Blue Mudd - Natural High / Lay it On the Line. USA

At 10 minutes, you really get your money's worth here. That's EP length. The a) side just flat out kicks ass. Killer dual guitars with some serious fuzz action. Ostensibly this falls into the southern rock genre, but at its most psychedelic. Like the best of The Allman Brothers. The b) side is more traditional southern rock and checks many of the boxes. I was already sold, so I'm enjoying this track as well. Great discovery. No idea where these guys are from, but it's safe to assume the southeast. As for a date, and the psychedelic nature of the guitars on the first side, I'd go with 1972 to 1974.

According to Discogs they recorded another single under the name Blue Mud (in California). though no further data has emerged. At this point, I'm not sure it's the same band.

Ownership: SP: 19?? private. Online acquisition (2020)

9/25/20 (first listen); 5/16/21 (review / new entry)

Southern Savanna - Hear Me / Devil In My Life. 197? USA-Dallas

I had a lot of personal great discoveries last year. Storm, Manchester Bridge Band, Red Machine, Buffoon, Luxus, Heavy Blow, Highway, Dream'r, the list goes on. But Southern Savanna takes the #2 spot. What a guitar tone this guy gets! Starting off with a killer riff and then right into the rhythm, this has the right groove. Then the vocalist comes in, and he actually knows how to sing. A real dude too. Then there's break after break, progressive in nature. Love the pounding drums. This is just awesome hard rock. All killer, no filler. And the b) side is no less awesome. More ass kicking with crankin' solos. Picking up some Blue Cheer on this one. Essential. 

The band name indicates these guys might be from the southeast, Georgia in particular. YouTube says Texas (but where?), and there's no evidence to support that claim. Though it could very well be accurate. As for a date, 1971 seems about right. Found some hard evidence that the label is from Dallas, so we'll go with that.

Ownership: SP: 19?? Sevens International. Online acquisition (2020). 

11/1/20 (first listen) 5/16/21 (review / new entry)

Gandharvas - Dandelion Wine / K'Vei. USA

Here it is - my #1 personal SP discovery from 2020. And what a monster it is. I've been sitting on this for months, just haven't had the opportunity to catch up.

The a) side is a strong example of hard psychedelia with amplified/megaphone vocals sung into the lost void. Background piano, distorted jangly guitars, and a messy rhythm section creating a racket in the background. Some saxophone solos as well. By itself, the track doesn't surpass either of those from Southern Savanna as a comparison. Then we come to the seven and a half minute (!) instrumental 'K'Vei'. Oh... my... goodness. Yes, it's an Eastern jam cycle with soaring flute, a buzzing organ, tortured jazz sax, running bass lines, pounding percussion recalling Pink Floyd at its most trippy with a dash of 'The World's on Fire' from Strawberry Alarm Clock's debut. Overall what it most reminds me of is '?!' from Group 1850's Paradise Now. No guitar oddly enough, but it's not missed.

No clue where this is from. I bought it from a guy in Minnesota, so it's possible it's from there. As for a date, I'd guess 1968 or 1969.

Ownership: SP: 19?? private. Online acquisition (2020).

7/3/20 (first listen); 5/16/21 (review / new entry)

The Beautiful Daze - City Jungle Prt. 1 / City Jungle Prt. 2. 1967 USA-Los Angeles

From Los Angeles, The Beautiful Daze gives us exactly the sound every collector wants from a psych single. A good tune wrapped in massive amounts of fuzz. It's one song stretched to two sides. I have a bunch of heavy psych comps, and these tracks missed them all.

4/19/21

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

Keystones - I See the Face of a Lady / Here's My Heart. 1972 USA-Chicago

This obscure 45 from the Chicago area is mostly spacey pop psych with dreamy vocals. The a) side features harpsichord and organ over a drifty love song. The b) side opens with a fuzz chord that is repeated elsewhere, and has more of an organ presence. Similar song styles on each. Pity the guitarist never ripped off a solo, as the sound is delicious. Overall it sounds more like something from 1968 than '72, which might explain its total disappearance from the landscape.

Ownership: SP: 1972 Herbie. Online acquisition (2020).

5/18/20 (first listen); 3/7/21 (review / new entry)

The Union - Love?? / Good Things. 1967 USA-Houston

One more completely obscure 45, this time from Houston, that proves the 60s were loaded with great talent, and not enough outlets for them all. 'Love??' is really great and has that tranced out psychedelic sound with doomy fuzz organ. Think of a post-Animals song mixed with the Group 1850 singles. Awesome. 'Good Things' is more groovy, also featuring organ (not fuzzed though) and jangly guitars with a great hummable tune. Definitely these guys should have made it past the minor leagues.

Ownership: SP: 1967 Radel. Online acquisition (2020).

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

Crawdaddy - Traveling Down The Road / Lovers At Night, Strangers By Day. 1978 USA-North Carolina

I think with a name like Crawdaddy, and coming from North Carolina, you can guess what this might sound like. And you would be right. The a) side is the winner here. Starting off with electric piano, it has a late era Doors meets Allman Brothers vibe. Some fine slide guitar as well. The b) side is a bit too honky-tonk for me. Not that it's country music - it's still rock - but it's that element of the genre I don't enjoy.

Ownership: SP: 1978 New Hope. Online acquisition (2020). 

6/16/20 (first listen); 3/7/21 (review / new entry)

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)

Storm - Break it Down / Back Off. 1977 USA-Chicago

Now this is my kind of hard rock! One of the best of my SP purchases last year. Heavy guitars and crunchy Hammond on side a), with Moog synthesizer and screaming guitar solos on the flip. Vocalist is screaming on top throughout. Not even 6 minutes of material here, and I'm still completely satisfied. I want to hear much more from these guys - maybe they have more in a can somewhere. Interesting they are on the same obscure label as the also excellent Damrod I spoke about last year on this blog. I presume, because of this, they are from Chicago as well.

Ownership: SP: 1977 Ruby promo. Online acquisition (2020). 

7/4/20 (first listen); 3/7/21 (review / new entry)

Monarch - All I Wanted Was You / Love of Yesterday. 1982 USA-Washington DC

When I first stumbled onto this at a thrift shop, I thought it was an unknown soul 45. Just look at the song titles. Never would have thought heavy metal! Now this isn't super heavy by any means, it's on the melodic side, more typical of the early 80s American metal scene. Think Quiet Riot. But the lead guitar is excellent throughout, and the songs are well written - enough so, I'm keeping it!  After some lengthy research I discovered the band were from the DC area.

Ownership: SP: 1982 National. Thrift shop find (2020). There is a picture sleeve for this, but unfortunately the copy we found didn't have it. These photos are my copy - and added to Discogs many months ago.

3/28/20 (first listen); 2/28/21 (review / new entry)

Dream'r - What the Hell / Stranger. 1981 USA

'What the Hell' starts off with some harmonica and that gets into a southern hard rock riff, while chorusing the namesake track. Not bad, but rather typical hard rock for the era. It's the b side that you're after here. 'Stranger' is completely different - and completely out of time. Sounding like Uriah Heep circa 1972, this is a killer heavy prog track with searing guitar leads and beautiful crunchy Hammond organ. Dig the breezy vocals too. I'm really hoping these guys put more to tape here than this. What a great archival release it would be.

I can't find anything about these guys. One Japanese reference says it's related to a group called The Boyzz from Chicago, but none of the names match. In any case I've seen copies turn up on ebay from time to time, so guessing there was some unsold stash found. And Discogs has a few as well (not expensive - so worth nabbing if you collect SPs). My copy is basically new, another sign of that.

There's some evidence that this could be from the Eugene, Oregon area. There's a label from there and the catalog number fits. However, there's no label logo on this release like the others.

Ownership: SP: 1981 Triad. Online acquisition (2020). 

5/13/20 (first listen); 2/28/21 (review / new entry)

Bobby Saunders Xplosion - Chain Reaction / Angel. 1980 USA-Baltimore

'Chain Reaction' is a solid late 70s styled hard rocker with a heavy guitar riff and features both Moog and Hammond Organ. Good stuff, and definitely cutting edge for 1980. 'Angel' is definitely more rooted in the 1980s sound with cheap synthesizer and a more ballad like approach. All the same, the guitar has some muscle. This isn't metal, definitely hard rock. The a) side makes it a keeper.

Nothing is known about this artist from the Baltimore area. They had one more single from 1982 that must have been much more popular, as it's cataloged in various places. But not this one.

Ownership: SP: 1980 Mob. Online acquisition (2020). 

5/14/20 (first listen); 2/28/21 (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)

The Raindear Army ‎- Subterranean Sunset / Aviator. 1967 USA-Illinois

The Raindear Army were a band from Springfield, Illinois who released only this one 45 (on Ledger Records of Peoria) before breaking up. 'Subterranean Sunset' is a beast, with fuzz chords right up front and haunting organ in the background. Great snotty vocals followed by the expected amped up guitar solo. Then the slayer here is the introduction of flute towards the end, something right out of the 1973 Italian prog playbook. This is my kind of freaky underground psych. This track was appropriately anthologized on the Illinois Psychedelic States release. The flip is a fast paced garage rocker with similar vocals, but with (way) toned down guitars, and what sounds like a kazoo (?!) solo. Not bad on the whole - but it's the a) side that's killer here.

Ownership: SP: 1967 Ledger. Another big surprise from the RT collection. 

12/20/20 (first listen / review / new entry)

Dianne Davidson ‎- Sympathy / Delta Dawn. 1972 USA-Tennessee

Apparently both of these tracks are on an album called Backwoods Woman. If I run into it, I will pick it up for the collection. And why would I do that? Well if you look at the genre tags, we have something very unusual going on here. Country (which is to be expected from a young lady hailing from western Tennessee) and Western (haha - noooo) - and FUNK. Bet you didn't see that coming. I was curious why this 45 promo was worth money (pulled it out of a well known record store in Denver for 50 cents - they had no clue). I played 'Delta Dawn' first. Pretty typical country music, and not obscure enough to draw a buying audience. What gives? Put on 'Sympathy'. Oh wow - now I get it! It's not just funk, but it's killer funk. Very much like something you'd here out of Philadelphia or Detroit during this time. And the great guitar solo at the end sealed it for me. I have no idea if she did more music like this, hence I'll pick up her LPs if I find them. And I should have no problem with that really - major label country music leads the league at the thrift shops, well maybe a bit behind Jesus Christo music. Anyway, what a juxtaposition of sounds. Well worth hearing (check it on YouTube).

Ownership: SP: 1972 Janus. Promo as shown above. Found as noted above.

10/16/20 (first listen / review / new entry)

Straight - Save Your Breath / Coming of the Rain. 1975 USA-Los Angeles

Obscure horn rock presumably from the Los Angeles area. 'Save Your Breath' is a kick ass ripper with superb analog synthesizer and electric guitar. 'Coming of the Rain' is from the pop side of the genre, yet no less satisfying, and contains a great melody with strong instrumentation. 1975 is way late for this kind of music, and thus Straight didn't make much of a name for themselves, though they did get picked up by ATCO for one more single. If you're a horn rock fan like me, you'll want to get this.

Ownership: SP: 1975 Encore. I found two copies in one week (one in Rapid City, South Dakota, one in Denver). 

10/16/20 (first listen / review / new entry)

Jr. & Punky Lee - Slippin' And Slidin' / How Does That Taste In Your Mind. 1971 USA-Los Angeles

How is this not more well known? The A side is bubblegum. It's decent, but not going to move the needle. It's the B side that you're going for here. It's every bit as good as the title suggests. Great 60s organ sound, with driving bass, and fuzz guitars. It's an instrumental track that moves in different directions and could be considered early progressive rock. The sound is late 60s, but the music is more forward thinking. A lot gets done in its allocated 2 and a half minutes. No idea where these guys are from. Never been comp'd either. Last of the great sub $10 finds...

Ownership: SP: 1971 Lionel. Recent acquisition in a bulk buy.

---

We have some more info from the producer: I produced and arranged How Does That Taste In Your Mind B side of Jr & Punky Lee. Thanks for the great review!!!

I was working with the band Storybook in the mid late 60's when they were approached by Dick Clark Productions to record a track for Psych Out Movie track. Nothing happened with their recording and were not picked up by DCP.

I went into the studio and recorded 5 tracks with them intending to put vocals on all the tracks. Most of the songs recorded I had written with Jeff Wayne, before he moved to UK and did Rock On with David Essex and War Of The Worlds which sold 3 million copies world wide. How Does That Taste was written with Dick Monda (aka Daddy Dewdrop and Jr.) & Punky Lee (who was his wife), whom I was writing with since Jeff Wayne was busy in UK.

Dick needed a b side for Slippin & Sliding . I had the track and the track with a scratch vocal of Dick doing the song which needed to be re done. Instead, I gave him the track for the production credit and half the publishing on the track.

Paul Robin

Here is some other stuff I wrote with Dick:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCkcIw43dOA Collection Of Hearts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCgQdKpwioQ Spats - The Upsetter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9iMyIIOTcM The Novells 1968] Age Of Innocence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOGfGZp7BY0

More band information from Paul:

They were from San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles). The group included:

Dennis's Myers - Bass
George Cox- lead vocals
Jay Tressler- other guitar and vocals
Steve Bacon- keyboard and vocals
Ben Barrigan - Drums
Ron Brunswick - Guitar

5/9/20 (first listen); 9/20/20 (review / new entry); 12/24/21 (update)

Fat Bruce - Got to Get It / Nest in a Fallen Tree. 1974 USA-Milwaukee

My initial scratch off notes say: Solid hard rock with a hint of prog from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

As for the music, I think I undersold it a bit there. The hard rock aspect of this is excellent with well written guitar riffs, and both guitar and organ solos. Good melodies too. A whole album of this would be considered a classic in today's world. This is exactly the kind of music I love to hear in American hard rock.

As for the date, there's quite a bit of dialog on one of the YouTube videos (so yes, this one you can easily hear). Based on that, 1971 seems to prevail. 1970 looked to the first date thrown out there. However, I think Discogs has it right due to the Nashville Record Productions catalog number, which is pretty reliable for 45s. It's possible it was recorded earlier and released a few years later, but 1974 is very believable from a sound standpoint as well.

Ownership: SP: 1974 Brewtown. Online acquisition. 

8/6/20 (first listen / review / new entry)

Buffoon - Lisa / Greetings. 1974 USA-Pittsburgh

Another week, another unknown prog rock single. Buffoon were from Pittsburgh and this appears to be their only output. Nothing is known about them. They're a bit early for the classic Midwest prog sound, and it becomes obvious the UK prog bands of the early 70s are the primary influence. One can hear Tony Kaye era Yes as well. Great organ, psychedelic guitar, and rough-hewn vocals define these two great tracks. 'Lisa' is the better of the two songs, but 'Greetings' is great too (and you can hear it on YouTube).

Ownership: SP: 1974 Asterik. Online acquisition.

5/4/20 (first listen); 8/6/20 (review / new entry)