THE RISING STORM

Bobb Trimble (1982)
Harvest of Dreams

There is nobody quite like Bobb Trimble in the world of rock n roll. Many more famous and wealthier musicians (Thurston Moore is one I can think of) have praised his unique body of work. Trimble released two great underappreciated records in the early 80’s (private press - real lo-fi). His vision is very deep, personal, and absolutely original with a strong outsider, late night feel (think brooding dark mind trips). His vocals are like nothing I have ever heard and these records are in the psych folk style with strong elements of fuzz.

Some consider Harvest of Dreams the greatest psych album after 1975. It’s full of beautiful dreamy psych as heard wonderfully on Take Me Home Vienna and the killer opener Premonitions - The Fantasy. Selling Me Short is superb, and it’s exciting to hear Trimble explode in anger nearing the song’s chaotic fuzzy ending. His music was totally out of sync with the times but it was great to see someone waving the psych flag high and proud. Bobb was an obvious Beatle fan and once said “If I’m a good boy and work real hard, may I please be the 5th Beatle someday.” Excellent stuff! -Jason

mp3: Premonitions - The Fantasy

Influences: The Beatles

Bobb Trimble’s Music has very recently been lovingly reissued by Secretly Canadian on LP and CD and there is a podcast about the reissue available on their site.

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Dream Syndicate (1982)
Days of Wine and Roses

This LP was released in 1982 and it immediately established the Dream Syndicate as a major force throughout rock n roll’s underground. The band was founded by leader Steve Wynn and guitarist Karl Precoda. They were one of the Paisley Underground’s leading lights though their sound was much closer in spirit to the Velvet Underground or Iggy Pop’s Stooges. Days of Wine and Roses could be one of the best albums from the 1980’s, an lp full of feedback and wild garage guitar distortions. Tell Me When It’s Over has that great, lysergic 60’s guitar sound and Wynn’s vocals strongly resemble a young, angry Lou Reed. Definitely Clean is straight up garage jangle pop and a definite highlight though the true masterpiece is the angry, feedback laden That’s What You Always Say. Later albums have more of a Neil Young/Crazy Horse vibe but it was this debut, in which the Dream Sydnicate forged an original, influential sound. -Jason

mp3: That’s What You Always Say

Influences: Neil Young, Crazy Horse, The Velvet Underground

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Rain Parade (1983)
Emergency Third Rail Power Trip/Explosions in the Glass Palace

Easily one of the underground classics of the 1980’s and part of the excellent Paisly Underground scene, Rain Parade’s only album is heavily influenced by Eight Miles High era Byrds. It’s strong all the way thru and shows much better psych instincts than 90’s retro bands Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel or the Flaming Lips. The Rickenbacker sound comes on strong and there are plenty of epic psych guitar solos and swirling organ to keep 60’s purists smiling. This Can’t Be Today, Kaleidoscope, I Look Around and You Are My Friend are all modern day psych classics while What’s She Done To Your Mind is one of the most accurate, early Byrds cops I’ve ever heard. Much better than David Roback’s future band, Mazzy Star, Rain Parade still sounds innovative today. -Jason

mp3: I Look Around

Influences: The Byrds, The Beatles

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Dukes of Stratosphear (1987)
Chips From The Chocolate Fireball (25 O’Clock Ep + Psonic Psunspot LP)

This was XTC under their late 80’s alias. Most psych and garage fans will prefer the Dukes of Stratosphear or XTC’s Skylarking era to the band’s prior new wave early 80’s period. This album has a variety of 60’s influences, most notably the Beatles, Beach Boys, Yardbirds and Hollies. One highlight, 25 O’clock could easily past muster for a really good, pounding Chocolate Watchband single. My Love Explodes is a gleeful, pounding psych rocker that sounds like a lost outtake from the Yardbirds’ classic Roger The Engineer album. All the tracks are good to great but Vanishing Girl stands out as the albums centerpiece and possibly one of XTC’s greatest achievements. This track sounds like a poppier Beatles (think Hollies) but it’s an absolutely gorgeous song with tight harmonies and a good reason to buy this great, lost late 80’s record. -Jason

mp3: Vanishing Girl

Influences: The Beach Boys, The Hollies, The Yardbirds, The Beatles

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Spacemen 3 (1987)
The Perfect Prescription

Perhaps their finest album along with the excellent Playing With Fire. Coming out of Warwickshire England, Spacemen 3 made a wholly original form of 80’s psychedelia that was rooted in both Krautrock drone and 60’s garage psychedelia (they cover the Red Krayola’s legendary Transparent Radiation). Take Me To The Other Side is a real mind blower that’s virtually a liftoff into space though Walkin’ With Jesus may be the band’s most popular song. Jesus is a very serene soft ballad that predates the 90’s British pop movement. There are no weak tracks on this album which explodes out of an acid haze and 60’s psych fans are encouraged to give this stunning record a spin. Much better than their lousy 80’s synth pop contemporaries and a definite bridge to the very overrated Brit pop movement of the 90’s, Perfect Prescription is a pure drug fueled masterpiece. -Jason

mp3: Take Me To The Other Side

Influences: Red Krayola, 13th Floor Elevators, The Stooges

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The Olivia Tremor Control (1996)
Dusk At Cubist Castle

This is easily one of the best albums the indy label Elephant 6 has ever released. It’s full of brilliant sound effects, weird pop songs, experimental sound collages, backward tape loops, blistering guitar noise and krautrock influenced dementia. Had this been released in the 60’s it probably would not have garnered much attention. While nothing beats the Beach Boys or Beatles, Olivia Tremor Control is definitely a great band and this album is certainly worthwhile. Recording dates for this lp span back to 1993 though Cubist Castle was released in 1996. Frost Ambassador is clearly influenced by Smile era Beach Boys (the elements suite in particular) while Jumping Fences recalls the Fab Four with it’s painted dayglow harmonies. The Opera House is possibly the best conventional rock song (with loads of fuzz) on the album. Other works like Can You Come Down With Us are just as effective and highly experimental. Many of the tracks hover around the 2 to 3 minute mark and when this lp was originally released it came with a bonus disc of ambient sounds (dream sequences) which are to be played simultaneously with the first disc. This Athens, Georgia based band released one further album Black Foliage in 1999 though Dusk At Cubist Castle is without doubt their masterpiece. Highly recommended! -Jason

mp3: The Opera House

Influences: Pretty Things, Beach Boys, The Zombies, Sonic Youth, The Beatles

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Animal Collective (2004)
Sung Tongs

When I was an impressionable college student, checking out the current music scene, Other Music persuaded me to buy Spirit They’ve Gone And Spirit They’ve Vanished, by Avey Tare and Panda Bear. A handmade album with some excellent brush-snare drumming by Panda Bear and weird vocals with glittery sonic textures by Avey Tare. Several years down the road I discovered that this quirky duo had expanded their sound and gained a large national audience as Animal Collective, using an interesting hybrid of acoustic and electronic equipment, a sample and drone driven DJ group of sorts. Since 2003 they have released a string of decent folk and electronic psych albums and most lately offer acclaimed 2007 releases in Strawberry Jam and Panda Bear’s Person Pitch. This track comes from 2004’s Sung Tongs. -Brendan

mp3: Kids On Holiday

Influences: The Holy Modal Rounders, The Incredible String Band, Big Boy Pete

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Akron / Family (2006)
Meek Warrior

One of the most passionate bands continuing the sixties psychedelic tradition today, Brooklyn-based Akron/Family’s most notable work so far is 2006’s Meek Warrior. The best way to get into this group, however, is to see one of their live shows, where there is a tribal and nearly spiritual presence circulating amongst the band and their enthusiastic fans. They have roots in the jam band scene and play with extreme dynamism. Fans of psychedelia owe themselves a listen to Meek Warrior, or their highly acclaimed 2007 release, Love Is Simple. (Note their Magic Band get-ups in the latest photo shoots and as featured in Love Is Simple!) -Brendan

mp3: Raising The Sparks

Influences: Flower Travellin’ Band, Gandalf, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band

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Best of Seth (2006)
Sparrow Trout Heart Sprout

Best of Seth is Seth Olinsky from the above mentioned Akron Family band, and this 3CD conceptual piece may be a lost gem waiting for fans from the future! The album may not be something you can really listen to in one sitting, but there are great songs on it and it has a consistent mood of spaciness and weirdness. It is a good expression of Seth’s sensibilities at a particular point in time. Dirt Cloud Road Of Light layers middle eastern drones, Appalachian banjos, and mandolins around a New England campfire sing-along with lyrics that conjure a Buddhist foray into the world of the Lord of the Rings. What could be more sike? Anyways, in true Rising Storm fashion, this album is seriously hard to find. -Brendan + J.Pere

mp3: Dirt Cloud Road Of Light

Influences: Bobby Callendar, Syd Barrett, Grateful Dead

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Phantom Family Halo (2007)
The Legend of Black Six

This Louisville band is not as well known as some of the others here, but lesser known bands are a major focus for this blog. I saw them play live in NYC a few months ago. The band is led by the drummer/vocalist, whose kit sits prominently, and awesomely raised at the front of the stage. Tasteful synthesizer drones, bells, and guitar leads round out an authentic psych sound that revels around the insane powerhouse drumming. I was impressed and recommend psych fans check out this burgeoning group. -Brendan

mp3: Black River

Influences: Hawkwind, Can, Syd Barrett, Scott Walker

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