The Rodeo – Millie The Pro / Felicia-Jo. 197? Louisiana

From Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Likely from 1971 or 72. A side has a blues rock sound that recalls Creedence Clearwater Revival. B) is much better only due to the presence of fuzz guitar. Still sounds like Fogerty singing though. 

2/28/24

Badapple - Campfire Tire / Raving Beauty. 197? Louisiana

Apparently from Louisiana though distributed out of Nashville. A) side is standard rural pop, not to my taste. B) is much more interesting. Strong lead guitar melodies and solos with some studio effects applied to the vocals. Cool track and out of the norm. 

2/28/24

The Challengers - Moon, Send My Baby / Dream. 1971 USA-North Carolina

From eastern North Carolina. What a strange opening to a 45. Vocalist croons "Let's go to the moon" followed by a bluesy guitar solo. Eventually it rips into a fast soul like dancer. It's kind of a mess, but intriguing all the same. B) side sounds like a rip of The Everly Brothers. Dream, dream, dream. 

2/23/24

Rhonghei - Long Time Gone / Assassination. 1970 USA-California

Another southern Californian group (Rosamund). Fits loosely in the psych funk soul camp. B) side features some fine fuzz. A) has a deep groove with bluesy guitar. Not bad all. 

3.5 / 3.5

2/23/24

Golgatha - Dies Irae / Children's Game. 1972 Germany

An anomaly for the great experimental Krautrock Ohr label, as Golgatha are primarily a hard rock group, similar to how fellow labelmates Pilz got its start. 'Dies Irae' uses the familiar monkish chant combined with narration and horns. B) is more committed to the horn rock genre, recalling countrymen Round House, Emergency, and For Example. Nice Terry Kath styled guitar as well. A very good representation of the style.

2/14/24

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 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 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)

Sangre Mexicana - Good Cause / Need a Mama. 1970 USA-Texas

Interesting one here. From Laredo, Texas, Mexican Blood released seven singles and three LPs throughout the 70s. Their primary stock in trade was Tejano, ranchera, cumbia, balada, that kind of thing. This appears to be their debut recording and is nothing of the sort. Hard psych fuzz blaster, completely the opposite of how they made a living apparently. Both tracks are great (4.0). A side was comped by Germany's World in Sound many years ago. I wonder what the story behind this 45 was.

2/13/24

Idlewilde South - Feel It / Pedro's Bar & Grill. 1980 USA-South Carolina

From the hinterlands of South Carolina. A) side is FM friendly bar n' roll. B) side features an opening cool hard rock riff that reminds me of Blackfoot when they catch a groove. Actually the whole song reminds me of Blackfoot.

1/23/24

Doug Mays & The Sticky Kids - Raining in My Heart / Part Time Lover. 1981 USA-Mississippi

From Biloxi. About as bad as you would expect. A) side is straight up early 80s dummy hard rock. B) side is worse with a bluesy angle that makes you want to forget the decade altogether. 

2.5 / 2.0

1/23/24

Wilderness II - Strange Kind of Woman / In Medley. 1972 USA-Oklahoma

From Tulsa. Both tracks are badly produced Deep Purple covers. B) side is 'Lazy' with some extending jamming. 

2.5 / 2.5

1/23/24

The Innkeepers II - Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show / Cryin's Not My Style. USA-Pennsyvlania

Complete unknown here. If I owned this it would go straight into my Unknown Vinyl Records blog. Label is from northeast Pennsylvania. A) side is a cover of Neil Diamond. Though advertised as psych, this is gather 'round the campfire singalong-and-clap music. Other side isn't that much better, but has a better chord progression and no handclaps. 

I didn't get the label image and it isn't showing anywhere at the moment, including popsike.

2 / 2

1/23/24

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

August - All the Time in the World / Old Lady. USA-Boston

Pop / Bubblegum psych with light hard rock touches. Has some decent distorted soloing. Mostly unknown. Label is from Boston, so likely a New England based group. 

1/23/24

Soul Patrol - Don't Knock the Cop / Peter Pan. 1971 USA-Fort Worth

Soul Patrol's sole 45 is a four figure expensive rarity. Musically it's right in the JB's / James Brown strike zone. Tight horns, rhythm guitar, sax, funky bass/drums, lots of "huh's" and "owws". 'Peter Pan' is instrumental and is in a similar musical vein.

1/2/24

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