In our day jobs as connoisseurs
of the finest psychedelic sounds we often get asked by der kidz “Hey guys, we
dig them groovy psychedelic tunes but we are not sure which records we need to
buy, so what 20 psych albums would you recommend for a Psychedelic Starter
Pack??” Hey Kidz….Happy to oblige.
We have come up with a
list of 20 great records that span the last 50 years which we think if you got
your hands on and gave them a good listen you would be well on the way towards
a blown mind. Many of these albums are really easy to get hold of……we would
think you could get most of these in HMV (we would prefer you supporting your
local independent record store though). We have included the original label and
release date for each record, however many of these albums have been reissued
about a million times with bonus tracks and in some cases have been re-released
on specialist heritage labels so you may need to go a Googling to track one or
two of these down.
V/A - NUGGETS: ORIGINAL ARTYFACTS FROM THE FIRST
PSYCHEDELIC ERA 1965-1968 (Elektra 1972)
The great grand-daddy of 60s Psych/Garage Rock
compilations…..compiled by Lenny Kaye and including cuts from The Seeds, The
Electric Prunes, 13th Floor Elevators, The Standells et al. Rhino
have released many Nuggets compilations (including an expanded box set of this
album), although great records not one of them have the impact of these 27
songs……..essential.
DONOVAN – SUNSHINE SUPERMAN (Epic 1966)
The Donovan album that marked the full transformation
from folky troubadour to acid guru….at the time considered to be something of
an early acid-head bible.
THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION – FREAK OUT! (Verve 1966)
Still strange as fuck nearly 50 years on……mixes garage
rock, pop and doo wop songs with Los Angeles underground weirdness. Great place
to start for anyone new to the twisted world of Frank Zappa.
LOVE – FOREVER CHANGES (Elektra 1967)
One of the greatest albums of all time…….Nuff said.
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – SURREALISTIC PILLOW (RCA 1967)
A stone classic……includes the two best known Jefferson
Airplane songs, ‘Somebody to Love’ and ‘White Rabbit’, both are among the most
important compositions of from the first psychedelic era.
COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH – ELECTRIC MUSIC FOR THE
MIND AND BODY (Vanguard 1967)
Considered as the authentic sound of SF circa
1967…..politically orientated, wildly eclectic record blending poetry, anarchy,
politics and various strains of rock, blues, folk and country music with
considerable skill.
THE WEST COAST POP ART EXPERIMENTAL BAND – Vol 2
(Reprise 1967)
Although all of the first three of The West Coast Pop
Art Experimental Band albums are essential listening, Vol 2 is possibly the
best of one…..mainly because it has ‘The Smell of Incense’ on it.
PINK FLOYD – PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN (EMI Columbia
1967)
Quintessential UK psych rock and Syd Barrett’s finest
moment……peerless mix of very English whimsy and full on psychedelic freakouts,
an influence on psych bands that can still be heard today
TRAFFIC – MR FANTASY (Island 1967)
Take four stellar talents from the mid-sixties
Brumbeat scene and transport them leafy Berkshire to “get it together in the
country” for six months……add the finest hash known to mankind and this is the
result. THE sound of the summer of 67 in Britain.
PRETTY THINGS – S.F. SORROW (EMI Columbia 1968)
From the Pretty Things psychedelic phase and
acknowledged as being the first “rock opera”……this album predates the Who’s
‘Tommy’ by at least twelve months. If you can track down the expanded version
which includes the fantastic non album singles as bonus tracks, it is well
worth buying.
SMALL FACES – OGDENS NUT GONE FLAKE (Immediate 1968)
The classic Small Faces album…….this is what Mods on
acid sound like.
RAIN PARADE – EMERGENCY THIRD RAIL POWER TRIP
(Restless Records 1983)
Arguably the best of the Paisley Underground
bands……should have been massive but it never really happened for them. This is
their first and best album.
THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR – 25 O’CLOCK (Virgin 1985)
XTC masquerading as the mythical lost British
psychedelic band The Dukes Of Stratosphear. A lovingly crafted homage to late
60s Brit-Psych that is one of best records XTC made. Followed up with a second album
‘Psonic Psunspot’ that stylistically can be compared to ‘Oranges & Lemons’.
25 O’Clock was reissued with bonus tracks in 2009 on Ape House, but if you
can’t find it both albums were put together on the ‘Chips From The Chocolate
Fireball’ anthology which is easier to find.
STEREOLAB/NURSE WITH WOUND – SIMPLE HEADPHONE MIND
(Duophonic 1997)
Massive psychedelic remix of the Stereolab track ‘Long
Hair of Death’…….released as a very limited edition vinyl/CD EP and now rare as
hens teeth……get it here to listen to, it will blow your mind.
AMORPHOUS ANDROGYNOUS - A MONSTROUS PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE
EXPLODING IN YOUR MIND (Platypus 2008)
Now on a fourth volume…….Mixed and compiled by
Amorphous Androgynous, all of the A Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble albums are
brilliant……every track a killer tune. Psychedelia 101.
THE BLACK ANGELS – PHOSPHENE DREAM (Blue Horizon 2009)
All of The Black Angels albums are essential…….we like
this one best.
ALLAH-LAS – ALLAH-LAS (Innovative Leisure 2012)
No one does blissed out, shimmering psych pop better
than the Allah-Las. All your favourite 60s L.A./S.F. West Coast sounds on one
record.
NIGHT BEATS – SONIC BLOOM (Reverberation Appreciation
Society 2013)
A fuzzed out squall of a record……contemporary Garage
Rock at its finest.
GOAT – COMMUNE (Rocket 2014)
One of last year’s best albums…….Afrobeat and Psych
Rock mashed together in a crazy shamanistic ritual….Whirled Music indeed.
This is no way a definitive list……its stuff that we
like and think people should give a listen to. If you think we have missed out
some essential records or have an opinion on what we have included, feel free
to use the comment section below this post and join the discussion
THEE PSYCHEDELICATESSEN
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