Posts Tagged ‘ 1968 ’

J.K. & Co. “Suddenly One Summer”

| Concept Albums,Pop,Psych

Suddenly One Summer

This is a good, semi well-known psych album, indeed there aren’t too many 60s rock fans that dislike J.K. & Co.’s Suddenly One Summer.  It’s the only album this group would release.  Prior to Suddenly One Summer, Jay Kaye had been in the Loved Ones, though I don’t think this band released any singles.

Jay Kaye was only 15 years old when he recorded this album in 1968.  The lyrics, vocals, songs and musicianship are remarkably advanced for someone who was so inexperienced in the studio.  Jay Kaye made the trip from Las Vegas to Vancouver, Canada to record the lp with top flight session musicians (among them members of noted Vancouver band Mother Tucker’s Yellow Duck).  The album was inspired by recent Beatles’ masterpieces and of course LSD, so it’s not surprising that much of this record is full of orchestral psychedelia and heavy studio effects – music with a spiritual slant.  Another teen, Robert Buckley aided Jay Kaye with many of the album’s arrangements and psychedelic effects.  It was he who created the decaying backward effects on the masterful “Fly,” a track that sounds well ahead of its time and similar in feel to prime-era Radiohead (though 30 years prior).

Suddenly One Summer was conceived as a concept album and briefly featured in Billboard claiming “to depict musically a man’s life from birth to death.”  At least half the album is full of great psychedelia.  “O.D.” features wild guitar playing, great drug addled madness, and soaring vocals, “Fly,” as mentioned before, is an all-time psych classic, and “Magical Fingers Of Minerva” is a great sitar based rocker that usually ends up on trippy compilations.  Other compositions of note are the gorgeous acoustic track “Nobody,” a great pop rocker titled “Christine,” and the dramatic finale, “Dead.”  The LP plays from strength to strength and never falls off into the deep end.

J.K. & Co.’s album was a decent size underground hit in California, leading White Whale to release a single to capitalize on the group’s popularity.  They chose the 36-second album opening intro which at the time was seen as a major marketing disaster.  In the end, White Whale’s terrible management blunder would halter the career of Jay Kaye and also hurt the company’s ability to market J.K. & Co as a serious group.   After the record’s release Kaye had even put together a band with his Cousin John (bass) and friend Rick Dean (drums) to promote the LP’s songs live but success eluded them.  In 2001 Sundazed released this great conceptual acid album through their BeatRocket label.

“Fly”

:) Vinyl Reissue | BeatRocket | 2001 | buy from sundazed ]
:D CD Reissue | BeatRocket | 2001 | buy from sundazed ]

The Red Krayola “God Bless the Red Krayola and All Who Sail With It”

| Art,Psych

God Bless the Red Krayola

Sued by Crayola for naming rights, this is the band’s first album under their new ‘Krayola’ moniker, a stripped down follow-up to their debut record, the freaked out Parable of Arable Land. Actually it’s a remake of a rejected (by International Artists) 2nd album called Coconut Hotel. Mayo Thompson essentially pasted together a daring audio collage with amateur musicians, dada lyrics sung by choruses of friends, original (opposed to ‘ found’) sounds, a little Texas grit, psychedelic glue, and it holds up well today.

I love how the band continually loses the rhythmn on “Sherrif Jack,” teasing any possibility of a groove, eventually bringing back the ‘Say Hello To Jamie Jones’ motif when things fall apart. Tracks like “Big” are really ahead of its time with the unintelligible childspeak sample and organ, bass, guitar trio playing a scarcely organized sample-and-hold pattern. Short songs make the album really tolerable and engaging, an enjoyable trip that would influence countless lo-fi and bedroom musicians for years to come.

This album reminds us that music doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be serious, and you don’t have to be a virtuoso to record a fantastic record.

“Sherriff Jack”

:D CD Reissue | 2CD w/ Parable | 2007 | Snapper | buy at amazon ]
:D CD Reissue | Mini Gatefold Limited Edition | 2003 | Sunspots | buy at amazon ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1968 | International Artists | search ebay ]
8-) Spotify link | listen ]

The International Submarine Band “Safe At Home”

| Country Rock

Safe At Home

This was Gram Parsons’ debut album, the eternally underrated Safe At Home.  Prior to this he had recorded solo demos, music with an early folk band the Shilohs and a few singles with the International Submarine Band – all worthwhile stuff.  Parsons formed this group after he had dropped out of Harvard and moved to New York City.  While he was no stranger to the recording studio, critics and music fans unfairly label Safe At Home as a tentative early album that showed signs of greatness. While it was nowhere near as influential as Gilded Palace of Sin, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, or Parsons’ two solo discs, time has shown Safe At Home to be much more than an early throw away.

The remaining members consisted of rhythm guitarist Bob Buchanan, bass player Ian Dunlop and drummer Jon Corneal.  The album is disappointingly short at 9 songs but all the performances are memorable and Gram’s talent as a bandleader is clearly on display.  Even so early on in his career Parsons’ vocal and songwriting abilities were obvious and on the money.  The rest of the group is tight and engaging, reminding me of a garage band playing country music – reckless playing and soulful harmonies.  There are four originals: an early version of Do You Know How It Feels To Be Lonesome which is sparse but very effective, Luxury Liner, Strong Boy, and Blue Eyes.  The latter three tracks are country rock classics, kind of like early benchmarks for the genre.  Luxury Liner charges hard like a freight train and is probably the most popular track off the original lp.  Without a doubt the album’s most rock oriented number, this track is essential listening.  Just as good is Blue Eyes and Strong Boy which are closer to pure country and show off great Parsons vocal performances.  Strong Boy is one of the true country rock classics, an absolute must hear.

The remaining tracks are wisely chosen covers, all great renditions too.  Satisfied Mind is notable for its powerful drum work, Folsom Prison Blues has great stinging guitar leads and I Must Be Somebody Else You’ve Known sports a gorgeous, catchy chorus that’s worth the price of admission.  The original lp was released off Lee Hazlewood’s LHI Records in 1968.  At the time it was praised widely by the likes of Glen Campbell and Don Everly though sales were pretty poor.  There is really much more to this story that I’m leaving out but my main objective was to comment on the strength of the songs and general quality of performance.

Parsons left the group before the lp’s release and remained inactive for a few months before joining the Byrds.  Many of you know this record, so in a sense it’s not really a lost album like The Wheel (Bernie Schwartz) or Morning.  But taken as a whole, Safe At Home is a fresh, groundbreaking record, that at least in my mind is a classic.  The best cd version is on Sundazed, orignal artwork and all.

“Strong Boy”

:) Vinyl Reissue | 2004 | Sundazed | purchase ]
:D CD Reissue | 2004 | Sundazed | purchase ]
8-) Spotify link | listen ]

Click Horning “Click”

| Americana,Folk,Psych

Click Horning Click

This album is officially out of print though I bought a cdr copy off Click Horning’s website.  I think Click burned the music on this cdr directly from an original vinyl copy of Click, which was originally released on ABC records in 1968.  Prior to this he had released a worthwhile single or two, none which I have ever seen or heard before.  There had been rumors of a cd reissue which would include the album and singles/oddities, possibly by Sunbeam Records, though nothing has resurfaced since writing this review.  The album was recorded in New York City although Click is a native of New England and somewhat of a local legend in his hometown.  He currently lives in New Hampshire and plays every Saturday afternoon at Peter Christian’s Tavern in New London (try to check him out one night).

So what of the album?

In a day when all kinds of mediocre folk and acid-folk albums are being reissued by the dozen, Click holds up remarkably well for it’s quality songs, mysterious aura and unique originality.  Click’s lyrics are strange, eccentric and soul searching, just listen to Many Times Jimbo, perhaps the lp’s highlight and most well-remembered song.  This track is an acoustic number with lots of sitar and deep mystical lyrics:  “moonlight serenaders solemnly they sing” and “the ghosts of memories they haunt you.”  This is a remarkable song that’s very pastoral and exudes a strong sense of self-awareness: it’s one of the all-time great acid folk classics.  This track is followed by My Precious, a beautiful spacey ballad with flute and piano.  On this track Click’s voice closely resembles that of Nick Drake.  Most of the other tracks are less psychedelic but well performed and always interesting.  Crazy Hannah would be another one of the lp’s highlights.  This is a driving, playful number with fiddle, drums, piano and bizarre lyrics: “Crazy Hannah, yes, I knew her, so thin and frail, you could read a book right through her.”  Another track, Find It For Yourself, sounds remarkably like Beck (from the 90s) while For Judith, To Paris and See That My Children Got Warm Clothes are striking if unconventional folk-rock ballads.

If you’re into esoteric late 60s folk-rock this is a great unknown album.  Click Horning is a true original, it’s a shame none of his material has been made available for a wider audience.

“Crazy Hannah”

:D CDR Copy | clickhorning.com ]

Them “Time Out! Time In For”

| Garage,Psych

Time In! Time Out For

After Van Morrison’s departure from the group in 1966, Them relocated to Los Angeles, California and released a string of worthwhile efforts.  The group completely revamped their image and sound behind Jim Armstrong’s accomplished guitar work and Ken McDowell’s vocals; the only hold over from the Van Morrison era was guitarist Alan Henderson.  Now And “Them” and Time Out! Time In For are by far and away the best LPs the post Van Morrison Them ever produced.  The liners from the Rev-Ola reissue written by notable British rock historian Jon Mojo Mills take it almost too far, stating “they mastered West Coast psychedelia like no other Irish band.  And quite why Van Morrison gets all the credit is beyond me.  Which songs are better?  Gloria and Here Comes The Night or Dirty Old Man and Time Out Time In?”

Let me get this out in the open right here: the psychedelic era Them is nowhere near as good as early Them, particularly Them’s first LP and the early singles with Van Morrison (I’m sure psych fans will take issue with this!).  Early Them was a hard edged British R&B group who was both innovative and revered in their day.  Van Morrison is a legend, however, and Them’s early work is considered some of the best pure rock n roll from that time frame (64-66).

That being said, this album is a pretty good psychedelic record though not the masterpiece dealers and rock critics make it out to be.  This is the kind of album you get after you’ve heard a few hundred or so classics and are thirsting for more UK psychedelia.  The musicianship is way above average, particularly Jim Armstrong’s guitar work.  Mean lean fuzz leads are painted all over this album.  The opening cut “Time Out For Time In” is very good with jazzy time signatures and effective sitar work.   Some of the tracks are marred by dramatic vocal phrasing and pretentious lyrics but that’s a minor complaint.  Exotic numbers like “The Moth” and the lyrically bizarre “Waltz of the Flies” work best, employing a variety of instruments (mandolin) and strange sounds.   Another highlight, “Black Widow Spider,” is a classic sitar headswirler while the boys give a good blues psych reading of “I Put A Spell On You” (titled here “I Put A Hex On You”).

Once again, if you expect the unexpected and enjoy classic psychedelia, this record is for you.  It’s not the original Them but not many bands are.  The Alan Henderson/Jim Armstrong/Ken McDowell lineup was a very underrated group and while this LP may not be an essential purchase, the music is still very good and full of mysticism.  During this era, Them also had a good live reputation throughout the LA area and released some fine singles including the excellent garage punker “Dirty Old Man.”  Icing on the cake is the original vinyl album sleeve’s beautiful psychedelic collage.

“Waltz Of The Flies”

:D CD Reissue | 2004 | Rev Ola | buy from revola ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1968 | Tower | search ebay ]

The Master’s Apprentices “1965-1968”

, , , | Garage,Prog,Psych

If the Easybeats were considered the Beatles of Down Under than the Master’s Apprentices were surely Australia’s answer to the Rolling Stones.  They released 5 records during their 65-72 heyday, including the above debut and their classic hard rock album, A Toast To Panama Red.  In between this period the group released a few unfocused but interesting lps and several good singles.  The Mick Bower era (65-68-) is usually considered the group’s highwater mark, even though Panama Red is an excellent progressive hard rock album.

The Master’s Apprentices started out in the mid 60s as the Mustangs.  This group played raucous RnB, covers of 50s rock standards, a few originals and some instrumentals.  Eventually the group would develop into something more original, under the leadership and guidance of guitarist/songwriter Mick Bower and vocalist Jim Keays.  In 1966 the group released their debut Astor 45 Undecided/War or Hands of Time.  The A-side was a powerful, raw RnB track that had cruching guitar riffs and a unique chord progression.  As great as Undecided was, War or Hands of Time was even better.  This unique anti-war track captured the original group at their peak with a powerful, reverberating guitar intro, hard hitting drum fills and a fractured acid solo.   Even today most Aussie rock aficionados agree that this was one of the most exciting singles to ever come out of Australia.  Their next Astor 45, released in 1967,  was Buried and Dead.  This was another classic single and one of the most explosive acid punk numbers ever recorded.  Mid way thru there’s a strong punkoid psych solo although it should be noted that the flip side, featured on their debut album, is rather weak.

The debut, made up of Bower originals and a handful of covers was released in 1967.  Admittedly there are five weak tracks – She’s My Girl, the feedback laden Beatles’ cover I Feel Fine, Chuck Berry’s Johnny B Goode, My Girl, and Don’t Fight It.  The rest of the album is rock solid and full of driving garage rockers and early psychedelia.  Undecided, War or Hands of Time and Buried and Dead are all featured on the lp though Theme For A Social Climber and the raga influenced But One Day were strong psychedelic numbers too.  Hot Gully Wind is a razor sharp bluesy garage rocker that recalled Ireland’s Them while Dancing Girl featured some slightly freaky guitar work that made it a worthy tune.  The good tracks (7 of them) were great, so based on this, the Master’s Apprentice lp comes highly recommended.

The Masters would release two other classic 45s during the Mick Bower era.  In 1967 Astor released one of their biggest hits, Living In A Child’s Dream.  This single hit the Aussie top ten and is often considered one of the greatest psych singles of all time.  There are no guitar freakouts or wild solos (though Rick Morrison’s guitar solo is tasteful and imaginative), it’s a mellow, spacey pop tune with flower power lyrics and a radio friendly sound.  The single’s B-side, Tired Of Just Wandering was another great Bower penned psych track.  In 1968 the group released Elevator Driver.  By then both guitarist Rick Morrison and Mick Bower had left the group.  Bower leaving the group was equivalent to Syd Barrett exiting the Floyd: nobody thought the Masters would recover such a devastating blow.  Against all odds they released their last great early 45 and to these ears it may edge out Child’s Dream as the better single.  Elevator Driver was originally titled Silver People and is another ace psychedelic track with vocal distortion and a good guitar friendly arrangement.  Ascension released a great cd back in 2000 that combines the Master’s first lp with all their early singles.  True, there are a few weak tracks and the disc is rather hard to find but it’s a great buy from one of rock’s lost bands.

If you’re into the Pretty Things, Outsiders or Q65, the Master’s Apprentices’ 1965-1968 is absolutely mandatory listening.

“Buried And Dead”

:D CD Reissue | search amazon ]
:) Orig Vinyl | 1967 | Astor | search ebay ]

Can “Delay 1968”

| Prog,Psych

Along with a handful of tracks featured on Unlimited Edition, Delay represents some of Can’s earliest recordings from 1968 when the band’s lead singer was sculptor Malcom Mooney.  According to legend these tracks were supposed to form the backbone of a Can debut album which was tentatively titled Prepare To Meet Thy Pnoom.  It never happened but thankfully these prehistoric gems were rescued from the vaults and officially released in 1981 – well after the group’s prime.

The Mooney era tends to be forgotten by most casual fans but I think Monster Movie is just as good as any of the Damo Suzuki era classics.  Delay is less polished than Monster Movie but also a really swell garage avante-garde psychedelic album.  Some of their early works even have strands of distorted R&B – listen closely and you can hear this.  Early Can looked to the Velvet Underground for their primary influence, especially the feedback laden monster that was 1968’s White Light/White Heat.  Free Jazz was also a vital reference point as heard on the brief 26 second PNOOM and the deranged Man Named Joe.   So if experimental German rock is your bag, these recordings are an absolute must, something that enriches the legacy of this most illustrious band.  I’ve never heard anything like Uphill.  It churns and twists violently while Malcom Mooney nervously spits out lyrics as if someone’s breathing fire into his ass.  There’s a nice thick, stinging guitar solo midway thru and the group locks into one nasty groove that’s really hard to beat.  Check out the lyrics too,  Mooney rants away and goes on a memorable lyrical journey in which he mentions “hot rods” and a certain “velvet touch,” this is classic 60s rock at its finest.  Butterfly hits the same kind of emotional nerves and is just as good but sounds very mechanical and frost bitten.  Another killer is Thief, a track that Radio Head regularly plays in their live set and possibly Can’s greatest stab of pure psychedelia – space trance with fabulous melting fuzz guitars and tribal rhythms.   These performances are loaded with high energy, aggression and  experimentation – this music was meant to be played loud.

Back in the 60s and early 70s Can used to blow people’s minds on a regular basis.  When I hear records like Delay, Monster Movie, Future Days and Tago Mago I can understand why.  Can outtakes and aborted albums are better than most band’s best material.  Delay is very worthy stuff.

“Uphill”

:D CD Reissue | 2006 | Mute | amazon ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1981 | Spoon | search ebay ]
;) MP3 Album | amazon ]
8-) Spotify link | listen ]

The Who “Magic Bus”

| Classic Rock,Pop

My Take:

The Who’s Magic Bus album was released in 1968 with the misleading “On Tour” title. Magic Bus is not a live album by any means and was released to keep Who fans satisfied while they anxiously awaited 69s Tommy. But it also made Decca a few dollars and is similar in concept to the Stones’ Flowers and the Small Faces’ excellent From The Beginning lp.

Magic Bus was made up of prior singles, b-sides, ep tracks and the like – all dating from around 66-67. Run Run Run, I Can’t Reach You and Our Love Was, Is had all made appearances on prior lps and are good pop tracks. Run Run Run is a thundering mod rocker with great guitar leads from Townshend and stunning bass work from Entwistle. Other tracks like Pictures of Lily, Disguises and Doctor, Doctor represent some of the Who’s better early work, then known as pop-art. Most of these songs are great catchy power pop tunes (a term Townshend coined back in 66) that show Townshend’s mastery of feedback and guitar noise. Other notable tracks are Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (an Entwistle original of course), perhaps the strangest Who recording of all, whilst Call Me Lightning is solid mod pop.

My feeling is that they could have nicked off two shitty tunes (the Keith Moon sung Bucket T. sucks) and lifted Run Run Run, I Can’t Reach You and Our Love Was, Is and added recent singles/b-sides like Dogs, I’m A Boy, Substitute, Anytime At All and Circles to come up with a really good lp. From 1964 to 1974 the Who were one of the great bands, Townshend and co were always trying different ideas out in the studio and stretching rock’s boundaries as far as possible. Nowhere near as good an album as My Generation, Sell Out, or Tommy, Magic Bus still has moments of brilliance.

Your Take?

“Disguises”

:D CD Reissue | 1999 | MCA | mini LP sleeve | buy @ amazon ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1968 | Decca | search ebay ]

uReview: The Band “Music From Big Pink”

| Americana,uReview

[ratings]

A lot of times the comments folks leave here blow me away. Many have been the equal of any professional music writing I’ve encountered elsewhere, while others relate from a casual or personal level that you can’t find in corporate mags or journals. And as we’ve said before, your comments are why this site exists.

For a “uReview” review we’ll take a look at some classic and contended albums and leave it up to commenters. We’re starting out easy with Big Pink. So, what do you think?

“Caledonia Mission”

:D CD Reissue | 2000 | Capitol | buy from amazon ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1968 | Capitol | search ebay ]

Stone Country “Stone Country”

| Americana,Country Rock,Folk,Pop,Psych

Stone Country’s only album contains some of Steve Young’s earliest known recordings. RCA released this strange melange of psychedelia, country, soft-pop and jangly folk-rock back in 1968. This record is by no means a cohesive effort as it sounds like the work of 5 different groups. At first I wasn’t so sure about the album but multiple listens reveal a good record with very solid performances. So while the album itself might not gel together as a finished product, about 90% of the songs are strong and hold up well individually.
Stone Country were a Los Angeles CA sextet that only existed for a little less than 2 years. Steve Young had headed out to LA from Alabama in 1963, looking to secure a recording contract. The group was founded in 1967 when the management company of Denny Bond and Ken Mansfield were in the beginning stages of putting together a new group that would combine elements of both country and rock n roll. Steve Young was chosen as lead guitarist and vocalist while the rest of the group’s lineup looked something like this: banjo player Don Beck, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Doug Brooks, drummer Dennis Conway, vocalist and bassist Dann Barry, and guitarist Richard Lockmiller.

The album, while not a lost classic is very solid and thoroughly enjoyable. It was clear from the beginning that Young was the group’s most distinctive songwriter and vocalist. Magnolias, a Young original, was one of the lp’s highlights and a unique mixture of Southern soul and swamp rock that only he could deliver – a very gritty vocal performance too. Woman Don’t You Weep was more of the same, another good Young roots rocker with a driving beat and an attractive string arrangement. Two raga rock gems, Love Psalm and Mantra have nice fuzz guitar work and could easily fit in on the Byrds classic Notorious Byrd Brothers lp. Other tracks hit more of an Association soft-pop sound (‘Lizabeth Peach and Everywhere I Turn – both very good) while Why Baby Why (a George Jones cover) and Life Stands Daring Me show off the group’s country roots. The latter is a particularly imaginative slice of psychedelic country-rock with its soaring vocals, glittering guitars and wild banjo picking. Stone Country’s only mistake was including Angelica, a horrible bland pop number that had no business being on the lp.

Rev-Ola just recently reissued Stone Country for the first time on cd. Stone Country hits all the right bases that were common in 60’s American rock music: psychedelia, country-rock, folk, blues, airtight harmonies, adventurous arrangements, and great musicianship. This record is well worth a spin.

“Magnolias”

:D CD Reissue | 2007 | Revola | buy from revola | amazon ]
:) Original Vinyl | 1968 | RCA | search ebay ]