MICHAEL CACY (TX)

"Gathering" 1972 (no label)   

Pretty good rural hippie rock with a slightly druggy vibe in the Grateful Dead vein, housed in an impressive thick cover depicting a snake.

CAIN (Minneapolis, MN)

"A Pound Of Flesh" 1975 (ASI 204)  

This record is known mostly for its cover, which as of the 1975 release was possibly the most disgusting in rock history (how times would soon change!). The music is nowhere near as wild, but is definitely noteworthy. They obviously had FM radio aspirations but other than the high-pitched vocals their sound is decidedly uncommercial, and that’s a good thing.  The guitars have a shimmering, metallic sound to them, and the massed muted guitars on the ballad “Katy” really hit all of the right spots.  A few songs are unmemorable, but as mid-70s hard rock goes, this is good stuff. For what it’s worth, this album also has one of the funniest masturbation songs this side of Skyhooks' “Smut”. There is also a second LP from 1977, "Stinger" (ASI 214). [AM]

CAL (NY)

"Rock and Roll - Homegrown" 1980 (no label)

Despite the 1980 release date, this upstate NY album feels like vintage 70s stoner music. It's mostly mild hard rock with some psych and prog moves. It features some effective moog, decent guitar playing, and good songs with idiotic lyrics. The album's highlight is probably "Courageous Cat" (based on the children's cartoon of the same name), which is slower and moodier than most of the album. The album's lowlight is definitely "Party Party," as bad an attempt at a rock anthem as you will ever hear and possibly the worst song on any album I own. Otherwise, the lack of brains on this album is perversely appealing. [AM]

CALLAHAN & NAZ (Albany, NY)

"Callahan & Naz" 1981 (no label)  

Early 80s private press album from Albany, NY really has the feel of the era. It's a mix of mainstream rock and hard rock with female vocals. Jackie Callahan has a pleasant voice and unlike basically everyone else in the genre has no Joplin pretentions. A few songs really rock out. It's a short album without a whole lot of melodic variety, but is very enjoyable anyway. They also released two albums as "Nazjazz." These albums are unexceptional mellow jazz rock and probably won't interest fans of Callahan & Naz. [AM]

EDDIE CALLAHAN (CA)

"False Ego" 1976 (Ocean)  

This wonderful album has been described as “loner rock,” an interesting distinction since so many of these thoughtful, quirky songwriters make folk records that, um, don’t rock. Within about two minutes of the first song, I was eternally hooked. It starts abruptly, almost in the middle of a conversation with Eddie, acoustic guitar in hand, asking some of life’s bigger questions to an unnamed echoed respondent. After a few verses, the rhythm section comes in, followed by the most perfectly realized batch of synthesizer noises you’ll ever hear. The songs ends in waves of sound effects and at this point you’ll already be ready to proclaim Eddie a genius. The good news is that most of the album keeps pace, with gorgeous pop (“Just Across The Line”), power pop with backwards guitar (“Don’t You Know”), stunning acid rock (“Paper Rain”) with a Stranglers-type synth break, and all sorts of surprises. This album has a timeless quality, like the very best pop, and only the talk box on one song places it firmly in 1975/1976. Otherwise it could just as likely have been from 1970 or 1979, and in fact has a bit of a new wave feel to it. It’s not exactly “psych” or “power pop,” and genre fans might not be sure what to make of it, but it’s just plain too good for classification. Even a music hall ditty with comic snyth bleats and a funky rock song with a talk box manage to work. Callahan is a Hare Krishna, which explains the mystical questioning of many of the lyrics. He’s also a bit of a chameleon, sounding like three or four different singers over the course of the album (which, along with the unusual arrangements, makes this album fresh and unpredictable in ways few pop albums are.) The last three songs are a bit of a let down, as they’re merely good. If they had been as good as the rest for the album, it would be an eternal masterpiece. As it is, it’s still one of the finest and most distinctive private press albums I’ve ever heard. Great album cover, too (despite being a cheap paste-on), and an even better label design. [AM]

BOBBY CALLENDER ( )

"Bobby Callender" 196  (Music Factory mfrs-20)  [2LPs; no cover]  

Presumably issued to promote "Rainbow", this set includes recordings and conversation between Bobby and producer, Tom Wilson.

"Rainbow" 1968 (MGM se-4557)  [lyric insert; ylp exists]  
"Rainbow" 2000 (Akarma, Italy)  [2LPs; gatefold]

This is highly pretentious pseudo-poetry with sitars. The lyrics are certainly not uninteresting, but they're not exactly high art either. He's obsessed with sex, for what that's worth. The music creates a nice mood but is pretty monotonous over 40 minutes. The Akarma reissue has three sides of music. [AM]

"The Way (First Book of Experiences)" 1971 (Mirtha saab-932)  [2LPs; gatefold]  
"The Way (First Book of Experiences)" 2000 (CD Akarma, Italy)

Black artist doing sorta trashy middle-Eastern influenced sounds including fuzz, sitar, and chanting. 

"Le Musée De L'Impressionnisme" 1975 (Philips 6318 043, Holland)   

Bobby Callender's third and best LP, released only in Holland and credited to Robert Callender, is a tribute to Impressionism. All the songs tell the history of the movement and sing the praises of its key practitioners: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and so forth. It's an art history lesson done as psychedelic soul! Callender delivers a funky mid-70's psychedelic soul sound, with several tracks that would perfectly suit the dance floor. The lyrics are intricate, sung in his soulful, haunted voice, and there's lots of flute, exotic percussion, mystical vibe and strangeness.

TIM CALLANDER (Minneapolis, NN)

"Future" 1979 (no label)  

Obscure private press with a spacey Progressive Rock sound, a bit earlier in style than the release year indicates.

CAMBRIDGE (PA)

"Share A Song" 1977 (Green Dolphin 6024)  

Absolute cream of the crop for private press rural rock. The vocal harmonies are in the best CSN tradition and the sharp instrumentation is more Allman Brothers than Grateful Dead. Unexpected honkytonk piano and raga-style guitar solos add to the fun. The best two songs are in the middle of side two. “Cowboy On The Trail” is the closest thing to a pop song here, with an irresistible melody and tight harmonies, and “Faithless Lady” has a great guitar hook and long, exciting jam in the middle. The only criticisms are that occasionally they force harmonies when one voice might have worked better, and two ballads to end side one may be one too many. Nonetheless, this is a great album. Note to obsessive collectors: virtually every known copy of this album has ringwear on the front cover. [AM]
~~~
Regarded by many as the best local countryrocker from anywhere, this album has a lot going for it including strong songwriting, tight playing and an overall friendly mood guaranteed to break the ice at your next barbecue. The style has been perceptively defined as "East Coast Dead/New Riders", which means an upbeat and snappy vibe like a clear day in June, with little of the dreamy westcoast feel or weepy Nashville style. In my ears not really rural rock but more of country pop with steel guitar and honky tonk piano, and none the worse for it with plenty of character and creativity. Opening title track is sheer perfection and a solid groove is maintained throughout with a few extended jam passages and surprising use of keyboard among the succinct 3-minute creations. This LP is the one to beat in the style, and would have made the band famous if on a major label. [PL]
~~~
Some comments on the LP from ex-member Dan Vogan: "...the album was recorded in 1977 and the band had been together about 1 and a half years. We played all over the US and decided from the beginning to do all original music.This put us at an advantage to cover bands and catapulted us to a higher level of venues.I have always been inspired by the group POCO.Cambridge would practice and jam 6-8 hours per day and took great pride in our long jams.A song on the album "highs and lows" was actually a 12 minute song that had to be edited to what it is today.If you listen near the end of the song you can detect the edit during a drum lick on the tomtoms". Vogan is today continuing in the same music tradition with Deuble & Vogan.

CAMERON (FL)

"Cameron" 1975 (Home Groan)

This Florida bar band was popular enough locally that they made this record just for their fans. The liner notes say that the songs are demos, but they sound complete. Their style is good-time rock and roll with a few twists. There are a few ballads and some weak boogie, but about half of the songs rock pretty well and have some nice guitar playing. The instrumentation is diverse, with one band member who plays sax, flute and synth. This isn’t a great album, but much of it is worthwhile. The dreamy ballad “Mystery Wind” and the opening “Illusions,” which has a nice, sly buildup, are both excellent. [AM]

"Keep On Movin'" 1976 (Home Groan 002)

Lane Cameron, presumably the guy the band was named after, is no longer a member of the band here, but the album cover gives no clue why. I’ll assume that the Joe Cocker-like singing on one of the first album’s long slow songs was by him. Just to further the illusion that he never existed, the song is re-done on this album in a shorter, less gruffly sung version. Elsewhere this has the same uneven mix of styles as the first album. The title track has some sizzling slide guitar and is even better than the opening song on the debut. Unfortunately the slide is used sparingly thereafter, and its brief return on one of the ballads makes the listener wish there was a lot more of it. It’s an up and down album with some low spots, but at least one song that makes me glad the record exists. Hilarious album cover; you’ve got to hand it to any band who seems to be having so much fun. [AM]

DICK CAMPBELL (WI)

"Sings Where It's At" 1965 (Mercury)  [mono; black label]  
"Sings Where It's At" 1965 (Mercury sr-61060) [stereo; gold label]  

Campbell has been dismissed by most as a Dylan wannabe, and he is, right down to the instrumental backing from the Butterfield Blues Band, who sound exactly like they did on "Highway 61 Revisited". They steal a guitar riff from “Like A Rolling Stone” and use it on every single song! Trust me, folks, the Rutles are nowhere near as entertaining as this great album, an absolute lost treasure of the early days of folk-rock. The songs are simple and repetitive, but completely catchy, not a dud in the bunch. There’s a little bit of fuzz guitar, and a much poppier sound (with “nicer” vocals) than Dylan's. Adding to the fun are the arrogant liner notes (most of which paint his girlfriend as intellectually inferior to D.C., as he calls himself), and a semi-serious song in which he proclaims himself the “Don Juan of the Western World.”  None of it seems like a put-on to me, and Campbell’s just literate enough to pull off his “I know everything, I’m smarter than you, I have a way with words and you don’t” routine. The Butterfield Blues Band provides the backing, predating their debut LP and perhaps their first appearance on vinyl. [AM]

EL CAMPO JADES (El Campo, TX)

"13th Song" 1967 (Golden Eagle 101)  

Rather weak teen-beat and R&B/soul covers. "Good Guys Don't Wear White", "Ain't too proud to beg", "Mr. Pitiful", etc. One or two originals. The album title refers to a bonus "mystery" track, which turns out to be a cover of "Roadrunner".

CANADA see "A New Place To Live"

CANADIAN BEADLES (Sarnia, Canada)

"Three Faces North" 1964 (Tide 2005)  

Merseybeat and frat from Canadian trio looking like teddy-boys. Although often presented as a Beatle take-off, there's not a single Fab Four number present. The LP is surprisingly expensive. 

CANARIES (Spain)

"Flying High With The Canaries" 1970 (BT Puppy BTPS 1007)  
"Flying High With The Canaries" 198  (Cocodrilo, Spain)

Canary Islands group recorded and released in the US, which is why it's included here. Late beat with no garage or psych traces. A couple of good tracks.

CANNABIS (MA/RI) 

"Joint Effort" 1972 (Amphion Seahorse)  
"Joint Effort" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 114)
"Joint Effort" 199  (Gear Fab)

Disappointing LP for anyone expecting psych as this is fairly mainstreamish hippie 1970s rural rock/folkrock in the popular CSNY/America school, reminiscent of RJ Fox/Oasis at times. Pro-sounding but unexciting. [PL]
~~~
In spite of the band name and marketing hype, "Joint Effort" was hardly the psych masterpiece that one would have hoped for. Instead tracks such as 'Take It Easy', 'You Don't Get a Ride for Free' and 'It's Only Rock 'n Stock' showcased a mixture of bar rock boogie and Dead-styled jams. The vocals are pretty good and the rest of the band quite accomplished musicians, but with the possible exceptions of the atypical pretty ballads 'See You In the Morning' and 'Smiles' the Byrds-styled jangler 'Once Again' the ensemble never really caught fire. Gawd only knows why the Gear Fab label decided to reissue the album. [SB]

FRANCES CANNON (The Singing Psychic) (Dallas, TX)

"Music From Cannonville (A Brand New Sound)" 198  (no label)  

Lunatic woman who was hit by a lumber truck and 'acquired' psychic powers. She claims to have found thousands of lost children with her special powers including several hundred in a cave in Alaska! She lives in her own messed up fantasy world a la Lucia Pamela and sings nutty songs about aliens and the like. The first LP has a stripped down folky acoustic guitar and vocal sound.  There is a second LP, "The Singing Psychic" from 1987, credited to Frances Cannon & the Extraterrestials, which is electric with more production and is psychedelic in a nightmarish, lost soul fashion. [RM]

WILLARD CANTELON ( )

"LSD - Battle for the Mind" 1966 (Supreme m-113)   
"LSD - Battle for the Mind / Instant Insanity Drugs" 2002 (CD)  [2-on-1]

Spoken word ties LSD in with spirituality in old-school paranoia propaganda. Drop some acid, laugh and learn about the 'dark and terrifying national menace'. Early, well-known title for spoken word drug LPs, with outstanding front cover art.

see full presentation

CANTERBURY MUSIC FESTIVAL (NY)

"Rain & Shine" 1968 (B T Puppy 1018)  
"Rain & Shine" 2002 (CD Air Mail Recordings, Japan)
"Rain & Shine" 2003 (CD Rev-Ola, UK)
"Rain & Shine" 2004 (CD Beatball 005, Korea)
"Rain & Shine" 2004 (Merry Go Round/Beatball 006, Korea)

Apparently a quartet, this group was signed by The Tokens' short-lived B.T. Puppy label. Musically the set's kind of hard to describe. Imagine The Association singing with a distinctive British lilt and you'll be in the right ballpark. Much of the set consists of sensitive ballads. While there isn't anything wrong with material such as "First Spring Rain", "Sunny Days" and "Why Does Everybody Run To Home", these tracks don't offer up anything particularly original or memorable. Far better were up-tempo numbers such as "Sharin" and "Angelina" (both which would have made dandy top-10 singles), the fuzz guitar propelled "Super Duper Trooper" and the Sgt Pepper-inspired slice of lite psych "Mr. Snail". Certainly not the year's most original effort, it was still far better than anything label mates The Tokens or The Happenings ever did. [SB]
~~~
Beatles-influenced pop that for the most part falls into the realm of sunshine pop, though with a few excursions into psychedelia. B.T. Puppy released the LP at this point in an inexplicable pressing run of 150 copies. About half the songs are written by band members, with several written by the Tokens foursome. Legendary label mate Brute Force is credited with 2 songs, though Brute says one of those is not his. Musically, the first song, “First Spring Rain” (the 45 release) establishes the mood of most of the songs on the LP with its fragile upper register harmonies and light orchestration. “Super Duper Trooper” is the closest they get to psychedelia, and sounds very much like a "Revolver" outtake. “Mr. Snail” could be mistaken for UK freakbeat, complete with a backwards flute riffing throughout and lyrics & melody reminiscent of some of the Syd’s lighter “Piper” ditties. The one non-label related song is an exploito instrumental cover of “Son of a Preacherman” with a distorted electric sitar taking the melody line over occasional wah-wah rhythms. Clocking in at just over 25 minutes, a very short, but sweet LP. [MA]

V.A "CANTON HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTS" see "Sunny Spring Fever"

CAPSTAN PLAYERS (Milton Academy, MA)

"Capstan Players of Milton Academy" 1967 (Transradio tr-990)  [no sleeve]  

Garage covers from prep-rock band, including Remains and Standells numbers.

C.A. QUINTET (Minneapolis, MN)

"Trip Thru Hell" 1969 (Candy Floss 7764)  
"Trip Thru Hell" 1983 (Psycho 12, UK)  [back cvr altered]
-- due to a mishap in mastering, this re has one channel missing and sounds completely different from the original
"Trip Thru Hell" 1993 (CD Eva, France) 
-- copied from the Psycho re, which means that one channel is again missing
"Trip Thru Hell" 1995 (Sundazed 5037)  [2LPs; +14 tracks]
"Trip Thru Hell" 1995 (CD Sundazed 11021)  [+12 tracks]

Ah yes, the "Trip", an LP so packed with talent and originality it alone justifies the existence of the underground collector circuit. You can pick just about any major 60s LP and this will blow it away on all counts. I assume most people reading this already knows Ken Erwin's conceptual acid psych monster, which sounds like nothing else done before and hardly since; a strongly cinematic exploration into weird and often unpleasant mental spaces, using only standard rock instruments -- and a surprising trumpet -- to get there. The legendary Psycho "channeling" screwup was rectified with the nice (though vinyl-sourced) Sundazed re's, but it should be pointed out that none of the reissues show the original back cover design. The band also appeared on the rare "Money Music" compilation. [PL]

see full-length review

"Live 1971" 1984 (no label)  [500p]

First the good news. Given the primitive conditions under which this album was recorded, the sound is surprisingly good. According to Ken Erwin's liner notes, 'This recording was made simply by laying down two microphones on the floor in front of the group. They just happened to be in the best location for the circumstances.' Now the bad news. Capturing the band at what was to be their final performance at Lake Pepin High School, "C.A. Quintet Live 1971" sounds like a band drawing its last creative gasps which was pretty much the situation. 'Bayou Jam' is a needless side-long mixture of popular rock hits including snippets of CCR's 'Down On the Bayou' and The Stones' 'Satisfaction'. It's listenable, but nothing you couldn't hear on any Friday evening at your local brewpub. Best thing I can say about it is that the 14 minutes go by quickly (okay the drum solo slows everything down for a couple of minutes). The Ken Erwin original 'Country Boy' is actually pretty good, though the country-rock sound is a little bit unexpected. Judging by this track these guys weren't bad in a live setting. The extended cover of Spirit's 'Fresh Garbage' also has it's moments - notably for giving guitarist Tom Pohling a chance to stretch out. Certainly not essential, but I've heard far worse. [SB]

CARDBOARD VILLAGE (Boston, MA)

"Sea of Change" 1969 (Cardboard Village Records CVST 4)  [lyrics insert]  

Trio with acoustic cosmic folk concept LP about the ocean. Guitars, congas, flutes.
 

CARDINALI BROTHERS (CA)

"More Than Luck" 1971 (Windi wlps-1008)  

Rural hippie folkrock in the early 1970s Dead style, on the same label as Merkin and Creation Of Sunlight.

CARGO (Toronto, Canada)

"Front Side, Back Side" 1969 (Trend 1006)  

Dreamy, jazzy psych rock that's not particularly well-known by collectors. It has a spaced out feel that should appeal to some, though the songs aren't especially memorable and a few long instrumentals are pretty dull. Unusual arrangements include woodwinds. The drumming is heavy on atmospheric cymbals, the songs are mostly at slow tempos and the vocals are heavily reverbed. The low budget production (sometimes the backing vocals are louder than the lead vocals) makes this sound quite different from their next album. Has a nice feel and a few good moments but certainly isn't worth its current $500+ tag. [AM]
~~~
For some reason there exists a bunch of obscure Canadian LPs with a similar sound, a late-night jazzy psychrock mood like the loungier side of the Doors, usually with keyboards upfront and understated guitar picking. This is a typical expression of that sound, with flute instead of organ, moody yet expressive vocals, and long tracks that seem to find their path as they go along. Recorded live in parts or wholly, which adds to the organic basement feel -- one track actually has lounge ambience with people chatting and ordering drinks louder than the music! Songwriting isn't elaborate, yet the persistent mood and refusal to compromise makes for a memorable experience, with a couple of snakey instrumental excursions developing into hypnotic 3 AM Canadian Rye hallucinations. Comparable to Papa Bear's, while south of the border Ant Trip Ceremony and Feather Da Gamba spring to mind. [PL]

"Simple Things" 1970 (Ringside 104) 

The second Cargo album is much more produced than the first, and it works in its favor, emphasizing the inherent heaviness of their sound, strengthening the sound of the guitar and organ. Still, too much of this record is given over to jammy instrumentals of little originality, which really drags it down. A couple of the actual songs are quite good, though, with “Geordy,” a terrific moody slow-burner, being the best. There’s also a bizarre song about how happy they are for their friend who fell out of a window to his death. [AM]

FRANKIE CARR (MA)

"Frankie Carr" 1976 (Tiger Lily)  

Collectors know about the really good Tiger Lily albums, and tend to forget that most records on the label are like this one: poorly produced recordings (demos?) of undistinguished music. This is a very, very, very poor man's variation on the John Scoggins album, if Scoggins had tried to jump on the various commercial bandwagons of the mid 70s (some songs have a disco-like rhythm to them.) In other words, Scoggins is timeless, this is dated. A couple of songs have some nice jangly guitar and memorable melodies, but mostly this is weak and forgettable. [AM]

"Frankie Carr's All Natural Band" 1977 (Tribute 1001)  

Poorly done pre-Tea Company 1960s recordings by the Naturals, released as a tax-scam in the late 1970s. A couple of tracks have been described as garagey, others folkrocky.

CORKY CARROLL & FRIENDS (CA)

"Laid Back" 197  (Rural rr-001)  

Corky is a world-renowned surfer. Hippie folk jamming by a variety of artists who were all friends. Produced by Corky and Dennis Dragon.
~~~
see -> Farm

JIMMY CARTER & DALLAS COUNTY GREEN ( )

"Summer Brings The Sunshine" 1973 (BOC 2002)  

Obscure album on Missouri label which has garnered fans among the psych in-crowd, described as outdoors/rural rock with an appealing quiet vibe. There is a retrospective CD with Carter's material, "Set Me Free", which has a few tracks from this LP.

DAN CASAMAJOR (Chico, CA)

"My Family" 197  (Eskay WA 1054)  

Little-known folk/folkrock with a vibrant 60s feel, mixes acoustic and electric tracks.

CASCADES (CA)

"What Goes on Inside" 1968 (Cascades ad-6280)  

Vocal group legends. This private press LP will appeal to flower psych collectors, much more so than their Valiant or Uni LPs. Ben Benay arranged and this one has a cool flower pop hippie love edge and a nice trippy art cover. [RM]

CASE ( )

"Taking Time" 197  (private)

Custom press in same generic sleeve as Birmingham Sunday, described as westcoast-sounding.

CASHMAN-VAQUERO BAND ( )

"In Memory of Berry Oakley" 1979 (Walnut West)  

Most references describe the album as being Allman Brothers-styled Southern rock. That's not quite right. I certainly hear Allman-influences, particularly in some of the Cashman-Sadus guitar interplay, but the set's far more diverse than that. With the exception of a mildly-jazzy cover of John Mayall's 'California', the set boasts original material that finds the band taking stabs at conventional boogie ('Down In the Belly'), country-rock (the pretty ballad 'Driving Me Crazy') lite-jazz ('View from a Mountain Peak') and even Santana-styled Latin rock ('Security'). Cashman and Sadus share vocal duties and they both have pretty good voices. Judging by the liner notes Sadus apparently died while the album was being made, but between his work and that of guest guitarist Robert John Guziejka (who contributed a couple of songs and played with Cashman and Oakley in their garage band days), there are quite a few tasty lead guitars scattered throughout the set including some Duane Allman-styled runs on 'Good Days' and some jazzy scatting on 'There's No Tellin'. Curiously, at least to my ears the biographical tribute title track is the least impressive effort. There's also a pre-LP 45 on the small Bridgeville label. [SB]
~~~
Here's some more info on the band and LP, from main guy Cashman himself: "Bob Guziejka (ga-j-ka) (guitar), Ron Sadus (drums), Berry Oakley (guitar), and Jerry Kokus (bass) had a band together (The Vibratones). I didn't play in that band, but Bob, Ron [then on bass] and myself playing drums had a trio called "Satish-chada" from 1968 to 1971. I moved to California in 1971 and Ron and Bob came out in February of 1972. We went into Wally Heiders Studio in LA and did a few recording sessions. The only tunes that sounded good were 'Good Days', 'Drivin Me Crazy' and 'Security.' Ron and Bob went back to Chicago and those tapes sat in the can until 1975. I met James Vincent in San Francisco where I was working as a street artist in 1975. We got together and rehearsed some of my tunes in Marin. In April 1975 we went into Wally Heiders with the other musicians and recorded [what was to become] side 2 of the album live. The lead guitar on 'California' and 'Down In the Belly were later overdubed by Joel Manchak in Chicago. The lead guitar on 'Security', the twin leads on 'Good Days' and all of the leads on side 2 were by Vincent. 'Vaquero' or cowboy is the name I picked after we put out the 45, because James Vincent got signed to Caribou Records and I couldn't use his name. I decided on Vaquero because I had worked on a cattle ranch and [had done] some bareback bronco riding in Utah. As for the album title track, Ron Sadus the bassist wrote the instrumental tune and I added the lyrics. The instrumental tune has a beautiful twin guitar solo throughout the tune. When we did it in the studio, I had completely rearranged the tune and that was the last time I performed that tune. The 45 had just a slight difference in the final mix. Sadly, Sadus passed away in July 1978. He was 30 years old. The album was released in 1979."  

CASUALS (CA)

"Absolutely 100% Live" 1981 (private)  [#d; insert]  

Jammy blues-rock with fuzz leads, recorded in San Francisco.

CATALINA (CA)

"Live from the Chi Chi Club" 1970 (Avalon)

Bluesy sleazy club rockers, cover versions all through.

CATHEDRAL (PA)

"Sing Me a Song" 1974 (Sky Piece)  

Melodic rock with rural AOR moves. 

CATHEDRAL (Long Island, NY)

"Stained Glass Stories" 1978 (Delta drc-1002)  [insert]  
"Stained Glass Stories" 1989 (Delta)  [bootleg]
"Stained Glass Stories" 1991 (CD Syn-Phonic)

Complex progressive with guitar and keys, including loads of mellotron. Superb playing with a strong King Crimson and Yes influence. Well-liked in spite of the arch vocals. Guitarist Rudy Perrone later made a private solo LP that may be worth searching out for Cathedral fans ("Oceans Of Art", 1981). [RM]
~~~
This is obviously very well played and conceived progressive rock, but to someone who's not especially inclined toward the genre, I find it a bit tedious, lacking the hooks of bands like Atlantis Philharmonic or Zoldar & Clark, and without the more outrageous experimentation of bands like Yezda Urfa or Polyphony. Like another well-liked prog album of the era, Brimstone's "Paper Winged Dreams," this is recommended more to genre fans than to the average Archives reader. [AM]
~~~
see -> Odyssey

CATHERINE'S HORSE (Taft School, Watertown, CT)

"Catherine's Horse" 1969 (Jay-Put 5001)  [no cover; 500p]  

Obscure, sleeve-less late 60s garage-bluesrock LP a la American Blues Exchange; may not appeal to everyone but I find it rather charming. No macho vocals or Clapton guitar showoffs, just local teens finding comfort in the nocturnal honkie blooz as represented by the Blues Project and Paul Butterfield, both of which are covered along with an unexpected "Rocket 88". Also one of the few LPs I know of with a clear influence from the first Grateful Dead LP, especially the Dead-derived take on "Good morning little schoolgirl". The downer tracks work the best; somehow these guys win me over. Not recommended for fans of the Ten Years After-type guitar-hero "blues". The LP was recorded as a school project (a study of the blues) in New York City during Spring Break 1969, and all band members were Taft students. "Sun goin' down" is a band original. [PL]

JOANNA CAZDEN (Seattle, WA)

"The Greatest Illusion" 1973 (Sister Sun)  [insert]  

Little-known female singer/songwriter with psych and Eastern moves and an unusual cerebral edge. Mainly piano and a serious feel like Carole King on acid, title track is a high point with trip-praising lyrics. More comments will follow. Cazden's second LP "Hatching" is reportedly similar but not as good.

CEDAR CREEK SOCIETY (Odessa, TX)

"Cedar Creek Society" 1971 (no label)  

Melodic folk/rock with violin and occasional orchestration.

CELLUTRON & THE INVISIBLE (Northfield, VT)

"Reflecting on the First Watch, We Uncover Treasure Buried for the Blind" 1978 (Green Mountain gms-4015) 

Spacy experimental sound effects from Robert Greely, featuring machine noise, some poetry and guitar. Sometimes compared to Intersystems.

CENTER LINE ( )

"Sayin' It... Together" 196  (Vanco 1008) 

Late 1960s Northwest rural lounge rock on the same label as Easy Chair. Memorable for a 'so bad it's good', nearly side-long, Beatles' medley.

CENTURIONS ( )

"Louie Louie" 1965 (private)  [10" 1-sided LP; no cover]  

Hot guitar frat rock with surfy leads. This is probably a different band from the surf group.

CEPHAS (Pittsburgh, PA)

"Teen Challenge Presents Cephas with Jeff Cogswell" 197  (No Label 32217/8) 

Circa '73 Pittsburgh moody xian garage folk sponsored by the christian youth group "Teen Challenge". Acoustic and electric guitars, bass, farfisa organ, drums, teen femme backing vocals. Several originals but perhaps most notable for the nearly nine minute version of "Jesus Is Just Alright" with a long organ and guitar jam. Rite pressing. [RM]

CEYLEIB PEOPLE (CA)

"Tanyet" 1968 (Vault 117)  [mono]  
"Tanyet" 1968 (Vault 117)  [stereo]  
"Tanyet" 199  (Vault)  [bootleg]
"Tanyet" 1993 (CD Drop Out, UK)  [2-on-1] 

Eastern psych instrumentals featuring Ry Cooder and other luminaries from the LA studio mafia. Has a good reputation and goes beyond the cash-in exploitation sounds one might expect. Very short playtime though. Great psych sleeve. There is an original German pressing with completely different cover art. They also made a good non-LP 45. The CD has both the mono and reprocessed stereo versions of the entire LP. [PL]
~~~
Studio group with Ben Benay, Larry Knechtel, Ry Cooter (=Cooder). East meets west instrumentals guitars, sitar, tabla, violin. Very short but a good one for Saddhu Brand fans. Exploito cash in but with this much talent it's a monster! Very trippy Rick Griffin cover art. The boot has a thin, board printed cover unlike originals. [RM]
~~~
see -> Friar Tuck and his Psychedelic Guitar 

DON CHAFEY ( )

"Blue Iron Crown" 197  (private)  

Late 70s/early 70s local release of freaky folk/blues with pagan elements.

CHAIND (Los Angeles, CA)

"Live at the Topanga Corral" 1972 (no label)  [2LPs]  

Westcoast blues rock sound that has been compared to Canned Heat, with lengthy guitar excursions. Band member Peter Klimes made a private press solo LP in 1974 in a more rural direction.

CHAKRA (Redondo Beach, CA)

"Chakra" 1979 (Brother Studio bs-15)  [lyric insert]  

Driving guitar keys progressive rock with great vocals like Rush.

CHALIS ( )

"One Small Chance" 1975 (Ellen Abbey 25389)  [gatefold]  

Symphonic progressive.

CHALLENGER'S (Puerto Rico)

"Challenger's" 1968 (Mariel lps-104, Puerto Rico)  [gatefold]  

Swirling organ, some fuzz, English vocals. Mix of folkrock, bluesy garage, and Latin moves. With some 7-Up cola commercials thrown in to pay the bills.

DAVID CHALMERS (CA)

"Primeval Road" 1976 (Same Old Label 64109)  [gatefold]  
"Primeval Road" 1976 (River srr-1000)  [some tracks replaced; gatefold]  

Chalmers is known as a hot guitarist, but his first album is a refreshing departure from the “guitar hero” mold. His vocals are soft and appealing, the songs are subtle, the guitar playing is terrific (but tasteful and subdued), and the arrangements include plenty of acoustic guitar and piano. At times this is more like a folk-rock or singer songwriter album than a heavy guitar record. The often moody songwriting is as strong as the performances. Highly recommended. The first version of the album starts with two hot guitar rockers that are missing from the second edition, making the softer songs on side two a bit of a surprise. The second edition replaces these two songs with a gorgeous, dreamy ballad that’s probably his best song of all. Since this song comes first, this edition of the album has a completely different feel than the first. If "Primeval Road" is ever released on CD, hopefully all songs from both versions will be included. [AM]

"Looking For Water" 1977 (River srr-1001)  [inner sleeve]  

Chalmers’ second album feels like it was released before he was ready for a full LP. Its 8 songs total just under half an hour, and half of them are filler: two covers and two remakes of earlier songs. The album is heavier and funkier than "Primeval Road", with a weird mix of styles including a quasi-disco song (intended sarcastically?) and one great dreamy ballad that evokes the first album. Somewhat disappointing, but it has its moments, and the excellent guitar playing is more to the forefront this time. [AM]

"All Night Long" 1977 (River Records)  [no cover; 100p]  

The rare third Chalmers album is the kind of discovery collectors dream of, with a pressing of 100 copies, none actually sold commercially. It was produced only for demonstration purposes and as such actual album covers were never pressed. The music within shows Chalmers in a mellow, introspective mood. It's similar to side two of "Primeval Road"; there's not a heavy song here. The listener might keep waiting for a hot guitar solo to come and be disappointed that they just aren't there (the last song, especially, seems designed to end in a flourish of lead guitar, but does not). The quality and mood of the album almost make up for it, though, as this album is quite good. It's deep and melodic album that showcases tasteful guitar playing, sharp songwriting, mysterious lyrics, some dreamy arrangements, and excellent singing. It's a bit bland here and there, which makes it a less successful album than "Primeval Road", but it's still a worthwhile LP. Records were distributed in shrinkwrapped cardboard boxes, including cover slicks and lyric sheets and promotional stickers that optimistically read “includes hit single Zig Zag”. [AM]

LES CHAMPIGNONS (Quebec, Canada)

"Premiere Capsule" 1972 (GG 1)  
"Premiere Capsule" 2004 (CD Radioactive 089, UK)

Bluesy prog and psych fuzz jammer with trippy dayglo mushroom cover. Highlight: 11+ minute "Le Chateau Hante" (The Haunted House) - great twisted Halloween music. [RM]

CHANGES (Chicago, IL)

"Fire Of Life" 1996 (CD Storm/Ctulhu)
"Fire Of Life" 2002 (Hau Ruck!, Austria)  [750p]
"Fire Of Life" 2002 (CD Hau Ruck!, Austria)

Previously unreleased 1969-1974 recordings from occult folk duo with ties to the infamous Process Church. The music is acoustic folk with arch, dead-serious vocals and apocalyptic lyrics. As often with spiritual folk albums, the dedication works to its advantage, but is best enjoyed in small doses or a mind-numbing effect will follow from the uniformity of mood and monotonous songwriting. Nice spooky feel, like the Incredible String Band on belladonna. [PL]

CHAPARRALS (Glen Rock, PA) 

"Times To Remember" 1968 (DB 21768)  

Stereotyped slice of garage rock, propelled more by sheer enthusiasm than talent. Blown notes, rough tempos and strained vocals ("Stag-O-Lee"), abound. That said, to our ears the LPs interesting on two counts. The album's surprisingly accomplished given the lowtech production and the band's relative youth. The other surprise is the band's musical repertoire. Sure, cover bands weren't exactly rare in the mid-60s', but these guys concentrated on soul covers. Not what you'd expect from a Pennsylvania-based outfit. They also had great tastes, taking on material by George Clinton, Eddie Floyd and Otis Redding. In case anyone's interested, there are two originals. The leadoff soul instrumental and the closer doomy "Empty", which was written by former member Kent Rehrbach and is unlike anything else on the LP. [SB]

CHAPIN BROTHERS (NY)

"Chapin Music!" 1966 (Rock-Land rr-66)  [mono; gatefold]  
"Chapin Music!" 1966 (Rock-Land rr-66)  [stereo; gatefold]  

Charming basement folkrock in a definite non-psychedelic style, sounds like a bunch of Kingston Trio fans discovering the alluring sounds of the Grassroots. Recording and performances reek of amateur enthusiasm, which makes the back cover's predictions of the coming victory of square US folkrock in general and "Chapin Music" in particular seem an outrageous pipe dream. The album clocks in at an overlong 40 minutes and would have benefitted from 2-3 tracks being removed, especially those that go in a crooner pop direction. Mostly originals, with the best stuff holding a middle ground between the NE prep rockers and the Holy Ghost Reception Committee #9. Worth hearing as an artefact, but ultimately a little too bloodless and squeaky clean for my tastes, although the third track has a nice Ylvisakerish sarcasm to it. Harry Chapin later became famous, sort of. [PL]

CHAPLIN HARNESS (Camden, NJ)

"Chaplin Harness" 1970 (M.O.D Sounds 8069)  [plain sleeve; insert]  
"Chaplin Harness" 2004 (Void 34)  [new sleeve; bonus track; 600p]

Local demo LP of jammy guitar/organ hippie-rock with some prog moves, unknown to exist until the Void reissue appeared. Supposedly only 50 copies pressed.

CHARIOT ( )

"Chariot" 1969 (National General 2003)  [promos exist]  

Heavy psych-rock typical of the era, with Cream influence.

CHARISMA (FL)

"Charisma Is Raptured" 197  (Rite 29556)  

Charisma’s two LPs are probably the most low-budget rock recordings I’ve ever heard. It appears on this one that the master tape even dragged for a second on the first song when the record was being pressed! But the cheapness of the recording cannot mask the enthusiasm and strong songwriting of this teenage Florida band. Liner notes describe the sound as “Afro-jazz, pure folk, country, acid rock, and ballad”.  Well I don’t know if there’s anything on here I’d call “Afro-jazz” or “acid rock”, but what I do hear I like: lots of piano-based rock (recalling early Elton John) and folky cuts, with lead vocals shared by James Dudley (composer of 9 of the 11 songs) and Marijean McCarty, whose beautifully expressive voice brings me close to tears. Overall the folkrock sound predominates, but the rocky moments are there (“screaming crashing dissonance” the liner says) foreshadowing the group’s second release. [KS]

"Last Days" 197  (Rite 32700)  

Wait a minute. I do believe you could classify this as... yes... here comes the "p" word... progressive! Well, OK, maybe more like garage rock with some prog influences. Whatever you call it it's miles above their debut. Charges off from the start with the 10-minute groovin' jam feast 'Down At The Crossroads' (not the Cream/Clapton cover) with guitar, piano, organ, and flute all getting their turn at lead, not to mention a lengthy drum solo at the end. 'Last Days' is a creative mysterious apocalyptic piece, percussion heavy with time changes and psychy guitar. 'Jesus The Messiah' is rather dramatic and includes a cool prog mid-section that has flashes of the sacred Vindication LP. A couple bluesy cuts: the upbeat 'Nowhere Blues' with slide guitar and piano and the moodier 'Blue Woman'. A few nice piano-led ballads in the neighborhood of the first lp. Real low-tech sound again, especially that organ - but it's far from irritating, more often giving the set a wonderful homegrown basement charm. Every track strong. One of my faves. Both these albums are bigtime rarities. Nice bellbottoms fellas! [KS]

ROBERT CHARLEBOIS (Quebec, Canada)

"Charlebois/Forestier" 1969 (Gamma 120)  

This is considered to be the most significant French-Canadian album of the psychedelic era. Charlebois, a big star in the province, shocked Quebec by following up a few mellow folk albums with this wildly experimental effort, going places he never went before and never would again. Listening all these years later, it doesn’t sound particularly freaky, or even all that “rock,” due to the formal sound of the French language, Charlebois’ loungy voice, and his theatrical bent. With bits of novelty, and more horns and organ than fuzz guitar, it sounds more like vaudeville-meets-swinging-London than psychedelia. That said, it’s pretty great. Louise Forestier duets with him on side one, and her various oohs, aahs, shrieks and crazed asides (this album created as much of a stir for her muttering of “Christ” on the hit song “Lindberg” as it did for the style of music) add quite a bit to the overall atmosphere. This album sure isn’t heavy, but the Forestier scream and resulting frantic sax solo on “California,” or the lunatic ravings of Charlebois on the 7-minute “Engagement” pack just as much of a much as any wild guitar solo could. This album is always inventive and surprising, and while it certainly won’t shock a modern listener, it’s sure to entertain. [AM]
      

CHARLEE (Montreal, Canada)

"Charlee" 1972 (RCA Victor 4809)  [orange label; textured cover]   
"Charlee" 1972 (RCA Victor 4809)  [brown label]
"Charlee" 1976 (Mind Dust mdm-1001, US)  [altered 'cartoon' cover]

Killer hard rock dominated by guitar wizard Walter Rossi. The vocals are only OK, but this album rocks with a vengeance. It’s powerful, hooky, and full of surprises. Rossi gets some great noises out of his guitar, culminating in the awesome “Wheel of Fortune Turning.” Most Hendrix worshipers are at best obvious copies and at worst unimaginative imitators without a zillionth of Hendrix’s talent. Rossi is one of the few to use Hendrix as a springboard for his own original ideas. Easily one of the best of its kind. The Mind Dust version was issued with a sticker on the shrink reading "Charlee featuring Walter Rossi", and was also released on 8-track with a non-LP track. [AM]

CHARLIE NOTHING (Los Angeles, CA)

"The Psychedelic Saxophone of Charlie Nothing" 1967 (Takoma c-1015)  

"Inside Outside" 1969 (no label)  

Hollywood bohemian. Freaky sax noise on the "Psychedelic Saxophone..." LP. Instro flute and bongo jamming on "Inside Outside". There was also an EP titled "We Are You", and a 45 with a picture sleeve called "X-tra Hot Selections". [RM]

CHARMER (FL)

"Your Presence Requested" 1977 (Jazz Forum cm-1068)   
"Your Presence Requested" 1977 (Illusion 1070)  
"Your Presence Requested" 199  (no label)  [bootleg]

An unrelated Charmer recorded at least two LPs for the Rapides label out of Alexandria, Louisiana. Jazz Forum is a Hollywood, Florida label likely connected with the tax-loss Illusion label.

CHUBBY CHECKER (Philadelphia, PA)

"New Revelation" 1981 (51 West)  

Recently brought to light obscurity in the king twister's back catalog, circa 1970 recordings mostly in a hard Hendrixy guitar funk/psych style, useful for samples or just to marvel at its strangeness. No whiffs of twist to be found in neither the garagey fuzz-funk-ploitation backing nor Chubby's raw vocals. The lyrics are far out too, and contain several references to the moon landing. There's also a heavy ballad called "Goodbye Victoria". The album was only belatedly released by a budget/scam label in the US, but given more contemporary releases in Europe: as "Chubby Checker" in Spain (Ariola, 1971) and France (MFP, 1976); as "Chequered" (London, 1971) in the UK; as "Slow Twistin'" (MFP, 1976) in Belgium. The Spanish (and other?) issue contains two tracks not on the US version. Read all about it in Ugly Things #23, where it was first introduced. Chubby himself has declined comment on this particular work.

CHECK-MATES, INC (Los Angeles, CA)

"Live At Harvey's - Too Much" 1965 (Ikon IER S 121/122)  [2LPs; gatefold]  

Recorded live at Harvey's Resort Hotel & Casino in Nevada (where Jack Bedient also recorded). A racially integrated club act that was originally formed by soldiers serving in the US Army. Typical mix of frat, r'n'b and soul: "Louie Louie", "Kansas City", "Turn On Your Lovelight", "Hang On Sloopy", etc. The album was a custom job by the Ikon label in Sacramento, home of a number of legendary garage 45s, and was a stereo pressing that was unplayable on mono equipment due a technical screw-up! The band went on to have success as Checkmates Ltd, and later hooked up with Phil Spector.

CHECKMATES ( )

"Meet the Checkmates" 1967 (Justice 149)  
"Meet the Checkmates" 1996 (CD Collectables 0617)

Generic chesspiece sleeve actually gives the band name as "Checkmate". One of the worst Justices with 3-man horn section & dorkylooking semi-pro band running through standards that are unhip even by the genre average. The fact that the band is fairly adept is actually a drawback in this context. Don't let anyone tell you this is garage; even calling it "rock'n'roll" is a bit of a stretch. Best track is a slightly mysterioso sounding "Gypsy woman". One group original. [PL]

V.A "THE CHEETAH - WHERE IT'S AT" (NY)

"The Cheetah - Where It's At" 1967 (Audio Fidelity AFLP 2168)  [mono]
"The Cheetah - Where It's At" 1967 (Audio Fidelity AFSD 6168)  [stereo]

Exploito teenbeat and soul from the Esquires, Thunderfrog Ensemble, and Mike St Shaw & the Prophets. Covers all through, lots of Stones, some James Brown, Young Rascals etc. The LP is sometimes hyped, but not a rarity. Also out on reel-to-reel.

CHELSEA (NY)

"Chelsea" 1972 (Decca dl-75262)   
-- also released in Australia

This album has become collectable mostly because it contains a pre-Kiss Peter “Cris”. Some of it is uninteresting boogie rock, and at least one song (“Hard Rock Music,” which prints bizarre fake lyrics on the back cover, probably to disguise the real song’s stupidity) is truly atrocious. A few songs rock convincingly, though, and a few others are great orchestrated dreamy psych. Despite the variety of styles, the odd production creates a thematic consistency. All of the rhythm guitars are acoustic, and the leads are trebly and often ear-piercing, moreso because the rest of the instruments form a wall of sound. On the good songs the overall effect is pretty powerful, but on the weaker ones it’s just strange. The “hard rock” songs, lacking electric rhythm guitars, rely on lots of lead guitar, loud drums and crazed vocals, not really to the music’s advantage. This is a spotty album, but it’s weird and distinctive and has its moments. [AM]

CHENANIAH (MN)

"Chenaniah" 1977  (no label 7071-n-11)  [1000p]  

Little-known Christian 1970s melodic folkrock at the commercial westcoast end of the spectrum, comparable to Harvest Flight. Opens with excellent psych-vibe track, rest is a little too much feel-good hippie-dippy for my tastes. Nice arrangements with guitar tapestries and smooth CSN/America vocal harmonies, some countryrock moves, listenable OK with a relaxed, non-preaching attitude, although the lead singer is sort of dorky. A few lowkey folk tracks with acoustic guitar and strings project an appealing Tim Hardin feel. [PL]

CHICKEN AND THE EGG ( )

"Word of Mouth" 1974 (Gramex g-101)  [paste-on cover]  

Mix of hippie funk and rural rock weirdness. Pressed by GRT in Nashville. Issued in a plain cover with a paste-on front listing the band name and title. A paste-on back labeled 'Reference Data' lists the songtitles and credits.

CHILDREN (San Antonio, TX)

"Rebirth" 1968 (Cinema 1)  [gatefold; gold title sticker on cover]  
"Rebirth" 1968 (Atco sd-33-271)  [remix; mono wlp]
"Rebirth" 1968 (Atco sd-33-271)  [remix; stereo]
"Rebirth" 2003 (CD Gear Fab GF 187)  [+16 bonus tracks]

This co-ed soft psych album (produced by Lelan Rogers) is one of those records that seems like it’s going to be great, but falls a bit short. Even on the songs that “rock,” it’s all very twee, with flutes, harpsichords, falsetto backing vocals, wimpy vocals from the guy (as usual, they should have let the woman sing all of the songs), and occasional garish orchestration. The arrangements are certainly creative and elaborate, though word has it that the original mix is more colourful than the more commonly available version. “Sitting on a Flower,” which sports unexpected chord changes and punchier guitar than the rest of the album, and the long, drony “Pictorial” are probably the best songs. Mono stock copies may not exist. The band had an excellent non-LP 45 in a different style from the LP and were related to legendary garage bands the Mind's Eye, Argyles and Stoics. The Gear Fab reissue has a ton of interesting bonus tracks from their various incarnations before and after this album. [AM]

CHILDREN OF ONE (NY) 

"Children of One" 1969 (Real r-101)  

Eastern acoustic trance psych eastern sounds with femme vocals.

CHILD'S ART (CT)

"Un-Cut" 1982 (Gold)   

This one has been hyped by dealers as one of the truly great 80s psych albums, but I have no idea what they were thinking. It has a horrible-sounding 80s production style with way too much snare drum and acoustic guitar reverb, and ugly squealy lead guitar. The end result is somewhere between heavy metal and new wave. Anyone who says this sounds like the 60s is either lying through their teeth or out of their mind. The male vocals are macho and unappealing and the occasional female vocals too tentative to work in this context. A few songs show some promise, but even those are ruined by the messy sound and over-ambitious song structures. This has become collectable, but even the worst of the Paisley Underground bands run circles around it. [AM]

CHIRCO (Westchester, NY)

"The Visitation" 1972 (Crested Butte cb-701)  [booklet; lyric inner; wlp exists]  
"The Visitation" 1999 (Gear Fab gf-130) 
"The Visitation" 2000 (Akarma, Italy)  [insert] 

Interesting and ambitious album, though more prog than psych. A really great, crisp guitar sound compensates for the fact that this occasionally sounds somewhat like Styx. What Homer is to guitar rock, this is to keyboard rock. Barry Tashian of the Remains produced and contributed one of the better songs. Some of the songs are arranged into suites, and flow together nicely, just falling short of the kind of pretense that could sink something like this. [AM]
~~~
While we've seen the LP advertised as a high priced psych outing, it ain't! There are splashes of fuzz guitar and occasional progressive moves, but propelled by vocalist Anvil Roth's AOR-styled pipes and delivery, these guys probably have more in common with 1970s hard rockers. The label and the overall Western motif left us with the impression this short-lived early-'70s outfit was from Colorado, but it was recorded in New York and Connecticut. Sonically the album's surprisingly impressive and offers up a nice mix of 1970s hard rock and Styx-styled progressive moods. Several tracks sport a vague new age-styled spiritualistic message, but have interesting arrangements and a couple actually rock out. To our ears, highlights are the opener "Sound of the Cross" and "Golden Image". [SB]

CHI-RHO (IL)

"Chi-Rho" 1972 (Aslan 0100)  

Christian obscurity with horns and deep vibe, like the missing link between Khazad Doom and the more spiritual tracks on Search Party. Brass arrangements are in a classical/liturgical style that fits the LP well, and the male/female vocals have the right eerie sacred feel. Not really a "rock" sound, yet with obvious influences from contemporary folk and psychedelia. Lack of guitar leads and the overall weirdness makes this an aquired taste, but I found it rather interesting. All originals except for oddball version of "Jesus Is Just Alright". The LP was recorded in Illinois as an 'outreach of Jud Youth Ministries'. The front cover has a gold negative photo of the band. The back has a black and white photo of the band walking down train tracks looking very hippie. [PL]

CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND (San José, CA)

"No Way Out" 1967 (Tower t-5096) [mono; tan label]  
"No Way Out" 1967 (Tower st-5096) [stereo; tan label]  
"No Way Out" 1994 (CD Sundazed) [inserts; +3 tracks]
"No Way Out" 199  (Big Beat wik-118) [+8 tracks]

"The Inner Mystique" 1968 (Tower t-5105)  [mono; tan label]  
"The Inner Mystique" 1968 (Tower st-5105)  [stereo; tan label]  
"The Inner Mystique" 198  (Tower)  [bootleg]
"The Inner Mystique" 1981 (Raven 1001, Australia)
"The Inner Mystique" 198  (Eva, France)  [+2 tracks]
"The Inner Mystique" 1994 (CD Sundazed 6024)  [+4 tracks]

"One Step Beyond" 1969 (Tower st-5153)  [wlp exists]  
"One Step Beyond" 198  (Tower)  [bootleg]
"One Step Beyond" 1994 (CD Sundazed 6025)  [+4 tracks]
"The Inner Mystique/One Step Beyond" 199  (CD Big Beat wikd-111)  [2-on-1]

Legendary teen-punks with ace Jagger clone on vocals and an archetypal garage look and vibe. "No Way Out" (also released in Canada and Germany) is garagy fuzz with a mix of covers and great originals. "The Inner Mystique" retains some of the r'n'b and garage and adds a quite different yet appealing dreamy lounge-psych element via studio tracks such as "Dark side of the mushroom". "One Step Beyond", the weakest of the lot, has a more coherent group sound in a flowing late 1960s westcoast rural sound. Originals of this LP have 'printed in U.S.A.' clearly legible at the bottom of the back cover. Many of the tracks on the first two LPs were recorded by session musicians. They're nevertheless essential, although the band is best understood as a 45 outfit. They also have two killer non-LP tracks on the Tower soundtrack "Riot on Sunset Strip" (1967, Tower t-5065 mono, st-5065 stereo) and a track on the sampler "Underground" (1969, Tower st-5168). There's plenty of retrospective samplers from the 1980s onwards, in case anyone still needs an introduction to this seminal band at this late stage. [PL]

CHOSEN ONES (Topeka, KS)

"Chosen Ones" 1966 (Audio House AH267)  [1-sided]

Young band with horn section doing typical wedding/high school dance material, and not exactly tearing the roof off at that. Members were apparently selected via audition which accounts for a reasonable (but not overwhelming) musical proficiency, the most interesting attribute being female vocalist Angel who sings quite well in a sophisticated style and breathes good atmosphere into "As Tears Go By". The other 5 tracks are typical soul/r'n'b covers of the era, with a solid groove on "Turn On Your Love Light" and a nervous "Harlem Shuffle" highpoints. The guitar is barely present. This inoffensive album probably succeeded in getting the band plenty of local gigs, but is far removed from what today is considered "garage" or "60s teenbeat". 1-sided album with 6 tracks. The band also had a local non-LP 45. [PL]

CHRIS, CHRIS & LEE ( )

"Chris, Chris, and Lee" 1970 (C C & L)  

Delicate folk/folkrock covers and some originals. "Thank you" has nice vocal harmony arrangements and an upbeat flow, like the Chapin Bros 4 years down the line.

CHRISTBEARER (NC)

"Songs And Friends" 1977 (Christbearer CR-1001)  

Like Majesty and Uncle John’s Band, Christbearer is one of a few groups headed up by Chris Hughes in the ‘70s. They also happen to be the heaviest of the bunch. Psych enthusiasts will immediately want to take note of ‘Look’ and ‘Into The Light’, both of which rock slowly with some of the loudest droning fuzz guitar on record – enough that "Songs And Friends" could easily earn a modest “monster” status.  On the softer end of the spectrum is ‘Twilight’, a mesmerizing acoustic ballad with dreamy background synthesizer.  A number of the remaining songs appeared on the Majesty album in the acoustic duo format but are re-interpreted here as spirited electric pop/folk, some of the best I’ve heard.  Light horn accompaniment on a couple of these blends in perfectly.  Several folkrock tunes as well - airy and jangly on ‘Fly’, bluegrassy with banjo on ‘Come To The Banquet’.  Members include Chris Hughes, Kay Woodard, Jimmy Rea, Jeff White and Lee Carpenter. Great album!  Custom press from Durham, NC. [KS]

CHRISTIAN ASTRONAUTS (Fremont, OH)

"Beyond The Blue" 1971 (Gospel Empire no #)  
"Beyond The Blue" 2004 (CD Companion)  [CD-R]

Christian family outer space concept act, "naive folk art" in great cover with homemade sound fx and off-key vocals. One for the incredibly strange fringe, needless to say. Some copies come with a promo photo.

CHRISTIAN YOGA CHURCH (Virginia City, NV)

"Turn On!! Music for the Hip at Heart" 1967 (Memorare es-s101)  

A 50-minute tribal spiritual organ/percussion improvisation with occasional sanskrit chanting, as much a product of the beatnik seeker era as a precursor of 1970s communal tripouts. Not really a "rock" record, more a unique early psychedelic fringe artefact along the lines of Alan Watts' legendary "This is IT", less intense, more eerie, and just as interesting. An unplugged version of Beat Of The Earth also springs to mind. One of my personal favorites in the off-the-beaten-path category. [PL]
~~~
This record was connected to the Himalayan Academy Research Center in San Francisco (what an amazing 60s town!!) and the label address was a P.O. Box at the Los Angeles airport. It's definintely in the 'real people' zone, basically an acoustic no-fi hippie freakout. Musical improvisations with church organ, some sitar, chanting, flutes, and even a kazoo. Fans of trancy Krautrock excess might go for this. There are no track listings on the LP. [RM]
~~~
see full-length review    

CHRISTMAS (Oshawa, Canada)

"Christmas" 1969 (Paragon 18)  
"Christmas" 198  (Paragon)  [reissue; altered sleeve]
-- the reissue has a b&W cover
"Christmas" 2005 (CD Pacemaker 043)

Their first LP has an intense westcoast sound similar to the second, although less evolved. One side is a long Bay Area-inspired (esp "Spare Chaynge") instrumental, other side is more conventional. Worth checking out.

"Heritage" 1970 (Daffodil 16002)  [gatefold; insert]  
"Heritage" 1970 (no label, Europe)  [bootleg; no gatefold or insert]
"Heritage" 1993  (CD Lazer's Edge)  

The most relevant of theirs for my purposes, a really good intense westcoasty trip with a distinct sound all through. You can hear that these guys knew what they were doing, especially ex-Reign Ghost whiz kid guitarist Bob Bryden. Moving towards prog in the advanced chord progressions and restless flow of ideas, not terribly varied in mood yet its inventiveness and energy makes for an impressive consistency. Around this time the band also appeared on a sampler "Proven Blooms" (Daffodil) with a track unavailable elsewhere. [PL]

"Lies To Live By" 1974 (Daffodil 10047)  [gatefold; insert]  
-- released as by Spirit Of Christmas
"Lies To Live By" 198  (Daffodil, Europe)  [bootleg]
"Lies To Live By" 199  (CD Lazer's Edge)  

Warm flowing prog psych rocker. Superb vocals and playing. Chaotic guitar runs, surging rhythms. [RM]

"Live ´71" 1989 (Remember The Alamo)  [300#d; booklet]
"Live ´71" 199  (CD Unidisc AGEK 2168)  

Legit release of rare live show from 1971, with some 45 only tracks added. First released as cassette.

CHRISTOPHER (Houston, TX / Los Angeles, CA)

  see interview

"Christopher" 1970 (Metromedia 1024)  [wlp]  
"Christopher" 1970 (Metromedia 1024)  [black stock label]  
"Christopher" 1989 (Amos, Italy)  [bootleg] 
"Christopher" 199  (CD Buy Or Die)
"Christopher" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 108)
"Christopher" 199  (Akarma 408, Italy)

One of the better LPs in the popular subgenre of proto-heavy westcoast hippierock, Airplane and Cream being the obvious influences. Classy stuff, solid and uncompromising and with lots of strange lyrics. A mean looking trio too, from the crashpad sleeve photo looks like they hung out more with bikers than flower children! Originally a Texas band known as United Gas, they also had connections to Josefus. Anyone who digs "Crown Of Creation" will love this. Stock copies are considerably rarer. An Italian original pressing exists. [PL]
~~~
A decidedly mixed experience. Clever and thoughtful songwriting and an excellent drummer wage war with lots of inconsequential lead guitar and vocals that often veer towards the macho (and sound just as bad in this not-quite-hard rock as they would in heavy blues rock.) As annoying as the lead singer can be, the predictable harmonies are much worse, creating an odd and uncomfortable combination: too wimpy and too he-man at the same time. This album definitely works better when the lyrical subject is “Magic Cycles” (a leisurely, formless song that keeps threatening to break out into rock and roll, but thankfully does not) than when it’s “Beautiful Lady,” which wastes a nice bass part and sounds like an FM radio reject. Many of the arrangements are cool; on “Wilbur Lite” you can ignore the boring lead guitar and enjoy the chunks of feedback from the rhythm guitar. The pace is always slow; a blast of energy would have added something to the record, but other than the drummer they don’t seem like they could have done it. Besides, Christopher are more successful when they’re just sitting back and feeling it than when they’re trying really hard. Any attempt to rock out here (as in the song “Disaster”) is quickly snuffed by a mellow middle eight or more lead guitar that doesn’t go anywhere. They do a better job of creating a menacing atmosphere with the grisly Biblical-themed lyrics to “Lies.” Others like this album much more than I do; if you’re amenable to this vocal style you probably will too. [AM]

CHRISTOPHER (Columbia, SC)

"What'cha Gonna Do?" 1969 (Chris-Tee 12411)  [circa 1000p]  
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 1990 (Animus Ochlus/Rockadelic 102)  [b & w cover; altered track order; 350#d]  
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 199  (Atlas, Europe)  [b & w cover]
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 1999 (CD Scenesof 1003)
"What'cha Gonna Do?" 2004 (Lion 101)

I’ll have to admit that I can’t figure out what people see in this one. The first song has a beautiful fuzz guitar sound, but that’s the first and last highlight here. The vocals are really weak, and the songs forgettable. The long jam that ends side one is absolutely endless, one of the dullest I’ve ever heard. The upbeat songs on the album still feel soft, as if the energy vibe was low during the recording session. The LP was released in August 1969. Of the reissues, the Lion has been reported as being best soundwise, while the Atlas repro may be a boot of the Rockadelic release, as none of these reproduce the orange monochrome of the original sleeve. [AM]
~~~
Most of the songs on this South Carolina band’s LP are great. They’re played with considerable vitality and with cool lyrics about the key concerns in life, such as drugs, death and the passage of time. The highlight has to be “Holiday” with fuzzed up guitar and lots of snarling about their trip being “like a book, a real good book, it’s nice but not quite true”. “The Great Clock” and “Death Song” are superb tracks with weary, wasted vocals lamenting the passage of time. The title track clocking in at over 12 minutes is not the highlight (and it starts the CD). However, it’s good enough not to mar the whole experience. The original LP usually sells for way into four figures. [RI]

CHRYSALIS (NY)

"Definition" 1968 (MGM e-4547)  [mono; ylp]  
"Definition" 1968 (MGM e-4547)  [mono]  
"Definition" 1968 (MGM e-4547)  [stereo]
"Definition" 1993 (MGM)
"Definition" 2005 (CD Revola 094, UK)  [+8 tracks]

One-shot masterpiece from genius songwriter Spider Barbour. His songs show remarkable lyrical and musical depth. Acoustic rock (not quite folk-rock) songs dominate, but the album is full of surprises, from searing fuzz guitar to the whacked-out fantasy “Dr. Root’s Garden” that closes the album. There are spots of jazz, prog (way before its time) and music hall, all of which can ruin psychedelic records, but work incredibly well here because they’re part of Barbour’s vision, not just attempts to be trendy. Favorite lyric: “God is a ring of smoke, wrapped around my finger, a wasp without a stinger, buzzing in my ear." Other lyrics veer towards the psychological and emotional with equally memorable results. Barbour’s voice is soothing and appealing. Nancy Nairn is used sparingly but effectively (two and a half songs) as the other lead vocalist. Her unhinged performance on “April Grove” adds to the appeal and strangeness of the album but is effective precisely because it’s not overused. Some other songs are stunningly beautiful and tragic. One of the all-time greats. [AM]

CHURLS (Canada)

"Churls" 1969 (A&M SP 4169)  [wlp exists]  

Canadian band merges the garage band sound of the Ugly Ducklings and the Haunted with a more up-to-date hard rock vibe. There are too many songs, and most of the lead guitar work doesn’t go anywhere, but there’s also a youthful energy and solid vocal style that wins out in the end. The trippy “Time Piece” blows away everything else on the album but there are lots of pleasures that reveal themselves with multiple listens. They also released a second album on A&M, "Send Me No Flowers," which is less collectable and more mainstream in sound (though still pretty good.) [AM]

CINCINNATI JOE & MAD LYDIA (Cincinnati, OH)

"Cincinnati Joe & Mad Lydia" 197  (River Witch 001)  [gatefold]  

An obscure item in the fringe sub-category of local lounge-rock bands with a stage musical "Hair" influence. Cincy Joe is a Sly Stone look-a-like who delivers some mediocre funk-rock tracks that are clearly lacking in groove. Mad Lydia is a self-appointed Cincinnati witch and some of her tracks is what makes the LP, with a rather irresistable backwater perspective on the American dream, as heard on "Jesus is our color man" and most of all "Plastic Rose", a heartfelt tribute to salt-of-the-earth women that becomes effective simply because of its slighly misguided and amateurish feel. Other enjoyable tracks include Lydia's witch testimony "900 years" (the psychiest track) and the hometown tribute "Cincinnati Soul". Glitzy period production details like female backing vocals, electric piano and flute help put you right in a half-empty Holiday Inn in Ohio 1973. A meaningless collage of live-recorded "Hair" songs close the LP on a confusing note. Only about half the album works, yet clearly a must for genre fans (like me) and probably a complete mystery to others. Nice, ambitious packaging adds to the vibe. There were also non-LP 45s by both of them on the same label. [PL]

CIRCUIT RIDER (CT)

"Circuit Rider" 1980 (C.R 666)  
"Circuit Rider" 199  (no label, Germany)  [bootleg; inferior sleeve job]

I initially wrote this off as yet another Blessed End but further plays revealed more interesting aspects. Still sort of goofy in places but has some truly freaky biker/Cpt Beefheart late night explorations. The tracks where they break out of their swampy/bluesy mood are the best, such as "Limousine Ride" and "Chinese", which project visions of a biker high on PCP driving over a cliff at 100 MPH, laughing and screaming all the way. Songwriting is essentially non-existent, and the same riffs and rhythms are used throughout, which creates a sameyness that will grate if you're not in the mood. The "Billy The Kid" song is a goofy macho lowpoint not unlike Blessed End, and all over this is an LP likely to appeal to some while others may be puzzled. A late Doors influence can be detected. Several sources claim that it was recorded in 1971, but not released until 1980. [PL]

CIRCUS (Cleveland, OH)

"Circus" 1973 (Metromedia LPS 7401)  

Circus were one of those bands who were huge stars locally but never made it anywhere else. In Cleveland they were even more popular than the Raspberries and this album's "Stop Wait Listen" still gets local airplay. They were a hard rock band with major Badfinger-styled power pop leanings and minor prog leanings. There are at least three killer songs here, though the album as a whole tries to do too many things and doesn't fully work, especially on the longer songs. The recorded a number of songs after this LP, but couldn't find another label. Members of the band would form a number of other bands, including American Noise. [AM]

CIRCUS (Stevens Point, WI) 

"Circus" 1974 (Hemisphere ks-6679)   
"Circus" 2000 (Gear Fab gf-162)  [+2 tracks]

Jammy keys and heavy, distorted leads rockers including a 12-minute track, produced by Corky Siegel.

CIRKUS ( )

"Cirkus" 197 (private)

Early 70s garagy sound soul rock high energy covers with mixed vocals. "Get Ready", "Spill the Wine", "River Deep Mountain High".

CITY BLUES (CA)

"Blues For Lawrence Street" 1967 (Nouveau nr-5001)