond the
constraints imposed within the band (specifically a lucrative sideline playing
sessions) saw Cippolina finally strike out on his own in 1970. Copperhead started
out as a fairly unstructured enterprise; essentially Cipollina and friends jamming
on the local club circuit but by 1972 the line-up consisted of Cipollina, ex-Stained
Glass bassist Jim McPherson, former Freedom Highway guitarist Gary Philippet
and drummer David Weber. Word of mouth support led Michael Lang to sign the
group to his newly formed Just Sunshine Records. The band actually began
recording material for an album tentatively entitled "Sealed For Your Protection".
Unfortunately, the label's lack of financial resources doomed the project and by
late 1972 they'd been picked up by Clive Davis and Columbia Records (for what
was then a reportedly staggering five year, $1.5 million contract). Released in
1973 (with the line up expanded to include bassist Hutch Hutchinson), the selfproduced "Copperhead" offered up an excellent set of west coast rock. With
material such as 'Roller Derby Star' and 'They're Making a Monster' spotlighting
Cipollina's instantly recognizable sinewy fret work, the set was quite a bit more
focused and commercial than QMS's latter stage releases. With Cipollina,
McPherson and Philippet responsible for the majority of the album, the collection
had a fairly varied sound, including straightforward rockers ('Pawnshop Man'),
country-rock (the wonderful 'A Little Hand') and even a touch of Steely-Danesque jazz-rock ('Kamikaze'). Elsewhere, Columbia tapped 'Roller Derby Star'
b/w 'Roller Derby Star' as a single (Columbia 4-45810). Unfortunately, the band
lost their prime mentor when Davis was unexpectedly fired from Columbia. The
group had already recorded a follow-on set, but Columbia executives promptly
shelved it, dropping the band from the company's recording roster. The band
subsequently called it quits. [SB]
CORNBREAD ( )
"Cornbread" 196 (Mega 31-003) [wlp exists]
Heavy guitar bluesy rural rock. [RM]
CORPORATE BODY ( )
"Prospectus '69" 1969 (MGM SE-4624)
Well, one look at the cover on this obscurity is all you need to figure out that
these guys weren't a mob of drug dependent draft dodgers... Featuring a line up
consisting of keyboardist Bob Jacobs, singer Peter James, drummer Rob
Mathebey, bassist Rick Riccobono and guitarist Walt Meskell, the band debuted
with the 1968 single 'Soul Owner's Song' b/w 'Nickels and Dimes' (Music Factory
MU-416). While the single did nothing commercially, it attracted the attention of
MGM Records, which subsequently signed them to a contract. Produced by Mike
Post, 1969's "Prospectus '69" isn't a half bad set of blue-eyed soul and
commercial pop. Largely written by guitarist Meskell and propelled by James'
likeable raspy voice, material such as 'Sunshine Grove', 'World Full of Changes'
and the fuzz guitar drenched 'Wait and See' is quite catchy. Elsewhere, the
album includes the earlier 45 'A" side 'Soul Owner's Song'. Written by Meskell the
song features some nifty acoustic slide guitar (also courtesy of Meskell) and is
probably the album's standout song. The LP's also notable for some exquisite
harmony vocals. Their performances on tracks like 'Every Thursday Evening' and
'What You Need' are simply great. MGM also tapped 'Annabelle' b/w 'Wait and
See' as a single. Had the band been able to avoid Post's occasionally suffocating
production touches and lost a couple of the more pedestrian and MOR songs
(the previously mentioned 'Annabelle') and this could have been a real treasure.
As it is, to my ears it's better than most of the material recorded by such
contemporaries as mid-career Association, The Marshmallow Way, or Orange
Coloured Skies. Can't say I know much about their follow-on efforts other than
Meskell went on to enjoy some mid-1970s success as a producer and
songwriter, placing material with the likes of The DeFranco Family, C.W. McCall,
and The Outlaws. Riccobono spent almost twenty years working for BMI
including a stint as a vice president for the organization, and now works for an
outfit called Supertracks. [SB]
sharp, machine guy bursts, even at this early stage of his career, material such
as "Beautiful Woman" and the pretty "Elementary Guitar Solo #5" displays a
jazzy-orientation, but it's never overwhelming and never without attractive
rhythms and melodies. The album also sports a couple of Coryell vocal
performances. As a singer he won't shake your world, but on selections such as
"No One Really Knows" he's much better than most reference works would have
you believe. Besides, backed by an impressive catalog of jazz buddies, including
Bernard Purdie and Chuck Rainey, this is easily the most rock-oriented effort in
his catalog. Certainly not a typical Coryell offering and not meant to tell anyone to
go out and buy his whole catalog, but an interesting, early career side trip. [SB]
"At The Village Gate" 1971 (Vanguard VSD 6573)
I am a long-time fan of Larry Coryell and have a good solid crate of LPs by him or
LPs with his involvement. While the bulk of that catalog falls outside the interest
of this site, there are some early recordings from the 1968-71 period that fans of
Jimi Hendrix and Robin Trower psychedelic guitar excess will find of enormous
pleasure. The other two reviewed here are quite good from that perspective, but
if there's only one you're going to pick from the dollar box (which is where you'll
find most of these, other than the Free Spirits there aren't any real Coryell
"rarities") I want to strongly recommend you make it this one. Recorded January
21 and 22, 1971, four months after Jimi Hendrix's death, this New York club date
recorded live before an enthusiastic audience is more a psychedelic rock power
trio outing than anything else. The rhythm section of Harry Wikinson on drums
and Mervin Bronson on bass are totally reminiscent of Mitch Mitchell and Billy
Cox-era Experience. Side one is just about a perfect non-stop display of this
across the three tracks, Coryell's "The Opening" (6:10), "After Later" (5:45) and
Chick Corea's "Entardecendo En Saudade." Coryell's guitar, warmly distorted
and with regular forays into wah-wah territory, drives the proceedings really well
and at no point do you find yourself thinking, "Hey! Wait a minute... this is jazz!".
Side two begins with Coryell at the mike, "Now we'd like to do a tune by the
Scottish composer, Jack Bruce." "Can You Follow?" starts with Harry Wilkinson
playing solo and channeling Ginger Baker for about 40 seconds before the bass
and guitar enter. This is Coryell at his "jazziest" on this LP, but that translates to
lightening quick single note lines always anchored by the rock solid rhythm
section. As Coryell adds distortion and a wah-wah pedal the track sounds like
what the live disc of "Wheels of Fire" might have sounded like if it had been
recorded at a club gig. Larry backs off a bit and the track becomes introspective
for a moment again, but these shifts in dynamics work in its favor and help hold
your attention throughout the 9:20 length. The LP closes with "Beyond These
Chilling Winds" composed and sung here by Larry and his wife (and sometimes
writing partner), Julie Coryell. The lyrics have a nice cosmic bent to them and the
vocals are fine, but the bulk of the 7:50 length is spent in a pretty furious work out
in power trio mode. Fans of "heavy psych" guitar rejoice. This is the real deal.
[SD]
DEBBY CRISS ( )
"Plant Bones" 1980 (Shadrack Studios lp-1280) [1?]
Bisexual hippie femme deep amateur folk get back to nature sound with several
excellent, moody introspective tunes. [RM]
CRUSADERS (CA)
"Make A Joyful Noise With Drums And Guitars" 1966 (Tower t-5048) [mono]
"Make A Joyful Noise With Drums And Guitars" 1966 (Tower st-5048) [stereo]
Southern California Christian beat, twang and punky riffs. Underrated funfest, this
is Love Exchange sans the female vocalist. [RM]
CYMARRON ( )
"Rings" 1971 (Entrance 30962)
Rural psych rock. [RM]
CYNARA ( )
"Cynara" 1970 (Capitol st-547) [green label]
Santana sound heavy percussion, keys, soulful rock. Ex-Listening. [RM]
Damnation reached their peak on this second album, one of the great hard rock
albums of all time. The bands performance and the songwriting match the
quality of Blessings vocals, and the production is 100% suited to their strengths.
The guitar hooks, the cymbals and the vocals all shimmer and shine. Side one is
aces all the way, closing with the masterpiece Back To The River, a song with
perfect hooks, a perfect guitar solo, and, of course, perfect vocals. Side two isnt
quite up to the same level, ending with two long songs that are only OK, one
merely a guitar workout and one merely a bluesy vocal workout. But for what
came before, this is on par with anything you can name in the hard psych field.
[AM]
"Which is the Justice, Which is the Thief" 1971 (United Artists 5533)
"Which is the Justice, Which is the Thief" 2000 (Akarma, Italy)
Perpetually in name confusion, they shortened their moniker to Damnation for
this third album, which finds them experimenting with ambitious songwriting,
strings and a less heavy sound. Some of it is excellent, but overall it doesnt
really work, muting the obvious strength of their sound and Blessings vocals.
Had it not followed such a masterpiece this album would seem pretty good. As it
is, it feels like a disappointment. [AM]
"Glory" 1973 (Avalanche AV-LA148-F) [released as by GLORY]
Akarma reissued this album as a Damnation album, but by this time they had
changed their name completely to Glory, and the original LP obviously tries to
present them as a new band. The material, however, isnt new at all. Its trite,
lyrically dumbed down, and without a spark of any kind. Even Blessing (here
using his real name, Bill Constable) lacks energy. Despite the return to hard
rock instrumentation, this album sounds soft in all of the wrong ways. Hot
Momma is probably the nadir. Its hard to tell if this was an attempt at
commercial acceptabilty because its a failure even on that level. [AM]
BARBARA DANE ( )
"FTA! Songs Of The GI Resistance" 1970 (Paredon p-1003)
Noted leftwing folk blues singer. This LP was recorded at military bases with
active duty GI's protesting the military effort in Vietnam. Dane had several LPs, of
which this one is the rarest.
DAUGHTERS OF ALBION ( )
"Daughters Of Albion" 1969 (Fontana 67586) [3 inserts]
Possibly a lost pop masterpiece, and at the very least an irresistable twig on the
McCartney/"Pet Sounds"/Move tree, with 12 songs as clever, elaborate and wellwritten as any of the big guys. Like all classic pop its nature is essentially
timeless, and the abundance of psychedelic studio tricks are there as a signpost
of the times, not the album's raison d'etre. If you imagine an LP that takes the
snappy 45 picks from the Millennium and Sagittarius albums and grow those into
a full-blown LP, skipping the sleepy interludes and fillers, and then charges the
music with unusual and occasionally razorsharp lyrics, this could be it. Excellent
female vocalist keeps the songs from collapsing under the influx of ideas, and the
arrangements manage to both make sense and surprise. Vaudeville, easy
listening, Spector girlsounds, the Beatles, Brian Wilson, JFK conspiracy theories,
Mamas & Papas, parodies of Dylan & Lennon -- it's all in there, tightly wrapped
and neatly packed. A splendid time is guaranteed for all. [PL]
~~~
see full-length review
DEADLY NIGHTSHADE ( )
"Deadly Nightshade" 1975 (Phantom blp 1-0955) [gatefold]
Femme trio rural folkrock with nice vocals. Produced by Felix Cavaliere.
DEEP SIX ( )
"Deep Six" 1966 (Liberty lrp-3475) [mono]
"Deep Six" 1966 (Liberty lst-7475) [stereo]
"Deep Six" 2003 (CD Rev-Ola, UK) [+bonus tracks]
Melodic rock covers with female vocal. Nice version of "Paint it Black". [RM]
~~~
see -> Dunn & McCashen
CLAUDE DENJEAN ( )
"Moog" 1970 (Phase-4)
Cheesy moog rock with some psychy electric guitar parts. [RM]
DEVILED HAM ( )
"I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night" 1968 (Super K 6003)
Exploito-feeling psych/garage album. Side one is full of unnecessary cover
versions, while all of side two is devoted to a medley of the title tune, the theme
from Rosemarys Baby, and Poe's "The Raven." This bizarre suite is pretty fun
stuff, and is as far a departure from the Super K labels spirit of bubblegum as is
the Queens Nectarine Machines album. A full sides worth of it eventually gets
pretty dull, but before it does its a kick. [AM]
CHERYL DILCHER ( )
"Butterfly" 1973 (A & M A&M FLY-003) [unipak; die-cut cover]
With two tremendous late 60s style femme-psychrock tracks this is Dilcher's most
interesting LP, and while the rest of the album goes in an eclectic
singer/songwriter direction the entire LP is enjoyable with excellent lyrics and a
cool attitude. Packaging is apex for 70s fans too. Dilcher made several LPs that
fall outside the scope of the Archives although it should be noted that her debut
"Special Songs" from 1971 marks the first known appearance of Bette Midler!
[PL]
~~~
This is by far Dilcher's best album, and due to the inclusion of the two hot funkrock songs "All Woman" and "High" on the "Hippie Goddesses" compilation, the
one that has received the most attention. Those two songs are musically unlike
the rest of the album, but still fit as part of a cohesive thematic whole. The overall
musical style retains a few remnants of her folk rock debut SPECIAL SONGS,
but is more electric and melodic. At times it would almost resemble bubblegum if
not for Dilcher's tough, gravely voice. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though,
because this is a wholly well-written and extremely catchy record, one that grew
on me and stayed in regular playing rotation for a long time in my home. The
blend of styles (pop and singer/songwriter) probably puzzled listeners who took
themselves too seriously, which is the only logical explanation for the album's
commercial failure. It's hard to imagine fans of, say, Janis Ian's BETWEEN THE
LINES, loosening up and enjoying a song like "Chocolate Candy," even though a
close look at the lyrics reveals intelligence and depth beyond Ian's more
calculated album. Besides, Ian hadn't written a hook like that in "Good Morning
World" since she was 15. Finally, the harder rocking appeal of "All Woman" and
"High" give this album an edge that other singer/songwriters sorely lacked. In a
way, the closest comparison is early Melanie, as she also combines a gravely
voice with a sweet demeanor, and her first few albums occasionally rocked out
("Uptown And Down," "Lovin Baby Girl,") Dilcher is a little bit wilder and more
dangerous, though, as BUTTERFLY came after the flower child dream has been
destroyed, not while it was still within reach. BUTTERFLY is one of the finest
singer-songwriter albums of all, an explosion of talent where least expected.
TOD DOCKSTADER ( )
"Organized Sound" 1966 (Owl 6) [1]
"Eight Electronic Pieces" 196 (Folkways fm-3434) [1]
Owl is a Boulder, Colorado label. Experimental electronic tape montages. The
Owl LP was recorded in 1964. [RM]
DOG OF NAZARETH ( )
"It's Not the Heat... It's the Humidity" 1975 (Unigon) [insert]
Nostalgic 1930s pop moves and a few weird garagy tracks.
DOGWOOD (CA)
"After The Flood, Before The Fire" 1975 (private)
Described as folkrock with religious moves. Not a rare LP. The band had a
second LP in 1977.
BRENDAN DOYLE ( )
"Musical Mystical Bear" 1978 (Alba House) [insert]
According to the liner notes, "a moving blend of jazz, folk-rock, Mozart and
meaningful lyrics".
DREAMS AND ILLUSIONS ( )
"Dreams and Illusions" 1968 (Verve Forecast)
Orchestrated soft psych, effects. [RM]
FRANK DUMIN ( )
"Another Dawn" 1970 (Avant Garde 124)
Folkrock by an ex-seminarian. [RM]