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Album of the week
Albums should be listened to in their entirety, just
as the artist had intended you to experience them. Many an artist's great hits sound
cheesy when heard on the burnt out playlists of the "classic rock " stations.
However, these tunes take on an entirely different meaning when listened to in the
context of their original creation. For example, when heard between "Alabama Song
(Whisky Bar) and "Back Door Man" on their debut album The Doors, the
classic composition "Light My Fire" is heard in a very different context.
Below we present some of the greatest works ever recorded, in no particular order.
Every title listed below is a must-have for any serious psychedelic music fan's
collection. Greatest hits albums are excluded from these reviews. Our mission
is to encourage everyone to go back deeper into an artist's catalogue and enjoy many of
the lesser known, but equally outstanding songs and creative albums they have contributed
to music.
previous selections
Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds -
1978
 H.G.
Wells gets the musical treatment in extraordinary fashion in this double
album. An absolute mind blower, featuring Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy,
Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, David Essex, Chris Thompson (Manfred
Mann), and Richard Burton as the Journalist/Narrator. You are transported
to 19th century London to face the end of humanity set to a scorching guitar,
bass, and keyboard licks. Put on the headphones, lock the doors, and turn
off the lights while you listen to this masterpiece in its entirety. The
musical was composed, orchestrated, conducted, and produced by Jeff Wayne.
Wayne, son of Broadway star Jerry Wayne and writer Doreen Wayne, also
produced the Essex hit Rock On and scored the soundtrack to the
Roger Daltrey film McVicar. Forever Autumn, sung by Hayward
achieved minor hit status in the US. Remember, "the chances of
anything coming from Mars, are a million to one," he said......
Disc: 1
1. The Eve Of The War
2. Horsell Common And The Heat Ray
3. Artilleryman And The Fighting Machine
4. Forever Autumn
5. Thunder Child
Disc: 2
1. Red Weed Part 1
2. Spirit Of Man
3. Red Weed Part 2
4. Brave New World
5. Dead London
6. Epilogue Part 1
7. Epilogue Part 2
Order
this album
Santana - Abraxas - 1970
 Carlos Santana honed his skills playing B.B. Kingesque
blues in Tijuana strip joints. Barely out of high school
he talked his way into jam session at Fillmore West with members of the Grateful
Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and his idol, Michael
Bloomfield. Bill Graham describes his encounter with Carlos and pal
Michael Carabello in autobiography, "They were like
seventeen years old. 'Oh, jeez,' they said. 'You know. Like we wanna see
the great Eric Clapton, man. But we don't have the bread.' They told me
they were putting this band together. For me the magic word was
"conga y timbales." Right away I wanted to see them play."
The band's blend of rock guitar, hot wailing organ, and
latin percussion made for great psychedelic grooves. This
second offering from the band features the radio favorite side one with a cover
of Fleetwood Mac's Black Magic Woman and Tito Puente's Oye Como Va.
Side Two of the original album is just as good, with rockers such as Se a
Cabo, Mother's Daughter and Hope You're Feeling Better. There
is also the soulful Samba Pa Ti.
Singing Winds, Crying Beasts/ Black Magic Woman/
Gypsy Queen/ Oye Como Va/ Incident at Neshabur/ Se a Cabo/ Mother's Daughter/
Samba Pa Ti/ Hope You're Feeling Better/ El Nicoya
Order direct from Amazon.com
Produced by Fred Catero and Santana
Also see:
Bill Graham and Robert Greenfield - Bill Graham
Presents: My Life Inside Rock and Out
the Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
- 1967
Order direct from Amazon.com
 While the psychedelic era blossomed in San Francisco, there was a bourgeoning
underground scene in London. Several bands arose whose music was unlike either
"mods" or "rockers." They included The Soft Machine and the Pink Floyd
and were house bands at clubs like U.F.O. (which stood for Underground Freak Out.)
Influential underground papers such as IT (International Times) covered the
political scene. These "freak outs" were characterized by wild pschedelic
light shows that were as entertaining as the bands themselves. Five years before Dark
Side of the Moon, and barely two months after the release of Sgt. Pepper's, Piper
featured former architecture students Nicky Mason on drums, Rick Wright on organ and
piano, and Roger Waters on bass and vocals. This was charismatic lead guitarist Syd
Barrett's shining moment in the sun. His fragile state of mind was soon to crumble
under the influence of too much fan adulation and an overindulgence of psychedlics. Syd
was replaced by a then 17 year- old fellow Cambrige native, David Gilmour.
Highlights of the album include the spectacular - Astonomy Domine and Insterstellar
Overdrive as well as the delightfully strange - Pow R. Toc H., The Gnome, and Chapter
24. An early look at music genius. The best was yet to come. The album cover
is one of few to depict the band members' faces.
Astronomy Domine/ Lucifer Sam /Matilda Mother / Flaming /
Pow R. Toc H./ Take Up Thy Stethescope and Walk / Interstellar Overdrive / The Gnome /
Chapter 24 / Scarecrow / Bike 
produced by Norman Smith
Additional information:
Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey-
by Nicholas Shaffner, 1991 Harmony Books - now available in paperback.
Order
it today from Amazon.com!
 The band was formed in 1969 by singer- keyboardist Rick Davies and
singer-guitarist Roger Hodgson, who were supported for nearly five years by a wealthy
Dutch friend of Davies'. During that time Supertramp released their self-titled
debut in 1970, and Indelibly Stamped in 1971, which scarcely left any impression
on the buying public. In 1974, their patron bailed out, and the band was
forced to create something meaningful, or perish. To wit, they delivered Crime
of the Century, a magnificently recorded and brilliant sounding album. Before
CD's became ubiquitous, the half-speed mastered copy of this album was the ideal record to
test the quality of a high-end stereo system. This is never more evident than on the
opening chords to School. It begins as a wailing harmonica solo that gives
rise to guitar, vocals, and keyboards. You hear the faint cries of schoolchildren in
the background as the song builds to a crescendo of drums, maracas, and vibe-like
keyboards. Everything comes crashing together in a violent blast of staccato bass, fiery
piano, and hard hitting drums that should always be played at the loudest tolerable level.
That gives way to the album's only FM hit- Bloody Well Right. All
the songs on Crime of the Century are very melodic and hypnotic such as Asylum,
Dreamer, and If Everyone Was Listening. Rudy is especially
notable for its middle passage where you feel like you are hurtling forward at 200 mph on
a runaway train.
Bob C. Benberg (Drums, Percussion)
Roger Hodgson (Vocals, Guitar, Pianos)
John Anthony Helliwell (Saxophones, Clarinet, Vocals)
Dougie Thompson (Bass)
Richard Davies (Vocals, Keyboards, Harmonica)
Produced by Ken Scott and Supertramp
Engineered by Ken Scott and John Jansen
Recorded at Trident, Ramport Studios and Scorpio Sound, London
between February and June, 1974
School / Bloody Well Right / Hide In Your Shell /
Asylum / Dreamer / Rudy / If Everyone Was Listening / Crime of the Century
For more info:
Official Supertramp
page
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