The Velvet Illusions - Acid Head 1967 (@320)

 

The Velvet Illusions - Acid Head 1967

Many, many thanks to the folks at Tune In, a division of Cherry Red Records UK who have done so much for the preservation of US psych rock of the 1960s and 1970s. "Acid Head" contains all 10 sides of the 5 singles the Velvet Illusions released, all in 1967. This compilation takes its name from the cds opening track, a nice 3 minute slab of West Coast psych, of the heavy type, think Oxford Circle or Kak rather than Strawberry Alarm Clock. The music isn't all heavy. There is the odd sax, but its mostly tasty bits of guitar driven garage psych, done with Vox equipment since Vox was one of their sponsors. The run time on the cd is only 22 minutes 18 seconds, but that's what there is, no more no less. As for the songs themselves, "Acid Head" is actually an anti-drug tune about a young woman who "wakes up in the mornin' takin' pills that she don't need." The songs are incredibly mature considering the Velvet Illusions were high school students. The band's sound has the constant Vox organ pumping away, with the bass and drums holding solid rhythm, while their Mosrite double-head lead guitarist, Dewayne Russell is strong throughout. Even when the band veers toward the pop end of the spectrum, the vocals are gorgeous, and when the band is rocking on all cylinders they are incredible. Lead vocalist and Vox organist Steve (yes ironically) Weed and 6 string lead guitarist Randy Bowles shine throughout. Weed helped compose 6 of the 10 tracks found here, backing vocalist and saxophone player George Radford helped compose 7. It would have been interesting if the band had explored a musical career after graduating high school. Choosing not to, these 10 sides are all that remain of the Velvet Illusions. The stinging fuzz guitar of "Lazy" stands out, with Weed's insistent Vox organ following the guitar work of Bowles and Russell. Yakama, Washington isn't exactly known as the Fertile Crescent of psychedelic rock, but the Velvet Illusions stand as proof that some of the best music of the garage/psych of the day. Naive lyrics such as "hi ho stereo, a record trippin' we will go" give a certain quaintness to the heavy soundscape of "Acid Head." The covers are few, but the band's take on "Born To Be A Rolling Stone" is inspired and smokes. Fans of garage and psych will dig these cd, and it deserves a place on every collector's shelf.

Tracklist:

1. Acid Head - (Weed, Radford) - 3:04

2. She Was The Only Girl (Weed, Radford) - 2:36

3. I'm  Coming Home Los Angeles (Bobby Worth, Henry Sanicola) - 2:07

4. Town Of  Fools (Jerry Merritt) - 2:18

5. Velvet  Illusions (Weed, Radford) - 2:03

6. Born To Be A Rolling Stone (Jerry Merritt) - 1:49

7. Lazy (Sandra Karr, George Radford, Buddy Motola) -2:08

8. The Stereo Song (Radford, Weed, Motola) - 1:51

9. Mini Shimmy (Weed, Radford, Motola) - 2:11

10.Hippy Town (Weed, Radford, Buddy Motola) - 2:10

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