song request: kickass psych
09Apr09
Folks, I’m in need of some help. Last week I decided that I was going to start working on a new mix to be used for an upcoming East Village Radio show, but also as something to share with my friends. The theme is summer songs, sometimes loud and piercing, at other times hazy and drifting. I have the hazy/drifting going okay, but I’m finding myself lacking in the loud and piercing. Think of ’60s sounding stuff with lots of squeals, Velvet Underground as an acid-rock band, that kinda thing. Just looking for great tunes. Who’s got some?
I recently discovered that emusic has a box-set that includes the full studio recordings of the 13th floor elevators. Studio album 1 is tracks 1-11 here:
http://www.emusic.com/album/The-13th-Floor-Elevators-The-Psychedelic-World-Of-The-13th-Floor-Elevators-MP3-Download/11398449.html
and studio album two is tracks 1-10 here:
http://www.emusic.com/album/The-13th-Floor-Elevators-The-Psychedelic-World-Of-The-13th-Floor-Elevators-MP3-Download/11310432.html
(and check out the awesome Bob Dylan cover on that one).
Pretty kick-ass psych.
Also check this out:
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2009/02/lux-and-ivys-favorites-mp3s.html
Some wonderful obsessives put together an ELEVEN VOLUME collection of basically every song ever mentioned in an interview by the recently deceased Lux Interior of the Cramps. There is a lot of amazing unheard stuff here; you could probably pull your whole show just from this collection.
Hmm, what about Comets on Fire, Yancey? Maybe something from /Field Recordings from the Sun/? “Return to Heaven?”
A leftfield possibility, I guess, but the closing song on Si, Para Usted: The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba (link below) — called “Casina Y Epidcus” — is pretty psych sounding, and has an Eastern vibe, too. It’s a hypnotic song.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artist-Si-Para-Usted-The-Funky-Beats-of-Revolutionary-MP3-Download/11035172.html
(Link to Song Snippet; Not sure this will work): http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/11035172/15354700.m3u
The Byrds! “Eight Miles High” – can’t beat it.
ditto to the 13th Floor Elevators. Also the Electric Prunes (I’m partial to “General Confessional” from “Mass in F Minor”) or the United States of America (check “The American Metaphysical Circus” from their one and only album). Maybe even a little Faust would work… “It’s a Rainy Day Sunshine Girl” or “Picnic on a Frozen River” from “So Far” or any number of tracks from Faust IV.
these are all awesome suggestions guys! thanks! keep em coming!
“Listen to the Sky” by Sands (off the Nuggets II box) gets that way around the two-minute mark. There’s probably more appropriate stuff on that box that I can’t think of.
How about Hawkwind? You guys have a pretty good Master of the Universe here:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Hawkwind-Space-Ritual-Vol-2-MP3-Download/11202769.html
If bootleg-only stuff is/were OK, “Vegetable Man” for sure.
Try The Black Angels: either “The First Vietnam War” or “The Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven” both from the album Passover. The band was named after a VU song, for crying out loud!
Less psychedlic but really loud and rockin is “Stormy High” from the album In The Future by Black Mountain.
“Listen to the Sky” by Sands (off the Nuggets II box, which has plenty of this stuff; maybe you’d like “Train to Disaster” by the Voice better than I do) gets pretty angry around the two-minute mark.
This really sounds like a job for Hawkwind, though. There’s a good “Master of the Universe” here (apologies if you’ve already talked about it):
http://www.emusic.com/album/Hawkwind-Space-Ritual-Vol-2-MP3-Download/11202769.html
“Sonic Attack” has some helpful instructions in it.
On the “emusic albums I can’t remember whether you’ve mentioned here” tip, Baby Grandmothers and Parson Sound are good for this, too.
Yoko Ono’s “Don’t Worry Kyoko” is a good one, even though her band does not sound as committed to the psychedelic experience as she down. “Mind Train”" is also worth tracking down.
Can you use songs that have never actually been released? If so, “Vegetable Man” for sure.
I’m a new convert to Grails thanks to 68StationWagon.
Check out Doomsdayer’s Holiday and Black Tar Prophecies.
Psych prog I think the kids are calling it, kinda like a more psychedelic laced version of the more recent Earth stuff.
The United State of America – Hard Coming Love
Baby Grandmothers – Raw Diamond
Erkin Koray – Aska Inanmiyorum
Flower Travellin’ Band – Anything from Satori
Charlie and Esdor – Fuck the Cops
All for now.
maybe-
New Life by Numbers
http://www.emusic.com/album/Numbers-Now-You-Are-This-MP3-Download/11067038.html
or
Paul Cries by Think About Life
http://www.emusic.com/album/Think-About-Life-Think-About-Life-MP3-Download/10913350.html
both a bit noisy and piercing but a lot of fun…
How about the title track
http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/album/11000589/1.m3u
from World Psychedelic Classics, Vol. 3: Love’s a Real Thing
http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artists-Luaka-Bop-World-Psychedelic-Classics-Vol-3-Love-s-a-Real-MP3-Download/11000589.html
or Into The Cryptic Mist
http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/10850556/13205649.m3u
from Triptych by Bevis Frond
http://www.emusic.com/album/Bevis-Frond-Triptych-MP3-Download/10850556.html
guys can i just say that i went through and downloaded every fucking track that you guys suggested — even you dave, with the hard to find ones (and man they are incredible!) — and there’s a srsly awesome psych mix here. we might have to find something to do with this. so good!
Sorry that I didn’t mention any specific tracks, check out Acid Rain by Grails for major psychedelic goodness.
Sorry forgot one that everyone should hear:
Selda – Ince Ince
Dead Meadow, Dead Meadow, Dead Meadow.
Check out:
Down Here
http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/11141845/16247401.m3u
Between Me and The Ground
http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/11141845/16247399.m3u
And Hard People/Hard Times
http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/11141845/16247408.m3u
Also Age of the Atlas. I’d suggest Waking Roar
http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/11270402/17329960.m3u
Not velvet nor 60s but summer and jumpy…
http://www.emusic.com/samples/m3u/song/11195519/16626354.m3u
And the one you’d like to have as your own icon the whole summer:
http://www.shanemacgowan.com/shanehits5.jpg
Amon Duul II’s Yeti (http://www.emusic.com/album/Amon-Düül-2-Yeti-MP3-Download/10966640.html) should fit your criteria.
Absolutely try “Archangel Thunderbird” from Amon Duul II’s Yeti as mentioned above.
what about ULTIMATE SPIMACH 1ST & 2ND ALBUMS & BOBBY CALLENDER
Psychedelia on board here: http://www.emusic.com/artist/New-Fast-Automatic-Daffodils-MP3-Download/11638164.html
New Fast Automatic Daffodils. Er, that’s the band name.
Dreamy mellow Manchester Sound that concentrates more on blowing your mind, but doesn’t neglect your body.
Especially “Fishes Eyes,” “Big,” and “Partial” all from Pigeonhole.
Just thought of another (left-field) choice. A lot fo the songs from “The Roots of Chicha” compilation have a vaguely psychadelic vibe to them, and they work great in the growing humidity of spring-passing-into-summer. See, especially, “Vacilando Con Ayahuesca,” by Juaneco Y Su Combo (the No. 12 track). Link to the disc below.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artists-The-Roots-of-Chicha-MP3-Download/11098005.html
My favorite song, BTW, is No. 2, “Little Nena.” Not sure it’s very psych-y, but well worth your attention.
Added bonus: Very cool cover; Very mysterious-sounding songs (they often were played on short-wave radios in the 70s).
Some of these might lean more towards the garage rock side of psychedelica, but I’m a big fan of the following. Hope they’re of some interest to you.
-Wooden Shjips – I really like “Shrinking Moon For You”, but they have many treasures
-Gris Gris – “Necessary Separation”
-Black Lips – “Not a Problem”
-Fabulous Diamonds – “LP6″
-Lyres – “Don’t Give It Up Now”
-Shocking Blue – “Love Buzz” or “Long and Lonesome Road”
-Thee Oh Sees – “Ghost in the Trees” and pretty much the entirety of their “The Master’s Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In” album
-Chrome – “Return to Zanzibar”
-The Amon Duul and Faust recommendations are spot on, I also recommend other out there German bands like: Guru Guru – “Next Time See You At The Dalia Lhama”
These are two amazing examples of modern Psych:
1. Habitforming – Getsolong – http://www.myspace.com/habitforming
2. Society of Rockets – Horses of Mars – http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Society-of-Rockets-Our-Paths-Related-MP3-Download/11088857.html
Under the radar but truly amazing:
1. Habitforming – Get so long
2. Society of Rockets – Horses of Mars
http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Society-of-Rockets-Our-Paths-Related-MP3-Download/11088857.html
Nothing to do with summer, but the title track contains the best psychedelic guitar solo in the history of the world:
[url=http://www.emusic.com/album/Funkadelic-Maggot-Brain-MP3-Download/10924700.html]Maggot Brain[/url]
IMO, of course.
Sun Dial – North Eastern, it’s an instrumental off their Return Journey album. Some songs from others already mentioned: Guru Guru – Girl Call, Amon Duul 2 – Burning Sister, The Gris Gris -Year Zero would also be at the top of my list for summertime. Other Ideas: Hush Arbors – Water II, Loop – Torched, Comets On Fire – Got A Feel In, Spacemen 3 – Amen, Flying Saucer Attack – Wish, The Apes – Mr. Changeling, Dungen – Bortglomd.
My suggestion is from the Chesterfield Kings, the song is called Trip Through Tomorrow. It’s from the album The Mindbending Sounds of The Chesterfield Kings. Try the next track, Transparent Life.
some great picks here; i’d throw the alps III album, residual echoes and blues control into the mix as well….
Hi Yancey, you need some classic English Psyche and Freakbeat. Try this lot out for size(all from emusic):
1. Les Fleur De Lys – Circles (http://www.emusic.com/album/Les-Fleur-De-Lys-Reflections-MP3-Download/10739552.html)
2. The Smoke – My Friend Jack (http://www.emusic.com/album/Smoke-It-s-Smoke-Time-MP3-Download/11342381.html)
3.The Pretty Things – Death Of A Socialite (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Pretty-Things-Emotions-MP3-Download/10947177.html)
4. The Yardbirds – Shape Of Things (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Yardbirds-Shape-Of-Things-The-Very-Best-Of-MP3-Download/11308737.html)
5. The Attack – Feel Like Flying (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Attack-Final-Daze-MP3-Download/10939593.html)
6. The Mirage – Tomorrow Never Knows (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Mirage-Tomorrow-Never-Knows-Singles-Lost-Sessions-1966-MP3-Download/10965593.html)
7. 23rd Turnoff – Michael Angelo (single Decca Studios) (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-23rd-Turnoff-The-Dream-of-Michaelangelo-MP3-Download/10963736.html)
8. Nick Garries – The Nightmare Of J.B. Stanislas (Album Version)(http://www.emusic.com/album/Nick-Garrie-The-Nightmare-Of-J-B-Stanislas-MP3-Download/10963710.html)
…and finally the band that Alan McGee took not only his label name from but also his band, Biff Bang Pow…
The Creation – How Does It Feel To Feel (US VERSION) (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Mirage-Tomorrow-Never-Knows-Singles-Lost-Sessions-1966-MP3-Download/10965593.html)
And how could you not have something by Sky Saxon’s Seeds, Pushin’ Too Hard is still a classic (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Seeds-The-Seeds-MP3-Download/10595801.html)
I didn’t realise that emusic had this…
Wimple Winch – Rumble On Mersey Square South (http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artists-Unearthed-Merseybeat-Volume-1-MP3-Download/11095779.html)
One of the most amazing bits of UK Psych and Freakbeat ever made. Sadly they never made an album but RPM have recently released a compilation of all the bands material as both Wimple Winch and The Four Just Men. Hopefully it’ll get added to emusic some day…
A lot of great stuff listed already that I would recomend. I did not see The Gripweeds or The Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound or Dead Meadow, all available on Emusic.
I just found the new Assemble head album released April 7, They are lisy]ted as The Assemble Head and as Assemble Head and have two home pages with one album on each page the new one listed under Assemble Head
Go with an uplifting instrumental?jazz: Chuck Mangione’s “Feels So Good.” That one has very good rhythm, and the strings are expertly picked.