Rock — All Formats  

Early work from The Beach Boys, but Brian Wilson's genius is already starting to show – tucked in between some more obviously poppy numbers that first put the group on the map! The album obviously features the big title hit, but there's some other great gems here that are much lesser known – our favorite of which is "The Lonely Sea", an incredible number filled with sadness and longing, and a real precursor to the Pet Sounds years! Other titles include "Finders Keepers", "Lana", "Farmer's Daughter", "Noble Surfer", "Stoked", "Surfin USA", "Miserlou", "Shut Down", and "Let's Go Trippin".

Smoking hot rod grooves – put together by studio maestro Bruce Johnston in the years before he became a bigger Beach Boy! The set's one of many groovy surf/car sets that Johnston cut during this mid 60s stretch – although it's more obscure than most, given its release on Smash Records – instead of the usual Capitol or Columbia outlets for his work. But the lineup features some key familiar faces from those other projects – guitar from Glenn Campbell and Tommy Tedesco, and some mighty drums from the great Hal Blaine! Hot Rod enthusiast George Barris adds his name to the project – and also gives up some nice car knowledge on the back cover – and titles include "Stick Six", "Fireball", "Jive Driver", "Super Fine", "Firecracker 400", "Hotty 32", and "Speed Shifters".

A pretty dark little record from the waning mid 70s version of King Crimson – recorded on tour in the US by a quartet of David Cross, Bill Bruford, John Wetton, and Robert Fripp. The tracks are mostly live takes of tunes from earlier albums – "Easy Money", "21st Century Schizoid Man", "Lament", and "Larks Tongue In Aspic" – done in versions that are considerably more turgid than the originals, with lots of heavy guitar work.

Early work from The Beach Boys, but Brian Wilson's genius is already starting to show – tucked in between some more obviously poppy numbers that first put the group on the map! The album obviously features the big title hit, but there's some other great gems here that are much lesser known – our favorite of which is "The Lonely Sea", an incredible number filled with sadness and longing, and a real precursor to the Pet Sounds years! Other titles include "Finders Keepers", "Lana", "Farmer's Daughter", "Noble Surfer", "Stoked", "Surfin USA", "Miserlou", "Shut Down", and "Let's Go Trippin".

A mixed bag record, but with some really wonderful moments – and essential listening as a lead-up to the Pet Sounds album to follow! There's a mix of styles here – some rough rocking numbers that are a bit stiff, mixed with some really amazing tunes that get at Brian Wilson's new sensitivities – tunes like "Girl Don't Tell Me", "You're So Good To Me", "Summer Means New Love", and "Let Him Run Wild" – all complicated in subtle ways, with a great sense of tension underneath. Other tracks include "Help Me Rhonda", "California Girls", "I'm Bugged At My Old Man", and "Amusement Parks USA". Includes the complete album in both the mono and stereo mixes.

High school and hot rods – groovy Capitol work, courtesy of producer Gary Usher – and of course, it features an incredible roster of west coast studio geniuses behind the curtain! A fun mix of instrumentals and vocal tunes, with beach and surf harmonies, R&B-indebted rumblers and other thematic touches – honking sax, gritty percussion, nicely grooving organs and chugging guitars – what more could you ask for? The niceness of the vocal tunes is a surprise, but the instrumentals are unsurprisingly great! Titles include "Hot Rod High", "Midnight Auto", "School Days", "Be True To Your School", "Hot Rod, USA", "I Get Around", "Rock Around The Clock", "Skippin' School", "Theme For Teen Love" and more.

A killer live set from Suicide – and a very important addition to their catalog – given that the group hardly issued any records in their short-but-crucial career! The album captures a live performance from 1981 – a bilstering barrage of electronics from Martin Rev, topped by these wonderfully moody vocals from Alan Vega – all very much in the best spirit of the group's famous debut album, but given a slightly more spontaneous twist in this live setting too! There's never been another group like Suicide again – despite countless attempts to copy their genius – and the album's one that's right up their with their landmark self-titled set – originally issued on cassette, but sounding even better on vinyl. Titles include "Dream Baby Dream", "Ghost Rider", "Harlem", "Sweet White Lady", "Rocket USA", "Rock & Roll Is Killing My Life", and a weird cover of "96 Tears".

Frankie, Frankie – OW! Take a broken down synth, some crazy vocals, and a rich sense of imagination – and you've got one of the seminal groups of the New York scene of the early punk years. Suicide were a seminal bridge between earlier prog underground sounds and the art-rock punk styles that were coming out of New York in the late 70s. With this one landmark album, the band completely dismantled the cold German prog synth of groups like Kraftwerk, La Dusseldorf, and Tangerine Dream – and created a wild sound of spare anguish that brought a whole new dimension to punk rock. Ok, maybe we're going out on a limb – but this record has got to be one of the top 50 "must have" rock albums of all time. Includes the cuts "Ghost Rider", "Rocket USA", "Johnny", "Frankie Teardrop", "Che", and "Cheree" – plus the unreleased remix of "Cheree".

A reimagined version of the legendary Yellow Pills compilation on Numero – 20 songs from the original compilation, plus two bonus tracks, new liner notes, and lots of cool sleeve scans, photos, and more! Forget everything you know about rock music in the late 70s – all the punk rock and new wave that's been immortalized over the years – and get ready to discover a whole new world of power pop! At the time, the power pop underground was as important to some ears as the artier and angrier work coming out of the east coast and UK – and the power pop world was one that could co-exist a bit more peacefully with mainstream rock, while still offering a great opportunity for bands on various local scenes. The work here has echoes of more famous acts of the time – like The Cars, The Kings, or The Knack – but it's also got a bit more of a home-grown, punk rock edge – one that comes through beautifully in the guitar parts, vocals, and unabashed hooks of the tunes. The set's a follow-up to the original Yellow Pills set by zine publisher Jordan Oakes – and it delves deeper than even that one, with a real focus on work from the end of the 70s, and acts that never had great chart success overall. Titles include "High School" by Tommy Rock, "She's Hi Fi" by The Trend, "There Goes My Heart Again" by The Kids, "Not My Girl Anymore" by The Bats, "All I Want" by The Colors, "Domestic/Imported" by The Toms, "Sunshine USA" by Randy Winburn, "One In A Million" by Luxury, "She's The Girl" by The Tweeds, "Rave It Up" by Colors, and "Hey Little Girl" by The Kids.

Smoking 60s soul from the Memphis scene – and quite possibly the best collection so far in this Goldwax series! The cuts here come from a point when the Memphis sound had really come together – grown in earlier years by labels like Goldwax and Stax on the local scene, now spilling out strongly to influence generations around the world. And although most of the Goldwax recordings on this collection never got the circulation enjoyed by other Memphis imprints, they definitely follow in spirit to some of the bigger hits of the time. The mix here is about 2/3 soul, with touches of country and funk on some of the other singles – although still a pretty hip variant on those genres too – and like the other volumes, this one presents both a and b-sides of all Goldwax singles, in numerical order. Titles include "Love Me Tonight" by Carmol Taylor, "Lonely Man" by Spencer Wiggins, "He Called Me Baby" by Jeannie Newman, "You Name It I've Had It" by Willie Walker, "She's About A Mover" by Percy Milem, "A Message To Young Lovers" by James Carr, "It's My Life" by Timmy Thomas, "You Had Your Choice" by The Ovations, "Soul City USA" by Spencer Wiggins, "Ticket To Ride" by Wee Willie Walker, "That's The Way Love Turned Out For Me" by James Carr, "Love Me Tonight" by Carmol Taylor, and "He's Too Old" by Spencer Wiggins. 56 tracks on 2CDs!

A mixture of folksy and jazzy vocals from singer Susan Carter – part of the Laurel Canyon scene of the late 60s! Although Susan was one of the "Ladies Of The Canyon", she's got a sound here that's much more wider-ranging than that of Joni Mitchell – a unique mixture of jazz and rock influences that come across with a different sound on nearly every track on the set. The arranger for the album is Dick Halligan, who we've never heard of before – but who should get a lot of credit for the way that he mixes together odd phrasings and timings to match the shifting styles of Susan's vocals. Titles include "I'm So Tired", "I Need A Good Man Bad", "Medley For Billie Holiday", "Bluebird", and "Jam Session".

Pretty great pop-psych from Daughters Of Albion – a set that mixes the sing-song nature of the tunes with some deeper LA production from Leon Russell – all in a great blend fo styles that's really made the album a standout over the years! The group's a duo – Greg Dempsey and Kathy Yesse, both of whom have such long hair, it's hard to tell who's who – both singers who come from a folksy background, yet bring in that mix of Sunshine Pop modes that so many post-folkies on the west coast were using at the time – a great ear for sweet harmonies and catchy tunes, but with an undercurrent of darkness too! Titles include "I Love Her And She Loves Me", "Still Care About You", "Yes Our Love Is Growing", "Candle Song", "Lady Fingers", "Sweet Susan Constantine", "Well Wired", and "John Flip Lockup". CD features two bonus tracks too – "Well Wired (mono 45)" and "Story Of Sad (mono 45)".

A goofy title track, and a groovy little album from Jan & Dean – a set that has them settling nicely into their role as one of the most playful pairs in west coast pop – with a heck of a lot more staying power than some of their more surf-washed contemporaries! The album's got a number of tracks that follow in the similar LA-environs mode as the title track – but instead of being gimmicky, they almost come across with this whimsical sort of charm – like they're Jan & Dean's version of British tunes from The Kinks – a wonderfully playful picture postcard version of California, with more wit than you might expect! Titles include "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena", "The Anaheim Azusa & Cuckamonga Sewing Circle", "Summer Means Fun", "Old Ladies Seldom Power Shift", "Sidewalk Surfin", "One Piece Topless Bathing Suit", and "Horace The Swinging School Bus Driver".

A goofy title track, and a groovy little album from Jan & Dean – a set that has them settling nicely into their role as one of the most playful pairs in west coast pop – with a heck of a lot more staying power than some of their more surf-washed contemporaries! The album's got a number of tracks that follow in the similar LA-environs mode as the title track – but instead of being gimmicky, they almost come across with this whimsical sort of charm – like they're Jan & Dean's version of British tunes from The Kinks – a wonderfully playful picture postcard version of California, with more wit than you might expect! Titles include "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena", "The Anaheim Azusa & Cuckamonga Sewing Circle", "Summer Means Fun", "Old Ladies Seldom Power Shift", "Sidewalk Surfin", "One Piece Topless Bathing Suit", and "Horace The Swinging School Bus Driver".

Feircely rocking work from Jerusalem – a little-known band who cut this great debut for Deram in 1972! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits".

A full blown duets album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables –co-headlining a straight-up beautiful set of tunes once sung by The Everly Brothers! They're not going for the hits here, rather taking on some of the more unusual Everly originals and covers – which include tunes written by Kris Kristofferson, Jackie Edwards, John Denver, King/Goffin and others. As longtime fans of The Everlys at their wierdest and most adventurous, we can't recommend this enough! Billy & Dawn clearly love the songs, and deliver with genuine warmth and affection – and go all in with the production, too! It's sweet and intimate, yet beautifully textured with steel, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonium, flute, cello and keyboards – even a sousaphone and tuba! It's mostly got some leftfield country charm, but there's a chugging rocker or 2 in the mix, too. Titles include "Breakdown", "Empty Boxes", "Milk Train", "What Am I Llivng For", "My Little Yellow Bird", "So Sad", "Omaha", "Poems, Prayers And Promises", "Just What I Was Looking For", "Kentucky" and more.

A full blown duets album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables – co-headlining a straight-up beautiful set of tunes once sung by The Everly Brothers! They're not going for the hits here, rather taking on some of the more unusual Everly originals and covers – which include tunes written by Kris Kristofferson, Jackie Edwards, John Denver, King/Goffin and others. As longtime fans of The Everlys at their wierdest and most adventurous, we can't recommend this enough! Billy & Dawn clearly love the songs, and deliver with genuine warmth and affection – and go all in with the production, too! It's sweet and intimate, yet beautifully textured with steel, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonium, flute, cello and keyboards – even a sousaphone and tuba! It's mostly got some leftfield country charm, but there's a chugging rocker or 2 in the mix, too. Titles include "Breakdown", "Empty Boxes", "Milk Train", "What Am I Llivng For", "My Little Yellow Bird", "So Sad", "Omaha", "Poems, Prayers And Promises", "Just What I Was Looking For", "Kentucky" and more.

Laura Nyro's first album ever – originally issued by Verve/Forecast in the mid 60s, but brought back out on the market by Columbia, during the height of Nyro's early 70s fame for the label! Even at this early point, Nyro sounds wonderful – a fair bit more soulful than most other female pop singers of her time – with a fully-fleshed out approach to the vocals that's mature and sensitive, and almost a bit more confident at times than in later years. Arrangements are by Herb Bernstein, and almost have the same sort of sunny feel as The 5th Dimension in their famous covers of Nyro's tunes – again with more soul than we might have expected for the time. Titles include "Lazy Susan", "Stoney End", "Flim Flam Man", "Buy & Sell", "He's A Runner", "Billy's Blues", and "Wedding Bell Blues".

A great live Santana set, recorded in Japan in '73 and never released on vinyl in the US! The band here is at their peak, and this set features a nice large lineup that includes Tom Coster, Richard Kermode, Doug Rauch, Armando Peraza, Jose Chepito Areas and Michael Shreve, plus Leon Thomas on vocals! Some tracks show the clear influence of Miles' electric jazz recordings from the same period, while others have a hardcore Latin percussion base, and as you can imagine there's no shortage of full on guitar pyrotechnics and jamming on all the band members' parts. Most of the group's tracks that have entered classic status are here, but the moments that shine the brightest are the lesser known numbers and extended passages where the group really gets into the groove! Includes "A 1 Funk", "Gypsy Queen", "Oye Como Va", "Yours Is The Light", "Batuka", "Xibaba", 'Waiting", "Free Angela", "Samba De Sausalito", "Mantra", "Kyoto", "Incident At Neshabur" and "Toussaint L'Overture".

A pair of classics from Sea Level – back to back on a single CD! First up is Cats On The Coast – sweet smooth grooves from Sea Level – a killer crossover 70s group, one with roots in the Allman Brothers, but a sound that's much more wide-reaching overall! This sublime album is an AOR classic – a set that graced countless collections back in the day, thanks to a warm blend of rock and soul elements – all tied up in the kind of tight production you might guess from the cover! There's still some southern roots present in the music – especially on a few of the Allman-like guitar licks – but the overall approach is more cool and compressed, with a sweet 70s Cali sort of vibe, and some nice jazz undercurrents too. Titles include "Midnight Pass", "Cats On The Coast", "Song For Amy", "Had To Fall", "That's Your Secret", and "It Hurts To Want It So Bad". On The Edge is the great second album from Sea Level – one of those records that loads of folks dug, back in the day – and not just the cats who remembered these guys for their work with The Allman Brothers! The set's got a tight blend of jazz, soul, and some crossover elements – almost rootsier mode of music melded with a Steely Dan/Crusaders sort of vibe – so that the fusion styles come together and really help the whole thing soar! Vocals often still echo the early years of the players, but the overall presentation has a much more LA vibe – despite the fact that the album was recorded at Capricorn Studios in Macon. Titles include "Electron Cold", "On The Wing", "A Lotta Colada", "Living In A Dream", and "King Grand".

A strange, cool and stylistic boundary busting set from Australian jazz rock guitar player Rob Thomsett! Yaraandoo is a 1975 set inspired by Aboriginal folklore. It has some spare, dryly wispy bits of percussion and bamboo flute that feels that gives it that feel – but Thomsett also brings in some loose, proggy and jazzy rock dynamics with heavy drums and electric guitar, some improvisational jazz inspired passages, plus some tape delay and other effects. Includes "Baiame", "Moulding Of Red Earth", "Nameless Children", "New Life – Refusal", "Shadow Of Yaraan", "Flight Of Yaraan", "Tears Of Blood – Endless Weeping" and more.

A rare full album from The Tradewinds – a wonderful harmony pop group with a Sunshine Pop feel! The Tradewinds have a style that's heavily in a Beach Boys mode – sunny California harmonies on the vocals, and a sort of post-Pet Sounds approach to songwriting – one that makes for some really compelling songs in the set! The group's best known for their "New York's A Lonely Town" hit, but the whole album is great – filled with inventive songs, compelling vocals, and cool arrangements from Jimmy Wisner and Artie Butler – two very groovy talents. Titles include "Mind Excursion", "Bad Misunderstanding", "Only When I'm Dreamin", "Small Town Bring Down", "To Be With You", "Little Susan's Dreamin", and "Huggin In The Hall". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" and "Hard Life".

Contemporary guitar, circa 1966 – an amazing document of the acoustic innovations going on at the time – served up in a really free-thinking batch of tracks! The music here isn't really straight folk, and definitely isn't acoustic rock or blues either – and instead really represents the forefront of the acoustic underground headed up by John Fahey and the Takoma Records scene – music that's had an undeniable impact on the sounds of the past few decades – and which sounds as fresh today as when it was released 50 years ago! Most tracks are relatively long, with amazing phrasing, tone, and timing that really sets them apart from the pack – stone gems that include two "Raga" numbers by Max Ochs, "The Fahey Sampler" by John Fahey, "Water Verses" and "Children's Dance" by Harry Taussig, "The Thousand Incarnations Of The Rose" by Robbie Basho, and "Old Man Walking Blues" by Bukka White.

A really wonderful compilation of rare material from the early days of Cherry Red Records – that great British label who brought some incredibly sweet pop into an otherwise dark post-punk world! The set's especially nice for its wealth of material by Everything But The Girl and solo members Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn – as nearly a third of the set is material by various combinations of the above. Includes "Can't", "Tower Of Silence", and "Aubade" by Ben Watt; "Goodbye Joe" by Tracey Thorn; and "Feeling Dizzy" and "On My Mind" by Everything But The Girl. Also includes "My Brilliant Career", "Son Of God's Mate", and "Inside Out" by The Nightingales; "If She Doesn't Smile" and "Thousand Guitars Of St Dominiques" by Fantastic Something; "4 Countries" and "The Coroner & The Inquest" by The Reflections; "This Is For The Moment", "Think", "Rushes", and "The Trial" by Five Or Six; and "The Bridge" by The Monochrome Set.

A great tribute to the songwriting skills of Laura Nyro – presented here in a package that features key covers from some of Nyro's contemporaries, and which also includes a surprising amount of soul music too! Laura's one of those key 60s talents who started writing for others, then got the chance to spread her wings on her own – and while her own recordings have really continued to reach new audiences over the decades, it's great to have a package like this to remind us of Nyro's songwriting roots! The set's mostly heavy on material from the late 60s and early 70s – with a fair bit of female soul tunes in the mix – and it also includes a few more contemporary numbers that come as a nice surprise. Like others in Ace's "songwriter" series, the production and packaging is great – and titles include "Stoney End" by The Blossoms, "Time & Love" by The Supremes, "Wedding Bell Blues" by Bobby Gentry, "Captain St Lucifer" by Melba Moore, "Save The Country" by Thelma Houston, "Lazy Susan" by Liane Carroll, "He's A Runner" by Mama Cass, "Buy & Sell" by Nnena Freelon, "Lonely Women" by Linda Hoyle, "Eli's Coming" by Friends Of Distinction, and "Stoned Soul Picnic" by Staple Singers.

A classic compilation of "oldies", put together back in the day when most of the tunes were only a few years old! The compilation was done by Chess in conjunction with Chicago pop powerhouse station WLS – and it's got a great goofy photo on the front that features all of the young rock DJs at LS in front of a large silver dollar! Titles include "But I Do" by Clarence Henry, "So Fine" by The Fiestas, "A Thousand Stars" by Kathy Young, "Money" by Barrett Strong, "Tonight I Fell In Love" by The Tokens, and "Oh Julie" by The Crescendos.

One of the coolest collections of rare psychedelia we've heard in a while from anywhere in the world – this one focusing on Afro Rock & psych from 70s Nigeria – among the greatest releases to date on the Soundway label, which only does great work! The music has the touchstone elements of raw garage funk & rock sounds from around the globe at the time – fuzzed out guitars and organs, searing solos, hard grooving rhythms and passionate vocals. But the guitars and rhythms are uniquely African, too, with highlife and Afrobeat gestures along with the global psychedelic soul sounds! Titles on this first volume of the vinyl include "Oli Nkwu" by Cicada, "All Night Long" by Bongos Ikwue, "Soundway" by Wrinkar Experience, "Eti Ufok" by Ceejebs, "Yem Efe" by Tony Grey Super 7, "Rough Rider" by The Hygrades, and "Mr Bull Dog (45 version)" by The Mebusas – plus vinyl-only cuts "Soul Generation" by Big John Oaikhena, and "Afam Efuna" by The Wings.

A batch of late recordings by proto rock shackshacker Hasil Adkins – and one of the sweetest vinyl releases yet on Nero's Neptune – who are proving to be one more important labels out there championing obscure, rural guitar heroes! Hasil strived to top Elvis in the late 50s and early 60s with an inimitable style of primitivist rock, but he actually ended up inspiring thousands of garage rockers, punks and rockabillies instead, thanks to ramshackle home recordings and wild-eyed lyricism. He was still making some wild music later in life, but the later stuff is also oddly sweet. Near the end, Hasil found love, and these recordings were inspired by just that – and it includes a 24-page color illustration booklet by Amy Krueger – who loved Hasil back, and inspired these songs. It's quite faithful in sound and style to his killer early recordings – but he ain't aiming to start dance crazes about chickens anymore! If you dig any of his earlier work, we can't recommend this one highly enough! Titles include "Got A Girl In Minnesota", "Endlessly", "I'm Lonely Tonight Little Amy", "Evening Shadow Road", "Play Pretty", "I Dreamt About Amy Last Night", "Bacon & Eggs" and "How Much I Love You".

An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door".

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Chicago scene of the 70s – an unreleased gem from Medusa – a group who really know how to go head to head with some of the most frenetic acts of their generation! The set's got a blistering array of guitars right up front in the mix – brilliant solos that are very much in the metal mode, yet without all the posturing that usually comes along with such dexterity – a style that's often more content to hide behind the larger, darker trappings of the entire group! There's plenty of cuts on the set that would have set late night FM radio on fire at the time – plus a few more than would definitely have been too dangerous for the airwaves too – and Numero's done a wonderful job of resurrecting this lost nugget – giving it a lavish velvet-covered jacket, with the kind of presentation that no big record labels would have paid for at the time! Titles include "Strangulation", "Temptress", "Feelings Of Indifference", "Black Wizard", "Frustration's Fool", and "Unknown Fear".

A sweet harmony set from Pozo Seco – working here partly as the duo of Don Williams and Susan Taylor, and partly in the trio format known from their previous records as the Pozo Seco Singers! The duo tracks are especially nice, and really showcase Taylor's amazing vocals – and the album's got a mixed production approach that has some of the tunes in the older country/folk harmony style of the mid 60s, and some of the others in a mode that's a bit darker and moodier overall. Titles include "Spanish Harlem Incident", "You Better Sit Down Kids", "Good Morning Today", "Hey Babe Open Up Your Mind", "Keep On Keeping On", and "Gotta Come Up With Something". CD has LOTS of bonus tracks too – 11 more numbers that include "Tomorrow Proper", "Louisiana Man", "I Believed It All", "Excuse Me Dear Martha", "Creole Woman", "High On Life", "Till You Hear Your Mama Call", and "Leavin".

A nice bit of hippy-dippy rock/pop from late 60s California – a male and female vocal team, with a sound that's somewhere between The Mamas & The Papas and Ian & Sylvia and Jefferson Airplane. The overall sound of the record is very nice – thanks to production by Steve Barri, arrangements by Tom Brown, and a backup combo that includes Hal Blaine on drums and percussion, and Larry Knechtel on piano and organ. Songs are short and catchy, and titles include "November Snow", "Establishment Blues", "Sonora", "Golden Gate Park", "Sausalito Sunrise", "Gardens of Chelsea", and "Quick Draw Man".

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by the mighty Memphis-based Goldwax Records – material that shows the roots of the label's famous deep soul style, and a wide variety of other modes as well! From the start, it's clear that the ears at Goldwax really knew what they were doing – as even the more pop-oriented recordings here have something very different – a care and quality that makes digging through the label's catalog on a single-by-single basis just as great as doing the same with work from Stax/Volt! As with that company, you can first hear Goldwax getting their start in a few different styles – some of which were issued on other labels at the time – then settling into a classic mode pretty quickly, that massive Memphis soul style that easily made Goldwax one of the most important southern soul imprints of the 60s. The package features a whopping 58 tracks in all, plus full notes too – both a and b-sides of early singles, with titles that include "Toddlin" by Gene Bowlegs Miller, "It's Wonderful To Be In Love" by The Ovations, "I Can't Make It" by James Carr, "Arabian Jerk" by The Merits, "I Can't Fight This Much Longer" by Eddie Bond, "That's How Strong My Love Is" by OV Wright, "Our Last Quarrel"by Bobby McDowell, "Will I Ever Be Free" by Jeb Stewart, "The Day The World Cried (parts 1 & 2)" by Oboe, "A Thousand Vows" by Bobby McDowell, "Spoonful" by The Playboy Five, "Rhythm Marie" by Phillip & The Faithfuls, "Country Style" by Dorothy Williams, "Have You Seen Jean" by Al Vance, "Lover's Crime" by Spencer Wiggins, and "My Motor Bike Balked" by The Lamars.

A mixture of folksy and jazzy vocals from singer Susan Carter – part of the Laurel Canyon scene of the late 60s! Although Susan was one of the "Ladies Of The Canyon", she's got a sound here that's much more wider-ranging than that of Joni Mitchell – a unique mixture of jazz and rock influences that come across with a different sound on nearly every track on the set. The arranger for the album is Dick Halligan, who we've never heard of before – but who should get a lot of credit for the way that he mixes together odd phrasings and timings to match the shifting styles of Susan's vocals. Titles include "I'm So Tired", "I Need A Good Man Bad", "Medley For Billie Holiday", "Bluebird", and "Jam Session".

Classic late 60s psychedelia from Country Joe & The Fish! Includes "The Fish Cheer & -I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die-Rag", "Who Am I", "Pat's Song", "Magoo", "Jam", "Eastern Song", "Colors For Susan" and more.

A cool early 70s psych folk set from Peruvian combo El Polen – the group's second album – and it's a great one! For a group that's utilizing acoustic instrumentation so heavily, this is really atmospheric stuff – lots of buzzing guitars, earthy percussion, violin, harp and flute. There's a bit of a nature vibe at play, too – and it's really evocative stuff! There's some strong group vocals, but also some long instrumental passages. This CD edition from Lion and Repsychled includes a bonus track with vocals by Susana Baca – "Ahijada De la Luna" – plus "Concordancia", "Mi Cueva", "A Las Orillas Del Vilcanota", "El Hijo Del Sol", "La Puna" and a live version of "Valicha".

It's been a couple years since we last saw a Galactic Zoo Dossier, but Plastic Crimewave, a great group of contributors and publisher Drag City have delivered the best yet – 100+ pages of both legendary and deep underground psych obsessions! It's got interviews with Arthur Brown, Rodriguez, Black Widow, Susanjacks & Craig McCaw of Poppy Family and more – and hand-drawn (natch!) In Memorium section of heroes departed since #8 – Bert Jansch, Gil Scott-Heron, Eugene McDaniels, Alex Chilton and more – and page after glorious b&w page of psych coverage and comics. Pieces on Bob Segar, Moody Blues, Texas Acid Punk, Quo, "Psychedelicanada" and more! Also comes with perforated sheets of trading cards – dozens of "Astral Folk Goddesses" and "Damaged Guitar Gods". Also includes a free CD with 23 tracks by The Revelation, Mainlier, The Goblins, Results, The Joy Poppers, Roscoe, Mission Sisters and many more.

A really cool shift for this hip Brazilian combo – one that you might guess right away from the "samba" in the title! This time around, the rhythms are even more lively than before – lots of tight percussion that spurs the group on strongly, and which also seems to have given a lot more space to the Hammond in the group than the lead guitar! The instruments are used almost equally on this gem of a set – so that some cuts have a bubbling organ samba sound that's like Walter Wanderley or Ed Lincoln, while others still have that twangy guitar we love on other albums by The Pops. Titles include "Desespero De Causa", "Amor De Carnival", "Se Voce Jurar", "Exaltacao A Mangueira", "Nao Tenho Lagrimas", and "Agora E Samba No 1". CD also features two bonus tracks – vocal and instrumental versions of "Butterflies Are Free".

Feircely rocking work from Jerusalem – a little-known band who cut this great debut for Deram in 1972! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits".

A leap in creativity and ambition from Jane Weaver – kind of a concept album covering "seven chapters of cosmic aquatic folklore" – the loose storyline might be strange and mysterious, but the slow building mood and evolving instrumentation of the music, plus the enigmatic beauty of Jane's voice are compellingly wonderful! Jane is a very talented instrumentalist – she sings and plays guitars, organs, synths and vibes throughout – and she's recruited an adventurous and impressive roster of guests. The incredible Susan Christie recites a poem in the opening suite – and other guests include Esyllt Glyn Jones on harp, Wendy Flower of Wendy & Bonnie (!!!), violinist Lis Murphy (who records Balkanese folk songs under the name Behar), noisemaker Andy Votel and others. Includes the 3 part opening suite "Europium Alluminate/A Circle And A Star/The Fallen By Watch Bird" plus "Turning In Circles", "Jud A Llefrith", "Whistpers Of Winter, "My Soul Was Lost, My Soul Was Lost, And No One Saved Me", "Noctilumina" and "Silver Chord".

An amazing collection of funky work from Communist Hungary – music that's really making us change our opinion about the Cold War! Back in the day, we used to think the Iron Curtain was in place to keep out Western forces – but now we know it was there to keep in groovy music like this – secret underground grooves that explode with the power of a thousand ICBMs! The core style here is mostly rock, but the groups bring in plenty of funk too – heavy drums, rumbling bass, and fuzzy guitar that really make these cuts groove nicely – in ways that are similar to some of the more proggish fusion that's been compiled from the Eastern European scene of the 70s, but usually in a more tuneful, lyric-oriented way. And while you can't understand most of the words in the songs, that's nothing to worry about at all – because these cuts are all musical gems through and through, and the lack of meaning in the lyrics only makes the vocals come through as one more instrument in the array of funky sounds. The package comes with full, amazingly detailed notes on the tunes – and the set features 20 tracks that include "Nem Biztos Semmi" and "Add Mar Uram Az Esot" by Kati Kovacs, "Egy Lany Nem Ment Haza" by Omega Redstar, "Vegallomas" by Hungaria, "Mondj Egy Meset" by Piramis, "Kergeskezu Favagok" by Locomitiv GT, "A Bolond Lany" by Illes, "Kivanj Te Is Nekem Szep Jo Ejszakat" by Meteor & Demjen Ferenc, "Hetkoznapi Balladak" by Bergendy, "Szevasz Haver" by Skorpio, and "Kinai Fal" by Nemenyi Bela & Atlantis.