V.A. - Holy Fuzz (1967 - 1975)

In the late 1960's, two of the era's major influences, rock music and a revival of Christianity by our nation’s youth, were both attracting new converts by the millions....it was inevitable that these two huge followings; would converge with a deafening roar off fuzz guitars and feedback that would be the music of this new breed of psychedelically-inspired "spreaders of the word". This album presents songs by some of the bands that were pioneers of this great new Christian psychedlic music. Several of these bands are well known to collectors of rare vinyl, while some of the others are more obscure. All the songs on this album were specifically chosen for their guitar content...some of it mellow and subtle, and some of it...mind frying heavy fuzz. All of it...Great!

Welcome to the first edition of Holy Fuzz! (hiddenvision.com)


Tracklist:

1. The Exkursions - It's Been Sent Down
2. Selha - Romans
3. The Bridge - Jesus
4. The Search Party - The News Is You
5. Pre-Agape - In The Light
6. Stonewood Cross - Majic Man
7. All Saved Freak Band - All Across The Nation
8. The Search Party - You And I
9. The Exkursions - Dry Ground
10. The Concrete Rubber Band - Christian
11. Pressed Down, Shaken Together And Running Over - Pressed Down, Shaken Together And Running Over.
12. Agape - Rejoice

Holy Fuzz

Vinegar - Vinegar (1971)

One and only album by German underground band Vinegar originally released in 1971. Musically in style of early Pink Floyd, progressive but very psychedelic, long instrumental tracks but also with female vocalist reminding of Nico. One of the lost treasures from Germany and very sought after!

Recorded on January 9th, 1971 in Studio Rottenburg, Vinegar’s self-titled album was released on LP in a limited edition of 1,000 copies! I’ve read opinions from folks describing Vinegar’s sound as rather Floydian. While this is true, it should be noted that the group sounds much more like a cross between Amon Duul II and Pink Floyd. With that being said, one can easily hear the Floyd influence in the spacey organ, drum fills, slide guitar, and occasional celestial vocals. Likewise, the Amon Düül II influence can be heard in the violin, vocals, and the guitar riffs. Overall, the two styles are combined rather nicely into a sort of progressive-garage-space rock sound. Highlights from the album include ‘Der Kaiser Auf Der Erbse’, ‘Fleisch’, And ‘Sawmill’. ‘Der Kaiser Auf Der Erbse’ begins with a violin solo which reminds me of Edgar Hoffman from Embryo. From there the track switches gears and turns into a rock track with intentionally unintelligible vocals which could be described as Faust-like. Containing a Floydian organ and drum beat, ‘Fleisch’ slowly introduces distorted guitar and bass into the mix before a celestial vocal kicks in and the track begins to take shape in the classically themed “A Saucerful of Secrets” sort of way. Finally, ‘Sawmill’ showcases the bands mixture of Duul and Floyd influence. ‘Sawmill’ starts out as a psychedelic garage rocker with female vocals (reminiscent of Renate Knaup) before taking a spacey turn and sounding like Sysyphus off of Ummagumma. From here the track revives its garage sound before fading out into part 2 which is dominated by an Amon Duul approach. Overall, the album is a satisfying first effort which, sadly, was never followed up due to their break up in late 1971.
(krautrockgroup.com)

Track List:

1. Missi Solis
2. Sawmill - Teil 1
3. Sawmill - Teil II
4. Der Kaiser Auf Der Erbse
5. Fleisch

Vinegar - Vinegar (1971)

Ash Ra Tempel - Ash Ra Tempel (1971)

Formed by ex-Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze, Manuel Göttsching and Hartmut Enke, Ash Ra Tempel was one of the pioneers of the progressive space-rock genre. Their debut-album seems to bee many people's favourite by the band, and I don`t blame them, as you won't get a more perfect space-atmosphere than the one you'll find here. The two tracks on the album is both VERY spacey pieces, but still very different from each other. "Amboss" opens quiet and relaxed, but soon bursts into a frenetic jam, highlighted with Gцttsching`s excellent spacy guitar playing and Schulze's energetic drumming. It`s quite facinating how such an energetic and noisy piece still can be so atmospheric and relaxing. "Traummaschine" lives up to its title, and gives a clue about what Schulze later would do on his own albums. A very quiet and mysterious piece, with floating electronics and shimmering guitar. The whole album gives you a feeling of flying through space in a pyramid and visiting planets with ancient temples. Yes, this really is SPACE music. However, if you're looking for something more controlled and electronic kind of spacey atmospheres, start with one of the first Ashra albums from the late 70's instead. (VintageProg.com

Tracklist:

1. Amboss
2. Traummaschine

Ash Ra Tempel

Brainticket - Cottonwoodhill (1971)

Cottonwoodhill is one of the trippiest records ever made, capturing the intensity of the peak LSD experience far more successfully than any Timothy Leary recording, and even today, when many such documents from that era can sound silly and dated, Brainticket's fascinating debut still holds hallucinogenic potency. The record has only two proper songs, "Black Sand" and "Places of Light," with a side and a half of the album taken up by the three-part "Brainticket." "Black Sand" opens the disc with a driving funk beat and powerful organ and guitar interplay, adding in vocals distorted beyond coherency. "Places of Light" begins in a slightly lighter vein as a flute leads the proceedings, a looser jazzier piece that throws in some of Dawn Muir's odd spoken word vocals. Before one realizes what has happened, the piece has faded out and there is suddenly a crashing sound, car horns, and engines starting up. "Brainticket" is a bizarre roller coaster ride through weird sound effects and electronics, an endless organ riff, and Muir's acid-rush ramblings from hushed whisper to urgent screams, as any coherency she had earlier becomes lost to mind-expanding visions. Rather than the laid-back mellow groove of some psychedelic music from this era, Cottonwoodhill has a hyper energy in the frenetic organ riff and Muir's voice, like an acid trip out of control, while at times the various sound effects take over completely.
AMG

Track List

1. Black Sand
2. Places of Light
3. Brainticket, Pt. 1
4. Brainticket, Pt. 1: Conclusion
5. Brainticket, Pt. 2

Cottonwoodhill