Scottish folk-rocker Donovan Leitch's early stuff was widely regarded as the UK counterpart to Dylan and by this record he was virtually blueprinting pop psychedelia. Beatnik brilliance, conga cool and some handy harpsichord propels the title track. The apocalyptic 'Season of the Witch' is the other standout track, with the rest pure psych magic.
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Their Satanic Majesties Request The Rolling Stones 1967 [London]
A real oddity for the Stones, at the time of recording key band members were in and out of jail on drug-related charges. There are many who rate this as the Stones' worst, an abhorrent deviation from the raunch n roll blues the band was famous for. A good listen however shows this to be a topnotch psych album for those with open minds.
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Underground The Electric Prunes 1967 [Reprise]
Although there were a couple of personnel changes, the Prunes had matured into a fairly respectable psych outfit by their second album. There were no big hits this time around, but the album did manage to scrape into the lower rungs of the Billboard charts. Sporting mostly band originals, this is the Prunes album psych fans adore most.
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The Peanut Butter Conspiracy is Spreading The Peanut Butter Conspiracy 1967 [Columbia]
It matters not that it is a toss-up between this and the follow-up Great Conspiracy as the PBC's best album as they are thankfully available on a two-fer CD. Forming out of folk-rock outfit the Ashes, producer Gary Usher made sure there was plenty of popular appeal. Most will notice a kind of tripped-out similarity to the Mamas & the Papas.
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Axis: Bold As Love The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967/68 [Track/Reprise]
Axis moved legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix further into psychedelic territory, but also highlighted his melodic sensibilities on some of the slower tracks. By this time his stage act was legendary after his guitar smashing and burning finale at the Monterey Pop festival. A demanding touring schedule however saw trouble brewing on the horizon.
Led by guitarist Randy California and Jay Ferguson (vocals/percussion) Spirit blended jazz, rock, folk and psych into an engaging mix of stylistic delights. Their debut found them in folkier territory than on future efforts, with the underground single 'Mechanical World' almost breaking into the Top 30. A fine debut from one of the 60s' best.
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Ultimate Spinach Ultimate Spinach 1968 [MGM]
Another of the commercially-packaged "Bosstown Sound" bands, the best track here is probably the eight-minute '(Ballad of) The Hip Death Goddess'. The rest is listenable, if not too inventive, psych-pop with a bluesy edge as on the opening track 'Ego Trip'. The influence of Country Joe & the Fish is all too apparent in places.
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Os Mutantes Os Mutantes 1968 [Polydor]
Not to be confused with their 1969 release simply titled Mutantes, this may be Brazil's finest psychedelic moment. The band was one of the mainstays of the Tropicália movement which amalgamated Latin rhythms and other styles with psychedelia. A simply fabulous record and with vocalist Rita Lee out front a more than attractive proposition.
