This blog is an extension of the Psych Trail Mix fanzine that had a run of 10 printed issues from Winter 2008 through Spring 2016. The Psych Trail Mix archive of full, free PDF files of the printed zine will continue to be hosted at this link. Print copies remain of the last 3 issues (8, 9, 10), see the main PTM page to purchase copies.

You mentioned that you only released the "straightest" of the material you recorded. Would you mind sharing some details on the other songs like song titles and how those unreleased songs sounded?

There were other songs recorded with Carlos Pardeiro. He now owns a TV station in Tennessee and is still releasing his music. However, our producer, Peter, said no mas. We recorded a song called "Majagua" that was not released. I really liked this one. some nice guitar interaction. I only remember the first line - 'there's a way through the bush back to home, leave your two shoes behind, shed a glass eye.' Another song about cactus: 'Cactus storing the drink I must win. You whisper damp secrets, you're living in unliving skin. Let me come in.' As with all her songs, musical surprises abound. Another title - "Cat Among Caladiums". Karen (Margaret's sister) might have the words. My favorite song by Margaret is one I played at her funeral. I don't think her mother got it. "Far Away" - 'There's a shadow losing ground, falling from mother's eye, once did please her sky. Now she knows to rain down. / The longest night could it be approaching light/the moon ceases to fight/her sinking into some sea/some see the         light/some see the one/is only one the way to shine the light?/come be my fondest star/be near from far/far away/come on and sweep me away away
I got this song back. So interesting. I may record a version. Margaret was really prolific. She continued writing songs all her life. In my opinion, the songs she was writing early on were the ones that were so extraordinary.

What was the vibe like in the studio recording the songs for the album? Can you share some memories of the recordings?

Although it was Peter's studio, the main man was David Choy. David was very eclectic - like doing Beijing Opera. He is responsible for the Arp synth.
At the beginning, we were just laying down the acoustic tracks. David wrote some string parts for Waipoo. It was fun and exciting. Margaret and I spent a lot of time rehearsing. Think we were staying in a teepee on Maunalani Heights. Then we moved to the end of Kalihi Valley road. I came home one day and Margaret was gone. Her mother guilted her into going back to school at Dominican College. Luckily, we had all the main tracks. So then it was me and David finishing it. This part of the production was pretty stoney. In retrospect, it was probably not a good idea to mix on elephant weed.

Relatively Clean Rivers - s/t (1976) [Original US Private Press]
This is big... Like HUGE. I've written about this album in previous blog posts, but one of the main things about it is that it has never been given a proper reissue. So unless you had loads of cash to drop on an original pressing, you're stuck with the mediocre (to put it VERY mildly) bootleg copies that are out there. The original pressing is the only way to hear this psychedelic masterwork, its clarity unmatched. But even if you got your hands on an original, there's about a 101% chance that it's warped, with varying degrees of warp. Let me cut to the chase, your listening experience with this album changes now. An original M- pressing from the first 100 run, with the most minor of warps (corrected in the restoration by the way), has been handpicked by Phil Pearlman himself, straight from Phil’s goat farm and sent to ThePoodleBites over at Ultimate Psychedelic Vinyl HQ for a full restoration, and even given blessings by Phil himself to be presented freely for all of us to hear in stellar sound quality. This project is many years in the making - seeking the perfect copy for the restoration. And when finally obtaining a suitable pressing, no corners were cut in the full restoration of this masterpiece. This is likely as good as you will ever hear this album, for various reasons pointed out in the blog post link at the end of this review. Like I said, I have reviewed this album in previous blog posts, but let me just touch upon a few key elements. This is essentially like the fine wine of psychedelic music folks. The effects and things aren't over the top and in your face, but interwoven into the music in an almost subtle, sexy sort of classy manner. It has a very reflective feel to it throughout, and it's one of the type of albums that I like to call “life guiding.” Its been accurately penned as a rural-psych album with an acid-vision for the fallout of the post-60’s days of the original psychedelic era. Again, no corners were cut and it's truly a revelation when you  hear this album in pristine quality. The restoration also includes full high-res scans of all the album artwork and more. Bootleg copies contain hazy artwork at best, the scans within this presentation will blow you away. And let's be honest, that beautiful multi-colored psychedelic album cover deserves to be treated with full respect. This is something that I thought might never happen, so it's truly a joy that this is now a reality. You'll see Psych Trail Mix name-dropped in the post, something that I'm not shy to say that I'm a bit proud of, with being a part of at least the encouragement aspect over the years to make this happen. FINALLY, this psychedelic masterpiece has been properly digitally archived so that we can enjoy it for years to come:
Relatively Clean Rivers - s/t (1976) [Original US Private Press]

Linda Perhacs - Parallelograms (1970)
I'd heard this album name-dropped for years, but am just now getting around to checking it out. As usual with female singer-songwriters of the time, comparisons are drawn to Joni Mitchell, and you do get some Joni vibes at times. This one didn't really blow me away upon first listen as much of the gushing reviews would have you believe, I think this one is more of a grower, and grow it did. Like I said, you get some Joni vibes, but there's more of a sort of somber, reflective feel throughout the album, and yes it does fall into the folk-psych category. Folk-psych is a term that's bandied about a bit TOO much from what I see, so how is it PSYCH you ask? Well, its lyrical depth rings of an enlightened sensory-heightened state at times. Like on "Chimacum Rain" for example - "I'm spacing out, I'm seeing silence between the leaves," that definitely evokes a higher sensory level, no? The title track is also fantastic, its sort of geometric-freeform lyrics are quite trippy and the production of this track certainly give it a tasty psych edge that will satisfy many heads cravings for that sought out 'out-there' vibe. I really dig how the title track gets into that tripped out part in the middle section and then brings you back to base with Linda's singing, almost like the back and forth of a trip if you will. The 'folk-psych' label aside there are just some stunningly beautiful songs on here, "Dolphin" for example. Linda's delicate singing on this track just seduces me, it's like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket, getting away for a bit, life's daily responsibilities and mundane tasks vanish for a moment. Getting away, to where? Even in the lyrics, Linda asks "But what is there?" And "what good is back?" To me, it's a great song about just getting away, to somewhere else outside of your normal sort of daily actions and patterns and behavior. I have the cd from 2003 on the Wild Places label, apparently this is the version Linda herself recommends, I haven't compared it to any other reissues, so I can't give you a 100% answer, but the sound should be satisfactory to most.

San Francisco Sound - Fifth Pipe Dream - Volume I (1968)
Here you have a fantastic psych comp from 1968! I've heard several songs off of this comp from various sources, with many becoming favorites, but finally here we have a pristine transfer from an original M- pressing thanks to ThePoodleBites. 50 YEARS later this is still the only tape-sourced available release of the material within. The album starts off with a completely different version of "Bulgaria" by SF greats It's A Beautiful Day. This version is much different than what would ultimately end up on their album the following year, but it sort of gives off the same vibe lyrically in its message of inner-space and opening up your mind. Undoubtedly, some of the strongest material on here is by the great Tripsichord Music Box! Frank Straight's fuzzed-out guitar leads just ooze out of the speakers so deliciously on "You're The Woman." All three Tripsichord songs included on this comp are very strong, but I think the winner of the trio is the 8+ minute keyboard/guitar driven epic "Family Song." Definitely a Doors-y vibe here with those keyboards, then Frank Straight's guitar comes in and really gets you 'out there.' Mislabeled on the comp (thanks to Matthew Katz), are four songs by WEST COAST NATURAL GAS (NOT Indian Puddin & Pipe), along with Tripsichord, these are clearly the best of the batch here. "Hashish" has been a favorite of mine for many years, but it's a treat to hear the massive upgrade in sound quality here straight from an original pressing. Read a transcription of that song and all about its meaning in a free PDF of Psych Trail Mix #10. West Coast Natural Gas' sound is a rich, eclectic potpourri of organ, piano, 12-string guitar, bass, drums and fantastic vocal harmonies, it's easy to see why they remain big favorites for what would be the one and only "Pipe Dream" comp. "Hashish," as mentioned, "Beyond This Place," "Water or Wine," and "Two's A Pair" are all top-notch. A band called Black Swan are featured for a couple tracks, the standout being "She Encircles Me," and as pointed out in the blog post link at the end here notes, it sort of gives off the swirling psych sort of vibe with its stoned-out declarations of female beauty as compared to "She Lives" by the 13th Floor Elevators. Grab this perfect vinyl transfer/restoration here:
San Francisco Sound – Fifth Pipe Dream – Volume I (1968)

Oh Sees - Orc (2017)
You'll notice that it's fairly rare that I write about new music for this blog. So for me to tip my hat to something new, especially within the last few years, its really gotta “get me nice.” This album by the Oh Sees came out in 2017, and I think it's one of their strongest albums. Truth be told, I was turned on to this band after hearing that one of their main influences is the great acid punk band Chrome. Also, just this year they covered several Chrome songs in a live “Levitation” session, and they blew me away, giving the songs the respect that they deserve and doing them justice. I also think that witnessing this band live will make you a true believer. I watched several live videos of these guys and they really just give it their all on stage, with very high octane energy. I'm set in my first return to live music since covid started to see these guys play in about a month, and I am beyond excited to have their show as my first return to a venue to witness live, loud, in-your-face music, LONG overdue feeding of the soul. “Orc” is Is a good place to start as far as their albums. From the in-your-face acid-punk tinged “Static God” to the 8+ minute hypnotic psych rock journey of “Keys To The Castle,” the gamut of this album should itch every scratch you have. I actually recommend watching a live performance of this band PRIOR to listening to this album, and this one from PressureDrop.tv just blew me away. You can't deny that John Dwyer is a phenomenal guitarist. So all you fellow old heads out there who are reluctant to check out newer music (I'm guilty as charged myself), take these guys out for a spin, you likely won't be disappointed.

Spirits & Worm - Spirits & Worm (1970)
Here we have a band that is aptly described in the blog post link at the end of this review as "think of the hard-edge psych guitar work of Kak uniting with the mesmerizing vocal harmonies of the Mamas & Papas." This one was brand new to me, and I'm glad my introduction of the album was this primo rip of a SEALED, MINT original pressing on A&M records! Also, as with A&M pressings, the sound quality is absolutely stellar. Original pressings of this are quite rare, so it's fantastic that this sealed copy was procured for a proper digital archive that we can enjoy for years to come. It's hard to pick favorites here with this diverse selection. "Fanny Firecracker" is a fantastic rockin' groover with back and forth sort of vocals and an upbeat mood. Anytime this song comes on I get the urge to just crank my volume dial on the ol' stereo into the red and let the neighbors hear some actual GOOD music for once in their lives! The guitar work on this really rocks like a mofo, just listen to those RIPPING leads on "Sunny Please Hold Me"! And the male/female vocals are just top-notch, right up there with the best of the California sunshine-pop-psych groups of the time. The title track is also a standout, and I love how that fuzz guitar in the left channel just seductively teases me and massages the brain ever so nicely, a little feedback to sweeten the pot followed up by the orgastic return of the ripping fuzz guitar! Ahhh yes, give it to me. "All I Need Is A Little You" is another personal fave and seems to get stuck in my head for days after a listen. This song features some fantastic flute that appears throughout this great album, and I just love psych records that incorporate the flute, especially when juxtaposed with the contrast of distorted fuzz guitar, it's such a winning combination that scratches all my itches. It's baffling how this band and this record didn't go further, apparently the LIKELY story is that the album was test marketed but no airplay/sales resulted from it and so it was shelved. Dealer hype over the years would like you to believe that it's because the album cover with the goats and headstone evoked satanic imagery! Anyway, read about that and more on the history of this record in the blog post over at UPV where you can grab the rip of an original MINT pressing:
Spirits & Worm - Spirits & Worm (1970) [USA Original]

Q65 - Revolution (1967) [Mono]
I’ve reviewed this record many years ago, however this first legit reissue of the essential mono mix put out by Pseudonym necessitates another review. Q65 were a group who were lumped into the category of “Nederbeat,” with “Neder” meaning Netherlands and “beat” being the beat music of the time. Many consider these guys to be a raunchier, nastier version of the Pretty Things and I agree. “The Life I Live” is the total quintessential party anthem. The fast-paced punked-out SNARL of “I Got Nightmares” is worth the price of admission alone folks. That's one of the things that really boosts the appeal of this album is the snarling, snotty vocals of Willem Biel. One of the things I also love about this record is the diversity, it's not just a collection of foot stomping R&B garage rock numbers (of which those included here are great), there's also some choice, mellow nugs in here as well like “Just Whose In Sight” with its classical guitar work and flute, giving off a sort of Eastern vibe. “Spoonful” is a great one to listen to on an outdoor wooden porch with an ice cold brew with that killer bottleneck guitar and those attitude-laden vocals of Biel. Really the only stinker is the final track which consists of a long blues jam. Anyway, I could go on, but go way back to Psych Trail Mix - Issue #2 If you'd like to read another review of this album. The main reason for this new review is the MONO MIX, which after hearing it proves to be THE mix you want for this. The PUNCH is what's needed for these songs. The high-end is there as well, apparently on original pressings the high-end was rolled off, so the reissue is actually the choice pressing for this album. Not a vinyl guy? No problem, the great Prof. Stoned has pulled through once again and provided us with a stellar rip of the mono reissue on Pseudonym: Q'65 - Revolution (1966) [Mono Version]

04-23-2021 - THESE TRAILS RUN THE COASTLINE AND ELEVATE MY HEAD

Well, what a year right? This has been an era like no other, and I'm sure all of you out there reading this have experienced loneliness and isolation due to this pandemic as every inch of the planet has been affected by it. Also, I'm sure most of you are burned out even thinking about it at this point, so I won't delve further into discussion on it, there are 24/7 news channels displaying various images to be bummed out about, in full technicolor! I did want to bring up the pandemic however, because once again the MUSIC has been THERE, as it always has been, and has been one of the major sources of comfort for me in these times. Music has gotten me through so many things in life, but this past year made me realize that it's even more valuable than ever before. Never before has it been so apparent that having a good record collection (or cd/digital in my case) is more than just a superficial thing to show off rarities to people on the internet, or those weirdos who leave their records SEALED and keep them as mantelpieces! Another revelation I've had in the past year is the importance of NATURE. This is another element that has aided in my dealing with the isolation of these Covid-days. I've been hitting nature trails as often as my current life situation allows me and it's always invigorating to breathe fresh air and take in the sunlight - and really just turn off electronic devices - just to think and BREATHE and just BE. This leads me to a specific album that has been particularly comforting this past year, the great Hawaiian folk-psych masterpiece: THESE TRAILS.

Modality Stew - s/t (1978)
Here's a private press gem that's well worth your time. The word in the title, "Stew" is appropriate as you have a potpourri of various musical styles melded together within the grooves of this eclectic, diverse record. You've got a mix of vibraphone, Indian tabla drums, flute, banjo, acoustic guitars, washboard! I'm probably even missing some instruments here, but you get the idea! This is another one I've spun often during the isolation and loneliness of pandemic times - it just has this meditative, introspective, reflective sort of vibe that has been enriching during these times. Some of my favorites are the ones with the female vocals, or even the male/female vocals. "Karmic Strip" is great - I love the flute and those female vocals, and the lyrics are fantastic. Apparently, a lot of this was improvised, but it all seems to gel together and work nicely. "D-Sense/Descents" is another one that has been on my playlist a lot - more acoustic guitar and flute and those female vocals, more like a chanting almost than traditional VOCALS, and this song is one that fits in with the vibe I mentioned earlier of being a sort of meditative, reflective piece that has been comforting the past year. The album closer "Sultra Blues" is another absolute standout song here - awesome sort of existential lyrics, the male/female vocals, tasteful harmonica thrown in there. Just when you think this song can't get any better you hear the click of the fuzz-pedal activation, WHOA! I LOVE the line "And we both know, the release from pain comes from letting go." Those howling, almost shamanic-like vocals from the woman on this track combined with that fuzz guitar embodies the musical-freedom vibe of this album. Siddhi even mentions in the liner notes that he created this record after an unrewarding experience with greedy record labels and rigid environments, he was inspired on a spring day on a mountainside in Crete where "spring spoke." He returned home to nature to record this. A perfect transfer from a mint, SEALED original done by ThePoodleBites over at UPV with the full package (hi-res scans etc) is available here: Modality Stew - s/t (1978) [Private Press]

Sunlight - Creation Of Sunlight (1970)
A number of years ago I tossed this one to the side as it didn't hit me initially, but this great rip/restoration of an original pressing and the urging of a friend made me revisit it and give a proper full listen and goddamn am I glad I did! This is some of the most excellent sunshine psych-pop you'll ever turn on to! The ONLY stinker on it is "Sometimes A Woman," that's it! The rest is fantastic stuff. Most people seem to cite "David" as the best song on this, and while not a bad track, in my mind the clear winner is "Light Without Heat" - there's some flute in there that literally just takes you away, transporting... elevating you into this spacious realm of beauty and awe, and those backup vocal harmonies, wow! "Seven Times Infinity" is another favorite and includes some horns, but don't worry! I know horns can immediately turn off some heads when it comes to psych, but it's all done very tastefully here and on "Seven Times Infinity" it actually complements the guitar nicely, especially that little bit of wah-infused guitar work in the middle of the song, some tasteful PIANO thrown in there as well! There's some great musicianship in the grooves of this one that is undeniable. The album closer "Fun Machine" is probably my second pick on this, just a fast-paced fun song laden with good vibes and some fucking BEAUTIFUL vocal harmonies - "It's not a car, it's not a train, not even a supersonic aero-plane, it's a brand new thing, never thought before, takes a strange state of mind to even open the door," those are some beautiful vocal harmonies drenched in lysergia my friends. Tasty fuzz guitar and Hammond organ throughout, with upbeat vibes (much needed during these nutty times we're living through) and loads o' sunshine ;-) Excellent album for sunshine-summer vibes that are right around the corner! Once again, unless you have an original pressing to throw on, when it comes to digital versions, The Poodle over at UPV has transferred an original M- pressing on Windi Records, so go soak up the California rays with the most pristine digital version of this great album and grab it here: Sunlight - Creation Of Sunlight (1970) [Original Pressing]

The Paisleys - Cosmic Mind At Play (1970)
Some incredibly heady psych that is often underrated, possibly due to the 18+ minute single-song - "Musical Journey" that takes up all of side B. Honestly, side B isn't even BAD, and it's got some deep lyrics: "listen dear friends close your eyes, and take a trip with me, clear your head of all your thoughts, just set your mind at ease." If they shortened this song and condensed it then it would be a bit more appealing, but again - it's not terrible. Side A however, is all top-notch! "Now" is a highlight - a pounding groover with a constant flange and about the headiest lyrics any head this side of the crab nebula could hope for: "Now as we awake to the super-conscious state, now as were traverse through heaven's gate, arriving at last upon the radiant shores of the pure spritual realms." WHOA! I hate to be the guy that keeps quoting lyrics but another line from this one: "Now far away in the depths of infinity, now far away in the clear white light of reality, know thyself and abide forever in this tranquil state, know thyself and remember that it is all what you make." Sounds like a post-acid-trip reflection. Dig those heady existential lines in the title track: "Cause we're just actors in the show baby, the universe our stage, acting out our little parts baby, here in the timeless play." "The Wind" is another clear favorite, an atmospheric piece with some moody organ and some delicious, screaming fuzz guitar bouncing from ear to ear. Yes folks, back when men were men and fuzz was FUZZ ;-) "Smokey Windows" was sort of a soundtrack to me through the Coronavirus pandemic and it sounds like it was written today. A sort of tongue-in-cheek song: "well the strange times we're livin' in is all just a phase, we're surely glad to report, and we'll tell you everything although we don't know anything, and together we'll become alive again." Even musically it's a play on the Beatles "Obla-Di," which is mentioned in the song! Another line that still holds true today that rings of a post-vaccination hope that we all share: "Well the atmosphere's polluted and the rivers sure ain't clean, or is it only a dream? Well we know for sure that somewhere there's a place we all can be, and we'll all be reunited once again." Originals of this are nearly impossible to find, or find at an affordable price, but you're in luck with the Sundazed reissue from 2003, it sounds fantastic and true to the original pressing.

Country Joe & The Fish - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die (1968)
This is a classic piece of American psychedelic rock here that most of you will already know about. I also find it to be the one that most of the "weekend hippies" know via the "Fixin' To Die Rag" from the Woodstock film, but the rewards of this album run much deeper than that my friends. I must admit that for quite some time their debut "Electric Music For The Mind & Body" was my favorite, but after delving into this one for a bit I'm finding they get MUCH deeper and headier than Electric Music... The debut may have had a flashier album title, but I've grown to loving "Fixin'" infinitely more. I mean just listen to the deep, heady introspection of "Who Am I," a stark contrast to their big anti-war opener, this one cuts deep. It's such a diverse, atmospheric record too - just listen to "Magoo" with the sounds of the thunderstorms, rain and the moody acoustic guitars, and again in a similar vein to "Who Am I" with the deeply introspective lyrics. I just get completely enveloped into this song when I listen to it. Wow, what a way to end the first side of an album! Next up is "Janis," one of my absolute favorites on this - Joe's love song to his ex, Janis Joplin. While not overtly psychedelic: no backward effects or studio trickery, this love song retains a psych edge to it in my opinion via the floaty sort of airy feel of the vocals and acoustic guitars combined with those lyrics that just paint visions of lysergic beauty: "Into my life on waves of electrical sound, and flashing light she came..." and "Into my eye comes visions of patterns, designs the image of her I see..." - Fucking beautiful! "Thursday" is another beautiful love song, this one gets a bit more instrumental and jammy as it goes on with some great organs and a lovely little jangly guitar interlude. "Eastern Jam" is just fantastic, and it JAMS, yep.. just like the title says, I never tire of this song. I LOVE right at like 2:59 you can hear the fuzz pedal kick on and we get some STINGING fuzz guitar with Melton meltin' the butter here. Ahhh bliss my friends. "Colors For Susan" is a beautiful closer and just perfect for this album, leaves you feeling great after this Country Joe trip. What makes this even better is that you can hear this in PRISTINE sound quality straight from original pressings in mono OR stereo. Both of the links below knock the socks off of any official cd reissue that has been released, be prepared to be blown away: Country Joe & The Fish - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die (1967) [Original USA Stereo Mix]

Country Joe & The Fish - I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die (1967) [Original Mono Mix]

Dragonfly - s/t (1968)
BADASS acid-blues RIPPER here! There's some HEAVY fuzzed-out guitar on this one that will just rip your head clearly off your torso! Don't get discouraged with the reference of "blues" I made, no folks, there's also plenty of special effects, backwards guitar and surprises to give it a nice hard-PSYCH edge throughout. Hell, even "Hootchie Kootchie Man," which you expect to maybe be the snoozer of the album doesn't suffer at all thanks to those stinging FUZZ guitar leads throughout, and I absolutely love the ending of this song with the backwards vocals that melts right into the opening guitar note of "I Feel It," this is one of the perfect segue-ways I've ever heard when it comes to one song going into another on a record. "I Feel It" also has some cool Doors-esque keyboards going on, and I'll tell you, it's little surprises like this that just boost the album even more, you've got this ripping acid-fuzz guitar (courtesy of a Maestro Fuzz-Tone!) and then you're hit with various treats throughout. "Miles Away" closes out the album in spectacular fashion, starting out as a fast-paced nimbly-guitar number, then a BLAST of heavy distorted, delicious fuzz guitar, ending with a cinematic-like piece for the final two and a half minutes or so that I doubt would leave any head un-satiated. I originally had the first cd reissue on Eva from 1992, and it's not bad at all, actually way better than any subsequent reissue, but once again The Poodle over at Ultimate Psychedelic Vinyl HQ tops it with a cleaner, more pristine transfer straight from an original 1968 pressing from Megaphone. No EQ applied, or futzing around with the sound, just closest-to-master-tape quality you can get, grab that here: Dragonfly - s/t (1968) [US Original Pressing]

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe As Milk (1967) [Stereo]
This record was already reviewed in the last blog post below, so check that out if you have yet to do so, that was as review of an unbeatable vinyl transfer of the MONO edition by Prof. Stoned, which is absolute MUST-HAVE. Another chunk of space here on the blog for this album was necessitated by a recent transfer of an original white label promo of the STEREO mix! I thought the mono was the forever go-to when it comes to reaching for this experimental blues-psych monster, but this is a case where BOTH mixes are essential to have at your disposal. There are various things buried in the PUNCH of that mono mix that are revealed with the stereo separation here. "Plastic Factory" with it's unrelenting, mind-blowing blues-riff is perhaps the one case where it's hard to make the argument that the stereo tops the mono mix, but just listen to "Zig Zag Wanderer" in stereo, if that doesn't make you a believer, then I don't know what will! Also, the songs with some psych-tinged elements like the theremin, given a bit of room to float around in the stereo mix, one could argue that the stereo mix is the more PSYCHEDELIC of the two. Anyway, you NEED both, so grab up this perfect transfer of an original white label promo from UPV and HEAR for yourself: Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe As Milk (1967) [Stereo]

7-03-2020 - Quarantined Psych Dreams: Four Sail Arthur Lee Mix, Private Press Holy Grails, Rolling Thunder & More!

I have to start this post out by saying that its been a YEAR since my last post. I intended on writing much more here and I plan on doing just that. So consider this post the kickoff to much more in the future. I believe that art and music are the best things for the soul and the mind during these crazy times and wild ride we're living through. There's always LOADS to ramble on about anyway. Plenty of time to write during this pandemic, that's for certain! All-right, let's get down to brass tax! This is something I must write about. As you know, Love - Four Sail is a BIG favorite of mine and I did an entire blog post about it, so I won't ramble too much about the album here. After hearing the unadulterated "original Arthur Lee mix" versions of a handful of the Four Sail songs from the "Love Story" compilation, I HAD TO HAVE the entire album in this VASTLY superior mix. All the shitty reverb that Elektra added to the mix was gone and it was CLEAR that the sound was superior in Arthur's original vision of the album. I tracked down everyone I possibly could to obtain this mix in full, but it always just lead to dead ends. I was BUMMED thinking I'd never hear this masterpiece in full with this superior mix. Well, last summer, July to be exact, I stumbled upon an Instagram post about this album and see the hype sticker with "Featuring the Arthur Lee Mixes" on it and I nearly leapt from my chair! After seeking these mixes in any possible way that I could, they seem to have just fallen in my lap! I found out it was on green vinyl which caused a bit of concern as colored vinyl is known to be noisy sometimes, but I purchased a copy and it played beautiful and clean. This was part of the Rhino "Summer of '69" set of releases to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the year and Woodstock. This was also a limited edition VINYL ONLY release, but luckily my good friend ThePoodleBites over at the Ultimate Psychedelic Vinyl HQ did a beautiful rip of this from a virgin play, so cheapos like myself who don't collect vinyl can hear this and enjoy it for years to come. So I gladly shipped my brand new copy to The Poodle. This was truly an amazing thing to happen, the mix is CLEARLY superior, it's indisputable. All other versions including the original pressing are obsolete now. It's a beautiful thing to listen to this entire record in Arthur's original vision and in such better sound than any issues ever of what I believe to be the last truly great Love album. "I'm With You," one of my absolute favorites, was a true treat to hear in this mix without the added reverb, sounds almost like a totally different song! BE SURE to grab the rip from Ultimate Psychedelic Vinyl HQ: Love - Four Sail (1969) [Original Arthur Lee Mixes]

Lastly, time for some album reviews of what I've been digging on lately.

Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland (1968)
For a long time "Axis: Bold As Love" was my favorite Jimi Hendrix album, but in the last few years Electric Ladyland has grown into my favorite as Jimi's definitive artistic statement. This double LP masterpiece was recorded from around the summer of '67 up until the beginning of April '68 at various recording studios. Hendrix had evolved much at this point and you can tell by the heady, deep compositions throughout, even starting off with the trippy intro "And The Gods Made Love," you know you're in for a ride. The album also includes maybe the BEST cover song ever recorded in Hendrix's nod to Bob Dylan with his ripping version of "All Along The Watchtower," Bob Dylan approved 100% and I believe even said something to the effect of "that's Jimi's song," a very high compliment from Dylan indeed. I've seen some claim this is overrated, absolutely NOT - for one thing I think this record is best digested as a whole, immerse yourself into it, to me it's a cohesive artistic statement from beginning to end. "1983" has got to be in the top 5 Hendrix songs easily, a heady orchestral experience containing backwards guitar, the sound of seagulls, feedback, a simple yet catchy main riff that just engulfs your mind into psychedelic bliss - and the LYRICS are genius, Hendrix paints a sort of apocalyptic vision of a world battered and torn with war and fighting, the lyrics are sadly still very relevant today. Ultimately, "1983" offers a positive vision of leaving those things behind and in an interview from 1969 he explained really how I personally navigate these times myself, with the music being the "something" for me: "something to keep your mind off what's happening … but not necessarily completely hiding away from it like some people do." I could ramble on an one about the music; the dripping acid psych guitar genius of "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," the absolute guitar SHREDDING as Hendrix melts your mind on "Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)," the angelic psychedelia of "Burning of The Midnight Lamp," and so forth. Like always, if there's one out there I like to point you to THE best digital version you can acquire, and in this case it was done by the great Prof. Stoned. His source was the 2010 vinyl release from "Experience Hendrix" wherein all the edits between tracks are there, which apparently wasn't the case on most vinyl releases, and the sound is a beautiful, bright, clear, defined sonic glory. Prof. Stoned put this rip out a number of years ago, but recently did some minor mastering tweaks to make the sound a bit more neutral, making this even more so the DEFINITIVE way to to hear Jimi's final masterpiece, ENJOY: Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland (1968)

Anonymous - Inside The Shadow (1976)
This one from '76 is a fairly new record for me, but it's quickly growing into one of my favorites. I'd heard it name-dropped before and read the entry in Patrick Lundborg's Acid Archives, but never delved in. Such great music! One description that's fairly accurate is "Fleetwood Mac playing 60's psych." The musicianship is incredible and lyrics are very real, heartfelt, sincere, and deep, straight from the soul. I listened to this years ago and shelved it because it didn't grab me, but this album is the definition of a "grower" - it just gets better and better with repeated listens the more it seeps into your consciousness. Beautiful male/female vocal harmonies where Ron Matelic and Marsha Rollings even sound like they could be siblings, their voices just pair beyond perfect together. Blistering guitar work with JUST the right touch of fuzz where needed. All combined with deep, heady lyrics for the full package. This easily rivals any of the mainstream acts of the mid 70's, these guys really should have been bigger. An ORIGINAL PRESSING was transferred and restored to provide the ultimate digital archive and listening experience (all reissues pale in comparison to the sound of the original). Be sure to snag that pristine digital rip here - Anonymous - Inside The Shadow (1976) [Original US 1st Private Pressing]

J. Rider - No Longer Anonymous (1977)
I thought it wouldn't get near Anonymous (see above review), but after a proper full-listen of this, holy smokes! GREAT album! You still have all the essential elements intact; Marsha's vocals, Ron's guitar style and tones. The DRUMMING on this is unbelievable! Love it. Just to name a couple faves - the meditative, breezy, flowing "Pike River" washes over you with Marsha's vocals enveloping you like a warm blanket, clearing your head of anything else going on in your world at the moment, "We Got More," which I didn't think could be bested when it comes to the Anonymous version, but every time I hear this one those skeptical thoughts are questioned, and I must mention the ROCKING proggy psych of "Sunday's Hero." J. Rider was also clearly recorded better than Anonymous - Inside The Shadow. Hard to pick a favorite between the two honestly, "Inside The Shadow" may still take the cake for me as it retains a more mysterious sort of air in many places if that makes sense, whereas J. Rider gets a bit more hard-rock and loses a tinge of the psych edge that Anonymous retained, but BOTH are essential listening and compliment one another, outstanding albums indeed. The cd from 2000 on Aether Records combining this with Anonymous is the one to hear for THIS record as it's from the tapes and sounds perfect, but the Anonymous record must be heard from the vinyl rip/restoration of an original U.S. pressing linked to in the previous review above.

Bobb Trimble - Harvest Of Dreams (1982)
Hard to believe that a psychedelic masterwork such as this private press gem was created in the 80's! I had heard this years ago but didn't give it a true deep listen until recently. Bobb Trimble's lyrics are so incredibly sincere and real. There are some breathtakingly mesmerizing, lush, dreamy psychedelic soundscapes on this. A mix of both acoustic and electric instruments interwoven perfectly to put you in an immersive dreamlike dimension for the length of this incredible album. There's lots of experimentation also, Trimble uses lots of effects, even on his vocals. I was even getting some CHROME vibes in spots here. All reissues had EQ, compression & limiting done on them as is usually the case. Also, the original mix has never been released in full on any of said reissues. Finally, the original pressing in full, unadulterated high res sound has been ripped/restored from a beautiful RARE M- original pressing! HIGHLY recommend this one! The late psych aficionado Patrick Lundborg stated "Rated by most as the best psych LP of the 1980s. One of those obscurities (like Golden Dawn) that blows even non-psych fans away... an essential experience." Snag the pristine rip of an ORIGINAL pressing here: Bobb Trimble - Harvest Of Dreams (1982) [US Original Private Press]

T Kail - Somewhere, Sometime (1980)
This is one I was shocked was released in 1980 as it sounds like straight up west coast Jefferson Airplane style psych with male/female vocals, dreamy melodies and all! The female singer even has a strong Grace Slick vibe to her vocals, and I love the attitude. The only thing that distinguishes this record from the original psychedelic era is that the keyboards sound more modern and of the times, but they still sound cool and work with the music. "Peace Of Mind" opens the album and is one of my favorites for sure, great guitar and I always love lyrics with a message, I'm especially a sucker for lyrics about seeking peace of mind. "Somewhere, Sometime" is another one in the same vein, with an even heavier, deep message within about the chaos and troubles of the world and seeking peace within. There's a section in "Bye Bye" that has some of the tastiest psych/prog head-candy that would even give some similar Floyd material a run for its money! Ahhh yes, so tasty indeed.

The Fallen Angels - It's A Long Way Down (1968)
I had listened to this years ago and set it aside because it wasn't hitting me. I think the front cover threw me for a loop because I was expecting something harder and more fuzz-drenched. I recently spun this one again and I'm REALLY digging it! Instead of hard psych, it's more in the vein of a mellow, introspective, heady trip - think along the lines of Love's "Forever Changes" kind of vibe. In fact, this has been compared to that Arthur Lee masterpiece, and I definitely see the reasons why. Of course I wouldn't go as far to say that this is near the utter masterpiece of Forever Changes, those are shoes nearly no album in existence could fill, but this stands on its own as a fantastic late 60's psych album. They go deep for sure. I'm listening to the cd of this on the Collectables label (Roulette Masters Part 2), that is direct from the master tapes and sounds great to my ears. HIGHLY recommend this one if you haven't yet given it a spin!

The Beat Of The Earth - The Electronic Hole (1970)
Unlike Phil Pearlman's Beat of The Earth debut from 1967, consisting of free-form freakout, anything goes type jams, Electronic Hole consists of tunes with a bit more song-structure to them. Don't take "song structure" TOO much to heart though, this album consists of some droney, at many times rather lengthy trips. This was supposedly from 1970 (recorded at the end of '69), but didn't see the light of day until around 1999 when Pearlman sent a batch to a friend along with a note reading "peel slowly and see." Speaking of, Velvet Underground comparisons have been brought up by many with this record, and I happen to agree. You do get some VU vibes in spots for sure, maybe VU with a bit more psych influence I would say. There's a lot of speculation as to why Phil waited this long to unleash this, one theory points to legal issues that could have ensued due to the cover of Frank Zappa's "Trouble Every Day," great fuzzed-out wild cover of that song it is! There's stuff in here to surely delight any head including loads of sitars, organ, and some HEAVY fuzz guitar, particularly on the last track that was apparently created by Phil running his Fender guitar amp through the amp circuit of a child's chord organ! The last track is probably my favorite, a cathartic experience with that wall of thick fuzz and the heady, simple yet tripped-out lyrics that work just perfectly - "hey Molly and I, you got to go when I get high." The lyrics throughout the album are deep, trippy, and rather esoteric - perfect for a great long lost psych album, I can imagine the excitement when this hit the vinyl collectors circuit. No decent reissue has ever been released and originals fetch quite hefty sums when Phil puts them out there once in a blue moon in dribs and drabs. The album was released as a bootleg in 2004, but the usual noise-reduction and lazy methods were employed to quickly get it out to obtain quick cash. While a lo-fi recording itself, about a year ago ThePoodleBites obtained an M- original pressing to produce what is now (and likely in the foreseeable future) THE definitive digital archive release of this long lost psych gem from the great Phil Pearlman archives, in fact The Poodle's copy came directly from Pearlman's private stash! This rip/restoration is light years better than the bootleg and can be snagged here: The Beat Of The Earth - The Electronic Hole (1970) [Original Private Pressing]

Bob Dylan - The Rolling Thunder Revue - The 1975 Live Recordings (2019)
A massive 14 cd set of shows (and rehearsals to start) of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour was released to coincide with the Scorsese film. Like mentioned earlier in this blog post, I was first turned on to this era of Dylan through Martin Scorsese's film on this tour, and after watching that I wanted MORE, and boy does this set deliver plenty of it and in outstanding sound quality! Dylan returned for this tour with a fire and intensity really only matched nearly 10 years prior during his 1966 "goes electric" tour. Some people ask the question "is there really a need for all those shows and 14 discs?" The answer is YES! The shows differ in experience and even in the setlist. Also, like I mentioned before, this is the first fiery, intense Dylan to emerge since his '66 tour, you can tell he was absolutely into it, he got that fire back for sure! One of the first things I did when I got this set was to immediately try and track down the performances I heard from the film. The breathtaking version of "Simple Twist Of Fate" for example is on disc #7 - Harvard Square Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Also, when you listen to these recordings they're of a different sound quality, better than what was in the film, the recordings in this set have everything much more up-front and in your face. That awesome version of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" from the film is on disc #11 - Boston Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. In the film at one point Roger McGuinn breaks out into this beautiful little interlude on his 12-string guitar, and while perfectly placed, Allen Ginsberg pops into the picture with an inspiring quote about life and the tour, you miss a large chunk of the McGuinn 12-string segment. Well on the live recordings you get it all, uninterrupted and in fantastic sound. Just a couple examples, the live performances in the film are interrupted with people talking, but on this live set you can sit back and enjoy the wonderful music. Another reason you need all these sets is that the setlist varies between shows. "Simple Twist Of Fate" is actually only on one of the shows, "Tangled Up In Blue," an essential Dylan classic only appears at one of the shows and is a FANTASTIC live performance of that song. Also, the WAY the songs are played vary from show to show, maybe due to the large number of musicians Dylan had on stage with him for these gigs and the overall renaissance sort of vibe. Anyway, I think this is an essential set for the various reasons I've outlined.      

06-28-2019 - THE INFINITY OF SPACE: THE UNDERGROUND PSYCH GEMS OF PHIL PEARLMAN, CHROME TREASURES FOR THE ARCHIVES, WHAT DOES REGRET MEAN? & HEADY AUDIOPHILE PSYCH

I have to start this post out by saying that we recently lost one of the true originators of psychedelic rock earlier this month. Roky Erickson, whom most reading this will already know was in the 13th Floor Elevators and had some of the best vocals in the history of not just psychedelic rock, but rock music all-together. Roky would deliver Tommy Hall's lysergic-charged pro-psychedelic message in a way that could only be done by Roky in his at-many-times wild banshee Texan wailing howl. I'm sure Tommy felt that no other but Roky could deliver his message with such urgency and at such soaring impressive heights. The 13th Floor Elevators have always been in my top 3 favorite bands of all time and I've done many features on both 13th Floor Elevators and Roky Erickson in print issues of Psych Trail Mix, so I'm not going to delve too heavily into the history of the band here, just check out past issues free in PDF format HERE - issues #4, #6, and #10 in particular have plenty on the subject. For me, the news of Roky passing stung more than any past musician's death than I can remember. Just knowing Roky's story, his recovery and the fact that he was out there still playing shows and doing well was a good feeling (I feel very fortunate to have witnessed Roky perform twice), knowing Roky was out there in the world and doing his thing in itself was comforting is what I'm trying to say. I noticed in reading the flood of posts on social media that a lot of people out there shared this same feeling about Roky passing. Roky of course will live on through his music, and he left us LOADS of incredible music, even his post-13th Floor Elevators days and beyond. The best way to pay tribute to Roky is to play his music. Rest In Peace Roky, never another like you...

I was recently reintroduced to Relatively Clean Rivers (1976), the creation of Phil Pearlman. I had heard this album briefly years ago, but I never really gave it a chance, and I just sort of tossed it to the side. Well, now I know what I've been missing after truly LISTENING to it from start to finish and really taking it all in. This album is a true grower. I get more into this EVERY time I hear it. It's like the more I listen to it and the more it soaks into my consciousness, the more it becomes part of me or something. Its majesty and psychedelic genius are also revealed the more I listen. This is what I call one of those "life-guiding" type of albums, it has a very reflective feel to it throughout and has accurately been penned as a rural-psych album with an acid-vision for the fallout of the post-60's days of the original psychedelic era, like Phil Pearlman has taken those ideals and virtues to heart and they've remained at the core part of his self. He has remained true to his core as the weekend hippies who were never into it for the right reasons anyway have passed him by and "moved on." The album has a very rural earthy sort of feel, and the psych elements are weaved in there in a sort of sexy, subtle kind of way making the whole thing a rather sophisticated sort of psych. This album is very REAL. The acoustic/electric combo in the songs have a beautiful, satisfying contrast to them and the synth/sound effects are perfectly placed. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how GREAT that incredibly trippy multi-colored album cover is that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of the music. Steer clear of the garbage bootleg "reissues" on Phoenix/Radioactive records, as they're nothing but poorly done vinyl rips done from an original that was pressed off-center and very compressed/limited. No official reissue exists and you will not get the real deal from the above mentioned bootlegs. Your best bet is seeking out an original on Pacific Is or even a raw rip of an original in nice condition done on good equipment, which is what I've luckily found and is my go-to version to listen to this masterpiece. I highly doubt any official reissue will come from the mysterious Phil Pearlman as Phil prefers to leak maybe one original pressing or so a year through his friend/record-collector Clark Faville to sell on ebay.

While Relatively Clean Rivers may be Phil Pearlman's swan song, his other underground psych classics are totally worth seeking out as well. Beat of The Earth from 1967 was the first private press put out by Phil himself on his "Radish" label. BOTE is an unrehearsed, free-form acid jam with many interesting moments throughout and some great guitars and organ. The idea was that there be many people on the recording, all doing their own thing in this primitive, unrehearsed, primate 'beat of the earth' type sound. Same thing with BOTE - no official reissue exists, so you need to either hear the sub-mediocre bootleg of it, seek out a pricey original, or get a hold of a decent rip of an original. Recorded at the same time but not released until 1994 is another Beat of The Earth record entitled "Our Standard Three Minute Tune." These are outtakes from the original BOTE record and of much better sound quality. I'm happy to pass along a primo quality rip of an original pressing of "Our Standard Three Minute Tune," that was ripped on the record's virgin playing, you won't hear this sound any better than this quality digital download (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Beat of The Earth - Our Standard Three Minute Tune

Last, but most certainly not least in the underground psych gem rabbit hole of Phil Pearlman is Electronic Hole from 1970. This one I prefer over Beat of The Earth as the songs are just a hair more structured yet still very free-form and flowing. You even get a fuzzed out drone-psych version of Frank Zappa's "Trouble Every Day." Lots of cool moments with some HEAVY walls of fuzz and a Velvet Underground vibe at times throughout, some trippy sitar as well to get the groove flowing. Essential underground psych classic! Again, as with all the great psych nugs in Phil Pearlman's archives, no official reissue exists and you'll either need to fork out a mortgage payment for a decent original or be lucky enough to have friends with vinyl, good equipment, and ripping capability to be able to hear the album without the compression and sub-mediocre sound quality that the bootlegs offer.

*NOTE: for the one and ONLY article on Phil Pearlman, check out this Beat of The Earth article from late Patrick Lundborg's Lysergia website - THE LAMA WORKSHOP - The Beat of The Earth

I received my copy of What Does Regret Mean? recently, the new Butthole Surfers visual coffee table book. Visually lovely book of one of the best post-60’s underground psych bands, specifically their hey-day all through the 80’s. The book features loads of photographs spanning their entire career from the early 80’s all the way through present-day along with various quotes from other artists/musicians telling stories about the band, praising them, and citing them as inspirations to them. This is limited edition, not sure if copies are left, but snag one for sure if you’re a big fan of the band. For the actual HISTORY of the band, told in great detail, I highly recommend James Burns’ book “Let’s Go To Hell: Scattered Memories of The Butthole Surfers.” James is the true historian of the band and has put in the most homework out of anyone on the planet. James' book also contains some mind-blowing photographs and an extensive discog section in the back of the book. James and I both did featured pieces on the BHS back before it was cool, mine being issue #9 of my zine Psych Trail Mix, the Butthole Surfers Special which features loads of exclusives including an in-depth MUST read interview with the band’s long time drummer Teresa Taylor, snag your copy of that here - Psych Trail Mix - Butthole Surfers Special

While on the subject, it’s always a delight when some new footage surfaces of Butthole Surfers live shows from the 80’s, and recently a great video of the band playing at the I-BEAM in San Francisco in ’86 popped up and it’s a great shot with audio straight from the board, so this sounds fantastic! Be sure to check out this newly surfaced vintage BHS footage. The other footage I must mentioned has been the stuff of legend for many years, the "Ritz house-cam" videos, shows from The Ritz in NYC, recorded on the clubs cams with audio feed straight from the board. FINALLY a 9 minute piece of footage surfaced from these tapes and the footage is just a mouth-watering as you may have imagined when reading about these tapes. It's quite the tease though, we can only hope that one day the dorky hoarders will release the tapes from their greedy lame hands so that these legendary shows can be enjoyed before we all croak.

While we’re on the subject of a psychedelic acid-punk bands, I must once again bring up the great U.S. Chrome tour of last year and pass along links to downloads of some full live show videos that I was recently elated to be able to add to my Chrome/Helios Creed archives. Two INCREDIBLE live shows from Illinois I was recently hooked up with straight from the band. These are both balcony-shot videos, shot onHD cameras with excellent sound and I’ve been given permission from the band to share them with all. Both shows are beautiful documents of this already legendary Chrome tour that featured Helios at the absolute TOP of his game. The best of the two is clearly March 26, 2018 in Chicago, IL – a stunning balcony-shot video with plenty of multi-colored lights on-stage that illuminate Helios & the band throughout the entire show. The other is March 27, 2018 in Rock Island, IL - another excellent balcony shot, great stage lighting and plenty of close-ups. Be sure to grab these two excellent must-have live documents of Chrome in HD video! This Chrome tour produced some of the best live video documents of what I believe to be any Chrome/Helios Creed tour in history, so if you haven’t already snagged them, be sure to also grab these full live video downloads of shows from this legendary U.S. Chrome tour; 5-31-18 Philadelphia, PA & 6-4-18 Atlanta, GA

The reviews section here will be broken down into 2 sections; the first section "Heady Audiophile Psych Upgrades" contain links to excellent upgrades that were obtained of these albums, below that will be some new reviews to close out this blog post.

HEADY AUDIOPHILE PSYCH UPGRADES

Autosalvage - S/T (1968 - MONO)
*see original review HERE

A nice copy of one of the more rare mono versions of the great Autosalvage was obtained. Mono really makes this record shine and rock HARD on a lot of these tracks, this mono mix is essential in addition to the stereo mix. Grab a great rip of the mono and hear for yourself (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Autosalvage - s/t (1968) [Original US Mono Mix]

Zerfas - s/t (1973)
This is a record that has only been officially reissued ONCE and only on vinyl. The bootleg versions on Radioactive sound like muffled garbage and can be used as Frisbees once you hear the 1st and only official reissue from 1994 sourced from the master tapes. The fact that this one and only official reissue came out on vinyl only required hunting down a nice unplayed copy for this rip/restoration. Originals of this are incredibly rare in good condition and very expensive if you can even find one, so this MASTER-TAPE reissue will be THE very best you'll ever hear of this fantastic private press release. (credit @ThePoodleBites) -  Zerfas - s/t (1973) [1994 Master Tape Reissue] {Official 700 West}

The Tea Company - Come And Have Some Tea (1968)
*see original review HERE

An original U.S. pressing was obtained and used to produce a quality rip that easily beats out the more compressed cd version of this, be sure to grab the rip (credit @ThePoodleBites) - The Tea Company - Come And Have Some Tea With ... (1968) [US Stereo LP]

Frank Zappa - Alternate Freak Out (1966)
*see original review HERE

You've never heard Freak Out! with this much CLARITY, sounds like the Mothers of Invention are playing in your living room! Grab this indispensable version of Zappa's debut (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Frank Zappa/The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out! (1966) [Original Aborted Stereo Mix]

Love - Four Sail (compiled version)
*An entire feature on this album has been done within this blog previously - LOVE - FOUR SAIL: ARTHUR LEE'S UNDERRATED HARD-PSYCH MASTERPIECE

This is the "compiled version" and really the best way you'll hear this album in terms of sound quality. This compiled version consists of five songs that are considered "Arthur's unadulterated" mixes, these are untfutzed-with mixes that are Arthur Lee's original vision of Four Sail, and they are much clearer than the Elektra album version that you're used to, these original mixes were only ever included on the "Love Story" compilation from 1995, with the exception of "Singing Cowboy," in which Arthur's original mix was included in the bonus tracks of the 2002 reissue cd with slightly better sound quality than the one off of the Love Story comp from '95 (so the '02 bonus track version was included here). The remaining four tracks on this compiled version are from an original Monarch pressing from 1969. Be sure to grab the best way you'll ever hear Four Sail until (if ever) Arthur's original mixes are released in full (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Love - Four Sail (1969) [Compiled Version]

Cold Sun (original Rockadelic)
*see feature on Cold Sun here - Psych Trail Mix - Issue #5
*see album review here - Psych Trail Mix - Issue #4

Most people these days are probably only familiar with the W.I.S. reissue of this record put out in 2008 and don't have their hands on one of the limited to 300 copy originals on Rockadelic from 1989. A lot of digital editing was done for the 2008 reissue and there's noticeable distortions throughout. One of the rare (and often quite expensive) originals on the Rockadelic label was obtained and a great many man hours was put into transfer/restoration of it so that it can be enjoyed by all in MUCH better sound quality. The DR (dynamic range) numbers beat the living crap out of the 2008 cd reissue, so don't pass up downloading the original of this dark psych masterpiece here (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Cold Sun - Dark Shadows (1989) [Rockadelic RRLP-2.5]

Mad River - S/T (1968)
*see original review HERE

It was noted in Patrick Lundborg's great Acid Archives book that the German reissue of from 1979 of the '68 dark psych classic Mad River was a "slightly better pressing than the U.S. original," so a NM copy of German reissue, which can be had for a super cheap price (less than ten bucks!), was obtained for a primo rip/restoration. All other cd issues PALE in comparison to this rip of the German reissue. You may have thought (as have I) that your cd version (all sourced from vinyl rips) wasn't that bad, well wait until you're blown away by the rip of this German reissue! (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Mad River - Mad River (1968) [1979 German Reissue]

NEW REVIEWS

Buffalo Springfield - Again (1967)
Buffalo Springfield's second album, and arguably their best. Some lovely earthy/rural vibes on songs like "A Child's Claim To Fame" and "Rock & Roll Woman," to full on 60's fuzz tone delights with "Hung Upside Down." I must say that my favorite tracks are the full-on psychedelic head-twister "Mr. Soul" and the breathtakingly beautiful "Bluebird." Neil Young's "Mr. Soul" can be a real mind-fuck of a song, I had some great experiences with this one, Neil sings it with moody attitude too which works really well with this song, and that brain-massaging fuzz in the middle of the song is just killer and you get doused with it quite heavily. "Is it strange I should change, I don't know, why don't you ask her?" repeated at the end of the song still trips me out to this day. Stephen Stills penned "Bluebird" is the other gem on this for me, and within this beautiful song that paints incredibly colorful images in your mind is a technique the Buffalo Springfield employ to great effect for me - the combination of both that rural/earthy feeling of the acoustic guitar accompanied by little blasts of stinging fuzz guitar leads that pop in, a great contrast that complement one another into a lovely synergy.. Then a full on banjo riff comes in toward the end to top things off when you least expect it! Mono is my preferred way to hear this and a pristine vinyl rip of an original U.S. mono pressing done by a one stoned Professor can be easily found doing a little digging and it will save you a hefty sum if you were ever to track down an original in nice condition.

Salem Mass - Witch Burning (1971)
Here's a private press treasure that was recorded in a beer bar in Idaho called the Red Barn! Don't let that fool you though, the sound quality of an ORIGINAL pressing is fantastic. The music itself features one of the earliest uses of the Moog synthesizer (early version of Moog called Mini Moog), and man do they use it to great effect on this! The clear standout tracks are "Witch Burning" and "Bare Tree," both of which feature some incredibly WILD psych sounds coming from that mini Moog! My personal favorite on here is the 10+ minute "Witch Burning," full on sonic assault with those INSANE gyrating Moog sounds, I also really love the raw sound of the guitar on here and they get into some badass riffage, this truly grooves. No good cd release exists, the only decent reissue was on Guerssen Records on vinyl only, but once you hear an original U.S. private press you hear how good this record truly sounds. Well, now you CAN hear how good an original sounds, snag it here (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Salem Mass - Witch Burning (1971) [Original US Private Press]

Group 1850 - Paradise Now (1969)
Agemo's Trip To Mother Earth has always been my favorite/go-to album from Netherland's dark-psych masters Group 1850, a great late night trip of a concept album. Due to my love for Agemo's, I kind of neglected their next record "Paradise Now," big mistake! This is one hell of a psych mind-blower from 1969. Loads of very heady dark-psych brilliance with tons of acid-fried guitar excursions throughout. The album really sets a mood/tone from the start, just listen to those eerie keyboard effects at the start of the first track "Paradise Now," the almost chanted vocals, those dual acid guitars in the left and right channels, truly heady psych my friends, acid leads forever ahhhh. Certainly not for those who think psychedelic music is all just bell-bottoms, peace signs and phony attitudes, this will leave those types running back to the mall. The guitar is the best part of this, I mean just listen to "Hunger" with those delicious acidic leads laden with feedback and sustained notes, then all of a sudden at the same time this wah-infused guitar emerges from the right channel... DAMN, this is good stuff. I find myself listening to this these days more than Agemo's. This acid-guitar mindfuck ends perfectly with "Purple Sky," a 10 minute psych monster with explosions of dual acid guitars that will blow away even the most jaded head around!

Lydia Lunch & Rowland S. Howard - Shotgun Wedding (1991)
Released in May of 1991, we have a dark post-punk collaboration between Lydia Lunch and Rowland S. Howard (Birthday Party), but really this album is special and defies the usual "goth" and "post-punk" definitions if we really want to be honest with ourselves. Lydia & Rowland were a couple at the time and Lydia thought that New Orleans was the perfect environment to create this awesome little dark swampy psych-tinged (thanks to Rowland's guitar work) gem. Lydia explained about the record that they "wanted to do something very swamp-rock, very ethereal." They were MORE than successful in achieving this desired outcome. There's something both dark and magical about this record, and at many times so very sexy. It's my favorite album of all Lydia Lunch's work. Listening to this it makes me think it could have easily been a good soundtrack to the 1987 film "Angel Heart" which was filmed in New Orleans and included all sorts of voodoo and references to the occult. I love the line  in the first song "Burning Skulls" where Lydia drawls "I'm gonna let this one rip, just another fucked up trip." Ahhh and Rowland's unique, dirgey, even sexy psych guitar soundscapes accompany Lydia's moody vocals so beautifully. The final track, the 9+ minute "Black Juju" ends the album perfectly with bouts of Rowland's wailing feedback-laden guitar work, the song slows down at one point only to build up into a bubbling cauldron like a massive green bubble from a New Orleans swamp, orgasmically exploding all over with distorted guitars and vocals from Lydia that Courtney Love could only dream about imitating on her best day. The very last minute and thirty seconds PERFECTLY end this album with a sustained, distorted sound from the absolutely delicious guitar sounds/tone/effects of Rowland S. Howard. 

Marcus - From The House of Trax (1978)
The late Patrick Lundborg (Acid Archives) brilliantly described this psych gem as "Hearing this on acid is like walking around inside a psychedelic cathedral ..." It's hard to top that great, concise little summation of this mesmerizing album. Many times you'll see that some people are turned off by the "modern FM rock radio production" on this one, but honestly, the more I listen to this record the more I realize that this layered, high-end, multi-track production is absolutely PERFECT for the majesty of the glistening tripped-out sounds contained on this 1978 masterpiece. Yes, 1978, you heard me right! This proved to heads that psychedelic music didn't die at the end of the 60's and that there were still those out there keeping the torch lit. During the utterly lame disco years there was still great music out there being made to be found if you dug around a bit. The album consists of some incredible heavenly swirling synth sounds and some impressive acid guitar work all with a clear psychedelic message throughout many of the songs such as "A Trip In Time," and "Locked Inside A World." Messages that ring true of the sort of "day after" reflection of a psychedelic experience. "Right Inside of You Baby" contains one the most beautiful, majestic musical interludes consisting of tripped out swirling synthesizers and guitar that will send you straight to space, just listen to the song right at 2:27 through 3:09 and tell me that you don't get goosebumps. TRUE originals of this are very hard to come by in nice condition, many copies are floating around out there claiming to be true originals, but a simple look at the images on this Discogs page outlines the clear and noticeable differences between an original and one of the "found" originals from the early 90's. A rare NM copy of a TRUE original was obtained for a rip/restoration to be heard by all, hear this late 70's psychedelic masterpiece in THE best sound you will ever hear it and snag this pristine rip with full high-quality artwork scans as well (credit @ThePoodleBites) - Marcus - From The House Of Trax (1978) [Original US Pressing]
 
*Note: be sure to check out Patrick Lundborg's inspired post about this album here - A retrospective tribute to Marcus' "House Of Tracks"

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Safe As Milk (1967)
Released in 1967 on Buddah records, this was my intro to Captain Beefheart and it's a good place to start for anyone with an interest in checking out Mr. Vliet's work. This was always said to have been inspired by delta blues, but that kind of oversimplifies it, it's so much more than that. It's more of a psych-blues organism born out of the swamp somewhere in New Orleans in the summer heat and humidity. "Zig Zag Wanderer" is a simple yet powerful and catchy song with a riff that doesn't leave my head and just keeps me craving for more. The raw guitar tone of Ry Cooder is one of the main ingredients of the stew here and it gives the album loads of balls, it takes the grit and delicious abrasiveness to the level that Vliet's howling, banshee vocals require. The psychedelic ballad "Autumn's Child" contains one of the most beautiful uses of the theremin that I have ever heard. The U.S. mono pressing is the one to get and an excellent rip done by a one stoned Professor can easily be tracked down, so be sure to grab that!