ARCHIMEDES' PAD - PSYCH MIX / FEB-06

Archimedes' Pad - Psych Mix -- February '06
total runtime: 64:19

1. The Pentangle - Light Flight, Basket of Light (1969 UK) -- A great song from a great record, I've been listening to this one for 2 years or so now. Bert Jansch & John Renbourn were in this group, which features some amazing acoustic guitar playing and flawed/brilliant vocals. Style-wise, it's kind of medieval meets acoustic jazz. The bass-work is crazy and there's a psych edge to some songs like this one.

2. Gasoleene - Postcards from Wonderland, Polaroidd Dream (1997 Portugal) -- The lead track off their only full-length album, this is a totally unknown masterpiece of 90's indie rock, sort of Flaming Lips but rockier and with Dinosaur, Jr.-style solos. The outro is very Sonic Youth/Yo La Tengo also. (included not just because I know these guys!)

3. The Millenium - Prelude / To Claudia on Thursday, Begin (1968 US) -- Another lead track (a classic mixtape trick), the production on this folk/rock with harmonies from late 60's West Coast producer Curt Boettcher (and Gary Usher?) is HUGE. The transition between these first two tracks only should be oscar-winning but the various effects and the clean-ness of the sound is so far ahead of its time it should be a LEGEND.

4. White Noise - Here Come The Fleas, An Electric Storm (1969 UK) -- Keeping the psych momentum going, this early example of tape manipulation is a classic of far out "sample-psych". One of the few tracks I've heard where varispeed (sped-up) vocals actually work! Funny and interesting, a rare feat!

5. Silver Apples - Program, S/T (1967 US) -- Here's an even earlier example of proto-synth rock. This was put together with home-made analogue synthesizers by a duo in New York in the 60's. This track is the highlight of their total output (about 2 1/2 LPs worth) due to the use of a FM radio tuning between stations as "live" sampling technique. Apparently they used to ask audience members to give them their favorite stations during performances and they would tune between the stations, mixing the live broadcasts with the synths and drums. The drums are the unspoken heroes though, incredibly melodic and metronomic.

6. Omega Redstar - Rettenettes, ? (1969 Turkey) -- What a great psych/pop/rock tune, totally danceable. With an unbeatable sitar lead and Beatles-like drum-fills (with the guitar striking on each drum beat, a typical early Beatles trick), who cares what they're singing about? Got this off a Electric Psychedelic Sitar Headswirlers comp, but I think it was actually a pop single in Turkey back in '69-- maybe even a hit (we can hope!)

7. The Freak Scene - A Million Grains of Sand, Psychedelic Psoul (1967 US) -- I've come around to liking this studio-only (fake) psych group's only record. Good stereo and good effects, despite running with all the typical psych cliches...

8. Can - Future Days, Future Days (1974 Germany/UK) -- Crossfaded with the last one (finally a fade out I can use!) -- this one fades in for like 3 minutes. The first time I heard it I thought it was ridiculous trash and now I worship at the communal altar to CAN, the German art/prog/psych-rock band. This is from the last LP to feature originally-Japanese singer Damo Suzuki, whose lyrical scat in English is amazing and clearly inspired Mark E. Smith of the Fall (just to start!). This track has rhythm and a nagging melody/chorus (Can hallmarks) plus it's got this slightly South American drum thing going on. Musos refers to this as part of the "ethno-forgery" series and I think it's an appropriate term. Germans gone Brazilian!

9. Marlena Shaw - Liberation Conversation, The Spice of Life (1969 US) -- It's fun sometimes to jerk the listener out of his trance. This one should do it and start a whole new trip. How is this funk/soul track from Cadet/Chess psych? It's in the wah-wah guitar & echo effects on the scat vocals. This track is pure brilliance and should make anyone jump up and down.

10. Outlaw Blues Band - Deep Gully, Breakin' Through (1969 US) -- Following up on psych/soul, this is one hell of an instrumental from a super-rare LP (which I don't own due to poverty). It has been sampled like crazy for hip-hop, including by Cypress Hill. Super funky and trippy. Blues with horns and effects.

11. Fifty Foot Hose - If Not This Time, Cauldron (1968 US) -- More proto-synth stuff. The album as a whole is a bit of a disappointment, but this track and a couple of others (the perfectly-title Bad Trip comes to mind!) are worth it. This one has one of those melody lines that repeat and are totally mysterious in idea, conception, etc. What is this about?! Track also ends with the sound of footsteps and a door opening, great for mixtapes!

12. Truth - Archimedes' Pad, ? (1969 UK) -- This one is really long (9:19 !) but is one hell of a sitar instrumental track. That sounds boring at first, but there is something in the minimalism and repeated quirks of this track that make it the perfection meditation/zoning out music. I have done both of the latter to this track many times and really been transported elsewhere. Which makes it all the stranger that this is actually made by former members of Them, Van Morrison's group of "Route 66" fame! It only got released for the first time in 1995, what a crime. Must get my hands on the whole thing sometime, I got this off another Electric Psych. Sitars comp...

13. the Appletree Theatre - What a Way To Go, Playback (1968 US) -- I actually got this on 7" in Brooklyn. For $1 ! It looks and plays great, too. The craziest thing about the single is that it's actually in stereo, which is super-unusual for 1968 (perhaps not for Verve Forecast). What a great stereo track it is-- double-tracked vocals and ethereal harmonies makes this a sort of Beatles meets early Pink Floyd floater. Sad and sweet, it's a great ender-type song. (The flip is a great instro with backwards stuff in it too-- proves the dollar bin is ALWAYS worth a look!)

14. Olivia Tremor Control - Hideaway, EP/12" single (1998 US) -- I downloaded it back in college (like 6 years ago!) and only 2 or 3 years ago got around to hearing it. This is a Elephant Six-related group (like the Apples in Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc) and one of the best. Other tracks of theirs are more noise/Revolution No 9-type deals, but this is very Beach Boys-ey in its harmonies and the effects and orchestration are terrific. It ends with the sound of someone slurping something up, which makes it a great finish.