Frantic Chant "Ride it Like a Shark"

Reviewed by Timothy Ferguson (The Red Plastic Buddha)

Sometimes I get an assignment that completely knocks me out of the saddle. There are SO many great bands out there, that no matter how dedicated one is to the search for quality music, you’re bound to miss some giants.

Such was the case for me when stumbling over Edinburgh Scotland’s Frantic Chant. "Ride it Like a Shark" is their sixth full length record, and is an amazing and full listening experience. Expertly produced, with solid song-craft matching perfectly with sonic sheen. Instruments are effected, gated or transformed into organic beasts from another dimension, blending perfectly with melody and color into sentient beings with lives and histories all their own. Part Lovetones, part High Dials, Frantic Chant delivers an altogether new experience. This is magic.

The first thing you’d notice about this band is that they do not follow pop music convention, although they certainly have an extremely radio-friendly sound. Songs serve as setups and introductions for the next, one sound concept flows into the next and there is a very much big-picture concept going on at all times. Although it’s certainly possible (and desirable) to pluck single songs out to hear on their own, listening to Frantic Chant records as entire pieces is the optimal way of approaching them.

"Ride it Like a Shark" starts off with a spoken word piece "The Meditation Garden", full of orchestral underpinnings and paranoia. “I’m in trouble, because I know too much”, this final sentence leads us into the eleven plus minutes of groove pop majesty - "The March of the Electric Hands". Most bands wouldn’t have a clue as to how to handle eleven minutes of sonic space, wandering off into wankery or losing the integrity of the tune in drone or groove, but Frantic Chant shows early that they have this thing sorted. There’s a real confidence in their sound, and the enchanted listener can’t help but ride along.

The lovely arpeggiating guitar of "Great Orators of the Public Houses" blends effortlessly into "Heavy Delusions (Parts 1 & 4)". At this point you’ll notice that Frantic Chant has no pretentions about fitting into one genre or another. They’re not sitting there in the studio with vintage gear saying ‘this fits, this doesn’t’. Quite the contrary, they are making full use of sounds, from every era available, to create an intricate tapestry of sound. There is a great sense of care being given to every detail, and this is a listening experience that demands your attention.

"The Hit" is a highpoint in a series of highpoints. We’re trekking the sonic equivalent of the Alps, though, so there are no comedowns in quality, only beautiful places to rest and reflect. "Surf Draft (Uproar at the Hipster’s Convention)" channels early Dandy Warhols, and coasts seamlessly into "What Lies Beyond". "Higher Than Arthur’s Seat" is a soaring gem and the title track "Ride it Like a Shark" delivers more lyrical psychedelic imagery than ten acres of Strawberry Fields.

The journey finally ends with the coda "Broken Biscuit Head," chock-a-block full of backwards masking, reverb soaked vocals and a sweet farewell to a perfect dream. The repeating final verse ‘I’m not high enough’ seems like a challenge not only to the listener, but also to the band. Despite the opus they’ve created here, the path leads onward.

Frantic Chant will return and I will be waiting to take that ride again.

Front Page Review "Mystic Soldiers"

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

There's all manner of archive scouring going on behind the scenes everyday with recent (well, last few years) finds by Thomas Edisun's Electric Light Bulb Band and Pisces to attest that there is still gold to be found by those who know where to look. Here's another not released at the time goodie dating back to 1968 in Boston, likely the peak year of the bosstown scene. Originally released on CD in the late nineties by Big Beat Records, "Mystic Soldiers" now sees an official vinyl release (following a dodgy Akarma bootleg)courtesy of fab Spanish label Guerssen, with several bonus tracks and a much more appropriate and eye catching sleeve.

Produced under the watchful eye of Bosstown legend Alan Lorber (who also produced the Ultimate Spinach and Orpheus)and intended for release on MGM, "Mystic Soldiers" certainly has a lot going for it and apparently only remained unreleased at the time because of Stone's commitments to those other bands taking over. Personally, I've never been a huge fan of the Bosstown sound in general (although there are standout albums to be found within the genre), but Front Page Review manage to take the Bosstown template and stretch it beyond its normal confines. The weedy organ sound associated with the genre is certainly present and accounted for, but rather than dominating, it plays a supporting role here.

There's a brooding, minor-key quality at play here which occasionally recalls the Doors at their most grandiose, with some particularly nice interplay between organ and super fuzzy guitars, combining with dark lyrical content to create a pretty heavy trip that never abandons melody to prove its point. And when the clouds part (as on the lovely "Silver Children"), they prove to be just as deft with a lighter West Coast touch.

Had this been released in 1968 it would undoubtedly have a stronger reputation among collectors nd hopefully this release will go some way towards increasing awareness of what (on this evidence) could have been one of the better bands on the scene. As it stands this isn't the end of the story; By 1969 lead singer / songwriter Steve Cataldo had rallied and released "Over The Hills" on ABC Probe as Saint Steven, a lauded album with a stellar reputation. The fact that "Mystic Soldiers" can be mentioned in the same breath as that album is an achievement in itself. The fact that in this listener's opinion it towers ominously over "Over The Hills" is as great a recommendation as I can make.

Guerssen's vinyl reissue is available here.
 
Also available digitally here.

7" Singles - The Triptides / The Out Key Hole / Fogbound

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

Three particularly vintage sounding 7's up for review today, and they're pretty exciting titles.

Triptides "Clementine" b/w "Holding On"
These chaps seem to have something worthwhile to release on an almost monthly basis at the moment, and this 7" single on French label Croque Macadam Records shows no sign of the quality control dropping at all.
"Clementine" is an instantly memorable piece of guitar pop that could have been released at any point over the last 45 years and been a hit while "Holding On" is a much more subdued and intimate piece which sounds like Roger McGuinn trading in the Dylan songbook for that of Blake, McGinley & Love (Teenage Fanclub), which I have absolutely no problem with. 
Top stuff.
7" vinyl available here. Digital version available through the Bandcamp link below:


The Out Key Hole "Been To Mars" b/w "Madman on the Loose"
One of the best of the many, many neo-psych bands operating in Italy, the Out Key Hole have hit it out of the park with their second single. "Been to Mars" is a Vox fueled piece of psychedelic garage punk with great Manzarekian organ work, great punky refrains, and a fabulous early Floyd style freakout. "Madman on the Loose" continues to evoke the early Floyd chaos with a more focused, frantic tempo and a truly unhinged Barretesque guitar solo. Oh yes, I enjoyed that.
7" with free download available here.


Fogbound "Kicking Eucalyptus Seeds" b/w "Purple Wax"
O.K so I'm a little premature with this, but I pissed around a bit last time and didn't get around to reviewing this marvelous new Freakbeat outfit's debut single until the vinyl had sold out, so I thought I'd get in early this time so that you're prepared for the inevitable sell out.
Single number two is more of the same fabulous neo-psychedelia - two sides of instantly memorable freakbeat that easily matches the quality and invention of any of the big names (or big prices) of the years (1966-1968) that it seems to have been plucked from. "Purple Wax" is all propulsive and trippy, while "Kicking Eucalyptus Seeds" is achingly melancholic. Keep an eye on Fogbound's Facebook page for pre-order details as they are announced. This is essential and they're only going to get more popular as more people hear them.

Gulp "Season Sun"

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

With the Super Furry Animals on temporary hiatus (and plenty of interesting solo projects surfacing as a result) bassist Guto Pryce may have come up with the best of the lot so far. Formed in 2012 as a duo with his wife, Lindsey Leven (whose vocals provide a beautiful focal point here), they've since added guitarist Gid Goundrey and drummer Gwion Llewelyn for this rather wonderful debut full lengther.

"Season Sun" is a feel good sunshine pop masterpiece with a slightly sinister undertow which deftly balances moments of radiant sunshine loveliness with cinematic drones that allow it a sense of melancholy.

You all know by now that I'm going to pay attention if I hear hints of Broadcast, and there are loads of them to be heard here. From Leven's lovely breathless vocals to the diverse cinematic soundscapes the comparison is inescapable, but on the evidence of "Season Sun" Gulp are fellow travelers rather than disciples.

Apart from the effortlessly memorable hooks (which are EVERYWHERE on here), the main secret to Gulp's success is the breadth of its ambition. While the goal may simply be to cast these songs in their best possible light, the means by which they make this happen are surprisingly diverse, yet cohesive. There's huge, vintage Radiophonic keyboard riffs, Ladytron-like electro-pop, ethereal dream-folk harmonies and a whole lot of other disparate elements at play here, all in service to the song, yet engrossing when isolated as well.

Definitely one of the best new albums I've heard this year, and unceasingly smile inducing.

Available on vinyl, and CD.

40 Obscure Psychedelic Rock & Pop Albums That You Ought To Know

At the start of 2012 I put together a list of forty of my favourite psychedelic albums of all time, followed by three lists of additions (linked at the end of that now rather primitive looking post). Between them, these have been the Active Listener's most consistently viewed and commented upon posts.
Since then I've been joined by a number of other writers so we felt that it was time to follow up that list (of mostly well known classics) with a list that required a little more digging.
So here we have a follow up list of classic psychedelic albums from the sixties and early seventies that you're perhaps a little less familiar with, all of which have great things to offer.
This list is in no way an attempt to acknowledge every classic obscurity of the genre - that would be a lifetime's work, and one hell of a huge list. What we have here are a number of our writers and friends sharing some of their favourites with you. Dig in, investigate and enjoy!

Contributors: Nathan Ford (NF), Grey Malkin (GM), Chris Sherman (CS), Jason Simpson (JS), Todd Leiter-Weintraub (TLW)

The Avengers "Medallion"
Third and last album from this New Zealand band, and if the cover wasn't enough to tell you, also their most overtly psychedelic. A mixture of originals and covers with their versions of "Love Hate Revenge" and "The Days of Pearly Spencer" being sizeable hits here, and dare I day definitive versions to my ears. Even better is the moodily atmospheric chant of "Midnight Visitations" which takes the "Every Christian Lion Hearted Man" and "Turns Into Earth" gregorian psychedelia template and owns it. Their debut is well worth checking out too in more of a freakbeat / r&b vein. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen.

Baby Grandmothers "Baby Grandmothers"

Before they would go on to become part of the Mecki Mark Men unit, Baby Grandmothers was creating their own brand of fuzzy psychedelia.  It’s a bit like Cream, only if they had the Syd-era Floyd exploration mentality.  Note that this is not an actual album, as the band only released a 7" during their day, so this compiles those two songs, along with a series of live recordings from 1967 and 1968 before they disbanded (and yes, as one would expect, since these are nearly fifty year old bootleg recordings, the sound isn’t spectacular).   “Being Is More Than Life” appears in two forms: once a single version and then again as a full-LP side jam that ebbs and flows from a main theme to feedback soaked, jazz-tinged passages and back to the start again. (CS)

Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.
 
Birmingham Sunday "A Message From Birmingham Sunday"
Definitely at the poppier end of the psychedelic spectrum, with great male/female vocals in a Mama's & The Papa's / Peanut Butter Conspiracy, lots of mellotron, and great production from Bill Holmes (also responsible for the Strawberry Alarm Clock). Lots of great period detail - fuzz guitars, flutes, organ, and most importantly, memorable songs with big, anthemic harmony pop choruses given the kitchen sink production treatment that I wish more of these sixties harmony pop bands had been rendered in. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Dave Bixby "Ode To Quetzalcoatl"
 Dave Bixby could be seen as the crossroads between the Old World and the New age. "Ode To Quatzelcoatl" is equal parts Syd Barrett and an AA cross-stich sampler, with lyrics like "Open a door in your mind/and we will come in," from "Faith To Move A Mountain", which casts Bixby as a new disciple, which suggests Bixby has not entirely internalized the meekness and humility emphasised by the Holy Book. Who's to say if the music would be as good, if he were? Burning with a dark passion, clutching for dear life, Bixby plays with the devotion of a drowning man, struggling to save his soul and sanity. (JS)

Buy (CD).
Listen. 
 

Bo Grumpus "Before The War"
One of those major label (Atco in this case) signings that was expected to sell with little or no promotion. The material on Before The War was never going to trouble the singles charts but is blessed with a subtle melancholy which at its best (such as on "Sparrow Tune") both recalls and rivals the early solo work of Gene Clark, which as those who know me well can attest is as glowing a recommendation as I'm likely to offer anything. Don't expect an immediate payoff and you'll go far with this underappreciated classic.(NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Sonny Bono "Inner Views"
Sonny briefly dropped Cher (and a lot of LSD by the sound of it) for this surprisingly hip psychedelic opus. There are sitars all over the place and the lengthier tracks (like "I Just Sit There") have the slightly unhinged quality of Eric Burdon's San Francisco narratives. It all fits together marvelously as an album and has moments that suggest a wiggier Lee Hazlewood. Why this potential cult favourite has remained largely unchampioned is a mystery to us. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Caedmon "Caedmon"
Often described as possibly the best acid folk release of all time, Edinburgh based Caedmon’s self-titled debut (and only studio album till a reunion 32 years later) still stands as an ambitious and awe inspiring take on traditional music. Combining cello, mandolin, psych fuzz guitar and songs inspired by CS Lewis with a genuine maverick creativity ‘Caedmon’ is a musical treasure trove. (GM)
Buy (Vinyl).
Listen. 

Circus Maximus "Circus Maximus"
Amazing psychedelic folk-rock, very much in the Byrds/Gene Clark mold featuring Jerry Jeff Walker before he became a country performer. Every song is a winner, and the band show surprising versatility and depth with plenty of jangle and harmonies, but also rewarding forays into garagey folk-punk and a lengthy jazzy foray that could tenuously be credited as a blueprint for David Crosby's "Deja Vu" but for the fact that he's probably never heard it. A favourite for sure. Oh, and their second album is comparatively weak and best avoided sadly. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 
 

Comus "First Utterance"
Potentially one of the most disturbing and terrifying albums ever recorded, Comus’s debut was unleashed upon an unsuspecting still swinging London perhaps not quite ready for tales of woodland murder, Roger Wootten’s snarling vocals and the sheer intensity of the band’s singular vision. Now rightly revered and the band reformed, "First Utterance" is unlike any other folk, psych or prog album you will ever come across. Be warned; leave the lights on when listening. (GM)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Condello "Phase 1"
A really great, diverse psychedelic album from an avowed Beatles fan, that refreshingly sounds very little like the Beatles. "Dr. Tarr Professor Feather" is a fabulous example of phasing at its best (and a top psych pop tune in its own right), while there's also excellent heavy psych, baroque pop and on "He'll Keep Waiting" an early country rocker which would have fit nicely on a later Byrds album. Sundazed have just reissued this so you know it's got to be good. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Dark "Round The Edges"
Could this be the greatest heavy psych private press of all time? While an original is likely to cost you more than $10,000 U.S (in the unlikely event of a copy being offered for sale), we're lucky to be in a position where reissues are now plentiful and everyone has a chance to hear this wee gem. Great heavy psych tunes, with amazing wah wah guitar work, this comes across like a home counties version of the sort of thing coming out in the states by bands like Sir Lord Baltimore or Blue Cheer. An extremely appealing cottage industry artifact with a reputation that it fully deserves. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.

Bob Desper "New Sounds"
A few years ago, I came across the term 'Outsider Xian Folk' on some of the prevalent blogs of the time, which led to a rich vein of obscure, unheard-by-anyone ore. Bob Desper's "New Sounds" is one of the best, from that batch. The music is rich, unadorned folk - nimble acoustic guitars and a lone voice. One gets the feeling this would be championed to the heavens, if Desper hadn't name-checked the Son Of Man. The barest whiff of sacred incense is enough to scare off the casual sub-cultural listener. Which is too bad, as this is gorgeous stuff. A direct transmission from the dead of night. Desper makes us wonder, for how many Nick Drakes there are out there, how many bright lights remain unearthed? Desper reminds us to never stop listening, never stop digging, never stop searching for brilliance, no matter what their cosmology. (JS)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.

Los Dug Dug's "Dug Dug's"
Great debut by the premiere Mexican psychedelic band. While their follow up "Smog" is certainly heavier, this debut has a better sense of atmosphere, variety, and song for song is the stronger of the two to me. Quieter tracks with ethereal flutework float by like a dreamy, gentle breeze while amazing heavy psych beasts like "Let's Make It Now" grab you by the shoulders and give you a vigorous shake. Phenomenal. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.
 

Eire Apparent "Sun Rise"
Produced by Jimi Hendrix(!), it was perhaps inevitable that this wouldn't live up to the expectations that were placed upon it. Removed from those lofty heights however, this is a well above average album for its time, with an excellent mix of studio based psychedelia, orchestrated psych pop and heavy fuzz laden psychedelic rock. And on certain moments like the middle section of "Mr Guy Fawkes" you could be forgiven for thinking you were listening to an alternate universe's "Electric Ladyland". Much, much better than you've been told it is. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Fapardokly "Fapardokly"
Fabulous Byrdsy psychedelic folk-rock from Merrell Fankhauser and co. (later from MU & Merrell Fankhauser & H.M.S Bounty, albums by whom only don't appear on this list for the sake of variety).
Plenty of surf and doo-wop influences make this a little different and more diverse than a lot of the other albums mentioned here, with never a dull moment for those who are willing to give themselves up to a ride that doesn't necessarily take them where they expect to go. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 
 

The Five Day Week Straw People 
A one off studio album by a band formed around the talents of John Du Cann (the Attack, Atomic Rooster) this is a nice riffy piece of  U.K psychedelia with nice period flavour, Creamy blues rock moments, a Revolveresque rhythm section and a few hints of proto-progressive rock. Du Cann's guitar abilities are given plenty of chances to shine, but the songs are memorable slices of fuzzy Carnaby Street in their own right and not just vehicles for his fretboard antics. (NF) 
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Food "Forever is a Dream" 
A startlingly ambitious example of progressive baroque pop from this Chicago band. A total boundary breaker with tasteful, ornate orchestration, fuzz guitars, Beatlesque harmonies and smart, multifaceted songs that take a little while to sink in but leave a lasting impression. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

The Fool "The Fool"
Dutch art troupe The Fool may be best known for their mural on the wall of the Apple building (not to mention painting George's mini, and the sleeve for The Incredible String Band's "5000 Spirits or Layers of the Onion"), but they also produced this under rated and hugely enjoyable LP in 1968. Produced by Graham Nash it's not hugely original, but is extremely diverse from the sci-fi sound effects which usher in "Fly" to Donovanesque whimsy and Bo Diddley shuffles ala "Magic Bus". There's a marked hippie sensibility, so a tolerance towards peace and love is a prerequisite to enjoyment, but those who just chill out man will find themselves having a real nice time here. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 
 

The 4 Seasons "The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette"
Squeaky clean Frankie Valli and his seasonal chums may seem like the least likely candidates that you can imagine for a compelling psychedelic concept album but that's exactly what they deliver on this "Sgt Pepper" influenced opus. Magnificent harmonies as one would expect, but the lengthy, adventurous arrangements are a surprise - one that unfortunately they didn't investigate further as this stiffed commercially. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 


The Glass Family "Electric Band" 
Why more people don't rave about this major label gem is a complete mystery to me. Lead single "House of Glass" has a menacing Doors vibe and almost sounds like a prototype for eighties neo-psychedelia in general. It's reason enough to pick up a copy, but there's plenty more to be enjoyed within including excursions into folky and country terrain and heaps of massive fuzz guitar leads. Definitely one that fans of West Coast psychedelia need in their collection. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Harumi "Harumi"
A staggeringly ambitious double album by a Japanese vocalist recorded in New York under the watchful eye of Tom Wilson (The Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa). The first two sides gets a bit of flack in some quarters for not being as far out as the last two, but to my ears they're excellent examples of concise psychedelic pop with great, baroque arrangements and memorable choruses. The two side-length opuses are much more lysergic - one a spoken word piece over traditional Japanese instruments, the other an aggressive, experimental jam. Head music. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Hollins & Starr "Sidewalks Talking"
What do you mean you haven't heard this? Stop reading now, go here and buy it. Simply one of the best albums of 1970, Chuck Hollins and Dave Starr have crafted a stunner here. "Sidewalks Talking" is extremely diverse, ranging from hippy folk rock with heaps of flute, Terry Reid like meditations, extreme psychedelia and a massive orchestral section which "Atom Heart Mother" fans will go all soft in the center for. They don't come much better than this. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

J.K & Co. "Suddenly One Summer"
A stunning mellow psych album often compared to George Harrison and Donovan. but with a much more unique style of his own than the comparisons would lead you to expect. Vocalist Jay Kaye was apparently on 16 at the time this was recorded, so we can forgive a little lyrical naivety. "Fly" is an absolute killer with backwards tapes and all sorts of studio trickery, matched with a fabulous hook. Very "Magical Mystery Tour". The rest is great candy floss in summer fields material too. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Perry Leopold "Christian Lucifer"
Perry’s second album nearly didn’t survive after the studio where it was recorded in closed down and the master tapes were erased to be used again. This would have deprived us of one of the seminal albums of the era; a true visionary, Leopold expertly creates his own psychedelic tapestry with layers of woodwind and acoustic instrumentation that is both equally heartbreaking and uplifting. Essential. (GM)
Buy (CD).
Listen.

Markley "Markley, A Group"
In all but name the last album by the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. With egomaniac Bob Markley pulling in the reins, it's a much more accessible outing than the norm for these guys, but none the worse for it. Great psych nuggets like "The Magic Cat" jostle for position alongside delicately orchestrated acoustic vignettes like "Elegant Ellen" and "Sarah The Sad Spirit" and even when it's at its silliest it's impossibly fun. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.

Mecki Mark Men "Running in the Summer Night"
I’ve read that both Dungen and Wolf People have been heavily influenced by this one, which is probably reason enough to give it a listen.  But even if that does not sway you, perhaps the allure of an organ-driven jazz/ blues hybrid with a singer (Mecki) who has a voice comparable to Jimi Hendrix or Jack Bruce does.  The rest of the band is made up of the former Baby Grandmothers (see my next entry), and as expected, they bring along their signature fuzzed out guitar solos.  Highlights are “Future on the Road”, featuring a lengthy jazz-inspired jam as a coda, and the multi-part suite “The Life Cycle”.  The LP was the second for Mecki Mark Men, and unquestionably, their best. (CS)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Mellow Candle  "Swaddling Songs"
The Irish acid folk outfit’s only ‘proper’ album and recorded whilst both Clodagh Simonds (later of Fovea Hex) and Alison O’Donnell (United Bible Studies, The Owl Service) were only 15 and 16 respectively. But what an album; silvery trails of psych guitar criss-cross the most crystalline harmonies you will ever have the good fortune to hear whilst harpsichord and mellotron add an otherworldly feel to a record that is now both hailed as a lost classic and seen as hugely influential. (GM)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Pisces "A Lovely Sight"
A lot of albums were recorded in the sixties which for one reason or another didn't actually make it on to the shelves. If you can find one better than "A Lovely Sight" you'll make me a very happy person. Eventually released in 2009 this should be held up in the same regard as the United States of America and Fifty Foot Hose, but for some reason is yet to scale those critical heights. The confidence, individuality, and adventurousness on display here are rare for a second tier band of the era. I wouldn't be surprised if this is ranked up with the best given another twenty years or so exposure time. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.

The Plastic Cloud "The Plastic Cloud"
This 1968 release has my vote for best Canadian psych album of all time, and is one of my favourite psychedelic folk-rock albums from anywhere. Great fuzz guitar, heaps of jangle, wonderful harmonies ("Bridge Under The Sky" is goosebumps material) and consistently great songs that know when to be concise and when to veer off on detours into strange and lysergic places. An all time favourite. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.

Rainbow Ffolly "Sallies Fforth"
Sneaked out by the suits at Parlophone when the band had only ever intended it to be a demo, "Sallies Forth" is startlingly good even in its slightly primitive form. The mind boggles as to what this could have sounded like with some label cash thrown at it. As it is, it's superior "Revolver"esque guitar pop with fabulous Beatlesque harmonies, great tunes and some nice moments with backwards guitars and the like. Certainly one of the better U.K psych rarities of its time. The Guerssen vinyl reissue sounds marvelous too. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).  
Listen. 

Satya Sai Maitreya Kali "Apache / Inca"
The Penny Arkade's Craig Smith went AWOL in South America and recorded these two remarkable albums, generally packaged together, on his return. The Monkees meets Buffalo Springfield pop-psych of his previous band is still occasionally allowed to flourish but this is generally a much more mature set of songs which comes across like a mixture of Yo Ho Wha 13, "Forever Changes" and "Electric Music For The Mind & Body", alternately intimate and acoustic, and deeply lysergic. (NF)
Buy CD.
Listen. 

Michael Siegel "Sounds Of The Office"
Folkways website says, "This mysterious album opens with banging and creaking and could be mistaken for a minimalist sound piece. It is in fact the sounds of an office from 1964. Rustling papers, drawers closing, typing and footsteps are just a few of the sounds heard on this album." While field recordings archive may be nothing special, these days, they probably wouldn't exist without records like "Sounds Of The Office", originally released in 1964. These are just normal, everyday sounds of an office environment, but one from 50 years ago. Taken out of context, an interesting phenomena occurs; it becomes a piece of musique concrete sound sculpture, a surreal tapestry of hissing industrial buzzes and clangs and disembodied conversations, which is further exacerbated by the facts that most of these machines, and probably most of these people, are dead and moldering, transforming the set into an industrial ghost dance on par with Eraserhead. As usual, it's also packaged with Folkways ridiculously awesome graphic design. Listening to Sounds Of The Office will forever change the way you hear the world around you, the way you view your home and work, making life 10x more surreal; the hallmark of good psychedelia. For burgeoning concretists, or if you happen to be running a Mad Men live action role playing campaign, get this platter! And then move on to records like "The Sounds Of Medicine", "The Sounds Of The Sea", and "The Sounds Of The Junkyard". (JS)

Slapp Happy "Casablanca Moon"
I discovered them through other bands’ covers (Bongwater's "The Drum" and Mazzy Star's "Blue Flower"). I loved those covers so much that I had to search out the originals. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. In fact, it's safe to say that I discovered a whole new love and an appreciation for German art rock that I never knew I was capable of. The sound? Think Yoko Ono, if she could actually sing, fronting a German cabaret band led by Syd Barrett... after smoking a bunch of hash. Yeah, I think that covers it. (TLW)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Staff Carpenborg and the Electric Corona Fantastic Party "Die Tanzplatte für heiße Stunden"
Chuck a bunch of German session pro's into a studio, lace their drinks (OK this may have not happened) and let them loose for a day and occasionally something this marvelous will eventuate. Almost certainly the best psychedelic exploitation LP under the sun, this mixes "Bitches Brew" inspired jazz with psychedelia, krautrock and ominous euro-horror to create an adventurous concoction of mind expanding, unpredictable goodness. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Sweetwater "Sweetwater"
The first and best from this San Francisco via Los Angeles band is easily a match for any of the big hitters on the San Fran scene, with Nansi vocals one of the few who could claim to compete with Grace Slick's in terms of both visceral power and control. The rest of the band are fabulous too, with inventive folk-rock arrangements that made extensive use of flute and harpsichords as well as the usual suspects. One of the most consistently overlooked albums on this list, but also one of the best, particularly the nightmarish psychedelic blast of "My Crystal Spider." (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen.
 

Tages "Studio"
Some call it "The Swedish Sgt. Pepper’s" and I guess it’s a fair description. The meticulously produced record came out the same year, and employs an expansive sonic palate, with interesting key changes, modal shifts, and instrumental diversions. While the excellent songs always come first, the playful sound of the times is ever present. Vocals occasionally echo into eternity; backwards guitars are sucked into and out of the mix; string quartets pop up; and swirling B3s creep in and out. An underheard Continental masterpiece. (TLW)
Buy (CD).
Listen.

The Third Rail "Id Music"
Certainly the most bubblegum album to make this list, "Id Music" is often pure Beach Boys harmony pop, but with an unusually perceptive grasp of how to enhance its hooks with studio bound psychedelic trickery. Where this would usually reek of band wagon jumping,it's done so well here that you'd have to be hardened cynic to not enjoy. Fans of Sagittarius and other Curt Boettcher related baroque pop ought to bump this right up to the top of their 'to buy' list immediately. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Thomas Edisun's Electric Light Bulb Band "The Red Day Album"
Another album that wasn't released when it was originally recorded in 1967, only hitting the airwaves this year courtesy of Gear Fab and Guerssen Records. Heavily inspired by "Sgt Pepper" it's an ornate pop psych gem, with marvelous harmonies, clever arrangements and fabulous Macca-esque songwriting. Recorded over a single weekend, it has a slightly lo-fi production sense that allows the quality of the songwriting to shine. Lazy Smoke fans will love this, and anyone with an interest in the Beatlesque needs to pay attention too. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen. 

The Troll "Animated Music"
Hugely varied, and often exciting release from this Chicago based band with two drummers. This is another release best suited for those with diverse tastes as it combines a few excellently orchestrated psych-pop ballads, with a little vaudeville, experimental production techniques and some really thrilling heavy psych numbers. The diversity is initially a little jarring, but blends really nicely after a few listens. One of my favourites on this list. (NF)
Buy (CD).
Listen. 

Zerfas "Zerfas"
Released in 1973 but sounding every inch like a 1967/1968 classic this album was the work of Dave and Herman Zerfas and originally released in tiny quantities on the 700 West label. Combining proto garage prog with moustache era Beatles vibes (and ambition) this is a really clever and striking mix of memorable melodies and harmonies, with impressive progressive moves. Imagine a less shiny, happy Klaatu and you're most of the way there. (NF)
Buy (Vinyl). Buy (CD).
Listen.

Slow Motion Rider "Slow Motion Rider"

Reviewed by Tim Ferguson (The Red Plastic Buddha)

Slow Motion Rider hail from Los Angeles and there is a definite Californian quality to their blistering stoner rock vibe. This is not the sunny surfer sound of the Beach Boys or any of that Laurel Canyon, hippy folk crowd. This is the sound of blasting through the desert at night in a black primered Chevelle - blind drunk and raging on amphetamines and something evil the biker dude claimed was cocaine. This is the sound of consciousness strobing, served up with blurred vision and the smell of gasoline.

"Hold Your Hand Out to the Sun" kicks off the dream and to my ears, I feel like I’m entering into a story already in progress. Walls of guitars and bass establish a groove and serve as a perfect introduction. "I Can’t Feel Anymore" (with its fuzz bass and reverbed up guitar and vocals) rides a Hammond B3 chord into inner space. By the time they get to the guitar solo outro, I’m sold.

"Ride You Purple" (nice, Alan) lives up to its title and slinks along in its denim and leather majesty, suggesting Blue Cheer at times and setting the table for the Hendrix inspired "Love Will Find a Way". One can almost see brother Jimi stepping right into this song at any moment to take his solo. The Hendrix vibe is even stronger in "Wondered Why", but the band wisely brings the pace down for the excellent "Destination Nowhere".

"You’ll Never Know" is my bet for best track played live. The song has an awesome driving beat and the energy that throbs along in earlier songs finally has a chance to get out into the mosh pit. "The Key" is ushered in with a surprising mellotron, which works incredibly well to set up the big guitars and echoed out vocals of the chorus of the song.

"I Like The Way You Look" has a very late night feel to it. The staccato kick drum and arpeggiating guitar create an almost mournful feeling for another night lost to the abyss. "The Kids Ain’t Got No Soul" closes out this fine debut, and it’s a fitting exclamation point on this long day’s journey into night.

Stoner rock is one of the most overdone sub genres of psychedelic music. It’s a guitarists dream, but too many bands forget that all the wanking in the world won’t cover up poorly crafted songs. Thankfully, Alan Stone and company learned that lesson long before taking us on this trip. This is stoner rock done RIGHT.

I have to give credit to the Committee to Keep Music Evil. They’ve scored another direct hit with the addition of Slow Motion Rider to their roster.

Available directly from The Committee to Keep Music Evil.

Reviews in Brief - Matt Berry / Soft Walls / Odawas

Reviews by Nathan Ford

All manner of treats for you today:

Matt Berry's latest vintage homage "Music For Insomniacs" (actually recorded prior to "Kill The Wolf") was knocked together during sleepless nights (hence the title). While it has moments of ambient splendour, there's much too much going on for this to have any of the narcoleptic qualities that its title implies, despite what a few of its detractors have suggested. Stretching back to a potentially hoary old tradition of instrumental prog albums with two side-length tracks, "Music For Insomniacs" is unusually restless and schizophrenic. Certainly there are moments that recall "Tubular Bells", Jean Michel Jarre and Goblin, but Berry also manages to seamlessly integrate robotic disco funk and a whole lot more into the mix to make this more than just a knowing tribute. I get the impression that at some point Berry is going to make a record too clever for its own good, but this isn't it. Extremely enjoyable, and I'm still wide awake.

"No Time" is the second album by Brighton based Dan Reeves' one man band Soft Walls and the first to appear on Trouble in Mind Records rather than Dan's own highly respected Faux Discx label. An extremely appealing hybrid of krauty post-punk and bedroom psychedelia, "No Time" is loaded with tunes that I can't get out of my head, propulsive, motorik rhythms, woozy organs and all manner of other things that tick the boxes that I want ticked when I drop the needle. "Never Come Back Again" is the sort of track that leads to all sorts of unhealthy obsessions and it's got plenty of company here. Essential.

Odawas are a new name to me, but they have a history stretching quite some way, with several releases on the esteemed Jagjaguwar label. Latest album "Reflections of a Pink Laser" has found a home on French label Bookmaker Records, and is I gather a bit of a pleasant surprise for fans, with sessions for their last album breaking down, before being entirely abandoned with the duo going on what many assumed was a permanent hiatus. But back they are, and with the label making the outlandish claim that they sound like "Philip K. Dick orchestrating the meeting of Neil Young and Tangerine Dream"  I was eager to listen. Wonderous stuff it is too, and decidedly odd. Members Michael James Tapscott and Isaac Edwards approach things from two completely different directions (one wispy campfire Americana, the other spacey keyboard-laden kosmische), with the results being both thrillingly intimate, and as large as the cosmos. Mercury Rev fans will be right in their element. The term "cosmic American" doesn't get used as a descriptor much these does - more's the pity, because it's found a more literal, and compelling champion here than it had in its heyday.