Tapestry Garden - She Needs Love / I'd Like To Get To Know You Better. 1968 USA ~ Texas

The debut from Tapestry Garden (see below for their last release). The A) side is also feminine psych but much more edgy. Excellent guitar, and in particular, hyperactive drum work. B) side is more like a Brill Building type single with strings, though the drummer is still cooking along quite nicely. 

4/24/25

The Dan Terry Thing ‎– Big Daddy / Funin'. 1968 USA

Of late I've had an interest in big band jazz rock. The Dan Terry Thing is an excellent example of that sound. The stage band charts are excellent and energetic though the soloing is odd. Seems like a kazoo (!?) at times. Were that fuzz guitar instead, this 45 would be a $500+ rarity. You can hear some Maynard Ferguson and Buddy Rich in these grooves.

I have the SP here, not sure I'm going to keep it. Will hold onto for a bit.

3/3

4/1/25 (new entry)

The Pop Workshop - Fairyland / When My Little Girl Is Happy. 1968 England

A) side is fairly typical harpsichord driven popsike. B) side is better with jangly guitars and a more thoughtful melody sequence.

Own.

3/28/25

The Fun Band - Welcome To The Circle / It's Good. 1968 USA ~ Connecticut

One of those under the radar singles you'd think would be more well known and sought after. First side is high energy fuzzy funk, and you long for the guitarist to rip a solo. The b) side is even better, focusing primarily on Hammond with some horns and fuzz in the background. This one let's loose on the organ, and even features a couple of proggy breaks. Who were these guys anyway? And why isn't anyone into them? It's got the right sound. You can pick this 45 up dirt cheap online.

Own. My copy is the other promo but there's not a good photo of it on Discogs.

2/24/25 (review)

The Pawnbrokers - Realize / Smell of Incense. 1968 USA-North Dakota

From Fargo, North Dakota, The Pawnbrokers certainly were turned onto the most psychedelic aspects of the movement. I have the A) on a comp and it's a fuzz blaster, perfect for that sort of thing. B) is new to me, and is a trippy psych number leading into some progressive Eastern ideas. This one hasn't been comped that I know of. What a great two sider.

9/10/24

American Soul Train - Can You Dig It / Tennessee Waltz. 1968 USA-Louisiana

A) side is horn driven funky soul with period lyrics. B) side is a slow dancer with gospel like crooning. Picks up nicely at the end with a faster beat and horns. Apparently the band name is a nom de plume for The Boogie Kings.

Used to own. Found at a local estate sale.

7/14/24

Estelle Levitt – All I Dream / I Like the Way it Feels. 1968 USA

One of those accidental singles that catches the ear of the psych funk crowd. There's a mild groove to this, but the strings and pop crooning give it away that Levitt is seeking fame and fortune. I like her voice, airy and sweet. RYM has it as psychedelic folk, sure I'll bite. But it's not any of the above really. The way the compositions develop, I'd bet they came from the Brill Building factory.

4/3/24

The Nurks - Another Rainbow / When You Can. 1968 USA-South Carolina

From Anderson, South Carolina (I was just there last year in fact). Opens with a haunting organ until we get into the familiar garage beat. Nice melodic vocals. This track has been anthologized. B) side adds in a bit of sax. The Nurks have a nice touch of harmony. Not bad at all.

2/13/24

3.5 / 3.0 

The Chylds - No More Tears / Grey Days. 1968 USA-Ohio

From Canton, Ohio. Above average soulful hard rocking psych. What separates this from the normal 60s psych 45 is the use of Hammond organ. Much more common to hear a Vox or Lowery or any other cheaper variety. B) side offers a slight tilt eastward adding a bit of exoticism. A very good two sider and surprisingly not comped.

12/24/20 (first listen); 2/13/24 (review / new entry)

The Outcasts - While I'm Here / Spell. 1968 USA-Virginia

Lots of groups named The Outcasts back in those days. This one was from Virginia. I have the B side on the Aliens Psychos & Wild Things Volume Fore comp. Good driving hard psych track with some really cool jams on one of those old cranky organs. So how is the A side? There's that organ blaring again - this time in 1960s soap opera fashion. Here we get a soul styled ballad. Yep - like I said in the Paraphernalia review: "Usually when only one side is featured on the comps, the other is to be avoided."

12/13/19 (first listen); 12/31/23 (review / new entry)

The Free - Decision For Lost Soul Blue / What Makes You. 1968 USA-Detroit

Detroit based group, many consider the A side one of the high water marks of psychedelic, given its massive fuzz break about half way through. As a tune, it's pretty good, with a consistent tribal top beat. The other side is more friendly, with a hippie singalong style and some finger pickin' guitar. Given the major label exposure (was later issued on ATCO), this is one of those 45s you actually have a chance of finding in the wilds.

5/6/20 (first listen); 12/17/23 (review / new entry)

The Blues Company - Experiment in Color / She's Gone. 1968 USA-Michigan

From Bay City. Yea, definitely more garage than psych. The a) track has a killer name, but musically is pretty tame by 1968 standards. B) is even more typical. Hugely sought after, but mostly lost on me. I'd rate it good, but nothing more.

7/22/22

Dick Rabbit - Take Me To L.A. / You Come On Like a Train. 1968 USA-Michigan

I've written about Dick Rabbit before, and it was for their other single. This is very similar to that one. Heavy fuzz psych guitar trio clearly molded after The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Both tracks are great, but the B side is lethal! This one needs to be comp'd with a full history.

7/22/22

The Wanderers - On the Road / Sleepin' in the Sun. 1968 USA-Michigan

Garage band from Michigan, near Grand Rapids. Pretty typical garage sounds, not very adventurous for the psych era, though there are remnants of that on the a) side. B) is fairly poppy but pleasant. Decent period piece. There's a lot of info about the band here.

7/22/22

Nancy Priddy - You've Come this Way Before / Ebony Glass. 1968 USA

Nancy Priddy is a new name for me, but I was very much captivated by this 45. When you see something like this pop up in front of you at the store, one immediately thinks of country, or one of those 60s female pop acts (Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, Connie Stevens, etc...). If you're lucky it might be soul related. As it turns out, the music's foundation is psychedelic, but with a soul backdrop. It takes the best of both: The break beats of soul and funk combined with some of the most trippy vocals this side of Brainticket. Not suggesting they are as lysergic laced, but it has this disorienting quality that I find highly appealing. I've never heard anything quite like this, and I certainly want to hear more. The good news is Priddy did manage to release a full album, and these two tracks are the opener. Well, look at that, it appears to have been reissued on CD (OOP) and LP (in print). Originals are expensive. Maybe I'll find it in the wilds, but I think I'll grab that LP reissue in the meantime (new copies going for cheap on Amazon). Regardless, this 45 is going nowhere. Oh, in other news, Nancy Priddy is the mother of Christine Applegate. Neat.

Ownership: SP: 1968 Dot. White label promo which apparently is more common than the commercial version. In either case, it's quite the expensive rarity. Another RT collection surprise, and this one was fortunately wrapped in plastic and in perfect condition.

9/18/21

The Steve Karmen Big Band featuring Jimmy Radcliffe - Breakaway Parts 1 & 2. 1968 USA

Don't be fooled by the group name, you won't be thinking 1940s bandstand here. This is primarily jazzy psychedelic with an absolutely killer beat, and what sounds like an electric sitar in the background. Radcliffe more or less "raps" on top when he's not crooning. The second side essentially removes Radcliffe so you can just hear the band jam. 

Ownership: SP: 1968 United Artists promo. This came from the RT collection (2021).

9/18/21

Wells and Fargo - Mother Goose Sonata / Winter Wind. 1968 USA-Detroit

There was an obsession among the psychedelic crowd with nursery rhymes during the late 60s. Fortunately the a) side is not one of them - but references the literature. It's a great track with psychedelic guitars way out front, and nice harmonic breezy vocals. There's a weird piano part at the end. Overall sounds more British, though I'm sure this is American (after some research, looks like Detroit). 'Winter Wind' has a similar vibe, but is more towards folk rock and gone are the acid guitars. Still an excellent piece. There's also a piano bit about 2/3's through. Maybe it was their little brother? ("let Timmy play a few notes too.."). The a) side is something you'd expect to find on a comp somewhere.

Ownership: SP: 1968 GVS. Online acquisition (2020) 

6/22/20 (first listen); 3/7/21 (review / new entry)

Cucumber - Don't Make Me Cry / Under. 1968 USA-Brooklyn

From Brooklyn. Well right from the very first note, you know this is going to be a psychedelic monster. Way fuzzed out guitars, with background Hammond organ, pounding rhythms, and spaced out vocals. The flip is an instrumental - just as acid drenched as 'Don't Make Me Cry', except it's a dirge. This is as good as it gets for underground psychedelic singles. Major leagues.

Ownership: SP: 1968 Cobblestone promo. Recent online acquisition (2021). 

Sometimes you just get lucky. I bought this from one of those ebay mega-sellers that usually gets top dollar for everything. A friend of mine had this one very highly rated, so I figured I'd throw in a lowball for the heck of it. I won it, and for significantly less than my high bid. Part of why that may have been is because their description had it rated as a G+, and that the labels were worn. Funny enough I never sampled it (which they always provide, and I usually check). Once I re-read the description I said "no wonder" (though the labels looked fine to me). But - that wasn't the case. Honestly I think they forgot to change the description. Once I received it, the labels look great (much better than Discogs' stock photos that you see here), and the condition wasn't scuffy at all. OK, the b side has a tiny feelable scratch for the last 30 seconds that causes a light tick. Big deal. I'm sure it was a listing mistake (this is an easy VG++). I'll take it!

2/8/21 (first listen / review / new entry)

King Midas and the Muflers - Mellow Moonlight / Tramp. 1968 USA-Kansas

This 45 leaves off the RnB from the predecessor and gets down to garage funky psych business, which is more to my tastes. From McPherson.

Ownership: SP: 1968 Kanwic. From a local estate sale.

6/14/20 (first listen / review / new entry)

Balthazar - La Marche des Travailleurs / C'est Bon. 1968 France

The A side is punk psych with French vocals, hyperactive drums, and fuzzy guitar. The B side predicts the French Theatrical movement as brought forth by Ange and the likes. But much more psychedelic of course given the year. A pioneering work. 

Confusingly there is another French band with the name Balthazar that are apparently pure pop. 

10/22/19