V.A. - Maiden Voyage - A Wide Selection Of Grooves From Norway '66-'76 (2002)

‘Maiden Voyage’ is an entertaining collection of 14 rare grooves that were played on the Norwegian scene between 1966 and 1976. This historically important and utterly grooving compilation tracks the developments on the funk, fusion, R’n’B and soundtrack scenes that previously had only been available on obscure and out-of-print 7”/12” vinyl singles and 8 track tapes. Respected DJ Lasarus has done a tremendous job in various archives, libraries and in dusty attics, digging up old and forgotten gems that now are given new life on the ‘Maiden Voyage’ sampler. Highlights include Karin Krog’s rendition of the title track, Difference’s acid-tinged space psychedelia, the Bendik Singers’ Afrotid and Arne Nordheim’s take on psycho-jazz on the track Solar Plexus. (listento.no)

1. Sven Libaek And His Orchestra - Misty Canyon
2. Karin Krog - Maiden Voyage
3. The Playmates - Leaving For Love
4. Egil Monn Iversen / Inger Lise Rypdal - Heaven And Hell
5. Difference - Outside
6. Kjell Karlsen's Orkester - La, La, La
7. RAIN - Whine And Wail
8. Bendik Singers - Arfotid
9. Frode Thingnæs - Wheels
10. We-Be Karlsen - If You Could
11. Good News - Konklusjon
12. Little Earl Wilson And The Sapphires - I Can't Believe It
13. Karin Krog/Public Enemies - Watermelon Man
14. Arne Nordheim - Solar Plexus

Maiden Voyage A Wide Selection Of Grooves From Norway '66 - '76

Saturnalia - Magical Love (1973)

A thoroughly competent slice of mystical West Coast influenced progressive psychedelia with an occult edge, some excellent female vocals and searing lead guitar work.
Thank you Ade Hawkins and Richard Houghton for your comments!

Saturnalia was a rock group produced by Yardbirds legend Keith Relf.
With a man named Adrian Hawkins and woman named simply Aletta heading up the vocal duties, their sound was assorted and fascinating combination of psychedelic rock. I preferred what they sounded like with Hawkins at the helm; Aletta’s voice was off key and irritating for the most part. The music in total bordered on pre-prog-rock with a strong leaning towards hard rock, albeit a different slant than what was available in that era. I am sure some folks would consider this as weird music, I prefer to say they were making music that was original and off the beaten path, which for me personally is very appealing.
Besides the tripped out artwork on both sides of the LP, a booklet is included that tells the story of the band with an outline of each individual personality including their astrological sign a full explanation of all the elements, fire and water and such. It is all very much what 1969 was all about. Old hippies (and new) will love this album! It seems there is always so much more to talk about besides the music when I receive an album with so much color and character. This is what collectors live for so snag it up before they disappear.

reviewed by Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck at progressiveworld.net

Adrian Hawkins - Vocals
Aletta - Vocals
Rod Roach - Guitar
Richard Houghton - Bass guitar
Tom Crompton - Drums

Tracklist:

1. Magical Love
2. She Brings Peace
3. And I Have Loved You
4. Winchester Town
5. Traitor
6 .Soul Song
7. Princess And The Peasant Boy
8. Dreaming
9. Step Out Of Line

Saturnalia - Magical Love (1973)

Various Artists - Turkish Freakout: Psych-Folk Singles 1969-1980 (2010)

Turkey is often referred to as the meeting point between East and West, a statement verified by this selection of choice Turkish grooves. The western rock, psych, funk and jazz influences that began to be incorporated into traditional Turkish sounds during the late 60s and 70s can be heard here, as the Anadolu pop sound of Turkeyma balanced these new elements with the complex sounds and rhythms developed over many years. All tracks are referenced from their original 7 inch releases, painstakingly tracked down from various sources in and around Istanbul. The marriage of these styles is original, captivating and bound to freak you out.

1. Okay Temiz - Dokuz Sekiz
2. Kardaslar - Cokertme
3. Cem Karaka - Uryan Geldim
4. Apaslar - Gilgamis
5. Beyaz Kelebekler - Esmerim
6. Alpay - Seni Dileniyorum
7. Erkin Koray - Sevdigim
8. Ajda Pekkan - Kaderimin Oyunu
9. Sevil & Ayla - Bebek
10. Baris Manco - Hal Hal
11. Rifat Oncel - Dosta Bizden Selam Olsun
12. Ersen - Cakmagicak
13. Onder Bali - Karni Buyuk Koca Dunya
14. Alpay - Ah! Berelim
15. Erkin Koray - Estarabim
16. Ajda Pekkan - Iciyorum
17. Arif Sag - Osman Ehlivan
18. Ersen - Gunese Don Cicegim

Various Artists - Turkish Freakout: Psych-Folk Singles 1969-1980 (2010)

Various Artists - Cloud Cuckooland (2010)

Accompanying the marvelous LP from Sam Spence, Finders Keepers drop a twenty track compilation peering into the pre-1974 archives of one of Germany's longest running Krautrock independents, Kuckuck. During this period, the label was in its prog heyday, helmed by the forward thinking Eckart Rahn, whose release policy covered the early Kosmiche and Krautrock that he loved. One of his most successful moves was to sign releases from American ex-pat Sam Spence who also brought over his Moog synthesizer from the US. Sam provides a clutch of tracks for 'Cloud Cuckooland', next to far-out trips from like minded and progressive figures such as Ernst Schultz, Sonny Hennig, IhreKinder, Dueter Nicht and Lied Des Teufels. The Ernst Schultz tracks are some of the best here, from the choice collage of 'Paranoia Picknick' mixing musique concrete and unidentified early electronics, to his funked up rocker 'XY' while Spence's tracks are suitably zany and the oddities like Armageddon's Hendrix workut on 'Oh Man' hit a savoury spot. Recommended! (boomkat.com)

1. Antiteater - Opening
2. Ihre Kinder - Stunden
3. Out Of Focus - See How A White Negro Flies
4. Sam Spence - Waterworld
5. Ernst Schultz - Paranoia Picknick
6. Sonny Hennig - 1000 Tips Zum Überleben
7. Ernst Schultz - 10 Finger Blind
8. Ihre Kinder - Komm Zu Dir
9. Deuter - Der Turm
10. Sam Spence - Ringo
11. Antiteater - Memorn (Der Amerikanische Soldat)
12. Armegeeddon - Oh Man
13. Sam Spence - World As One
14. Deuter - Night Rain
15. Ernst Schultz - XY
16. Lied Des Teufels - Nichts
17. Antiteater - Intermezzo
18. Out Of Focus - Blue Sunday Morning
19. Ihre Kinder - The Dice
20. Antiteater - Trauer (La Mandragola)

Various Artists - Cloud Cuckooland (2010)

Lumbee - Overdose (1970)

Sought after late '60's heavy acid rock gem that features a cover featuring young kids sucking on hookahs ! The original album came with a drug dealing game. The album stands up well alongside albums such as Blue Cheers later recordings, Grand Funk, Damnation etc. Hard, heavy and wholesome.

Personnel incl: CAROL FITZGERALD vcls, WILLIE FRENCH LOWERY lead gtr, vcls, FORRIS FULFORD drms, vcls, RONALD SEIGER bs, BOBBY PAUL bs, RICKEY VANNOY gtr, vcls

Tracklist:

1. Tone Deaf
2. Veronica High
3. People Get Ready
4. You Gotta Be Stoned
5. Tone Deaf Jam
6. Streets of Gold
7. Whole World Is Down on Me
8. Whole World Is Sunny Upside Down

Lumbee - Overdose (1970)

The Illusion - The Illusion (1969)

An Italian - U.S. band, based in Long Island, New York, who played heavy rock with some psychedelic influence. The band were formed as The Five Illusions by the lead singer John Vinci as a senior in high school in 1964 (thanks John Vinci for leaving a comment). They enjoyed some minor chart success, and their albums were produced by the famous Jeff Barry. Good album and some cool guitar work.

John Vinci - vocals
Richie Cerniglia - lead guitar
Mike Maniscalco - rhythm guitar, keyboards
Chuck Adler - bass
Mike (Sylvester) Ricciardella - drums, percussion

Tracklist:

1. Did You See Her Eyes
2. Talkin' Sweet Talkin' Soul
3. Just Imagine
4. Run Run Run-Willy Gee
5. I Love You Yes I Do
6. Alone
7. Charlena
8. Why Tell Me Why-The Real Thing
9. You Made Me What I Am

The Illusion

Various Artists - Shifting Sands: 20 Treasures From The Heyday Of Underground Folk (2010)

Under the influence of LSD, by the late 1960s the sands were fast shifting for acoustic music. This new compilation showcases twenty of the best tracks to have emerged from the underground folk revolution, taking in artists from Britain and America, as well as further-flung locations such as Norway, Eire and Canada, and touching on genres including jazz, country and psychedelia. The set comes complete with a full booklet featuring rare pictures and information about each artist, making it truly essential for all strange folk enthusiasts. (Sunbeam Records)

Tracklist:

1. Fresh Maggots - Dole Song
2. Rick Hayward - Can't See Any Signs
3. Lazy Farmer - Turtle Dove
4. Moonkyte - Way Out Hermit
5. Maryanne - The Water Is Wide
6. COB - Summer's Night
7. Jaki Whitren - A Little Bit Extra, Please
8. Roger Rodier - My Spirit's Calling
9. Loudest Whisper - Cold Winds Blow
10. Gordon Jackson - My Ship, My Star
11. Mark Fry - Song For Wilde
12. Meic Stevens - Dim Ond Heddiw Ddoe Ac Fory
13. G.F. Fitz-Gerald - Country Mouse
14. Oriental Sunshine - Visions
15. Justine - See Saw
16. Wizz Jones - When I Cease To Care
17. Dawnwind - Canticle
18. Gary Farr - I See You
19. Lily & Maria - Morning Glory Morning
20. Synanthesia - Shifting Sands

Various Artists - Shifting Sands: 20 Treasures From The Heyday Of Underground Folk (2010)

Beauregard Ajax - Deaf Priscilla (1968)

Beauregard Ajax - Deaf Priscilla (1968)

Southern California's Beauregard Ajax recorded Deaf Priscilla in late 1967 and early 1968, with legendary Del-Fi Records founder, Bob Keane producing, but the record was shelved when the group disbanded. Decades later a vinyl pressing was issued, and in 2006 Shadoks Music released it on CD for the first time, with four bonus tracks. As was the case for countless aspiring American rock collectives, the British Invasion from a few years earlier heavily influenced the five-piece (the singer even picked up an accent along the way), but as this was psychedelic age, the songs are augmented with slightly fuzzed-out blues licks. The actual tunes possess pleasing melodies, resulting in an overall light psych sound. Lyrically, the tone is usually pretty heavy, though, with such darker subject matters as loneliness, depression, failed relationships, and boredom. The group shows a whimsical side on "Kaleidoscope," and the bubblegummy "Happy Brontosaurus," but they are at their best when embracing the melancholic aspects of day-to-day life on such numbers as "Loneliness Is a Sometime Thing," "Goodbye Again," and "Blue Violins." One of the best and more bizarre tracks, "Deaf Priscilla," is the mysterious tale of a horrific domestic dispute, which the protagonist can partly ignore due to loss of one of her senses. (All Music Guide)

Why would I give this flashback from the 60's such a high rating? Because I was the drummer! I found the album released by Shadoks while searching my old band's name on the internet. I was surprised to hear that tapes of our group somehow circulated in Europe for a number of years before Shadoks got hold of them. No one in the band is getting any royalties, but it was nice to see the work we did with producer Bob Keane (Ritchie Valens, Bobby Fuller Four,etc.)finding an audience after 38 years! (C. Leo Hartshorn)

Thanks Leo Hartshorn for your comment!

Beauregard Ajax - Deaf Priscilla (1968)

The Unspoken Word - The Unspoken Word (1970)

Here comes the second album by this largely unknown group from Long Island, New York. After their outstanding debut that could be described as folk rock with a psychedelic edge, the 2nd record is definitively more rock/blues orientated. Nevertheless, this rare album contains eleven very enjoyable tracks with fine instrumentation and excellent lead vocals. (acidvisions.com)

The Unspoken Word are:

Zenya Stashuk: lead guitar, rhythm guitar & vocals
Dede Puma: vocals
Greg Buis: bass & vocals
Les Singer: drums
Angus MacMaster: keyboards

Tracklist:

1. Pillow
2. Sleeping Prophet
3. Put Me Down
4. Personal Manager
5. Reincarnation
6. Sleepy Mountain Ecstasy
7. I Don't Need No Music
8. Little Song
9. Healthy, Wealthy & Wise
10. Around And Around
11. Morning

The Unspoken Word - The Unspoken Word (1970)

Magic Carpet - Magic Carpet (1972)

Superb re-issue of classic UK mystical psychedelic folk album originally released on Mushroom Records in 1972. Dreamy Eastern atmospheres with beautiful delicate female vocals sit alongside some excellent eastern sounding instrumentals.This re-issue contains a 20 minute bonus track. This is a worthy addition to any UK psyche collection.

Line-up: Clem Alford / sitar, esraj, tamboura - Alisha Sufit / vocals, guitars - Jim Moyes / guitars - Keshav Sathe / Indian tabla, percussion

Tracklist

1. The magic carpet
2. The phoenix
3. Black cat
4. Alans Christmas Card
5. Harvest Song
6. Do you hear the words
7. Father Time
8. La La
9. Peace Song
10. Take Away kesh
11. High Street
12. The Dream
13. Raga

Magic Carpet - Magic Carpet (1972)

V.A. - 1970's Algerian Proto-Rai Underground (2008)

This is Rai Music from Algeria as you've not heard it before. In the early 1970's, a new group of singers and musicians were operating on the northwest coast and what they pioneered was a sound that eventually reached worldwide status by the end of the decade, however their names are relatively unknown to this day outside Algeria. This crucial and defining period of the development of Rai is criminally ignored and overlooked by Algerian music historians and Raï's fans. Due to censorship and government controlled music diffusion, this scene and lyrical style was forced underground and banned from broadcasts yet slowly built a small following around the seaside cabarets of Wahran (Oran). The early 1970's witnessed the rise of artists such as Groupe El Azhar ("The Flowers" group) and Messaoud Bellemou, who can comfortably be considered the godfather of the modern Raï's sound. His group, L'Orchestre Bellemou, rewrote a heritage of centuries by using modern instruments and especially the trumpet which became, during the 1970's, the backbone of the Wahrani genre. Reinterpreting the gasba melodies on trumpet, Bellemou backed singers such as Boutaiba Sghir & Sheikh Benfissa who carried on the lyrical tradition of their forefathers singing about daily preoccupations and problems as well as love affairs, alcohol, or simply owning an automobile! Toward the late 1970's, Cheb Zergui brought a newer ingredient: an electric guitar with a wah wah pedal. Thankfully, the late 1960's saw the development of vinyl pressing in Algeria. This new industry allowed many small artists including the Wahrani "scene" to record and release singles documenting their repertoire. This compilation is a selection of the Proto Raï's scene's vinyl 45s. Insert contains photos of the musicians and text written by the man who compiled it, Hicham Chadly. (Sublime Frequencies)

Released by Sublime Frequencies, a small world music label run by members of the experimental post-punk outfit the Sun City Girls, ALGERIAN PROTO-RAI UNDERGROUND documents the birth of Western- influenced Algerian popular music. The rai style pioneered by artists like Messaoud Bellemou and Groupe El Azhar, blended Arabic melodies with Western rock instrumentation, making for a hard-edged, near-psychedelic sound that ought to surprise and intrigue fans of more traditional Algerian music.Spin (p.93) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The style's candid lyricism remains...the singers' frustrated heartsickness is unmistakable -- particularly on Boutaiba Sghir's aching standout 'Malgre Tout.'" (Dusty Groove)

1970's Algerian Proto-Rai Underground

V.A. - Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas - Tropicalia Psychedelic Masterpieces 1967 - 1976 (2010)

Following the success of the recently released Psych Funk 101, Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas should serve as a master class for those entranced by the funky, heavy psychedelic wonders of the Tropicalia movement and all that it spawned. But as compiler Joel Stones writes in his liner notes: 'You won't find Os Mutantes or their maestro Rogerio Duprat on this compilation. There is a reason that the records contained here have never been reissued. Even though you will recognize some of the labels contained here... believe me when I write this: some of the rarest, and best, examples of fuzzy, funky Brazilian psychedelia came out as promo-only 7" records on these labels.' Each song contained on this album has never been reissued, and has been restored from the best source possible and remastered for near-perfect sound quality. The 48 page full color booklet contains a wealth of imagery and detailed annotation and liner notes in both English and Portuguese. (World Psychedelic Funk Classics)

Brasilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas

Various Artists - The BYG Deal (2009)

The most cherished school of selector-educators is back in session with the latest Finders Keepers release giving a masterclass on the seminal fringe Jazz BYG label. Hailed as the catalyst of the French underground scene, BYG was born from the ashes of the 1968 student revolts, when three record industry gents were inspired by a rush of creative freedom sparked by the revolution, giving impetus and shape to their collective love of American jazz and blues, psychedelic rock and many subsequent styles. The label was an early home to records from monolithic touchstone artists like Vangelis, Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Gong, Brigitte Fontaine, Don Cherry and members of Soft Machine, Procol Harum, MAGMA besides many more, acting as a deeply rooted jazz and blues imprint, with a keen eye on the happenings occurring at the fertile edges of the scene. The accompanying sleevenotes are reliably thick, covering the initiation of the label and detailed notes on each track and artist for your perusal, but it's really all about the fantastic music, no? Be prepared to sink your head deep into stunning early works from Alpha Beta, the first incarnation of Evanghleos Odyssey Papathanassiou, better known to Bladerunner and synthesizer fans as Vangelis (as well as his later self-titled work), next to magickal drone folk from Gong, avant-funk from Art Ensemble Of Chicago, Brigitte Fontaine's raunchy fonk-rock or even British pop legends Procol Harum v1.0 aka Freedom. All freaky folk and world-tripping psyche pickers need to sign on the bottom line...Highly Recommended. (boomkat.com)

Byg Deal

Soho Orange - Soho Orange (1971)

Released in 1991 on the same German label that gave us the first German Oak album, this is some very good early 70’s hard rock somewhat in the Budgie vein.

1. King Of The Road
2. Mississippi Tales/The Wish-Tears
3. Freedom Callin
4. Dream Queen
5. Nightmare
6. Seven Faces

Soho Orange

Various Artists - Pomegranates - Persian Pop, Funk, Folk And Psych Of The 60s And 70s (2009)

Bright Persian psychedelic pop, funk, soul and boundless grooves from the 60s & 70s -- one of the greatest compilations yet from Finders Keepers! Many of the tunes are actually classics of the era's Iranian scene, if wildly fresh and new our ears, while others are quite obscure all around, but all of it is fresh and exciting exotic pop that we're thrilled to see collected. The sounds draw from the creatively fertile period when traditions were combined in music all around the world -- with hypnotic eastern raga strings blended with global funk and jazz, bursting pop tunefulness and both meditative and instantly gratifying melodies of myriad influences, borderline disco grooves and beyond. Exciting stuff! 16 tracks in all: "Helelyos'" by Zia, "Biya Bar-e Safar Bandim" by Mohammad Nouri, "Talagh" by Googoosh, "Miravi" by Soli, "Kavir-e Del" by Marjan, "Naz Kardanet Vaveyla" by Sima Bina", "Sharm-e Boos-e" by Ramesh, "Cheshm-e Man" by Dariush and more. (dustygroove.com)

Pomegranates

Various Artists - Finders Keepers Records 1-20 Mixed By The Gaslamp Killer (2009)

An excellent mix of some of the best lost folk funk, tripped out psychedelia, 60s & 70s material from the global underground from Finders Keepers -- but far cooler than a mere sampler -- an aurally exciting blend of the material courtesy of the Gaslamp Killer! For this excellent set, eclectic LA DJ guru Gaslamp Killer was given the keys to the Finders Keepers vaults to craft an evocative set of his own, from the sounds found on the first 20 Finders Keepers releases. Turkish rock from Ersen, wild soundtrack grooves from Valerie & Her Week Of Wonders composer Lubos Fiser, instrumental French funk from Jean Claude Vannier, and so much more! All Killer has 12 tracks that are each expertly blended suites of Finders Keepers releases, including "The Sermon" by Lubos Fiser, "Les Garde Volent Au Secours Du Roi" and more by Jean Claude Vannier, "Dance Of The Vampires" by Vampires Of Dartmoore, "Gunese Don Cicegim" by Ersen, "Les Electroniciens" by Bruno Spoerri, "Zeytinyagi" by Mustafa Ozkent, "Europa" by by Susan Christie and more. (dustygroove.com)

1. Lubos Fiser - The Sermon (FKR009) / John Hill - Europa (FKR018) / Jan Jankeje - South Indian Line (FKR020)
2. Spectre - Arkham (FKR020) / Chris Harwood - Wooden Ships (FKR005) / Susan Christie - Paint A Lady (FKR007) / Jean-Jacques Dexter - Be Quite (FKR020)
3. Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Drum Orchestra - The World Is A Ghetto (FKR008) / Jean-Claude Vannier - Les Garde Volent au Secours du Roi (FKR001)
4. Jean-Claude Vannier - L'Enfant la Mouche et les Allumettes / L'Enfant au Royaume des Mouches (FKR001)
5. Stanley Myers - Sitting Target Main Theme / Solitaire (FKR004) / Omega - Kergeskezu favagok (FKR017) / Sevil and Ayla - Bebek (FKR020)
6. Zafer Dilek - Yekte (FKR008) / Yamasuki - Kono Samourai (FKR002) / Sarolta Zalatnay - Hadd Mondjam El (FKR012) / Yamasuki - Yama Yama (FKR002) / Selda - Yaylalar (FKR011)
7. Ersen - Gunese Don Cicegim (FKR016) / Pierre Cavalli - Un Soir Chez Norris (FKR008)
8. Vampires of Dartmoore - Dance Of The Vampires (FKR019) / Sarolta Zalatnay - Egyser (FKR012) / Mustafa Ozkent - Burcak (FKR010)
9. Sarolta Zalatnay - Zold Borostyan (FKR012) / The Stylers - For You (FKR008) / Mustafa Ozkent - Silifke (FKR010)
10. Mustafa Ozkent - Zeytinyagi (FKR010) / Susan Christie - Europa (Poetry) (FKR018) / Jiri Slitr & Jiri Sust- Sugar Stealers / Man With A Typewriter (FKR013)
11. John Hill - Amalthea (FKR018) / Ersen - Zalim (FKR016)
12. Bruno Spoerri - Les Electroniciens (FKR006) / Jiri Slitr & Jiri Sust - Girlies, Girlies (FKR013)

All Killer

Various Artists - The Electric Asylum Vol. 1 - Rare British Acid Freakrock (2009)

A very cool collection of work -- and one that moves way past the typical vibe of the usual psyche comp you might expect! A fair bit of the recordings here are from the early 70s UK scene, and show a real evolution since the end of the previous decade -- a move towards styles that are a bit leaner than before, with some cool compression and other production tricks in the mix -- almost elements that are a precursor for sounds to come in the space rock and glam scenes, but still definitely more psyche-based here. As with other Past & Present sets, there's a full batch of notes telling the tale of each unique track -- and the set list is filled with gems. (dustygroove.com)

1. Mighty'em - Jekyll & Hyde
2. Asylum - Suzy's Back
3. Iron Horse - Magic Love
4. Moonsoon - Night Of The Fly
5. Galahad - Rocket Summer
6. J.C. Heavy - Is This Really Me
7. Rainbow Family - Travellin' Lady
8. Puzzle - Do You Feel The Pain
9. Grumbleweeds - In A Teknikolor Dreem
10. Explosive - Hey Presto, Magic Man
11. J.C. Heavy - Do What You Like
12. Choc - The Devil
13. Danta - Queen Of Sheba
14. Vincent Crane's Atomic Rooster - O.D.
15. Renegade - Never Let Me Go
16. Satisfaction - Love It Is
17. Audience - Eye To Eye
18. Steel Mill - Get On The Line
19. Kirk St. James - Tears I Cry
20. Legs - So Many Faces

The Electric Asylum: Rare British Acid Freakrock, Vol. 1

Various Artists - Realistic Patterns Vol. 2 - Wednesday Morning Dew (2009)

On Wednesday Morning Dew: Realistic Patterns, Vol. 2, Nick Saloman, formerly of the Bevis Frond and a co-publisher of Ptolemaic Terrascope, dredges the bottomless archives of rock esoterica in an attempt to collect the riches the mature-pop challenges “Eleanor Rigby” and the Left Banke put forth. Overall, it’s a another pleasurable, though uneven, offering. As one might expect, some tunes suggest music-jobbing adults trying to get groovy with the youngsters, or dubious visions of go-go girls slathered in Day-Glo paint. That one track, the Stony Brook People’s “There’s Tomorrow”, came from the house band at an L.A. nightspot owned by Sammy Davis Jr. should provide a clue.

Fortunately, not everything here reeks of incense and peppermints; some tracks even manage to genuinely rock. The jazzy trappings of Jeff Monn’s “She is There for Me” drape intrigue onto its snotty shrug of a vocal, befitting a guy otherwise known (if at all) for the Third Bardo’s punk-psych gem “I’m Five Years Ahead of My Time”. Secret Agents of the Vice Squad‘s “I Saw Sloopy” woozily recounts the inevitable morning after for the McCoys’ iconic heroine. Topping them all is “Room at the Top”, a Nazz-like sparkler from 1968 by DC one-hit wonders, the Fallen Angels.

Lighter fare can be found in the Majic Ship’s late-summer haze of a title cut. Similarly, Peter Courtney’s “Dr. David’s Private Papers” and the Shambles’ “World War II in Cincinnati” both nod to the more fanciful work of the early Bee Gees or Marc Wirtz of “Excerpt from a Teenage Opera” infamy. While Hearts and Flowers boasted future associates of Laurel Canyon’s buckskin music elite, the band’s “(Ballad of a) Tin Angel” is a definite highlight. Its apt, spacey harmonies and shifting orchestral textures (Iberian to Gregorian to Appalachian, via L.A., natch) push beyond psychedelia into phantasmagoria, which is where the best of this musical genre should reside and be regarded. (popmatters.com)

1. Bloomsbury People - Have You Seen Them Cry
2. Erik - Child of the Sea
3. Majic Ship - Wednesday Morning Dew
4. The Fallen Angels - Room at the Top
5. The Shambles - World War II in Cincinnati
6. Wayne Stewart - If You Could Be Him Instead
7. Summerhill - Follow Us
8. Stony Brook People - There's Tomorrow
9. The Bag - Nickels & Dimes
10. Secret Agents of the Vice Squad - I Saw Sloopy
11. Peter Courtney - Dr. David's Private Papers
12. Green Lyte Sunday - If You Want to Be Free
13. Hearts & Flowers - Tin Angel
14. Five By Five - Too Much Tomorrow
15. Jeff Monn - She Is There For Me
16. The Second Time - Listen to the Music
17. The Nova Local - If You Only Had the Time
18. Silk - Not a Whole Lot I Can Do
19. The Hook - There's Magic in the Air
20. Peppermint Rainbow - Pink Lemonade

Wednesday Morning Dew: Realistic Patterns, Vol. 2

Various Artists - The Roots Of Chicha - Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru (2007)

Chicha is an indigenous music that was spontaneously created by the culture clash of the '60s when the Indian population of the Peruvian Amazon discovered the Columbian pop music known as cumbia and American rock & roll. As cheap electric instruments became available, Amazon Indians put together dance bands that used the syncopated beat of cumbia -- which sounds like a laid-back Latin cousin of ska -- as the foundation for melodies that sound like Andean folk tunes, played on electric guitar with lots of effects and Tex-Mex style Farfisa. When the Indians moved to the city, most notably Lima, they brought their music with them. Like Afro Peruvian music, chicha was frowned upon by the middle and upper classes, but unlike the music of Afro-Peru, chicha never gained an international following, until now. Oliver Conan, owner of the Barbés nightclub and record label, discovered the music on a recent trip to Peru. He also discovered that the label that put out a lot of the music had gone bankrupt and many of the master recordings were lost. He finally tracked down six Chicha combos -- los Mirlos, Juaneco y Su Combo, los Hijos del Sola, los Destellos, los Diablos Rojos and Eusebio y Su Banjo -- and put together this 17-track compilation. American listeners will be surprised at how familiar the music sounds, with the sprightly garage band meets Tex-Mex bounce of the organ, the twangy surf guitar lines, Cuban counter rhythms, and Andean melodies. Los Destellos name all their compositions after women and show the strongest Latin/Cuban flavor and the most eclectic approach. They transform Beethoven's Für Elise into "Para Elisa" a jaunty track with the melody played on twangy surf guitar backed by a simple rhythm section of güira, bongos and bass. "A Patricia" plays off their guitarist's psychedelic chops against the bands ever shifting rhythmic accents on timbales, bongos and cowbells. Los Mirlos were popular in the '70s, and their tunes include "Sonido Amazonico," a vaguely Arabic melody played on surf guitar over a stark cumbia beat; "El Milagro Verde," with a chiming electric guitar, shimmering, hiccoughing Farfisa and rowdy background vocals, and "Muchachita del Oriente," which sounds like a Cuban cowboy song with a Columbian beat. Juaneco y Su Combo feature a charismatic singer with a gruff, quavering vocal style and asymmetrical, organ-heavy melodies that may be Indian-influenced. "Ya Se Ha Muerto Mi Abuelo" is one of the album's catchiest tracks with a call and response vocal that recalls "El Condor Pasa"; "Vacilando con Ayahuesca" has a rhythm that's part funk, part ska, but not exactly cumbia, rock or salsa; a panting female vocalist gives the tune a sweaty, sexy vibe. Los Hijos del Sola have a real rock & roll vibe, punctuating their tunes with percussive shouts, mad shrieks and rowdy ensemble vocals. Their songs have the strongest Andean influence, although they play the Andean melodies with a Dick Dale-influenced 32nd note attack. "Linda Muñequita," "Si Me Quieres," and "Cariñito" all jump out at you with their raucous energy and sparkling guitar work. Over-the-top vocals and odd shifts in time and tempo mark the work of Los Diablos Rojos. Their guitar player drops rippling runs in and around the macho shouts and imprecations of their lead vocalist, who laughs, bellows and growls like a madman on "El Guapo" and "Sacalo Sacalo." Eusebio y Su Banjo's single track, "Mi Morena Rebelde," has a muddy sound, but its distorted guitar and galloping beat make it irresistible. (All Music Guide)

In the early 70 s a new sound grew out of the booming cities of the Peruvian Amazon. Chicha, as it came to be known, modeled itself on Colombian Cumbia music but replaced the accordion with surf guitars, and incorporated the psychedelic sounds of Farfisa organs and Moog synthesizers as well as Cuban Guajira,and the distinctive pentatonic scales of Andean melodies. Unlike other modern hybrids, such as Ska or Brazillian Tropicalia, the music never crossed international borders. This is the first ever Chicha compilation to be released outside of Peru. (amazon.com)

Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru

Various Artists - Forge Your Own Chains - Heavy Psychedelic Ballads And Dirges 1968 - 1974 (2009)

Now-Again’s Foray Into Funky Psychedelia: American gospel, paranoiac soul, loner folk, East-Nigerian fuzz, Thai rock, Iranian ballads and more….

This compilation introduces a new direction for Now-Again Records and its owner, Stones Throw Records GM, A&R and producer Egon. With the same detailed, no-stone-unturned approach he used for Deep Funk (The Funky 16 Corners, Cold Heat ), he tackles beat-heavy global psychedelia with Forge Your Own Chains.

Forge Your Own Chains showcases music from all corners of the world: Colombia, Nigeria, Sweden, South Korea, Thailand and Iran. The focus – in keeping with Now-Again’s tradition – is on melody, driving rhythms and accessibility. Not one song is included on this compilation because it is from a “rare” album. Certainly, many of these songs do spring from albums that exchange hands for many thousands of dollars. Certainly, many of these songs have never seen reissue. But these songs are all beautiful in their own right and work to form a coherent album.

Psychedelic records, long the mainstay of older, grizzled collectors and seemingly quaint, are, in the hands of Egon and those of his generation, giving up new ghosts. And, with comps like Forge Your Own Chains, inspiring new investigations into our not so distant (and still very much alive) musical past.

1. Top Drawer - Song of a Sinner
2. Sensational Saints - How Great Thou Art
3. East of Underground - Smiling Faces Sometimes
4. D.R. Hooker - Forge Your Own Chains
5. Shin Jung Hyun and the Men feat. Jang Hyun - Twilight
6. T. Zchiew and The Johnny - Let Yourself Be Free
7. The Strangers - Two To Make A Pair
8. Damon - Don't You Feel Me
9. Ellison - Strawberry Rain
10. Morly Grey - Who Can I Say You Are
11. Shadrack Chameleon - Don't Let It Get You Down
12. Ofege - It's Not Easy
13. Ana Y Jaime - Nina Nana
14. Kourosh Yaghmaei - Hajm-e Khaali
15. Baby Grandmothers - Somebody's Calling My Name

Forge Your Own Chains, Vol. 1: Psychedelic Ballads And Dirges 1968-1974

Various Artists - Psych Funk 101 - World Psychedelic Funk Classics (2009)

Psych-Funk 101 introduces students to the global phenomenon of psychedelic funk music, and covers the "golden years" of the movement, from approximately 1967 until 1980. This compilation does not focus on American and British bands. Rather it focuses on the bands throughout the Global Village that were influenced by the innovation of American and British bands that many times one upped the heroes they sought to emulate. This compilation focuses on bands influenced by James Brown, The Meters, Sly and The Family Stone, Booker T and The MGs and The Bar Kays and unsung rhythmic forces such as drummers Bernard Purdie, Idris Muhammad, Earl Palmer, bassists such Carol Kaye and Jimmy Lewis. It focuses on bands who took that energy and combined it with the flair of psychedelic-rock musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and the ensemble known as Cream as well as pop-rock acts taken by the experimental side of psychedelia such as The Beatles. But these bands added their own, unique cultural flourishes. The result is mind-bending. Think about it for a second what musical forces were greater than that of funk and psychedelic music in the late 60s and early 70s? These forces, combined by bands happy to incorporate folk music and improvisational elements from other musical forms, lead to an amazing body of work still being unearthed by researchers the world over and still capable of inspiring new investigations into shapes of rhythm. (amazon.com)



1. Husnu Ozkartal Orkestrasi - Su Derenin Sulari

2. Kukumbas - Respect

3. Mulatu Astatke - Alemiye (feat. Belaynesh Wubante / Assegedetch Asfaw)

4. Kim Sun - The Man Who Must Leave

5. Petalouda - What You Can Do In Your Life

6. Mehr Pooya - Doe Pajereh' / 'Ghabilehe Leili

7. Staff Carpenborg And The Electric Corona - All Men Shall Be Brothers Of Ludwig

8. The Group (Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza) - The Feed-back

9. Armando Sciascia - Circuito Chiuso

10. Wadih Essafi - Aandak Baharia Ya Rayess

11. Omar Khorshid - Rakset El Fadaa

12. Metin H. Alatli - Mevlana Boyle Dede

13. George Garanian With The Melodiya Jazz Ensemble - The Big Search

14. Eskaton - Dagon



Listen to 'Husnu Ozkartal Orkestrasi - Su Derenin Sulari'









Psych-Funk 101

Various Artists - The Sound Of Wonder (2009)

Commonly, ignorantly but understandably lumped in with its wealthy not-too-distant cousin, Bollywood, Lollywood was inspired by, but often overshadowed by its posh and well-traveled relative. Following the simplistic Bombay + Hollywood = Bollywood name game (that would in later years spawn Nollywood in Nigeria), Lollywood's Lahore based film industry was a profitable and vibrant one that found great success in the modest boundaries of its own country but was seldom savoured outside Pakistan. However, the hugely important musical business spawned a bi-product that was viewed as a potential earner for international entertainment industry, EMI, which allowed talented musicians to create ambitious music with world class mediums at there disposal, which throughout the 60s and 70s ranged from fuzz-guitars, space-echo machines and American and European synthesizers, but, due to the composers indigenous roots, rarely a drum-kit. Here you'll find fuzzy, scuzzy, twang-happy, spaced-out and funked up urdu-grooves complete with harmonium melodies and driven by some of the most random factor, freakish, finger-numbing, percussion that the South East Asian mainstream has ever had to offer. Above all, Lollywood soundtracks sound RAW! Re-imagine some of the most action packed Bollywood productions (which Lollywooders actively did) then fire the make-up department, take away the special effects budget and then improvise. The lack of gloss on a dusty Pakistani mini-LP makes for truly experimental Eastern Pop music.

So, it's time to meet the culprits. The names on the back of the records that'll keep you gambling on Ghazals and taking punts on Pakistani pulp-balladry. As an introduction, in place of R.D. Burman and Asha Bhole, we have Mr. M. Ashraf and his long-term female collaborator, Nahid Akhtar. This duo would provide Pakistan with it's Gainsbourg / Birkin or it's Morricone / Dell'Orso for over 20 years, recording squillions of cut-and-paste sonic collages and moog-fuelled desperate love / hate / chase / chill / kill / songs mixing onomatopoeic Urdu lyrics with unexpected bursts of user friendly English language (which often elongates the running time passed the 5 minute mark) and throwing in the odd motif from a Barry White or Donna Summer hit. We also have legends like Noor Jehan, a national treasure and household name in Pakistan whose discography of film songs have deprived the vaults of EMI Pakistan of floor space for half a century. (From the official B-Music press release)

The Sound of Wonder!

Jean-Pierre Massiera - Midnight Massiera - The B-Music Of Jean-Pierre Massiera (2009)

18 sacred psychedelic suppositories from the laboratory of Mad Scientist and scalpel happy Pop-mutilator Jean-Pierre Massiera. Including the rarest and most sought after fuzz-Funk, spooked-Surf and interplanetary-Prog from "The French Joe Meek" and all his schizoid split-personalities and freakish friends - The Maledictus Sound, Chico Magnetic Band, Visitors, Human Egg, The Pirhana Sound and Jesus himself. Bow down to the 9 headed monster as he mutates and shape-shifts back through time to his humble beginnings in a Buenos Aireian province ravaging and pillaging the music of the European people for his own twisted benediction along the way. Add sprinklings of schizophrenia, shock, mirth and macabre and you are on the way to a B-Movie broth with an acquired taste, that has, like all the best cheese, taken aver 30 years to mature to perfection. In the earlier part of his career he honed his sordid kraft amongst psychedelic circles in Nice and Quebec. From late 1972 onwards he moved to Antibes and started a Disco revolution and became an in demand cosmic record producer. For years Prog Rock obsessives and Disco aficionados have wondered if there was 2 unrelated freak merchants called Jean-Pierre Massiera, but, in this rare instance, exploito-maniacs from both sides of the cosmic coin are united by the work of this singular, single handed monstrous music manufactory! (amazon.com)

Midnight Massiera: The B-Music of Jean-Pierre Massiera

Various Artists - Up All Night - 20 Heavy Nuggets From The Golden Age Of Hard Psych (2009)

If rocking's your schtick, and you prefer an atypically sleazy form of it a la a 70s bellbottom, cocaine sniffing sort of way then boy is this for you. If not, well, go the fuck back out west and take it easy I suppose. This collection, put out by the capable hands of bin diggers over at Past & Present, pulls twenty psych greats that essentially fall somewhere in between the hypnotic stoned levels of the Doors and the dark slaying of Black Sabbath. None of them seem to have done much, but from the evidence herein there seems little reason other than pure bad luck. Of course any questions as to their whereabouts are swiftly resolved in the extensive liner notes, which provide mini biographies of each act.

So where do the highlights lie? Well it really depends on your steez I suppose—Highway Robbery's “Fifteen,” torn apart by Rolling Stone in 1972, sounds like a crossbreed between King Crimson and the Sex Pistols, sliding between styles within seconds with propulsive energy and snotty attitude. The Damnation of Adam Blessing, who opened for the Stooges and the Faces, present the loping groove of “Driver,” a pummeling number that keeps it garage-y and epic all at once. Dragonfly's “Enjoy Yourself” presents some serious guitar twang intermixed with a proto metal violence. Wild stuff. Especially Haystacks Balboa's “The Children of Heaven,” a totally schizophrenic proggy number that's like little else to my ear.

Totally a certain thing, but if you're into the thing you could do worse. Especially well suited to cruises around the street on summer nights, beer in hand. (Henry Smith, Digitalindustries.com)

1. Liquid Smoke - Warm Touch
2. Tin House - Be Good And Be Kind
3. The Litter - Journeys
4. The Finchley Boys - Outcast
5. Highway Robbery - Fifteen
6. Euclid - Gimme Some Lovin'
7. Damnation Of Adam Blessing - Driver
8. SRC - Up All Night
9. Bang - The Queen
10. Dragonfly - Enjoy Yourself
11. Granicius - You're In America
12. Steeplechase - Wrought Iron Man
13. Sir Lord Baltimore - Kingdom Come
14. Jamul - All You Have Left Is Me
15. Power Of Zeus - In The Night
16. Haystack Balboa - The Children Of Heaven
17. Third Power - Gettin' Together
18. Yesterday's Children - Providence Bummer
19. Head Over Heels - Road Runner
20. Landslide - Sad And Lonely

Up All Night: 20 Heavy Nuggets from Golden Age of Hard Rock

Various Artists - Patrick Forge Presents The Brazilian Funk Experience (2006)

From playing alongside Gilles Peterson at the now legendary Sunday sessions, 'Talkin Loud and Saying Something', through almost twenty years of his Kiss FM radio show 'The Cosmic Jam', Patrick has enjoyed an illustrious career as a DJ and also as a co-producer of Da Lata working with the talented musician Chris Franck. For the last eight years he has hosted the monthly 'Brazilian Love Affair' sessions at Notting Hill Arts Club as well as his regular Friday night at the same venue, 'Inspirational Information.'

The Brazilian Funk Experience hooks into Patrick's personal love affair with the funky 70s Brazilian sound, digging deeper than deep into the respected EMI-Odeon label. Here he presents 20 solid gold Brazilian nuggets, many as rare as hen's teeth and on CD for the first time...(Liner Notes)


1. Meirelles - No Baixo Do Sepateiro
2. Os Devaneios - Embalo Diferente
3. Som Tres - Homenagem A Mongo
4. Elza Soares - Chove Chuva
5. Marcos Valle - Garra
6. Doris Monteiro - Maita
7. Claudia - Baoba
8. Djavan feat. Mariazinha - Nereci
9. Claudio Jorge - Trem Da Central
10. Joao Donato - Cala Boca Menino
11. Simone - Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser
12. Alaide Costa - Catavento
13. 14 Bis - Bola De Meia, Bola De Gude
14. Djavan - Aquele Um
15. Elis Regina - Sai Dessa
16. Doris Monteiro - Se E Questao De Adeus Alte Logo
17. Joyce - Banana
18. Marcelo - Algo No Ar
19. Toninho Horta - Aquelas Coisas Todas (Sanguessuga)
20. Evinha - Que Bandeira

Brazilian Funk Experience: Rare Grooves from EMI Odeon Vaults (1968-1980)