Los Shakers “La Conferencia Secreta Del Toto’s Bar”

Pop,Psych

Los Shakers were one of the most significant rock n roll bands to emerge from South America (Uruguay) during the reign of the Beatles. Their early albums were strongly influenced by the Fab Four but in later years, the Shakers would branch out into new sounds that were quite original. In 1966, the Shakers released For You, which was a their version of Rubber Soul and Revolver wrapped up into one LP – a true classic. It’s arguable which is the better LP of the two. La Conferenica Secreta Del Toto’s Bar was a stylistic leap forward and one of the most daring South American rock n roll LPs of the day.

Odeon Pops released La Conferencia Secreta Del Toto’s Bar in 1968. This label, which I believe to be a subsidiary of EMI, did not approve of or promote the Shakers new sound, which was an adventurous mix of psychedelia, classic 60s pop and candombe/tango. A few tracks still nod to the Beatles, such as the hooky but excellent Paul McCartney influenced On Tuesday I Watch Channel 36. Deep cuts such as Candombe dive into indigenous sounds while still incorporating elements of psychedelia in the record’s production. BBB Band, which features a chunky rhythm section and hypnotic organ is a true highlight to this reviewer. One of the great psychedelic cuts from South America, the Shakers are able to balance sweeping melodies and excellent harmony vocals into a trippy, intoxicating whole. Other cuts such as I Remember My World and Shape of a Rainbow are more complex pieces of music that feature accordions, backwards guitars, strings, pianos and fuzz boxes. This was some of the best music the Shakers had produced up to that point.

I’ve owned this LP for years and it’s a record that I continuously come back to. The Fattoruso brothers always wrote thoughtful lyrics and beautiful melodies but the band as whole crackles with a special energy – the Shakers were tight band. With this LP they made an original album that has stood the test of time.

Candombe:

BBB Band:

I Remember My World:

:) LP | 1968 | Odeon Pops | discogs ]

The Ro-D-y’s “Earnest Vocation”

Baroque,Garage,Psych

Earnest Vocation, released in 1968 by Philips, is probably the Ro-D-y’s finest hour. While history primarily remembers the Outsiders, Q65, The Golden Earrings, the Motions and Group 1850, there were many other excellent rock groups from the Netherlands such as Sandy Coast, Supersister, Bintangs, Cosmic Dealer and of course this group, the Ro-D-y’s.

Harry Rijnbergen, the band’s chief songwriter, was also lead guitarist and vocalist of the Ro-D-y’s. His vocals sound like a cross between Roy Wood and Ray Davies. What set these songs apart from Rijnbergen’s peers are the sophisticated lyrics (remember English wasn’t his first language) and unique song structures – they simply do not sound like anything I’ve heard. Of the twelve tracks on this LP, only one of them falls short of the mark, the music hall dud Everytime A Second Time. There are many highlights though which include the dynamic phased rocker Easy Come, Easy Go, the weird psychedelia of Dr. Sipher and the bouncy Let It Be Tomorrow. Some tracks feature strings and brass such as the complex title cut while others betray a strong european folk influence – check out the bridge of album opener Unforgettable Girl or the folk rock track No Place Like Home. This is definitely one of the better Euro psych albums I’ve heard, a minor classic worth seeking out.

Also worth checking out is the Ro-D-y’s debut album, Just Fancy from 1967 which is nederbeat pop/garage but a strong effort nonetheless with many highlights. The group also released many fine non LP singles throughout the 60s.

Love Is Almost Everywhere:

Let It Be Tomorrow:

:) LP | 1968 | Philips | discogs ]

Peabody Co. “Peabody Co.”

, Garage,Psych,Punk

Nothing is known about Peabody Co., other than that the group recorded 10-11 tracks on acetate back in the late 1960s. Record collectors agree these recordings probably date from 1967-1968. If you’ve never heard their music, which hardly anyone has, Peabody Co.’s sound is reminiscent of Bohemian Vendetta or a private press version of the Blues Magoos.

For most psych fans, the first taste of Peabody Co. was their crazed version of Tobacco Road, which appeared on the A Fistful of Fuzz compilation in 1998. This seven minute rendition is characterized by insane blasts of theremin, guitar noise, a drum solo and sloppy, amateur vocals. It’s gone on to become an underground classic and rightly so. OUT-SIDER, along with the help of Crypt keeper Tim Warren, have finally mastered and released the rest of Peabody Co.’s recorded legacy on vinyl. The good news is that it’s a very good garage psych platter with mostly original compositions. They give a good reading of the Who’s I Can’t Explain, again with wild use of theremin and raw vocals. This track opens the LP (A side) and is very different when compared to the original recording by the Who. Other worthy gems on the A side are the garage punk of People Go/Better Life and two acid rock ballads Mountain High and Sunny Daze. Side B was even stronger, a true classic of acid punk. It opened up with the eastern style guitar work of A Hundred Percent of Nothing followed by a wigged out Seeds-like number titled Love. Both cuts are excellent. These songs are followed by Sleep, a solid garage rocker with a stop/start rhythm and a raga style solo (listen to clip below). The album ends on a high note with Tobacco Road. Again, song for song, the B-side is flawless and to this writer a highpoint in the local garage psych cannon.

Note there are no fuzz guitars or studio sound effects. This LP has a primitive sound that’s psychedelia is apparent through the guitarists eastern scales, guitar feedback and the occasional appearance of the theremin. If you’re into private press garage albums or acid punk this is a must own title that lives up to the hype.

Sleep from B-side:

:) Vinyl | 2020 | Out-Sider | discogs ]

The Pretty Things “Rock St. Trop”

Classic Rock,Psych

We are dedicating this next post to Phil May, who recently passed away in May, 2020. One of rock n roll’s great vocalists and personalities, he will surely be missed. The Rock St. Trop recordings date back to 1969, when rich French playboy Philippe Debarge hired the Pretty Things to be his backing band and record this fine album. Most fans usually refer to these recordings as Philippe Debarge. The album first surfaced in the form of a bootleg CD and then in recent years, two official releases became available through Ugly Things Records and Madfish.

At this point, lead guitarist and founding member Dick Taylor had left the group to be replaced by Victor Unitt. Philippe Debarge handles lead vocals but listeners can clearly hear Phil May on backup vocals. All tracks were written by Phil May and bassist/keyboard player Wally Waller and recorded in London’s Nova Studios. This album is the perfect bridge piece from S.F. Sorrow to Parachute. The recording quality is crude but highly listenable and the music surprisingly holds together as a cohesive album. Some of these tracks such as It’ll Never Be Me, Alexander and Eagle’s Son first appeared on the Electric Banana EP series. To me, those earlier Electric Banana versions (cut in 1967) are some of the best UK psych tracks ever waxed and have the edge as far as quality goes. But on the Rock St. Trop LP these songs are very good album cuts that lack the production values and studio trickery of the Electric Banana sessions. Also, Send You With Loving, an excellent folk rock number, appears on the Pretties’ BBC sessions though that BBC version was cut live in the studio and differs quite a bit from what’s here on the Rock St. Trop LP. As an album, this is strong all the way through. Of the songs I hadn’t heard, the opening jam Hello, How Do You Do is a highlight, notable for a long backwards guitar solo. You Might Even Say features fluid Spanish style guitar with mellotron making itself present during the song’s fade out. Other winners are You’re Running You and Me, a hard hitting acoustic rocker which effectively showcases the intricate three-party harmony vocals of May, Povey and Waller. I’m Checking Out has a strange vibrating guitar solo while New Day sounds like a good cut from Parachute, with strong guitar work and neat harpsichord flourishes.

While this is an album the Pretty Things never thought would be officially released, to this reviewer it’s a near classic work and a key album for fans of the band. The Pretty Things were on such a hot streak during the late 60s/early 70s that even their demo albums are better than most bands’ best work.

Send You With Loving:

You’re Running You and Me:

Peace:

It’ll Never Be Me:

:) Vinyl Reissue | Madfish | 2017 | discogs ]

Bobak, Jons, Malone “Motherlight”

Psych

The individuals behind the Motherlight LP never played a live gig as they were essentially a studio vehicle for Mike Bobak, Andy Johns, and Wil Malone. Morgan Blue Town, one of the UK’s leading psych pop labels, released this unsung gem in 1969. It’s one of the most collectible and expensive LPs from the 60s UK psych scene.

Wil Malone had previously led the prolific UK psych group Orange Bicycle and would go on to release a folky solo disc in 1970 and also play in another psych pop group named Fickle Pickle. The Motherlight project saw him write most of the album’s lyrics, sing lead, play keyboards and lead guitar while Bobak and Johns supplied the rhythm section. In my mind, the Motherlight LP is Malone’s finest work ever. The feel of this album is low key but ominous, unlike anything I’ve heard and it’s this quality that makes the LP so special. Tracks such as the masterful On a Meadow-Lea and the hypnotic Lens exemplify the eerie mood of the music and are genuinely psychedelic. Many tracks have tasteful but brief guitar solos that usually feature light distortion and fuzz. Other worthy cuts are Wanna Make a Star, Sam, which goes for a blues rock Procol Harum vibe without forsaking its pop roots. Mona Lose is the album’s hardest rocker with blasts of hard guitar distortion and a fast paced arrangement. For many, the album’s highlight was House of Many Windows, a beautiful progressive psychedelic piece with inventive keyboard work.

Overall, the Motherlight LP is a very solid 4 star album, not to be missed by UK psych fans. As mentioned above, it’s an album with a unique ambience but the songs are also very good and the listener never knows what to expect next.

Mona Lose:

On a Meadow-Lea:

Burning the Weed:

:) LP | Morgan Blue Town | 1969 | discogs ]

Bluebird “Country Boy Blues”

, Country Rock

Bluebird’s only album was cobbled together from their Jerden, London and Burdette 45s but also tracks that were cut for an aborted album. The group hailed from Mercer Island, Washington and were known as one of the best folk rock/country rock bands of the Pacific Northwest. Most of the cuts on Country Boy Blues were recorded in 1969/1970 but Piccadilly chose to release this retrospective LP in 1980. I managed to pick up a copy for a respectable price but it’s extremely rare and usually sells for over $100.

This is some of the best underground country rock I’ve heard. Modessa, a lost classic, sounds like one of the best cuts from the Byrds great Untitled LP. A pro level fusion of folk rock and psychedelia, it’s Bluebird’s most popular track due to 45 release in 1971. There’s a very good rendition of I Shall Be Released, with sparkling guitar work and world weary vocals. Goin’ Down sounds like one of the David Crosby penned tracks from Notorious Byrd Brothers, with strong raga style guitar leads and a jazzy feel to the arrangement. Other good cuts are Natural Feeling, a driving country rocker with crystal clear vocals and blasts of fuzz guitar. Travelin’ Ways, equally as good, is more of the same. Bluebird, unlike their peers, never fooled around with jugband sounds or tried to sound too Nashville or Bakersfield. There’s nothing pretentious about Bluebird’s music, just talent, class and a genuine feel for the music is on full display.

Bluebird would eventually change their name to Grand Theft and record another album which sounds nothing like Country Boy Blues. When people speak of great country rock records, this band and album rarely, if ever, get a mention. Simply put, more people need to hear this great album.

:) LP | 1980 | Picadilly | ebay | discogs ]

Billy Drake:

Goin Down:

Going to Nevada:

The Frantics “Birth”

Classic Rock,Garage,Psych

Along with the Initial Shock, the Frantics were one of Montana’s top garage/hard rock groups throughout the 60s. They released a raw garage 45 in 1966 and later on in 1970, Lizard Records released the Conception album. At this point, the Frantics story had come to a close until 1994, when Collectables released the Relax Your Mind recordings. This CD was sourced from a poor cassette tape which did much to explain the terrible sound quality of the recordings. The music dates from 1968, straight from the Norman Petty Studio vaults and surprisingly, it all gels as a coherent album – a lost garage/hard rock psych classic. In 2018, Lost Sounds Montana cleaned up the sound and released these recordings on vinyl (mono) as Birth.

Now in excellent sound quality, Birth can be enjoyed by all psych fans for the superb album it is. The A side of the LP opens and closes with two powerful psych tracks that have hard rock strength and lots of stinging fuzz guitar work – take a listen to near classics Her and Her Mountain and Relax Your Mind. At times the lead singer recalls Jim Morrison circa 1968 (Waiting for the Sun), as heard on the fine psychedelic ballad Lady of the Night. Many of these tracks have a psychedelic punk feel to them, with lots of heavy fuzz guitar, unique production tricks, feedback and pounding beats. Think of a very accomplished garage band who just started dropping acid and is exploring the possibilities of the recording studio for the first time. Stone Goddess, Child of the Universe, Just for Awhile and Sweet Mary reflect this experimental attitude to recording music and all are highlights in that respect. Other cuts go for different sounds such as soft rock, blues, avante garde psych and folk rock but none of them are duds.

Highly recommended for those listeners who enjoy garage, psych or hard rock sounds.

Think About It (from Birth):

Lady of the Night (from Relax Your Mind):

:) LP | 2018 | Lost Sounds Montana | discogs | ebay ]

The Litter “$100 Fine”

Garage,Psych

$100 Fine was the Litter’s second LP, coming off the heels of an otherwise excellent, mostly covers album titled Distortions. The $100 Fine LP was released in 1968 by the Hexagon label.

This time around the Litter focused their efforts on more group originals. There are a handful of lesser known covers that were originally written/recorded by artists such as Jeff Beck, the Eire Apparent, the Zombies and Procol Harum. The album opened with the powerful acid punk madness of Mindbreaker. After hearing this track, one would think or hope this album would be a garage psych monster but unfortunately that’s not the case.

Mindbreaker is only matched by another freaky hard guitar psych gem titled Under The Screaming Double Eagle. These tracks are absolutely essential. The rest of the album falls short. Tallyman and the heavily phased Kaleidoscope are solid, worthy covers that have held up over time. Morning Sun, a group original, features lots of excellent Zippy Kaplan fuzz guitar work. She’s Not There, a Zombies cover, is a 9 minute jam that could have been cut in half but was probably added to pad the album out because the group was short on material. Also, Blues One, a pure blues rock number doesn’t fit in with the rest of the album’s psychedelic ambitions. So while $100 Fine isn’t a bad album, it’s not the masterpiece that some record dealers or psych experts claim it to be. Their next and last album, Emerge, would be a more consistent hard rock effort that’s worth tracking down.

Kaleidoscope

Under The Screaming Double Eagle

:) LP | Sundazed |2016 | buy from Sundazed ]

NRBQ “All Hopped Up”

, , Classic Rock,Country Rock,Pop

The music on All Hopped Up covered a period of a few years, 1974-1976. The LP was released in the Spring of 1977 by Red Rooster Records. NRBQ has released several fine albums but this has to rank as one of their very best – a minor masterpiece. Released during the height of the new wave/punk era, it sounds like nothing else from the time.

In fact, none of these 13 songs sound alike. NRBQ cover an enormous amount of ground on this release, from rockabilly, country, folk rock, power pop, jazz, and more. Even more amazing that they make it work as well as they do. It’s pointless to list highlights as the album is strong all the way through but a few special tracks need to be singled out. Al Anderson’s Ridin’ In My Car is a timeless pop classic. It Feels Good and That’s Alright are excellent power pop tracks on par with the best from this era. Call Him Off Rogers is a weird, offbeat country rock number with a melodic guitar solo. Things to You, a Terry Adam’s original that would later resurface on NRBQ’s country outing with Skeeter Davis (a great record), is another outstanding track.

NRBQ never took themselves too serious and for this reason they are never ranked among the important bands of the classic rock era. But when one reviews their body of work and its consistency, you can definitely pose the argument for NRBQ being one of America’s great rock n roll/roots bands.

Things To You

Call Him Off Rogers

LP / Digital | 2018 | Omnivore | buy from Omnivore ]

The Troyes “Rainbow Chaser: The Troyes Complete Recordings (1966-1968)”

, , Garage,Psych

The Troyes were a garage psych band who hailed from Battle Creek, Michigan. The group formed in 1965 and later on released two coveted 45s in 1966/1967 by the Space label. In later years, Cicadelic Records/Lion Productions released two CDs/LPs of fantastic, unreleased music from the group’s prime years, 1966-1968. These recordings stand up with some of the very best local garage/psych of the era – without a doubt essential listening.

Most of the songs recorded by the Troyes were in the 2 to 4 minute range. Some of these tracks, such as Morning of the Rain, the Good Night and Tomorrow verge on acid punk (all tremendous cuts), with fast tempos, crazed vocals, fuzz guitars, and raga guitar solos. Blanket of My Love recalls the folkish cuts on the Beatles’ Revolver LP, with its circular guitar riffs and stoned sensibility. One of my personal favorites, Someday You’ll See My Side, has raw vocals and buzzing organ that remind me of the Monks. Some tracks are repeated with alternate versions but none of it is overkill. We also get the classic Rainbow Chaser and Love Comes Love Dies 45 versions, which are perhaps the group’s best cuts.

The CD/LP has 3 earlier teenbeat folk rock cuts and one late period (1968) guitar fuzz monster that clocks in at nearly 5 minutes which effectively ends the Troyes story. The Lion Productions vinyl repro is preferred but beware as it’s relatively expensive. As mentioned above, garage psych sounds don’t come any better than what’s on this first-rate reissue. Well above average songwriting, strong pop instincts and tight playing make this a very attractive package.

Love Comes Love Dies

Morning of the Rain

:) LP | Rainbow Chaser | Cicadelic/Lion | ebay ]
Stream | Glimpses V1 & 2 | amazon ]