My words : Hello, here's the newest compilation I made up out of hours of listening to internet psychedelic radios, youtube related videos or friend's recommendations and here's the top tunes I've collected last month. Comp is kicking in with a acid blues garage legends - The Misunderstood with Who's Been Talking. Guitar riff with combination harp is just super addicting. You'll be singing this tune in your head from now on, there's no escape. It can get you in a slow-maniac dance mood or maybe slow-maniac hazy dream, it's up to you to choose. Next one is extremely rare Swedish progressive rock band, Blond with beautiful acoustic-beat tune, Sun In Her Hand . Easy and mellow intro with keyboards is just a step away from dreamy fantasy, and strong and solid refraine is rooted in krautrock that was very influental in Europe those days. After this tune, there's another kicker in a acoustic-ballad style, but with rock n roll titans - Led Zeppelin with Hey Hey What Can I Say. I always loved this tune, and as a matter of fact, this was THEE first tune I've ever heard from mighty Zeps. Yep, this B-side was familiar to me long-before legendary classics as Stairway To Heaven, Whole Lotta Love or Dazed and Confused came to kick in. However, I prefer acoustic Zeppelin over the usual one because I think they sound more fluental, more natural, more like real Led Zeppelin with spirit and soul that's so deep that you can take an easy rock-n-roll dive in. Next one is oriental desert dream, Breaking Through by Gale Garnett & Gentle Reign. Rhythm is like hearing something coming from a distance - it can be a running horse or distant storm, and if you're patient enough, it'll come. I think we can all agree that best part of the song is Gale's performance - ofcourse every good psychedelic rock frontman who was a girl sounded like Grace Slick (just look at the Fairport Convention or The Shocking Blue) - but Gale have Slickness, and some other stuff, too. If you ever thought that good Allman Brothers Band may be gone for sure, take a second guess. The new kids on the block that can rock - The Sheepdogs with Southern Dreaming are following their idols although still remaining original and fresh. This intro lick is like something that Dickie would make up, but these Canadians got it first. Great tune, great band. Can't believe they're unsinged and still very much indie (atleast they were when I found about them), good luck guys in finding record label! Next one Maker from The Hollies is a beautiful psychedelic sitar-driven meditation. Just sit there, smoke something particular and fly on. I was listening this tune when I already knew about it and when fascination of new great song wore off, I kept listening that sitar in the background that's constantly playing - it's just magical, try to listen all the riffs that crazy sitar mister is delivering! Next one is my top favorite tune for more than 2 months - They Saw The Fat One Coming In by The Strawberry Alarm Clock. Just fuckin' listen to this song. Damn! Isn't it amazing and mysterious at the same time? I feel like there's something I just cannot catch, out of reach and comprehension. Not like something's missing - this tune is perfect, but like some feeling for which we haven't invented a word yet. Dreamy and slow singing is making delicious combination with guitars in background, and that riff that just jumps in out of nowhere, the one that is always the same. It's like perfect combination of mood and sound, and I think that the first one is more important. Who's the stranger that walks among us and why is he here?
Similar to the Misunderstood, Chocolate Watchband is kicking in the same mood. It's groovy, catchy and psychedelic and it's called Gone & Passes By. Harp and rhythm section is making ideal combination, while layers of sound are just falling on them - like amazing sitar solo and organ in the background. Lyrics are also important and they are having a big role in the whole song. Next one is a really sad - not just because of moody sound of English Rose that brought us Yesterday's Hero, but because the band is unknowingly singing a song about themselves. Just like in the song, the "hero" that got forgotten - same happened to the band. This is the only song I was able to find on whole goddamned Internet, no info about the band is known, and on Youtube there's nice video that goes with the song - probably band members goofing around. That's where I cut this song from - I transformed it to mp3 because there's no other way for me to show you this song. I know there's no clear end, but that's the way it is. At least you actually found out about this great song. Also, if someone can hear all the lyrics, I would be more than grateful if you could type it for me in comment section, I can't understand some parts. Next one is Astral Plane by Influenza - psychedelic rock in a standard fashion - lyrics about getting through so you can open your mind and see everything. But however, I had few doubts about putting this songs on compilation, but I put it anyhow just so I can add some more colors to this comp. I think it is a really cool song, you can sing the chorus because it's catchy, and the guitar work is proper. We're kicking away with more garage sound - here's ultrarare The Gretta Spoone Band with Close Your Eyes - minimalist song that is yet amazing. Look at the rhythm - nothing spectacular, guitar is just strumming chords, singing is okay - but that harp riff is giving such energy and pure, simple power to whole song and everything makes sense. This is maybe simple and short, but powerful and strong tune that don't need fancy solo or million effects in background. Keep it simple. Keep it garage.
I always love to hear details in music. Not those things everybody hear first, but those silent, fast moments when you keep thinking did you just hear it or it was just you, cracking your sanity with pre-built voices in your head. That tune is Just One Time from Juicy Lucy. Whole song is a detail. Tiny sounds are spreading forward fast from your speaker through your ear all the way to the big ole brain, making sweet pasta with extra sauce. It's like the song never even started. Dolphins are next, from already-known Gale Garnett & Gentle Reign. Yeah, they already have one song on this compilation ("Breaking Through"), but this song sounds like nothing like that - it's a male singing acoustic ballad. But you know what? I just don't give a fuck about putting two songs from the same band, from the same album - this is my compilation and I'll do whatever I want :) So, listen to the amazing cover of Tim Buckley's song. I love Gentle Reign's version more because voice is more suitable to simple chord strumming and it's very simple - just voice and guitar, without anything else. Last one is beautiful masterpiece written by Carl Wilson (from The Beach Boys) - Feel Flows. I think this is one of most complex Beach Boys' songs. Through whole compilation we're dealing with simplicity and complexity in sound - and this tune said it all, putting last dot where it should be. I feel like I'm being sucked into a colorful wormhole. Reverse rhythm, relaxed singing and amazing lyrics. Actually, it's not lyrics. It's poetry. And the solo is pretty neat.
I always love to hear details in music. Not those things everybody hear first, but those silent, fast moments when you keep thinking did you just hear it or it was just you, cracking your sanity with pre-built voices in your head. That tune is Just One Time from Juicy Lucy. Whole song is a detail. Tiny sounds are spreading forward fast from your speaker through your ear all the way to the big ole brain, making sweet pasta with extra sauce. It's like the song never even started. Dolphins are next, from already-known Gale Garnett & Gentle Reign. Yeah, they already have one song on this compilation ("Breaking Through"), but this song sounds like nothing like that - it's a male singing acoustic ballad. But you know what? I just don't give a fuck about putting two songs from the same band, from the same album - this is my compilation and I'll do whatever I want :) So, listen to the amazing cover of Tim Buckley's song. I love Gentle Reign's version more because voice is more suitable to simple chord strumming and it's very simple - just voice and guitar, without anything else. Last one is beautiful masterpiece written by Carl Wilson (from The Beach Boys) - Feel Flows. I think this is one of most complex Beach Boys' songs. Through whole compilation we're dealing with simplicity and complexity in sound - and this tune said it all, putting last dot where it should be. I feel like I'm being sucked into a colorful wormhole. Reverse rhythm, relaxed singing and amazing lyrics. Actually, it's not lyrics. It's poetry. And the solo is pretty neat.
Zoom in this comic and read while listening to Feel Flows ;)
Songlist:
The Misunderstood - Who's Been Talking
Blond - Sun In Her Hand
Led Zeppelin - Hey Hey What Can I Do
Gale Garnett & The Gentle Reign - Breaking Through
The Sheepdogs - Southern Dreaming
The Hollies - Maker
Strawberry Alarm Clock - They Saw The Fat One Coming
Chocolate Watchband - Gone & Passes By
The English Rose - Yesterday's Hero
Influenza - Astral Plane
The Gretta Spoone Band - Close Your Eyes
Juicy Lucy - Just One Time
Gale Garnett & The Gentle Reign - Dolphins
The Beach Boys - Feel Flows
Folk Rock sound : 5/10
Trip-o-meter : 8,5/10
