The Changing Image – Awakening Dream / The Happy Girl. 1969 USA-Miami

There's a bit of budget behind this title, as there's some orchestra backing the sunshine happy vocals. If you're a fan of The Association's style of pop psych, then these titles are worth seeking out. Pleasant but unnecessary in my world.

3 / 3

1/2/25

Grey Controversy - Now is the Time / Blues in G. 1969 USA-Connecticut

From New London. A side is a slow rock harmonic tune driven by organ and bass. Somewhat like Procol Harum. At 5:40, a long track for the singles market. And they stretched it well past its shelf life. B side is organ / guitar based 12 bar blues. Largely unknown. Not in RYM, so I'll rate this 2.5 stars here.

2.5 / 2.5

8/2/24

The Movement – Combination of the Two / Riding on a Sunday. 1969 USA-Buffalo

Custom pressing from Buffalo, New York.  Psych collector's dream opening with wild fuzz soloing. Roughhewn vocals follow, while the rhythm guitar rips away. Nice heavy solo towards the end. Hyperactive drumming too. B) gets right to business with a Steppenwolf styled hard rocker. Both sides exist on compilations.

7/15/20 (first listen); 2/13/24 (review / new entry)

Accents - Friendly Stranger / People are Funny. 1969 USA-Rhode Island

From Providence, Rhode Island. A) side kicks out the jams with some fine rhythm guitar and muted fuzz. B) side has more of a pop psych slant, but isn't unpleasant. Accents also featured a Hammond, which is a nice change of pace. 

2/13/24

The Cardboard Box - Come on Baby / Carol. 1969 USA-Pennsylvania

From Pottstown. A side starts off with a bit of distortion and moves into uptempo garage territory, with an almost funky beat. Good fuzz solo near the two minute mark. 'Carol' is a sleepy ballad. A side has been comped, so it's become sought after. 

1/23/24

Yellow Hair – Somewhere / Talent For Lovin'. 1969 USA-Missouri

A) side is like a psychedelic America (the band). Has their folk rock style but the harmony is more Beach Boys oriented. I'm a sucker for "la la la la's". They were from St. Joseph. Not a sound I'd associate with the region. On the B side their Midwest upbringing comes out. More aggressive with fuzz, fast drumming, and a rural rock underpinning.

1/2/24

Unsettled Society – 17 Diamond Studded Cadillacs / Passion Seeds. 1969 USA-New York

A side is a heavy wah wah psych classic that's been comped quite a bit. Neither track made any of the ones I own, so this is my first exposure. In hearing the drum patterns and guitar effects, one has to presume Iron Butterfly's poster was up in their collective bedrooms. Proto Krautrock really. B side goes for the witchy mystic midnight hour sound. They can't sing, but that's part of the allure honestly. Looks like they were from Syracuse.

1/2/24

Inner Lite – Hold On To Him / Tabula Rasa. 1969 USA-Iowa

Here's an oddball release from Des Moines, Iowa of all places. The label name certainly would have been considered risqué in its era. A) side is a pleasant organ driven pop psych, not that far from what Bacharach was writing, minus the talented musicians of course. B side ups the rock ante from the off, with a fine guitar solo early on and he never gives back the song from there. 

1/2/24

Summit - The Darkness / Thank You Mister Jones. 1969 USA-Missouri

Looks like Dr. Boom brought this one over to the house back in 2019. He probably also provided the song to the Brown Acid guys (he knows them). My review from then stated: "'The Darkness' is a killer slice of heavy psych / early heavy metal... To settle the origin of the band, Brown Acid states they are from Clinton, Missouri, which is about 90 minutes SE of Kansas City." We didn't listen to the B-side, but no loss, as it's a fairly straightforward folk rocker.

12/24/19 (first listen / review); 12/31/23 (update / new entry)

The Sun Lightning Incorporated - Quasar 45 / There Must Be Light. 1969 USA-Indiana

The A side starts off like a proto Krautrock tripaganza. Once it settles in, Quasar 45 is a cool little guitar driven instrumental. I like it. The B side is a fairly typical rock song for the era with guitar, piano, organ, and vocals. It sounds like a cover song made from various singles. Very interesting SP coming from a small town in northern Indiana.

12/31/23

Sounds Synonymous - Tensions / Babylon. 1969 USA-Michigan

From Flint, Michigan. Both sides of this very rare 45 have been comp'd quite a bit, and I have the B side since it's on the For a Few Fuzz Guitars More release. Both are very heavy for their era, and it doesn't seem too many of these bands were able to get to the LP stage. Though a whole album of music like this could prove to be exhausting - like early Blue Cheer in that way.

11/30/19 (first listen); 12/17/23 (review / new entry)

Park Avenue Playground - I Know / The Trip. 1969 USA-Chicago

From the Chicago suburb of Lansing. Despite being on a "major minor", this 45 is extinct. The B side is considered one of the pinnacles of American psych, and it's easy to understand why. Loaded with fuzz, organ, and trippy vocals, it defines what the psychedelic era means in the States. Fortunately I have this track courtesy of the Beyond the Calico Wall CD compilation. 'I Know' is like a rawer Strawberry Alarm Clock, so I'm down with this side too. 

5/15/18 (first listen); 12/17/23 (review / new entry)

Maxx - 200 Years / Castles. 1969 USA-Michigan

Speaking of Michigan bands that started private and then moved to a major label (see The Free entry). From Lansing, Maxx starts off in heavy rock territory, with some almost metalish guitar. It's a good tune too, better for my tastes than The Free. Best I can tell, the Mainstream release is a promo that features the first track only. The second song is fairly lengthy for a single at five minutes, and contains more of a jazzy trippy sound with meandering lightly tuned guitar. I like it too - so having the original Signal press is the way to go here.

12/17/23

The Psychotics - School Boy Blues / If You Don't Believe Me, Don't. 1969 USA-Michigan

From Grand Rapids (wondering now if I shouldn't have a separate tag for this fine, but relatively small, city). The a) side is super - truly psyched out blues with killer fuzz and organ. Vocals are definitely of the blues, or even early punk. B)'s pacing reminds me of The Doors in their bluesier moments. And their organ sounds older than even Manzarek's! Finishes with a blistering fuzz solo. This is really great. 

7/22/22

The New Life - Backwoods Annie / Ha Lese (Le Di Khanna). 1969 USA-California

The New Life were from Fresno, California. The A side sounds like you would imagine, that of country rock. It's OK. The B side is somewhat legendary and was used in a biker flick. Mostly screaming fuzz psych with hyperactive drumming, though not overly memorable.

4/19/21

Dick Rabbit - Love / Trip. 1969 USA-Michigan

Dick Rabbit were a band from Bay City, Michigan (near Saginaw) who played in the Detroit scene with The Amboy Dukes and The Stooges. 'Love' is completely immersed in the zonked out Hendrix zone and is brilliant. 'Trip' is a Donovan cover and is a bit more coherent, but less exciting.

2/10/20