Psychedelic Music reviews page : Westcoast styled albums

Gear Fab Rec. Turnquist Remedy : Iowa by the sea (US,1970)***

Turnquist Remedy is a band that symbolises the early stage of a conscious flourishing development of a more typical Westcoast style, as a kind of revival of typical American poprock with bluesy influences, a certain hippie flavour, and of course the typical and so great vocal harmonies. This is the earliest band of guitarist/vocalist Michael Woods, from which you can recognise his songs, which you hear in a different and developed way with his later group, ‘America’ (one of the greatest West Coast bands which in their turn had similarities with the most known group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, with their own, perfect and powerful arrangements). Even when it still is years ahead, for me Turnquist Remedy are stylistically like the group America in a first stage, in a more simple version, and with an already attractive starting off vision. The band distinguishes itself from other average hippie rock bands from the area thanks to their clear sound, pleasant songs, a certain happy “open air” feeling, (perhaps more often typical for the Californian area), some fine guitars, and strong emphasized singing. Other members were Murphy Scarnecchia : lead guitar, vocals ; Scot Harder ; bass, vocals ; John Maggi : drums, percussion ; Larry Knechtel, piano and organ ; George Semper : piano, organ ; and with Larry Vilaubi : drums on the 4th track. Larry Knechtel was a session musician who later worked with Simon & Garfunkel (on the album “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”), Beach Boys (Pet Sounds & Smile) and Bread, and electric bass on "Mr.Tambourine man". -(See also Jerry Cole’s guitar contributions on the same sessions from the Beach Boys and also on the Byrds song, on the review from The Id).- A fine album.

Technical info on album : http://www.starclustermusic.de/artists/america/woods/disco/dptr7001.htm

Label info : http://gearfab.swiftsite.com/Catalog_List/catalog_223.html

Shadoks Rec. Headstone Circus (US,1968-70)***°

"Around 1966, Nick Bonis, Mike Johnstone, Randy Pope, and I formed a psychedelic band. On Halloween night we went to an old cemetery, dropped acid, and spent a very strange night among the tombstones. The tombstones appeared to be melting and taking on animal shapes. Some of us saw spirits, and I'm not sure what I saw, but it was disturbing. Afterwards, we referred to that night as the 'Headstone Circus.' It seemed appropriate to call ourselves Headstone Circus as a band so we did." Glenn Faria

The band plays a (rather) West Coast style while recorded on the east coast, with a certain Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young / Buffalo Springfield or Neil Young -Crazy Horse period- influence, but additionally with a more bluesy side-effect, and with some portions on certain tracks, where a smoky dark bluesy feeling is improvised calmly upon. This is of course the acid bluesy side associated with something of the east coast that gives this slightly smokey feeling. The lead vocals have a warm attractive effect and fit well with the West Coast feeling. Several of the more song orientated tracks are more acoustic. The last four, and also more simple, tracks on the CD I guess are more like rough demo versions. I am sure that if they would have had a chance with a big studio production and treatment on some tracks, these could have been better, (-a few tracks also suffered from a few worn-tape errors)-, while most of it for me is already great as it is, and makes it, almost essential to check it out, especially when you like the CSNY. A track like “Summer’s Gone” could have easily been a Neil Young track, and still is one of my favourite songs. After a while, singer/composer Glenn Faria left the group only because he was offered a solo contract. This solo album was reissued by World In Sound some years ago. Here, the Neil Young influence still isnoticeable, but for me this solo album isn’t so rewarding as the previous Headstone Circus, but it also features a nice redo of the already mentioned “Summer’s Gone” song.

Audio : "I'm Crazy", "Reason to Live" ;

Descriptions : http://www.musicemissions.com/..

& on http://members.tripod.com/lysergia_2/AcidArchives/lamaArchiveH.htm

& http://soundfixrecords.com/products/headstone-circus-headstone-circus

& http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/headstone.circus.html

Label info : http://psychedelic-music.com/new.html?35,14

Review & audio : http://music.barnesandnoble.com/...

PS. Another album with West Coast influences is Yves & Serge & Victor (France).

Review on http://ppsychemusic.org/psych2.html#anchor_232

Fallout Country Funk : Sidewalks Talking (US,1970,re.2008)****/***°

Despite the group’s name this band has more of a West Coast sound (CSNY,..). This genre often had a slight country touch in a more rock area. When this group focuses more on these country-rock roots with some songs, it is as if they become more like an American and more rockier alternative to the Mersey sound in Europe, something which truly is convincing. Their overall sound is very strong, balanced and powerful, and this could have grown in popularity, if the group would have had this chance, and deserved notice because many strong, necessary elements are all there. With this re-release this is a second chance to become known for deserving a place amongst the more known names of these attractive sounds of West Coast styled rock.

Info : http://www.soundlinkmusic.com/...

Fallout Yellow Hand (US,1969,re.2008)***'

It is pretty much clear why this album was described at the time as ‘an extra Buffalo Springfield album’. Buffalo Springfield (the band before Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) at their time didn’t succeed to release all songs of their repertoire, and never even found the best conditions for a record that they wished for. 6 of their unpublished songs still found a way on this LP, by a band who felt the style, suiting to their own inspirations while themselves still being at the right time and place to make such a recording work. 3 more songs of theirs were added to complete this album. The album is enjoyable, and although neither the songs nor the vocalists remain as much ringing in your ears compared to some Buffalo Springfield/CSNY, and while most songs were a bit denser in arrangements, it still sounds like a fine completing album to the scene.

Info : http://www.soundlinkmusic.com/...

Videos of Buffalo Springfield : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3VrvG7286c

Info on Buffalo Springfield : http://www.thebuffalospringfield.com/

& http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Springfield

& http://www.thrasherswheat.org/tfa/bufspring.htm

& http://warr.org/buffalo.html

& http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/8385/Buffalo/home.html

& http://rockhall.com/inductee/buffalo-springfield

& http://www.reasontorock.com/artists/buffalo_springfield.html

& http://buffalo_springfield.tripod.com/

& http://www.classicbands.com/buffalo.html

& http://www.psycho-jello.com/springfield/springfield.html

& http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifoxqw5ldde

'Yellow Hand' on Stephen Stills guest album list : http://sound.jp/goldhill/guest/list.html

Fallout Plain Jane (US,1969,re.2008)***°

This is an often rather laidback pop/rock album which features especially on the successful and tasty opening tracks an early Westcoast influence (Buffalo Springfield), combined with a 60s California rock influence (Mamas & Papas/Jefferson Airplane,..), noticeable in the song structure, some of the vocal arrangements, or the way the electric guitar is used, creating a definite pop-attractiveness. Compared to this “Fire hydrant”, later on, is more country-esque with dual vocals (the least appealing song on the album). “Short fairy tale” is a bit more up tempo rock with jazzy rhythm guitar passages. Besides the mentioned song style inspirations, it is also nice to hear how also organ drives along on some tracks as another flavour. It is this organ which leads the saddest song, “Silence” (accompanied by nothing else but organ, percussion, acoustic guitar and bass). Here and there we hear some fuzz guitar solos to it, but not too often.

Elsewhere I saw it described as “excellent dreamy, rural psych which was produced by Les Brown,who was a member of fellow label mates Rockin' Foo”… “. Don Gleicher previously played with two Albuquerque bands, The Monkey Men and Piggy Bank.” I noticed that, if this is the same guy, in 2000 he participated on a song album coincidentally with the same band’s name. Originally pressed on Hobbit Records.

Info : http://www.soundlinkmusic.com/catalog/fallout/plain-jane/prod_217.html

Other description : http://www.spincds.com/product.asp?id=9016059

& http://www.lysergia.com/AcidArchives/lamaAtticBody4.htm

Info on Rockin Foo : http://www.alexgitlin.com/npp2/rockinfoo.htm

2000 album with Don Gleicher : http://www.answers.com/...

Glen Holly Studio Fox : Simple Songs (US,1971-1973,re.2011)***°

Often one wonders what are the limits of discovering more and more hidden artefacts of the golden era of the late 60s early 70s, because new recordings still appear now and then, the new discoveries aren’t always great surprises, still they fill the gaps of moments that might have become more special if it was given better chances, you can always hear the dedication during limited available studio time, the freedom of mind and the circumstances of the times. This time influence often seeps through enough to make an attractive creativity or sound, both of which were important in the times.

When Majic Ship broke up due to having lost their equipment in winter, the two guitarists Phil Polimeni and Tom Nikosey added a third guitarist and singer to form the mostly acoustic guitar/voice trio Fox with Jim Ayoub. This studio recording is like they announced it with more “simple songs”, but they are effective and pleasure us with some of the nicest sounds from the times, like a smaller westcoast CSN influence (Magic Ship did a CSNY medley on their previous album), while after their move from LA to California, with a much stronger Californian, sunshine warm influence becoming more dominant in most songs. There’s a nice harmony singing too, strummed and picking guitar arrangements, some congas and shakers as percussion. The one before last song has a keyboard texture too which wasn’t entirely upgrading the sound. The last up-tempo instrumental has ragtime and Latin influences making use of shakers and washing board for a fun outro to a pleasant and enjoyable release without any pretensions or overly ambitions.

Info & audio : http://origin.cdbaby.com/cd/fox3

Description : http://www.shinybeast.nl/item/361382/fox_usa_la_simple_songs_1971_1973.html

About Majic Ship : http://phrockblog11.blogspot.com/...