Various Artists - 30 Seconds Before The Calico Wall! (@320)

 

Various Artists - 30 Seconds Before The Calico Wall!

BEYOND THE CALICO WALL is a compilation of '60s acid-psych music originally released in the U.K. in 1990. It contains 14 tracks. Beyond the Calico Wall (1996) is a 20-track compilation of psychedelic subversions from the guru of all but forgotten '60s underground rock, Greg Shaw -- who founded Voxx in the late '70s as an alternative to new wave and techno/synth pop. By the time retro became au courant in the mid-'80s, the label had established itself as a trendsetter. The core purpose of sets such as this is to -- by whatever means feasible -- present buried treasures and long-forgotten classics. As such, the audio quality is often a reflection of the lack of pristine source materials. However, the raw essence of the music remains unblemished, if not somehow enhanced in its honesty. All of the pieces are unbridled master strokes of the proto-punk D.I.Y. mentality married to the equally inspired garage rock psych of the mid- to late '60s. In a significant nod to collectors, none of these sides can be found on run-of-the-mill "best-of" anthologies, and there are only a mere handful that are available in any other incarnation. The material ranges from highly infectious pop melodies such as Duffy's spry rocker "Come Back Come Back" or the speed-fueled madness of the Waterproof Tinkertoy's trippy "Continuation." There are also a fair amount of indescribably acidic and downright far-out cuts, including the repetitive "Suzie's Gone" by the Afterglow and the rambling of Ceylib People's "Changes." In addition to the plethora of unearthed gems, Beyond the Calico Wall features a few familiar titles -- such as the faithfully extended 11-plus minute reworking of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" from 6 Feet Under as well as Rasputin & the Mad Monks' jet-propelled rendering of "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)." Bhagavad Gita includes a mid-tempo distortion-driven electric guitar wailer titled "Long Hair Soulful," which was co-written by Chuck Mangione -- who included his version on his Eyes of the Veiled Temptress (1988). It is unknown if the famed jazz flügelhorn player was once a member of this Ohio-based band. The casual consumer might best be served by the decidedly more mainstream Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968 or the slightly more esoteric Pebbles series. Those who relish virtually unknown rock & roll relics in all manifestations will be enthralled by this release. The eight-page liner booklet gives some brief information on each band and in some cases photos, adverts, and other memorabilia where available. ~ Lindsay Planer

Tracklist:

01.Haymarket Riot - Trip On Out

02.The Inexpensive Handmade Look - What Good Is Up

03.The Looking Glasses - Visions             

04.The Brain Train - Me

05.The Sound Sandwich - Apothecary Dream 

06.The Moving Sidewalks - I Want To Hold Your Hand

07.The Loose Enz - The Black Door         

08.Ron Wray Light Show - Speed            

09.Morgan - Of Dreams (45 Version)     

10.Pepper & The Shakers - Semi-Psychedelic (It Is)           

11.Noah’s Ark - Love In

12.The Trees - Don't Miss The Turn        

13.Plague - The Face Of Time    

14.The Shaprels - Desert Maiden            

15.The Dovers - The Third Eye  

16.Dennis & The Times - Flight Patterns

17.The Omen - Once Upon A Taste        

18.The Lords - Death Bells At Dawn       

19.Glass Candle - Light The Glass Candle              

20.Six Feet Under - Six Feet Under Theme (Unreleased)

21.Tyde - Lost  

22.TNT - 99th Floor       

23.The Chateaux - Reference Man Part I              

24.Magic Swirling Ship - He's Coming Part II   

25.The Legends - High Towers  

26.The News - Blue Shoes          

27.Marshmellow Steamshovel - Steamshovel    

28.The Lords - Young Heartbeat (Unreleased Instrumental)

 

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