V.A. - Shapes & Sounds (1967-69)[Orange & Red Beams from the BBC Archives]

The Top Sounds label lives up to its name with this, its second release. For Shapes & Sounds an exploration of the BBC Transcription Disc archive yielded a bounty of radio sessions by British pop and psych groups, most of them unheard since their original broadcast back in the late '60s. Among the top drawer bands here are Kaleidoscope, with two tracks undiscovered at the time of Circle Records' otherwise definitive Listen to the Pictures collection. The almost pathologically catchy "Jenny Artichoke" differs little from the 45 version, but "Music" is a more spontaneous and exciting performance than the one found on their Faintly Blowing album. Tomorrow are represented by two of their best tracks, "Real Life Permanent Dream" and "Blow Up." The latter is from an off air recording so is the only track here in less than pristine fidelity, but is a most worthy inclusion nonetheless. There are no less than four Timebox tracks included, none of them less than fantastic. The BBC recording of "Beggin'" can't match the majesty of the single, but it's a gas to hear them pull this song off live in the studio. Stripped of its bleating horn section, though, "Yellow Van" easily surpasses the officially released version, and there are also superb versions of the Young Rascals' "A Girl Like You," and their own, unissued at the time "Stay There." The Montanas also have four tracks, including a fine version of one of their best singles, "Step In the Right Direction," and a pair of Moby Grape covers, "Hey Grandma" and "Omaha." The set is rounded out by two good but lesser-known groups, the Spectrum and Gentle Influence, the latter kicking in a nice, stomping Anglofied rendition of the Impressions' "You've Been Cheatin'." The CD booklet crams about 50 pages of photos and information into 24 pages, making for some eye-strainingly tiny type even by UT standards. But it's difficult to complain when a record company gives you too much, when most of them they give you so little, so stop whining, grab a magnifying glass, squint your eyes and dig some truly top sounds.
(review by Mike Stax, "Ugly Things" magazine)

This is the vinyl edition (Top Sounds TSLP 002 / 2006), with an A4-sized 16-page booklet (so you won't be blind from eyestrain).

Tracklist:
- Kaleidoscope: Jenny Artichoke
- Gentle Influence: You've Been Cheatin'
- Montanas: Hey Grandma
- Timebox: Beggin'
- Spectrum: Headin' For A Heatwave
- Tomorrow: Colonel Brown
- Timebox: Stay There
- Montanas: A Step In The Right Direction
- Tomorrow: Blow Up
- Timebox: A Girl Like You
- Montanas: You're Never Going To Get My Lovin'
- Tomorrow: Real Life Permanent Dream
- Kaleidoscope: Music
- Montanas: Omaha
- Spectrum: I Take What I Want
- Timebox: Yellow Van
- Gentle Influence: Always Be A Part Of My Living

Get it here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)

Syde Tryps 3 revisited

A big thanks goes to sikercito who have made the missing Tidal Wave track "Crazy Horse" for Syde Tryps 3 available. Still missing Charlotte Black's "So You Want To Be A Rock'n' Roll Star". The new link for ST3 is here and for the single track there.

Euphorias's Id - Mastering The Art Of French Kissing (1965-67)

Euphoria's Id were from Saco/Maine. On their first single "Monrning Dew b/w I Just Don't Understand You Baby" they were simply named The Id. It came out in 1965 and both sides are delicate folk rock, pretty much in the mould of early Beau Brummels. Two years later they expanded their name to Euphoria's Id and put out a strong garage 45. The A-Side was a fine treatment on "Hey Joe", later compiled on Pebbles Vol. 22. The flip-side "Deception's Ice" (later resurfaced on New England Teen Scene Vol. 3) brings the Kinks to mind and is by far their best song. In 2003 a privately pressed 19-track CD (Golden Retriever Records 1000) of all their known material appeared. Besides the aforementioned two singles it contains two unreleased tracks and thirteen poorly recorded songs from an early live gig where they are playing the (garage)-hits of the day (Louie Louie, Little Latin Lupe Lu, Bony Moronie etc.).

Tracklist:
- Morning Dew
- Hey Joe
- Deception's Ice
- I Just Don't Understand You Baby
- The Joker [demo]
- So Fine [demo]
- Pipeline [live]
- Louie Louie [live]
- Little Latin Lupe Lu [live]
- Bony Moronie [live]
- I'm Thinking Of You [live]
- Runaway [live]
- Wild Weekend [live]
- All My Loving [live]
- Time [live]
- Walking The Dog [live]
- Anyway You Want It [live]
- Don't Count On Me [live]
- Why [live]

Get it here (Artwork included)

Ashtrays - Album, Singletracks & Demos (1965-69)

The Ashtrays were a danish band from Humlebæk. Their only album "Ga Go Gu" from 1968 was one of the few psychedelic releases that came out of Denmark. In 2002 the album was re-issued on CD (Frost Records 0706) together with their lone single and some demo and live tracks. Dag Erik Asbjørnsen described it in his book "Scented Gardens Of The Mind" as a "very obscure Danish flower-power with a swingin' London feel comparable to Skip Bifferty and Rainbow Ffolly". While I wouldn't go thus far I must admit that they had some fine songs. A bit of a turn-off is the weak production but the patient listener will go along with "Simon Smorney", "In My Life" (NOT the Beatles song), "Come And Stay" and "You Bring Me The Sunshine".

Tracklist:
- Get yourself together
- My back pages
- Simon Smorney
- In my life
- Discotheque girl
- Intermezzo
- Come and stay
- You and I
- Feels of loneliness
- Signs of vision
- Ticking
- You bring me the sunshine
- I don't want to hurt you
- Say you'll be mine
- Depression
- Friday kind of Monday
- Simon Slante [demo]
- Du driller mig [demo]
- You and I [demo]
- Feels of loneliness [demo]
- Gruppesnak
- I don't want to hurt you [demo]
- Rag doll [live]
- I'm so happy [live]
- Bloodhound [live]
- Mashed potatoes

Get it here (Artwork included)

V.A. - The Gaiety Records Story Vol. 1+2

Gaiety Records was a Canadian label that operates out of Winnipeg/Manitoba. These two CD's bring together mainly garage and psych bands of the late '60s/early '70s. Both releases have their hi's and their lo's and a better idea should have been a best of all on one CD. The first volume of this set (Pacemaker PACE 020 / 2000) starts with two promising garage rockers from The Checkerlads. The remaining three tracks of this Regina/Saskatchewan band are rather ordinary pop-songs. The two singles of The White Knights are rather disappointing and their later incarnation Tomorrow's Keepsake don't do much better. The thumbs go up on The Plague (if you ignore the very uninteresting "We Were Meant To Be"), whose excellent "Face Of Time" was previously compiled on Psychedelic Disaster Whirl and 30 Seconds Before The Calico Wall. Lexington Avenue's five songs are not all wholly satisfying but if you like the sounds of The Strawberry Alarm Clock or The American Revolution than you will be pleased with "Bird Collector" and "Wendy Taylor" at least. Also included is the last release of the Merriday Park (on the CD erroneously labeled as NRG, a moniker the band only used for one single), whose "It All Comes Back To Me" is a pretty strong song. The CD closes with the only 45 of Geralton/Ontario's Solid Reputation and both songs are recommended if you like "end-of-decade" psych-rock. "The Gaiety Records Story Vol. 2" (Pacemaker PACE 044 / 2003) contains most of the aforementioned groups and kicks-off with an acceptable version of "Searchin" by The Plague. Too bad their other two songs are eminently forgettable. One of the highlights are the two unreleased Solid Reputation tracks. "Lies" is an excellent psychedelic song and "Nature's Love" a pretty straight forward rocker. Forget the two Checkerlads songs and skip to Dewline's "If You Can Dig It", a real fine garage tune. Lexington Avenue's "Farmer John" is not a bad version and I know I've dissed Tomorrow's Keepsake before, but "Elevator Operator" is classic psych-pop à la Birmingham Sunday. The totally unknown Flying Colours had a catchy name but after hearing their two songs it's no wonder that nobody cares where they come from. The Merriday Park (aka NRG) is represented here with seven songs, two of them are well worth hearing. "My Shady Friend" is a cool psych-rocker but it's "Magic Man" that turns out to be their best song. Hiding on the flip-side of their only single they've made as NRG this is excellent psych-pop, very cool and very english. Finally the two 45's of The Portland Street South found its way on a compilation (the fine "Baby Get Out" was previously compiled on the Magic Cube). Very pleasant psychedelic-pop but don't wonder when you hear "Set Me Free", there's a short beep after 42 seconds.
I found volume 1 years ago in cyberspace and volume 2 is my own rip and comes with full artwork.

Tracklist:
[The Gaiety Records Story]
1. Checkerlads - Shake Yourself Down; 2. Checkerlads - Baby Send For Me; 3. Checkerlads - You Just Can't Hide; 4. Checkerlads - The Dreamer; 5. Checkerlads - Behind Ev'ry Man; 6. White Knights - Love That's True; 7. White Knights - Promise Her Love; 8. White Knights - There She Goes; 9. White Knights - Run, Run, Baby; 10. Tomorrow's Keepsake - High And Mighty; 11. Tomorrow's Keepsake - Eat Your Hot Dog Boy; 12. Plague - The Face Of Time; 13. Plague - Love And Obey; 14. Plague - We Were Meant To Be; 15. Plague - High Flyin' Bird; 16. Lexington Avenue - Bird Collector; 17. Lexington Avenue - Sound The Alarm; 18. Lexington Avenue - Wendy Taylor; 19. Lexington Avenue - Flowing Kind Of Feeling; 20. Lexington Avenue - Good To Me; 21. Merriday Park - Take Me Back Home; 22. Merriday Park - It All Comes Back To Me; 23. Solid Reputation - Brown Eyed Girl; 24. Solid Reputation - Things.

[The Gaiety Records Story Vol. 2]
1. Plague - Searchin'; 2. Plague - World Of Dreams; 3. Plague - Only In America; 4. Solid Reputation - Lies; 5. Solid Reputation - Nature's Love; 6. Checkerlads - So Much In Love With You; 7. Checkerlads - My Time Is Comin'; 8. Dewline - If You Can Dig It; 9. Dewline - Ode To A Cucumber, A Berry And A Flower; 10. Lexington Avenue - Farmer John; 11. Tomorrow's Keepsake - Elevator Operator; 12. Flying Colours - Yours Until Tomorrow; 13. Flying Colours - That's The Tune; 14. Merriday Park - Route 66; 15. NRG - To Be Back Home; 16. Merriday Park - I Brought My Love With Me; 17. NRG - The Magic Man; 18. Merriday Park - Witchcraft; 19. Merriday Park - My Shady Friend; 20. Merriday Park - Towns And Villages; 21. Portland Street South - Baby Get Out; 22. Portland Street South - You've Been Running So Long; 23. Portland Street South - Set Me Free; 24. Portland Street South - Love (I'll Never Let You Go).

Get Volume 1 here and Volume 2 there (Artwork included)

Dave Davies - The Album That Never Was (1967-69)

Although he took a largely subordinate role to his brother Ray in the Kinks, Dave's fierce guitar work and hoarse but effective background (and occasional lead) vocals were key elements of the band's appeal. Dave also occasionally wrote songs for the Kinks that showed him to be a writer of considerable skill and wit, if not up to the same level as Ray. In the late '60s, Dave made some solo singles that met with critical success in Britain, although they were unknown in the U.S. "Death of a Clown" (also included on the Kinks' Something Else LP) made number three on the British charts in 1967, and the follow-up, "Susannah's Still Alive," also did fairly well. Dave began to consider making a solo album, but after a couple other solo singles flopped, he seemed to lose heart and abandoned his plans (some unreleased solo tracks from this period turned up on the obscure Kinks bootleg Good Luck Charm). In the 1980s, Dave finally began a solo career in earnest, releasing a series of mainstream rock albums and various collections of demos and outtakes that found little critical or commercial acclaim, before his work was neatly summarized on Unfinished Business: Dave Davies Kronikles 1963-1998.
(Richie Unterberger, "All Music Guide")

Although this is not the record as it was intended, "The Album That Never Was" (PRT Records 6.26681 / 1987) gives some indication of what the finished piece may have been, as well as collecting ten prime Dave Davies performances.
(taken from Brian Hogg's liner notes)

Tracklist:
- Death Of A Clown
- Love Me Till The Sun Shines
- Suzannah's Still Alive
- Funny Face
- Lincoln County
- There Is No Life Without Love
- Hold My Hand
- Creepin' Jean
- Mindless Child Of Motherhood
- This Man He Weeps Tonight

Get it here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)

Michael Yonkers Band - Microminiature Love (1968)

The music of Michael Yonkers has almost always caused extreme reactions. Could be a number of reasons for that, whether it be loud, abrasive guitar tones, or a strong vibrato. Or, perhaps it is that Yonkers is very close to the essence of creation. His music is clearly natural, original and unadorned with any ego or pretense. And while he is very comfortable with what he does, plenty of others haven't been. [..] Reporting to play in crappy, redneck dives in the then nether stretches of Northeast Minneapolis, a fool looked him straight in the eye, even though Yonks was on the stage, and announced that he had a request. "What's your request?" -- "Shut the f@*# up and get off the stage".
(taken from the liner notes)

A weird character indeed, Michael Yonkers formed his band out of the ashes of the garage combo Michael & The Mumbles (they had a retrospective relase of unreleased material last year, however, it was a rather disappointing album). Michael Yonkers music was hard to describe but it must be said that he was ahead of its time. If bands like the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service or Terry Brooks & Strange needed endless guitar leads to power their spaceships to outer spheres, I assume that Michael Yonkers just had to plug-in his distorted guitar into a beetle to reach the sun. This seven song mini-album (Destijl MFG CZECH DESTIJL / 2002) of unreleased material dated back from 1968 and is heartly recommended. I think he finally got the respect he deserved as the Sub Pop label released a CD with 6 additional songs a year later.

Tracklist:
- She Sends Me
- Jasontown
- Microminature Love
- Boy In The Sandbox
- Smile Awhile
- Returning
- Puppeting
- Kill The Enemy

Get it here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)

V.A. - Alphabeat

You'd be forgiven for thinking at first glance that this was a Circle Records release. The graphics, layout and old-school glossy fold-over flaps cover on the LP are identical to the distinctive Circle template-even the Top Sounds logo is similar in style. Like any Circle release, Alphabeat also offers a glossy booklet insert loaded with notes and photos, and some top quality UK rarities from the closing years of the '60s. Opening the CD with a very dodgy live recording of the Barrier playing "Foxy Lady" was probably a misstep. It's not a bad version (it's the Barrier, after all) but the sub-par sound quality will immediately turn off many listeners and is not at all representative of the rest of the album, which sounds just fine, fidelity-wise (a second liver Barrier track excepted). Of most immediate interest to UK psych fans will be the four tracks by Graded Grains, a 'mystery band' known only for their two acetate-only tracks included on Chocolate Soup for Diabetics ("Animal Magic" and "Lucifer Sam"). On Alphabeat the band's identity is unmasked in the liners and "Animal Magic" is joined by three never before heard songs from a 1969 LP acetate. The group's Who-meets-Floyd sound (with a shake of Procol) is in full effect on all; "Gabriel Says Yes" and "Harry the Hermit" are particularly good, although, like "Animal Magic," infected by rather weak vocal harmonies. Even better is "Pumpkin Lantern," a haunted soul-flavored mover by the Pathfinders, taken from a 1968 acetate, paired with a decent version of the Bee Gees perennial "To Love Somebody," which also included here. Other highlights include hard drivin', Hammond-stoked rockers by Breakthru ("Here Comes the End"; from a '67 acetate) and Mississippi ("Mr Union Railway Man"; from a 1970 single). Also fantastic is a previously unknown recording by the Black Cat Bones, which appeared only on a promotional LP for the QE2. "Warmth of the Day" was recorded in 1968, when future Downliner Paul Tiller was their lead vocalist and harp player. Unlike the band's usual meat'n'spuds blues-rock fare, this is more of a psych-pop outing (though spiced with blues harp), and very tasty it is too. Hopefully, this will be the first of many Alphabeats to come.
(review by Mike Stax, "Ugly Things" magazine)

This CD (Top Sounds TSCD 001 / 2005) had also a vinyl release the same year. Top Sounds continued this series but under a new moniker: Shapes and Sounds. (By the way, did anybody say I'm not posting frequently?)

Tracklist:
1. Barrier - Foxy Lady
2. Graded Grains - Gabriel Says Yes
3. Pathfinders - Pumpkin Lantern
4. Breakthru - Here Comes The End
5. Graded Grains - Animal Magic
6. Mississippi - Mr. Union Railway Man
7. Unknown - First Back From Heaven
8. Graded Grains - On The Dole
9. Pathfinders - To Love Somebody
10. Graded Grains - Harry The Hermit
11. Black Cat Bones - Warmth Of The Day
12. Breakthru - Spoonful
13. Barrier - Toad

Get it here (Artwork included)

Beau Brummels - Gentle Wanderin' Ways (1965-66)

First: What is a great song? No, what is THE great song? THE great song is a tune that you will never forget. OK, that can also happen with "Take me home, country roads". Now try this: THE great song speeds right into your veins, attacks your stomach and electrifies your whole body.

The Beau Brummels from San Francisco were responsible for two excellent folk-rock albums (Introducing/Vol. 2), a respected Country Rock platter from 1968 (Bradley's Barn) and their '67 masterpiece "Triangle". Sandwiched between their first and last two LP's was their major label debut "Beau Brummels 66". Actually the Brummels were in the midst of recording their third album for Autmun Records as the label called its day. They got a deal with Warner Bros. and the label forced them to do a covers-only LP. That leads to the aforementioned "Beau Brummels 66", a really poor offering compared to their abilities. However, the tapes of their intended release remained in the can until Sundazed released "Gentle Wanderin Ways" (Sundazed LP 5089 / 2001). It's a collection of demos and alternate takes, and if you have a little imagination then you know how the third album could really sound. Most of the tracks are previously unreleased but of a high standard. The only song that had a prior release is "Gentle Wanderin' Ways", published first on their '60s collection "Vol. 44". And if you ask me why I did waffle about THE great song, go and hear "Gentle Wanderin' Ways" and you know what I mean.

Tracklist:
- She Sends Me
- This Is Love
- Friend of Mine
- Hey Love
- I Grow Old [Second Version]
- On the Road Again
- Till the Day
- Gentle Wandering Ways
- Let Me In
- Cry Some
- What Do You Want
- Find a Place
- Down on Me
- Stay with Me a While

Get it here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)

Mirage - You Can't Be Serious (1965-69)

This band from Hertford was best known for their psychedelic-pop classic "The Wedding Of Ramona Blair" and the strong cover-version of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows". They've never got the chance to make an album although they were not inferior to bands like, let's say, The Herd or Plastic Penny (I think The Mirage was better!). This CD (MR 1 / 2000) was a collection of their best songs as well as unreleased acetates and five tracks from a BBC-show. Also included is the excellent 45 of their later incarnation Portobello Explosion. I've seen this CD listed as a Distortion release from 2007 but I doubt its existence. There's also another release by RPM/BamCaruso "Tomorrow Never Knows" from 2006.

Tracklist:
- The Wedding Of Ramona Blair
- Lazy Man
- You Can't Be Serious
- Tomorrow Never Knows
- Ebeneezer Beaver (unreleased acetate / 1967)
- Poor Mrs. Busby (unreleased acetate / 1967)
- Lazy Man #2 (unreleased demo / 1967)
- Hold On
- Can You Hear Me
- Go Away
- Just A Face
- What You Gonna Do (live BBC / 1967)
- Hold On (live BBC / 1967)
- Strange Feeling (live BBC / 1967)
- Another Saturday Night (live BBC / 1967)
- The Wedding Of Ramona Blair (live BBC / 1967)
- Wild Thing (unreleased acetate / 1966)
- World Goes On Around You
- Lonely Highway (unreleased demo / 1968)
- See My World (unreleased demo / 1968)
- I See The Rain (unreleased acetate / 1967)
- We Can Fly (as Portobello Explosion / 1969)
- Hot Smoke And Sasafrass (as Portobello Explosion / 1969)
- The Wedding Of Ramona Blair #2
- The Wedding Of Ramona Blair #3 (backing Track)

Get it here (Artwork included)
http://sharebee.com/270bd28b

...and just in case you're not a '60s-only puritan then you happen to check out my Punk/New Wave blog The Mangrove Delta Plan Collapsed.