RANDY & THE GOATS - On The Lam [USA psychedelic soft rock 1981] 2023 Riding Easy - digital file

 

Released on the small Broken Records label, "On the Lam" was one of those early-1980s releases that sported a distinctive mid-1970s sound. 

There is a proto-punk / pre-grunge DIY edge here but at it's core we have a singer- songwriter character who evokes Reed, Dylan, Johnny Thunders even.

Randy

DAYBREAK - Daybreak [USA, Pearl River, NY, psychedelic rock 1971] 2017 Out-Sider OSR064

 

Originally released in 1971. This elusive US private pressing was originally released on the legendary RPC custom label. Intense and crude garage-psych with echoing vocals, loud distorted guitar, fuzz bass, and organ. Three killer band originals plus some insane cover versions (Steppenwolf, Neil Young) with a basement sound not unlike Mystic Siva. Remastered sound.

Daybreak

WILSON McKINLEY - Now I'm A Jesus Freak! [USA xian psychedelic rock 1970-76] 2009 Tanignak WM-7079-2

 

Two full discs of legendary Jesus Rock, all sourced from the original mastertapes! The first CD contains the complete tracks of Spirit of Elijah and Heaven's Gonna Be a Blast (Wilson McKinley's two most famous and oft-pirated albums) in a completely new digital remix, rounded out with three other album tracks making their CD debut. For others that might be enough, but there's also an entire second CD of unreleased material that contains some of their best writing and ranges from straight- ahead rock to country-rock to harmony- rich ballads, recorded between 1970 to 1976 and only hinted about before, including several live tracks where the vocals had to be remixed to be audible, but the musicianship is outstanding. In addition, founding members Randy Wilcox and Mike Messer have provided several unreleased tracks each for the second disc.

Wilson (new link, new rip)

THE PROS - Love Return [USA garage, rock, psychedelic] 1977 Barbarella Records AW 14065 - digital file (2011)

 

"Another Johnny Kitchen-related release, published in 1977, but almost certainly recorded in the 60's. Gloriously, head-scratchingly f'd up, this is a jumble of seemingly unrelated tracks, some of them obviously incomplete, others tinkered with in bizarre, incongruous ways. There are, however, a couple of genuinely great cuts -- god knows where Johnny swiped them from."

Heratius

Pros

THE FRANTICS - Birth [USA psychedelic rock 1968] 2018 Nor-Va-Jak Music NVJCD11 - digital file

 

In early 1968, THE FRANTICS entered Norman Petty Studios with the first session for a full length album project. No band that recorded at the 7th Street Studio, previously or afterwards, would have a heavier, psychedelic sound than this 6 piece group that originally formed in Montana.

Now basing themselves out of Colorado, they made a name for themselves with performances in the area and returned late in the year to finish their recordings.

It was an entirely new style of music being introduced to Norman Petty. What Norman excelled at was creativity in the studio, and constantly striving for something different. What we are left with is an album that pushed boundaries as much as any other record at the time. 1968 was already an incredible year for music in arguably the most creative decade in rock.

Classic albums from Blue Cheer, The Beatles, Cream, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Rolling Stones, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company, and many others were all released that year.

"Birth" would have fit nicely among the best of the day and would have been worthy company.

As fate would have it, the band moved to California and hooked up with new management and began recording for a local label, abandoning their Clovis recordings that have remained in the Petty audio vault for 50 years.

Birth

EFFERVESCENT ELEPHANTS - Something To Say [Italy psychedelic rock 1987] 2018 Onde Italiane ONIT LP 013

 

Italian psychedelic rock band from Alice Castello (Vercelli) formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1991.

One of the best bands in the neo-sixties european scene of the ’80.

The band operated in a vital moment of underground music, in which many bands at the same time to what was happening in The U.S.A., decided to go back to sonorities of ’60 to react to the excessive coldness of New Wave music, which used to rule in that period. It was a kind of backward full immersion in Garage-Punk and Psychedelic sonorities.

Remastered with two songs in addition to the first 7 "single !!

Effervescent

STAN HUBBS - Crystal [USA psychedelic rock 1982] 2010 Companion Records CR5

 

Official reissue of Stan Hubbs' 1982 Crystal LP (northern California obscurity). Crystal was recorded in Hubbs' rural Sonoma county living room and just like the original, the LP reissue was mastered and cut by Paul Stubblebine, pressed by RTI and housed in heavy, old-style jackets.

Stan

McKAY - Into You Take Two [USA psychedelic rock 1975-79] 2014 Guerssen GUESS135

 

Into You Take Two includes previously-unreleased tracks recorded in 1975-1979 by the same cast of musicians who recorded Into You, the legendary first McKay private album. Laid-back, rural psychedelic rock with dreamy Neil Young/Beatles-esque vocal harmonies, raw, fuzzed-out guitars and a druggy atmosphere. Certainly the most psychedelic-sounding stuff McKay ever recorded!  Master tape sound.

McKay

 

ORFEUS - Lying To The Wall [USA psychedelic rock 1973] 2019 Void Records VOID61

 

 

First reissue of this super rare album with help from band member Eben Henson. Uriah Heep meets the southern rock genre in this terrific private pressing from Kentucky. The title cut is massive and should be a staple on all play lists!

Orfeus

VVAA - Psychedelic Sounds From The Young Blood, Beacon & Mother Labels, 1969-1974 [Psychedelic Rock, Hard, Pop] 2014 Guerssen GUESSCD051

 

Famous in collector circles for being the home of rare progressive/psych albums such as Salamander, Julian's Treatment or Moonkyte, Miki Dallon's group of labels also released many obscure 45s during the late '60s/early '70s. Here's a selection of the most psychedelic-sounding ones, plus some overlooked LP-only tracks. From mod-psych to hard-rock, from psychedelic pop to early glam, including the devastating hard-psych sounds of Taiconderoga (featuring a young, pre-Damned Brian James!), Small Faces mod-influenced sounds by Revolver, Moog psych/proto-glam by The Damned and much more. Features remastered sound and includes an insert with informative liner notes and pictures/memorabilia from the Miki Dallon archives. Other artists include: Shakane, Uzi & The Styles, Boots, Information, Derek Paul, Rubber Band, Jelly.

Imaginations

VVAA - Jesus People Music Vol. 1 The End Is At Hand [USA psychedelic xian rock] 2020 ORG Music, Aquarium Drunkard ORGM-2195,

 

A collection of super-obscure, often private press, outsider psychedelic guitar and folk music from the ‘60s and ‘70s, all with the underlying theme of the Jesus People Movement. The album is a co-release with the eclectic online music magazine Aquarium Drunkard, who have been digging up lost treasures from this obscure musical moment for nearly a decade. The audio has been remastered for vinyl at Infrasonic Mastering, and includes extensive liner notes detailing the Jesus People Movement and its music.

Jesus People Music Vol. 1

THE PAISLEYS -Behind The Cosmic Mind [USA psychedelic, rock 1969-80s] 1993 Cosmic Mind Records PR 001 CD

 

"For years, the buzz around the collector community was that this was a complete waste, and should be avoided. I came across a used copy for a bargain

(maybe it was even a gift, can't remember), and finally got to hear it for myself. I can certainly see what it is that pissed everybody off. A substantial 

portion of this is disappointingly commercial, soft pop, with some vocal harmony and very mild psych influences. Roughly about half falls into this category. 

The other half is true outtakes from the "Cosmic Mind at Play" LP. And don't let all the exotic titles fool you, most of these outtakes are just incomplete 

edits of album tracks, e.g. "Cosmic Mind at Play" (not the complete LP track), and "Crashing Slashing Roar" (another alternate portion of the LP version of 

"Cosmic Mind ..." with a different mix than that used in the version that appears on the LP). The clear cut winner on this whole thing is the alt. vers. of "Now", 

which is one of the greatest heavy psych cuts ever recorded; this vers. is diff., but just as good.Totally inconsistent, to be sure. Not even a fold-out for a cover 

card, and containing literally no info.

Addendum: I just listened to this again, and feel I may have a slightly better insight into what might be going on here. Firstly, this is entirely conjecture on my 

part! There are literally no liner notes that accompany this release, other than a parenthesied "diff version" listed after two of the tracks. But judging from the 

sound quality and style of material, here''s what I think is probably close:

1: This sounds very much like an unused track from the album sessions, and is not a re-titled album track.

2,3,5,7: These sound like circa mid-70's recordings, and may be a later band that one or more of the original members were part of. The music is semi-commercial rock in a boogie 

bar-band vein, and featuring some good guitar with added effects. I can't help but notice that the track 5 title appears to be an answer to track 1B from the original album. 

Track 2 appears to be a mis-spelling of the more accurate "Heavenly Dancer".

4,6,12: Are all alternate mixes from the tracks used on the LP. Every one of these has a heavier psychedelic emphasis and are superior to the released versions as far as I 

can remember. My only critique might be a slight loss of fidelity due to the tapes being old at the time these were transferred.

8, 9, 10, 11: These are all post-1980 tracks, likely recorded by the (probable) lone band member who was responsible for this collection. Track 8 is about John Lennon, and sings 

about his untimely death. These are all soft and gentle pop rock songs with noticeable 80's production work. I can just see the guy's long grey hair pulled back in a tight 

ponytail, recording these in his basement with wife and maybe a friend or two. They're really not bad at all, just a far cry from my style of interest." Timeshifter

The Paisleys

LOCKSLEY HALL - Locksley Hall [USA psychedelic rock 1969-1970] 2019 Out-Sider OSR075

In 1969, Locksley Hall, a psychedelic band from Washington, recorded a full album at Audio Recorders in Seattle produced by engineer, Kearney Barton (The Sonics), and long-time Northwest guitarist, Ned Neltner (Mark Five, Gas Company). Never released at the time, this is a great example of West Coast styled psychedelia/acid-rock, featuring female vocals, prominent organ, hard guitar, excellent songs. RIYL: Country Joe & The Fish, Jefferson Airplane, Growing Concern, Creation Of Sunlight, Charlatans, Big Brother & The Holding Company, It's A Beautiful Day. Newly remastered sound.

LH

 

WOLFGANG - Eliminate Hate [USA garage, psychedelic rock 1970] 2017 Out-Sider OSR057

The previously unreleased album from one of the most enigmatic bands from the Texas psychedelic scene, Wolfgang. An unusual blend of '60s garage-punk, Texas psychedelia (think 13th Floor Elevators or Golden Dawn), The Seeds, The Misunderstood, late era Velvet Underground, '70s era Rolling Stones and '70s pre-punk swagger. 

Eliminate Hate

KENNELMUS - Beyond Folkstone Prism - Featuring Bob Narloch [USA psychedelic rock 1970-72] 1993 RD Records 01

 

Limited edition 1995 album, with non released Kennelmus tracks from 1970-72, on RD Records.  With different tracks and sounds from the same group (Ken Walker, Chuck Hauke & Bob Narloch) that created the Garage/Psych classic "Folkstone Prism" album.  Several of these album tracks were released on various Phoenix International Records 45's by the band members.

Bob

ROKY ERICKSON - Reverend Of Karmic Youth [USA psychedelic rock 1979-85] 1990 Skyclad Records SIX 66 CD

 

Like Syd Barrett, a common point of reference, Roky Erickson rose to cult-hero status as much for his music as for his tragic personal life; in light of his legendary bouts with madness and mythic drug abuse, the influence exerted by his garage-bred psychedelia was often lost in the shuffle.

Erickson

THE LAISSEZ FAIRS - Marigold [USA mod, psychedelic 2019] Rumble Bar Records RUM048

 

The Laissez Fairs.....John Fallon and Joe Lawless.....the team....the dream...singers, songwriters. mult-instrumentalists, record producers...for the love of it...for the art of it...that is why. Cromm Fallon and Aaron Archer are there, as well, making it all happen. Yes, John was in The Steppes and that was a golden moment.....but that was then and this is very now... thanks to Joe Lawless and his magic studio. This is but half of the equation. The Laissez Fairs are an explosive live band...the sound of a psychedelic pressure cooker set on 11.....colours everywhere...pretty and hard." Blurt Magazine 

Laissez

THE ROARING 420s - What Is Psych [Germany psychedelic rock 2014] Stoned Karma Records SK005CD

 

“If psych bands are for something they are for breaking down conceptions. The Roaring 420s do that with a wholesome and hedonistic twist merging the normally culturally constipated psych purists into fun loving party machines” – Far Out Magazine,UK

What is Psych?

GIDIANS BIBLE - 1969, The Golden Voice Recordings [USA psychedelic rock 1969] 2017 Alona's Dream Records ADR CD 024

 

Gidians Bible got their start in the fertile 1960’s Illinois music scene. During their brief existence they recorded five heavy psychedelic originals at Golden Voice Recording Co. This EP features all their songs: two from their sought after Golden Voice 45 and all three of their other unreleased cuts.

Bible

THE CONTENTS ARE - Four Each Other [USA psychedelic rock 1969] 2017 Alona's Dream Records ADR-12-021

Classic midwestern American psychedelic rock from Iowa legends The Contents Are. Recorded in 1969 at Golden Voice Recording Co. South Pekin, IL and unreleased until 2017. 

A lost late ’60’s psych gem produced by studio legend Jerry Milam. 

The Contents Are