The College Crowd Digs Me

(a short jaunt) "Good Clean Fun" - Allman Brothers / "Seven Turns" (1990) Apparently, this was the first time that the "Midnight Rider" Gregg Allman and the "Ramblin' Man" Dickey Betts shared writing credits.  That's pretty cool that they finally did and really surprising that it took'em so long.  Southern rock and the boys are getting'er done.  It only took'em nine studio albums to get there.  Anyway, the song sounds like a jukebox good time to me.   And boy, don't it make ya feel good hearing Dickey tear it up in the middle. (NEED) "Mr. Radio" - ELO / "The Electric Light Orchestra" (1971) Old radio tuning sounds at the beginning and experimental studio trickery at the end is very cool and a bit trippy.  No one can mix the classical strings with pop-rock so seamlessly as  ELO .  I'm guessing Jeff Lynne was the man behind the curtains on this one.  And the song from the band's debut album ...

"YES" - YES (1969) Part of the fun of collecting vinyl is spinning the egg from whence a legendary band has hatched.  In 1969,  YES released their eponymous debut album sans guitarist Steve Howe ...sans keyboardist Rick Wakeman ...hell, even artist Roger Dean was missing.  On this enjoyable debut, Peter Banks  was wielding the ax.  Tony Kaye  was commandeering the keys.  And David Gahr was responsible for the album cover. And still, the band was cooking with electric gas even then.  However, the album was more prog-pop than we were used to.  Elements of jazz snaked into the mix.  And, oh yeah, the band added a few psychedelic flourishes here and there.  In fact, if you are someone not especially fond of YES , check out this biscuit.  You might be pleasantly surprised. "YES" (back) Favorites include the wickedly clever cover of The Beatles, "Every Little Thing."   Beatle covers are pretty much a snore for me, but with ...

NightFire shares their list of the best horror novel that takes place in each state. By his own admission, Elijah Wood is a record nerd.  And he talks about his most recent vinyl pick-ups at What's In My Bag. Echoes In The Wind shares the surprising musical artist that takes up most of his digital real estate. Always fun watching Jeff over at the Vinyl Community's  Burnout Shelter show his record finds.  "Just Passing" - Small Faces / b-side (1967) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK

  "Early Morning Blues and Greens" - Diane Hildebrand (1968) Diane Hildebrand had been writing songs for TV shows and musical acts like The Monkees and folk-psych band The Lewis & Clarke Expedition when she recorded her only album for Elektra Records.  "Early Morning Blues and Greens"  is a very cool singer-songwriter album with a dark, sometimes melancholic, air about it.  The album is not without a little bit of psych flavor floating around, as well.  And the unfamiliar vocals of  Hildebrand are pretty nice to hear. "Early Morning Blues and Greens" - Diane Hildebrand (back) The album is on the highly-regarded Elektra Records 4000 series and can usually be had for under $10...if you can find a copy in the wild.  Side One is the stronger, but the drop-off is hardly noticeable.  Favorites are "Jan’s Blues."   "From Rea Who Died Last Summer."   "The Reincarnation Of Emmalina Stearns."   And  "You Wonder Why You...

(a 20-minute jaunt) "Deserted Cities Of The Heart" - Cream / "Wheels of Fire" (1968) Surprisingly, I don't own this album.  But the song, the last track on side two, sounds like a legit lost classic to me.  Where have you been all this time radio-radio?  It has a blistering Eric Clapton solo with Ginger Baker committing homicide on his drums for good measure.  Jack Bruce does the rest.  This was Cream's 3rd album, a double package half studio/half live.  And for what it's worth, "Wheels Of Fire" checked-in at #205 on RS 500 greatest albums of all time. (NEED) "Breathless" - Todd Rundgren / "Something / Anything?" (1972) I have a love/hate relationship with this most-talented chameleon.  Todd is a shape-shifter.  A swimmer of deep waters.  Tightwires without a net.  Pulls his bow while blindfolded.  And sometimes he gets too clever for his own good.  But sometimes he gets it right.  "Something/Anything?" is ...

Bookgasm reviewed the latest novel from Stephen King. The Hits Just Keep On Comin' cherry-picks a few songs from the weekend of March 9, 1991. Vinyl Community's PsycheDerek shares his personal list of Top 20 Psych Albums on ABC Records. The Wicker Tree (2011) ...not as good as the original film, but is still a bit of fun nonetheless. "Turn Your Head" - Rare Bird ‎/ "Somebody's Watching" (1973) Good stuff. Casey Chambers Follow Me On FACEBOOK  

"The Outlaw Blues Band" - The Outlaw Blues Band (1968) The Outlaw Blues Band's self-titled album is a unique mix of stinging blues guitars and tasty blows of jazz horn and vibraharp in all the right measures.  The blues-rock and jazz blend make for a cool, sometimes downright avant-garde journey.  And for 1968, sounds fresh and a few years ahead of its time.  There's a couple of weaker tracks, but mostly this is a satisfying album on many levels. The album was a total blind purchase.  I'd never seen the album, but it was from '68 and the cover looked interesting.  Tagged at $14, I may have overpaid, but I wanted to leave the store with something.  Weighing my chances of stumbling on the album again, I pulled the trigger.  I'm really glad I did.  The square sounds better with each spin.  "The Outlaw Blues Band" (back) Favorites are the psych-dusted "I've Got To Have Peace On My Mind."    The heady "Death Dog Of Doom" is...

"Forever Changes" - Love (1967) "... the streets are paved with gold and if someone asks you, you can call my name."    "Forever Changes" was Love's 3rd studio album and is considered a masterpiece of psych folk-rock perfection.  There is a gaggle of accolades to be found on google, so I won't rehash too much.  But for any new spinners,  "Forever Changes" is a rather unusual album of acoustic psych-rock sprinkled with stinging bites of electric guitar and tasteful touches of horn that occasionally drop in.  Both melodies and lyrics are heady and mind-pleasing.  Suffice to say, the album is an essential square to own and spin. "Forever Changes" (back) "Forever Changes" has been reissued several times, but nice early pressings can still be found.  So you definitely have choices.  My copy is not OG, but lingers very close to the house.  And it bangs nicely.  Favorites are "A House Is Not A Motel."   The ps...

"The Last Oracle" by James Rollins (2009) Paperback, 462 pages NO SPOILERS: A James Rollins novel is one you reach for when you just want to curl up and burn some pages with a good adventure.  Mixing strange facts with plausible ideas, Rollins has carved out a well-known niche that keeps readers coming back.  Pages filled with plot twists and thrilling ducks and dodges that longtime readers have come to expect.      "The Last Oracle" finds a secret organization located in the mountains near Chernobyl planning to take over the world by using savant children who have shown a talent for strong intuitions and accurate premonitions.  This mystery adventure includes over-the-top cold war experiments, under-reported nuclear waste sites, and the Sigma Force left to figuratively clean up the mess.  The story is a fascinating and enjoyable adventure with enough action and louies to keep the reader on their toes.  Not in my top five, but still one heck of...

(a 20-minute jaunt) "Talking About the Good Times" - Pretty Things / 45 single (1968) This lost gem of a song was supposed to be on The Pretty Things 4th album ... "S.F. Sorrow" ...but at the last minute it was released as a single instead.  The album itself is considered by many to be the very first "concept" album.  I've yet to hear it, so I don't have a dog.  But if this is just one of the songs that didn't make it onto that album, I'll take all the leftovers they got.  Yeah, I know I could stream it, but for some records, ya just gotta hold it in your hands and spin it for yourself. (WANT) "What About Me" - Quicksilver Messenger Service / "What About Me" (1970) Every one of the Quicksilver Messenger Service albums I own, I found residing in a $1 or $2 bargain bin somewhere.  And I enjoy every one of'em.  This was their 5th album.  Pretty good bang for the buck.  How about any of you guys? (OWN) "I...

"Come And Have Some Tea With The Tea Company" - The Tea Company (1968) The Tea Company, from out of New York, left behind one album. The music was intentionally trippy and a bit freaky with an album cover that leaves little doubt as to the kind of "tea" they are thinking about.  Side one is the deeper psych for the head and side two has a more poppy psych vibe.  And I loved it.  The band dive in with both feet.  Nothing too heavy, but tasty studio trickery abounds and make for some pleasing psych moments. Some of the lyrics are a tad cheesy in places, but they are sung with a sincerity that begs forgiveness.  I dug it.  The album has become a sought-after essential for psych lovers and nice copies are starting to sting the wallet.  Still, as record hunters are want to say...good deals can be had.  My copy was a "right place, right time" find for low dollar from a local seller known as Garageman G.  "Come And Have Some Tea With The Tea Compa...