the of mirror eye

* Acid Jam 2: Reformation Blues (16.5 mb) | Tide (8.5 mb)
From Acid Jam 2 : Rubric Records : RUB 13

So, back in 1988 Mr. Bevis Frond and friends got together to get their psychedelic groove on as the aptly titled band, Acid Jam. The resulting album, Acid Jam, is long out of print (I believe, but hope that I’m wrong because I’ve had the fortune to hear and/or buy it). Fast forward 12 years and those same fellows plus some added guests decided to get together again and have another go at it. The resulting album, Acid Jam 2 is an incredible “high” point for the genre of psychedelic music. Now mind you, this isn’t just anyone and their mom getting together and “jamming”. This is the cream of the British psychedelic crowd.

The dramatis personae of Acid Jam 2 reads like a who’s who of British psychedelia and to trace the musical pedigrees, histories and myriad intersections of the participants would be a gargantuan task best left to rock genealogists of the Pete Frame variety. Suffice it to say that alumni of Hawkwind, Camel, High Tide, and Magic Muscle, as well as members of The Alchemysts, The Lucky Bishops, and the Outskirts of Infinity are among the cast assembled for this album. Even Nick Saloman’s daughter sings on one number.

This is an acid rock extravaganza comprising 14 diverse tracks — equally divided between instrumental and vocal numbers — with a total running time of nearly two-and-a-half hours. Although the spirit and sound of this recording harken back to another period entirely, at the same time, Saloman and friends — by some paradoxical sleight of hand — have created an album that somehow feels wholly contemporary and is completely free of faddish, superficial retro-ism.

(by Wilson Neate)

I really can’t say enough good things about this album. Mr. Frond and friends really pulled out all the stops on this one and came up with something that’s far greater than the sum of their already significant parts. Absolutely amazing.

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* The Monkees: For Pete’s Sake (2.5 mb) | Sunny Girlfriend (3.0 mb) | Randy Scouse Git (3.0 mb) | I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind (2.5 mb)
From Headquarters Sessions : Rhino Handmade : RHM2 7715

Here’s how the story goes. Back in the 1966, the first manufactured pop band was made. The Monkees were a band created by the studio and promoted by a TV show. The actors, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz, were recruited by the studio from talent shows and casting calls. The actors, although some of them were actually accomplished musicians, were to play musicians on TV, with the actual music and songs being supplied by a studio band.

Fast forward one year later, and the show and the accompanying debut album are an extreme success. The actors/musicians become more and more dissatisfied with their primary roles as actors and are chagrined to find out that their manager, Don Kirshner has just released a second album without a single iota of input from any of them. In a surprise move (probably due to the popularity of the show), the studio allows the band to oust Mr. Kirshner and, for the first time, gain creative control of the band.

Much has been made of this gain of creative control, with some saying that it was a complete and utter disaster and some saying that it was complete and utter success. Obviously, since I’m posting songs from the results, I fall in the latter category. At this time, the band is totally on fire and they’ve got something to prove. If you listen closely to these songs, I’m sure you’ll agree that the resulting album, Headquarters is a pop masterpiece.

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* The Monks: Monk Time (4.5 mb) | Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy (4.0 mb) | I Hate You (6.0 mb) | Blast Off (3.5 mb)
From Black Monk Time : Repertoire Records : REP 4438-WP

So, what happens when five disenchanted army boys end their tours of duty in Germany in the mid ’60’s? Well, obviously they’d start a band. Thus, The Monks were born out of turmoil and strife.

I’ve been reading about this band for awhile. In fact, I almost thought that they were made up. I mean, here’s the story of five previously clean-cut army boys dressing up in monks habits, shaving the tops of their heads and playing some of the crudest, rudest, most punk music. Even the line up was unbelievable. You’ve got the standard guitar, drums, bass, organ set up. But then you add electric banjo to the mix and you’ve got something very, very strange. And by all accounts, this was a very strange band.

The backbone of the Monks’ music is in Roger’s drumming. The thudding of his omnipresent toms is constantly accenting and coloring his sharp snare work and sparse use of cymbals. He is always in control. It sometimes sounds as if he is directing the band, which is a rhythmic experiment in itself, from the rear. Dave, whose banjo is exclusively rhythmic, usually takes his cues from Roger’s snare, often playing at twice the drummer’s speed. The hollow, mad clacking sound of Dave’s banjo is at times evocative of a locomotive that has dropped its cars and cargo in favor of a faster pace. Playing somewhere in between the two is Eddie’s overdriven bass seeking to put everything into some kind of harmonic perspective. Gary and larry play what might be viewed as the “melody” of the song as well as the solos. Gary’s soloing technique is to rip sheets of feedback out of his guitar, which yammers and howls in protest, before slapping it back into the framework of the, er . . . “groove.” Larry usually skitters across the keyboard allowing occasional glimpses of fat cathedral-esque tone. His infrequent chords show the kind of caterwaul his organ would actually be capable of, if he slowed down long enough. The overall effect is maddening. It is without a doubt the most uncompromising stuff ever to call itself rock ‘n’ roll.

(by Spazz Chandler)

I was finally able to locate a copy of their album, Black Monk Time, that I could afford. With great trepidation, I put the disc in the player. All the accolades seemed almost too good to be true. But I wasn’t disapointed. Not one bit. This music is as punk/strange/incredible as I thought it would be.

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* Masaki Batoh: Yoo Doo Right (5.0 mb) | World Of Pain (6.0 mb) | Magakumi (13.0 mb)
From Collected Works (1995-1996) : Drag City Records : DC180

Masaki Batoh, leader of Japanese psychedelic band Ghost, goes deep inside himself and comes out with an amazing musical vision. During the mid-nineties, Ghose were a very prolific band. They had just signed a deal with Drag City records and were releasing the critically acclaimed Lama Rabi Rabi. Initially, he had gone into seclusion to develop new songs for Ghost. But after working on them a bit, he decided that they didn’t fit in with a “rock” band, but needed more freedom to bring them to their full potential.

No matter what the outlet, Masaki Batoh definitely delivers the psychedelic goods. These songs were intially released as two LP’s, but luckily they have been collected and released together (first by The Now Sound, and now by Drag City). So, we’ve got a deliciously damaged cover of Can’s Yoo Doo Right, an incredibly intimate World Of Pain (possibly a Cream cover??) and a longer instrumental work out, Magakumi.

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* Blind Mamie Forehand: Honey In The Rock (2.5 mb)
* Blind Joe Taggert: Been Listening All The Day (3.0 mb)
* Rev I.B. Ware: I Wouldn’t Mind Dying (3.0 mb)
* William and Versey Smith: I believe I’ll Go Back Home (3.0 mb)
From American Primitive Vol I: Raw Pre-War Gospel : Revenant Records : Revenant No. 206

Probably one of my favorite record labels of all time is the one started by the late, great John Fahey, Revenant Records. This label was started with the mission of releasing raw musics, regardless of genre or classification.

Awhile back, in 1997, they released a collection of pre-war gospel songs that blew my mind all apart. I remember when I got this, I immediately put the disc in my portable player and started walking back to my house. And I also remember listening to these songs and not really believing what I was hearing because the sounds were so strange to me. They were (and still are) a true revelation.

Revenant Records released volume 2 in their American Primitive series recently. And if their first volume is any indication, this’ll be an absolutely essential release.

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* Bob Marley: Lively Up Yourself (3.5 mb) | Small Axe (4.0 mb) | African Herbsman (2.5 mb) | Don’t Rock The Boat (5.0 mb)
From African Herbsman : Trojan Records : TJCCD064

Unfortunately, the music of Bob Marley often conjures up bad memories/images of trustafarians and jocks rockin’ out at college frat keggers. I say this is unfortunate, because Mr. Marley is an incredible musician/visionary. His songs and music speak universal truths. But I’m sure most of you are familiar with this fine fellow. So, I’ll leave you with a couple of songs from African Herbsman.

This is a collection of early Bob Marley songs with great production work by Lee “Scratch” Perry. These are songs that Marley would revisit periodically throughout his career. But really, the Lee “Scratch” Perry work on these tracks give them a completely unique sound that is much more dub based versus the more rock based production of later Bob Marley. So, turn up that bass and dub out.

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