The College Crowd Digs Me

"Corridor Of Faces" - Lazy Smoke (1968 - Rei 2010)     Lazy Smoke was a psychedelic pop-rock group out of Massachusetts.  In 1968, the band released their one album.  And, as all too often happens, Lazy Smoke was not able to grab the golden ring and soon drifted apart.  However, with less than 500 copies pressed, originals have become a highly sought-after psych-wax square.  And good luck finding one, cause it's a needle. Influences of the late 60s Beatles can easily be heard throughout "Corridor Of Faces" ...specifically from the John Lennon side of the table, thanks to the vocal timbre of John Pollano .  And the light sprinkles of psychedelic studio trickery are nicely employed.  Obviously, not as clever or as inventive as the Fab, but the music that lies within still makes for a pleasant, lysergic spin.   "Corridor Of Faces" - Lazy Smoke (back) "Corridor Of Faces" - Lazy Smoke (Custom Inner Sleeve Front/Back) Favorites incl...

Sandman Mystery Theatre: Book Two Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle Guy Davis (Illustrator) Vertigo (2016) Graphic softcover, 384 pages     It's the 1930s and Sandman is the wealthy, but unassuming, Wesley Dodds.  Dodds is a gentleman compelled to solve murders in the decadent streets of New York City.  His unique method of crime-chasing is by secretly donning a gas mask, carrying a sleeping gas gun, and slipping out during the late night hours to find answers.  As I have said in the past, the premise sounds big-time lame, but the writing and drawing pull you right in. The 2nd volume is stronger than its predecessor.  This graphic novel has a dark noir-ish vibe making everything seamy and perfect for the telling.  Pages are filled with glittery decadence and gritty, sleazy shadows.  And neither the violence nor sex is sugar-coated.  The stories are probably not meant for the innocent. Sandman Mystery Theatre: Book Two (inside) Surprisin...

"A Wizard, A True Star" - Todd Rundgren (1973)     I probably have more albums from bands that have been produced by Todd Rundgren , than I do his own albums.  He's a musical savant in the studio, no doubt, and I absolutely admire his third-eye visions, but his solo output can be a little hit or miss for me.  Still, there are a handful of Rundgren albums that I've actively been keeping an eye out for.  "A Wizard, A True Star" was one of them.   Side one is a kaleidoscope of musical ideas that stop by the house for a quick hello, stand on the front porch, but never come inside.  Pop psych.  Pop rock.  Pop prog. Experimental.  Melody truffles from every direction are all crafted in meticulous, precise measures.  Everything is as it should be.  A headphone wearer's delight.  Like a Miyagi-Do circle protecting the egg in "Cobra Kai"... "A Wizard, A True Star" is impossible to crack.   Side two is more s...

"The Deluge" - Manilla Road (1986 - Rei 2017)     "The Deluge" was Manilla Road's fifth album and it's an entertaining beast.  From Wichita, KS, their music is a mix of ferocious heavy power metal with occasional dips into the doom pool.  Songs of otherworldy legends and time-crack myths are delivered with prodigious vocals and blistering saw-chain guitar riffs.  The drumming and bass work are relentless and pointed.  Nothing sounds cheap or tossed.   This is the fourth Manilla Road I've picked up.  My first on vinyl.  I've had "The Deluge" on heavy rotation this past month and it's starting to worm its way to the top.  Manilla Road  dotted and crossed all the i's and t's on this one.  And the band sound like eyewitnesses at the scene of a crime.  And you believe'em. "The Deluge" - Manilla Road (back) Lyrics Insert (front/back) Favorites include: "Hammer Of The Witches" "Divine Victim" ...

"After The Gold Rush" - Neil Young (1970)     Everyone knows about Neil Young's ... "After The Gold Rush."   The square shows up on almost everyone's list of greatest all-time albums.  This was Neil Young's third studio album.  And if you don't have it in your collection, you should. I'm just gonna talk about the vinyl I picked up.  My copy is on the tan Reprise label (Reprise was in the middle of switching from the two-tone) and is a Terre Haute press noted by the TI in the deadwax.  It's also the 2nd version copy.  Not exactly the very first pressing, but very close.  Probably pressed the same year or possibly early 1971.  This album was supposed to include a fold-out lyrics insert, but unfortunately, the previous owner must've scarfed it.   "After The Gold Rush" - Neil Young (back) Still, this copy is an upgrade for me.  My other one has a skip right at the very beginning of the opening track.  I tried a fe...

"Tin Tin" - Tin Tin (1970)     Tin Tin's self-titled album was released in 1970, and though the music sounds like it's trying to play catchup, the square is a surprisingly good spin.  Tin Tin was a duo from Australia who wrote and sang their own songs and most of the tracks stand-alone pretty well.   An overall baroque-ish pop aura surrounds many of the songs, but there is some occasional psych dust tossed around, albeit light.  A couple of tracks that flash some grit.  Plus one quivery mellotron hit song that I didn't know I had ever heard before.  As you might have guessed, there is a tad of Bee Gees vibe going on as well. (The album was produced by Maurice Gibb after all.)  But hints of The Easybeats and Small Faces can also be discerned.   "Tin Tin" - Tin Tin (back) Favorites include: "Toast And Marmalade For Tea" "She Said Ride" "He Wants To Be A Star" My copy is a very clean white-label promo.  The album co...

"Electric Band" - The Glass Family (1969 - Rei 2015)     The Glass Family was a trio from the West Coast area that opened for almost everybody but was never the bride.  They have an occasional Doors-like vibe going on, thanks to some tasty keyboard sprinklings here and there, mixed with some of that cool Country Joe hippie west-coast swag.  But that description is only my lame attempt to guide you in the general direction.  Each song surprises with its arrangement choice and tends to avoid many of the songwriting tropes of the 60s.  The square has groovy moments of a floatadelic spirit, but not without its moments of fuzz bite and sting as well.  Some might not catch the magic, but dude, the magic is all over the place.  It's clear from the hippie house on the album cover that all friends are welcome...but don't cause any shit that you're not prepared to clean up as the fella holding the plunger implies.   I picked this up a ...