Bronx garage band that managed to elevate themselves above the pack. One of the first uses of the word 'psychedelic' in an album title was a conscious effort ride the wave. It worked, scoring a Top Ten with '(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet' which later featured in the seminal hippie film Easy Rider. A solid album overall from a capable outfit.
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A Web of Sound The Seeds 1966 [GNP Crescendo]
Classic fuzz garage band with a nasty punkish edge. The Seeds' first single 'Pushin Too Hard' was so raw and basically grungy that frontman Sky Saxon became addicted to re-creating it in other guises, such as 'Tripmaker' from this album. Fortunately the rest has plenty of variety, making this their best by far. Available on a two-fer with their debut.
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Psychedelic Moods The Deep 1966 [Cameo-Parkway]
Although little is known about this band it is almost certain that this record is in contention for the first use of the word 'psychedelic' in its title. The original sound quality is paper thin and crying out for decent digital remastering. That said, there is some pretty good fuzzy psych and tripped-out lyrics to be found here courtesy of leader Rusty Evans.
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Psychotic Reaction Count Five 1966 [Double Shot]
Garage rock band in the mould of the Yardbirds who managed to score a #5 hit with their 'Psychotic Reaction' single. The album would probably have been forgotten were it not for rock journalist Lester Bangs' completely fabricated history of the band in his 'Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung' essay. Now that's histrionic.
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No Way Out The Chocolate Watchband 1967 [Sundazed]
Capable Californian garage band that was more Stones than stoned on stage, which eventually led them into dispute with their manager Ed Cobb. No Way Out has a bit of both, with things getting decidedly more psychedelic from about 'Dark Side of the Mushroom' on. The Big Beat CD release includes the previously unissued 'Psychedelic Trip'.
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The Electric Prunes The Electric Prunes 1967 [Reprise]
To get an idea of their stature in the psych world, the Prunes hypno-reverb 1966 single 'I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)' led off the original Nuggets anthology. A West Coast outfit, this also includes their other chart success 'Get Me to the World on Time'. The lineup only lasted for this album, but shows a topnotch garage band at their peak.
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Journey to the Center of the Mind The Amboy Dukes 1968 [Mainstream]
The garage band that gave us motor-city guitar-gonzo Ted Nugent is almost singularly famous for this album's terrific title track. Rhythm guitarist Steve Farmer contributes most of the tracks and is a standout on the album's conceptual second side. By the time of the follow-up Migration album the band was well-and-truly hard rockin'.
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Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From the First Psychedelic Era Various Artists 1965-68 (released 1972; reissued 1976) [Elektra/Sire]
The original Nuggets compilation focuses on American garage bands, many of them playing music with nice psychedelic touches. Tracks from the Nazz, Magic Mushrooms, Chocolate Watchband, Electric Prunes, 13th Floor Elevators, Seeds and Sagittarius are all indispensable psych classics. The concept eventually morphed into an ongoing series.
