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TCCDM Pulls One Out..."The United States Of America" (1968)

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"The United States Of America" - The United States Of America (1968) This was The United States Of America's only album and it is a tasty slice of some West Coast psych.  There is a lot of fascinating Joe Byrd electronic trickery and experimental knob-twisting on display and though there is not one single guitar on the album, this self-titled offering has its rock hard moments.  I'm a guitar man at heart, but I swear, I never missed them.  The album also has plenty of floaty, mind-stealing moments as well, and yet never loses its pop-sense direction.  It's a headphone smile-generator.  The vocals from Dorothy Moskowitz are a killer fit for what TUSoA was doing.  What a surprise!  She's a lost gem herself.  TUSOA was a talented five-member band, but it's the way Joe Byrd fills in spaces and dots the i's that coat everything with Lysergic dust.  "TUSoA" can be found on many essential psych lists and was one of those albums I wanted

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Doing Their Love Thing" - The Nickel Bag (1968)

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"Doing Their Love Thing" - The Nickel Bag (1968) There is not a whole lot in the clouds about The Nickel Bag , but their gimmick was taking the words from famous poets and tripping it out a bit with really good soulful vocals and sometimes dipping them in a bit of pop-psych dust.  However, only a handful have that kind of flavor.  A little flute here.  A wee-bit of horns there.  A dabble of organ.  A sliver of sitar.  Some light fuzz in a few corners.  Kipling, Shakespeare, Byron and so on.  They all get The Nickel Bag treatment.  There are a few songs that trip rather nicely, though.  Mostly it's just straight-up soul-pop.  But it's the strange meter each poem has that...when set to music performed surprisingly well...gives the album a fish-outta-water vibe.  Nothing heavy or mind-blowing,  mind you.  But the vocalist (not sure who's credited) and everyone else sounds seriously committed.  It's kinda pop trippy and kinda pop weird.  Not for everyone,

TCCDM Dig and Flip: "Spangle" (1987)

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"Spangle" - Gary Jennings (1987) Hardcover, 978 pages NO SPOILERS: This is another epic piece of historical fiction from one of the best... Gary Jennings .  This time taking us through all the ins and outs and the goings-on of an up and coming circus in the late 19th century.  Shortly after Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox, a couple of wandering soldiers decide to throw in with Florian’s Flourishing Florilegium of Wonder Circus .  And from there we commence on an amazing journey that takes us through the South and across the big waters into Europe. Along the way, there are a variety of perversions to chew on, as well as violence in various shapes and sizes.  But of course, there is, because that is one of Jennings' familiar trademarks.  Nudging the reader into the uncomfortable.  His left-field surprises.  But around all these shenanigans, Jennings provides us with an absolutely wonderful detailed education in circus survival.  Plus we're

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Moses" (1973)

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"Moses" - Jerry Hahn (1973) "Moses" was Jerry Hahn's first "solo" effort and the album has Jerry working his guitar with a more rockier jazz swag than expected.  Oh, there is still the familiar fast and swinging Barney Kessel flavor but there are three tasty surprises that really clean the pallet.  The funky Jerry Hahn penned title track, is a fantastic opener.  It's a real groove and gets interesting in the places Jerry takes it.  I never tire.  There is also an 'out of left field' surprise dive into Donovan's, “Sunshine Superman.”  Hahn fills it with wah-wah goings-on and other cool ear candy giving it a delightful jazzy psych dusting.  Surprise! Surprise!  Plus there is a wicked solo thrown in.  It's the kind of workout that makes me wonder if someone threw down a challenge...and challenge was accepted. Finally, buried on side two is a cover of "All Blues" from Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue" album.

Interview -- Judy Norton (Actress, Writer, Director)

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"You just call out my name And you know wherever I am I'll come running..." ~ Carole King ~ I first fell in love with Mary Ellen (Judy Norton) and the rest of the Walton family when she called her brothers and sisters “... a bunch of pissants ” for complaining about her plans to put a bird's nest on the Christmas tree in the holiday TV movie... "The Homecoming.”   I thought Mary Ellen was awesome!  First, because it sounded like she got away with a bit of cursing.  (I was nine, okay?)  And second, I thought she was very cool and really cute at the same time. (I was going on ten.)  "The Homecoming" was my first introduction to the Walton family and it immediately became one of my family's annual holiday viewing traditions.  But it was "The Waltons" TV series that became our goto when any one of us just needed to escape from the daily rat race and chill a while.  To this day, hardly a week goes by that we don't watch an

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Bang" (1972)

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"Bang" (front) I've heard many from the vinyl community describe  Bang's self-titled first album as being similar to Black Sabbath .  And I admit, it really does have that vibe.  The riffing and tempo changing style is familiar and great.  And the Ozzy-ness in the vocals is hard to miss, as well.  It kicks ass and I really enjoy the similarities.  Bang brings some pretty clever and contagious songs that headbang nicely.  But Bang's songwriting lacks the heavy gloom and darkness that Sabbath would take to the bank.  Had their writing been heavier in that regard...who knows?  Still, this is a strong album and stoners should appreciate this early taste of '70s proto-metal.  Bang was the band from Philly who deserved a better fate.  Pick it up when you find it. "Bang" (back) Capitol label (lime w/purple logo)  "The Queen" - Bang / "Bang" (1972) TRACKS: A1  "Lions, Christians" 3:58 A2  "T

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Share The Land" (1970)

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"Share The Land" - The Guess Who (1970) This is a great album that can almost always be found for $1...$2...maybe $3 dollars.  And it's a killer spin for your listening pleasure.  Loaded with no less than 4 radio songs with the rest of the album equally as entertaining.  The lost gem for me was the epic 9-min closer. “Three More Days.”   Not a minute is wasted.  It stays interesting from beginning to end with Burton Cummings sounding fantastic without going over-the-top.  It felt like a real band effort.  No egos.  The other is the hard-rockin'  “Hang On To Your Life" which I didn't know I knew until I spun the record.  The song has a killer harmonic hook that never gets old.  An under-appreciated treasure.  And the psych fade out of this song has a surprising, almost Morrison-like, recitation about something or other.  It's quirky and I dig stuff like that. For the small amount of coinage, this is a solid album.  There is even a bit of a Black O

I Went...SI--SI--SIRIUS...All The Way Home (again)

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(a short jaunt) "Shanghai Blues" - Robbie Robertson / "Sinematic" (2019) All right. Some new stuff from The Band legend... Robbie Robertson .  And he sounds like he's on a mission.  This has one of those cool sort of a spoken word recitations goin' on.  About a mob boss in Chinatown you don't even want to think about crossing.  Robertson is just someone easy to pull for.  I'm not the biggest fan of The Band...but I always thought he was a pretty cool hoss.  "Sinematic" is Robbie Robertson's 6th solo album. "Thoughts And Words" - The Byrds / “Younger Than Yesterday” (1967) “I thought I was on top of it all Everyone else was so small Then I knew what you wanted to do I knew what you wanted to do.” Chris Hllman penned this hot little biscuit and it's a sexy psychedelic monster.  The solo break is killer and waaay too short.  And doesn't it sound like McGuinn and Crosby are enjoying themselves? 

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Red Weather" (1969)

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"Red Weather" - Leigh Stephens (1969) Leigh Stephens was the lead guitarist for Blue Cheer for crying out loud, so his cred has already been nailed to the rock wall...but this album doesn't bring the thunder of that kinda noise.  However, Stephens' first solo album does have its crank-it moments.  They're pretty good, but they don't blow out your windows.  Mostly, there is an earthier chill-out spell being cast.  And it's this quirkiness that gives the album a bit of a psychy-vibe.  The album is a different octopus.  It's probably your "Blue Cheer" expectations that will let you down.  Leave your notions at the door and you might discover a few gems.   "Red Weather"  is by no means a necessity for your 'psych' collection, but it's still a nice one to own.  It has a great cover to display and Stephens does give us a few deep tracks worth discovering.  A bit of a grower.  My album was a record club copy. &quo

TCCDM Dig and Flip: "Cover" (1987)

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"Cover" - Jack Ketchum (1987) 302 pages NO SPOILERS: I've always been a big fan of Jack Ketchum and the creepy, twisting tales he enjoyed spinning around us, but "Cover" just didn't have enough 'shim in the shang-shang.'  A Vietnam veteran back from the war just can't deal, so he excuses himself from the table...preferring to isolate off in some secluded woods to try to work through some pretty messed-up memories.  On the other side of this coin is a small group of city shakers off to the forest for a little weekend back-to-nature break.  Of course...in the same general vicinity.  This reads much more like an average thriller than a typical JK horror novel.  The story reads fast and “Cover” does have its moments, but when you pull your book-dart away from the final pages...you're left with a story that's already been chewed a few times.  Still, when Ketchum goes off on a few of the main character's flashbacks..

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."Music To Eat" (1971)

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"Music To Eat" - Hampton Grease Band (1971) The Hampton Grease Band's only album... “Music To Eat” ...has reached a bit of cult status of sorts.  At one time, this album ranked as being the sorriest selling Columbia album ever...second only to a nobody yoga album.  That in and of itself is an oddly cool rep to possess.  This 88-minute double album is filled with quirky avant-garde rock.  There are plenty of silly and strange moments and at times the album has a bit of the Beefheart or Zappa vibe going-on.  But mixed in with all the weird cornucopia are some really good jamming sessions and psych dipping.  Much of it crank-worthy.  Yes, there is some eye-rolling weirdness, for sure, but overall my listening experience teeters to the side of ”just ride it.”   I don't love this album, but I like it enough to make room for it on my shelf.  “Music To Eat” was a hard one for me to find, probably because those that stumble on it, hold on to it.  There are enough inte

TCCDM Pulls One Out..."One Nation Underground" (1967)

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"One Nation Underground" - Pearls Before Swine (1967) “One Nation Underground” is filled with odd folk-psych melodies and a floaty moodiness that gives the listener a mind-loosening experience.  It's hard to explain but  Tom Rapp  is good at it.  Pearls Before Swine's debut is not completely covered in psych dust, but the album sounds clever and sometimes strange.  The opening track " Another Time" is a subtle example of Rapp on target.  There are a couple of heavier songs in the folk-psych mode.  "I Shall Not Care"  is probably my favorite.  And the biting Vietnam jab, "Uncle John"  is one of the better anti-war tracks I've heard.  The oddest track is the Dylanesque "Playmate" which is good but feels a little outta place.  I'm not sure what was the point.  I've since come to enjoy the Dylan take quite a bit.  Overall, "One Nation Underground" is a nice piece of folk psych that holds up pretty w

TCCDM Dig and Flip: "Hillbilly Elegy" (2016)

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"Hillbilly Elegy" - J.D. Vance (2016) 257 pages NO SPOILERS: From his early years surviving in a dysfunctional family home surrounded by dysfunctional neighbors, author J.D. Vance gives a compelling story about his own personal and painful journey growing up in the deep Appalachian areas running through Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio.  Poverty and abuse was just the way it was.  Love was often shown with violence.  Violence and loyalty went hand-in-hand.  His mother was an addict bringing in one boyfriend after another into their home.  Sometimes hanging around for a few months.  Other times, only a few days.  His teenage years were a juggle of bad grades and bullies.  The Marine Corps was soon knocking. (A common escape for young men in a hopeless town.)  Finally, Vance made it into college.  And Ivy League school at that. Stories like this one are not that unusual.  They happen.  But it's always a BIG surprise when they do.  It's like the rural Appalac

I Went...SI--SI--SIRIUS...All The Way Home (again)

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(a short jaunt) "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" - "The Rolling Stones / "The Rolling Stones No. 2" (UK 1965) This is the fantastic unedited UK album version.  On the US release, “The Rolling Stones Now!” ...the song tapped out at a measly 3-min clip and it's not nearly as hot.  I used to ignore early Stones albums, dismissing them as merely albums with a hit single and filler.  But man, was I wrong.  The more I listen to that early British r&b Stones swag...the more I want to hear.  Give Keith Richards'  “Life” biography a page-spin sometime.  It will really open your eyes.  This isn't throw away stuff.  This is the Stones loving what they do. "Girl From The North Country" - Joni Mitchell & Johnny Cash / "Best Of The Johnny Cash TV Show: 1969-1971" (2007) A young and gentle Joni Mitchell and the big man Johnny Cash .  The juxtaposition of these two artists knock this song right out of the park.  J