SABRAS see Bezalel & the Sabras

SACRED MUSHROOM (Cincinnati, OH) 

"Sacred Mushroom" 1969 (Parallax 4001)  
"Sacred Mushroom" 198  (Parallax, Europe)  [bootleg; yellow vinyl]
"Sacred Mushroom" 1993  (CD Eva b-30, France)
"Sacred Mushroom" 2001 (CD)

I occasionally see this on high priced psych lists, coupled with the usual dealer BS descriptions of "radical, mind numbing psych", etc. You probably won't be shocked to hear that most of the album isn't particularly psychedelic. In spite of the trippy name and great psychedelic cover art, the majority of the album found the band pursuing a fairly pedestrian blues attack. Unfortunately, overlooking a nifty cover of The Kinks' "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" (which stood as the album's highlight), none of the set's white-boys-singing-the-blues efforts were particularly original. Competent and professional, the isolated bits of excitement were largely a result of excellent guitar work. There was also a pre-LP 45, and an original Mexican pressing of the LP on Audio Fidelity. The 2001 CD is a reissue from the band themselves. [SB]
~~~
This one's collectable more for the album cover and band name than for the music within. They're definitely hippies, but this is mostly straight blues, and not a particularly interesting example of it. Cool communal photo on the back cover, though. [AM]

SADDHU BRAND (San Francisco, CA)

"Whole Earth Rhythm" 1970 (Anna Chakraborty's Musical Sewing Machine 101)   

Cosmic communal sitar folk and psych, with female vocals, chanting in English and Hindu, lots of ethnic instruments. An early example of a genre that would become common during the 1970s, not overwhelmingly interesting to my ears and curiously lacking the spiritual charge that can make these albums memorable. With Peter Van Gelder (ex-Great Society) after a long trip to India. The LP was picked up by UNI (73116) and re-released in 1971 with a new and less blatantly druggy cover. The UNI press is a good way to check out the LP cheap.

SAGE (FL) 

"By Sage" 1977 (Illusion CM2004)  
"By Sage" 2004 (CD Radioactive 081, UK)

Typical local mid-1970s Allman Bros/Dead rural groover, with a laidback mood and snakey guitar leads. Hard to find anything that makes it stand out within this rather common style, although the overall consistency of mood and playing makes it a good proxy for the genre. Vocals are OK, with some westcoast harmonies here and there, while the smooth flow of the playing is a bit like Kristyl (esp on "Morning Dove"), except a bit more swampy and not as spellbinding. Recording has an agreeable basement live feel, and it could be argued that these guys have everything in place to make a killer LP, except the songwriting, which relies too much on lines repeated like mantras and a lack of hooks and memorable chord progressions. Instead it becomes a working snapshot of the sound going round among 1000s of local club & bar bands in the American heartland at the time. Slightly stoned but not very psychedelic, except for the front cover acid drawing of a weird old sage with gigantic sheep eyes. [PL]
~~~
This is average Southern-style rock with innocuous love-song lyrics. Some of the guitar playing is pretty cool, and the performances are fine, but until the very last song, the lovely "Morning Dove" (sic), this is unexceptional in every way. The LP sounds like a third-generation recording, the most faded-sounding album you'll ever hear. I know tax scam labels are low-budget, but this must have been mastered from the band's cassette recording of their studio sessions. The first song on side two starts part-way through the actual recording. The vinyl is pretty noisy too, and the album is only 28 and a half minutes long. Cool album cover considering the circumstances. [AM]

"Rock It Out" 1978 (Illusion)  

"Shadows Of The Night" 1978 (lllusion 1050)  

"Freeport" 1978 (Illusion)  

"Rockin'" 1978 (Illusion)  

"Skyscraper" 1978 (Illusion)  

As you can see, something weird was going on with this band and label. In his "release anything I can get my hands on" frenzy, Mike Pinera put out not less than six albums by Sage on his Illusion label, probably as a tax-scam. Too bad he couldn't find some lost recordings of his ex-bandmate April Lawson. These other five Sage LPs have been described as similar in style to "By Sage", although they tend to be seldom seen. "Rock It Out" has a photo of the band.

SAGE (OK) 

"Sage" 197  (McCullar Sound no #)  

Good, laidback 1970s rock with some psychy guitarwork. The band recorded an LP under the name Lyra in 1979, also reputedly of interest.

SAGE & SEER (CO) 

"Sage & Seer" 1969 (Stylist SA-600)  [insert]  

Unusual item for a private press as it's an ambitious and elaborate lyte-psych effort that would have fit well on Epic or ABC. Influences are mainly British with obvious nods to 1967 Donovan and the Beatles. Arrangements bring in chamber music orchestrations and a baroque feel that has made for Left Banke comparisons, although I was more reminded of a second-tier Fredric. Unfortunately the slight weakness of the vocals is enhanced by an upfront and strongly channel-separated mix, something that would have been better handled with the major label treatment originally intended for the guys. Songwriting is good, and the lyrics typically poignant. One track has unsuccessful soul moves like Colorado colleagues Rainy Daze, rest is true to the clever pop genre credo. The experience of hearing a typical $10.000 LA album done as a local release is interesting enough to make this worth checking out, in addition to 3 or 4 memorable tracks. [PL]
~~~
Cool album cover and lots of dealer hype make this one easy to mistake for a lost pop/psych masterpiece. In reality, though, it's a mainstream 60s pop album with lots of strings and horns (where'd these guys ever get such a big recording budget?). It starts and ends well: "Pictures Through A Sunday Afternoon" is a gorgeous baroque pop song that ends in a wash of psychedelic effects, and the closing "Farewell St. John" is a slightly lesser variation on the same musical theme. The rest is kind of a mixed bag, with a few nice soft rock songs and a few that are more forgettable. The album came with a lovely lyric poster. [AM]

SAGITTARIUS (Los Angeles, CA)

"Present Tense" 1968 (Columbia cs-9644)   
"Present Tense" 1985 (Back-Trac)  
"Present Tense" 1997 (CD Sundazed 10053)  [+9 tracks]
"Present Tense" 2004 (CD Sony, Japan)

This is one of the most beloved soft psych albums of the 60s, and it certainly has moments that show Curt Boettcher to have an extraordinary gift for a catchy melody. The album is kind of hit and miss, though, and commits the unpardonable sin of including an edited version of the masterpiece “My World Fell Down.” Unsuspecting 70s collectors who bought the album after hearing the song on the "Nuggets" compilation were understandably disappointed. Certainly this is worth owning, as there are about half a dozen wonderful pop tunes on it, but it feels more like an exploitation album than a coherent whole. [AM]

“The Blue Marble” 1969 (Together 1002)

The second Sagittarius seems like a more coherent attempt at an “album” than the first, with a more consistent melodic feel and some quite surprising use of moog (an instrument still in its infant stages in rock and roll.) It’s completely lightweight, always pretty but rarely a whole lot more than that. You’ll either love or hate the synths, though I can’t imagine even the most jaded hard rock junkie not appreciating the beauty of the voices. The high points aren’t as high as those on "Present Tense", but this is an enjoyable album for those moments when you want to wimp out for a while. [AM]

SAHARAS (MI)

"Saharas" 1966 (United)  [10"]  

Teenbeat rarity with female vocalist Lu. Supposedly a live recording from a Michigan college, in a frat-rock style. This may be the same Saharas that had 45s on United and the well-known Fenton label.

SAILOR ( )

"Sailor" 1976 (700 West)  [1000p; inner]  

Obscure light westcoasty sounds on the same Indiana label as Zerfas, receiving some hype of late. 

 
SAINTE ANTHONY'S FYRE (NJ)

"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 1970 (Zonk 001)  
"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 1987 (Breeder 563,  Austria)
"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 1996 (Void 03)  [poster; 400#d]
"Sainte Anthony's Fyre" 199  (CD, Europe)

Rated by many as one of the ultimate local basement hardrock blowouts. An intense, compressed live feel has the band going through a set of raw originals with a near-punk attack. Also shows obvious urban soul/funk inspiration a la Grand Funk, although this becomes an advantage in this context. A great echoey rehearsal space sound adds to the appeal. According to Jersey folklore the drummer OD'd after his brother had shot himself in the head. The Void reissue is inferior in sound compared to the original, or the earlier bootleg. [PL]
~~~
Intense damaged power trio. Sludge fuzz behemoth in Bent Wind/Blue Cheer zone. No subtlety or restraint in evidence as Greg Ohm delivers powerful vocals and distorted leads from the other side. The side openers "Love over you" and "Lone soul road" are all time riff fests. [RM]

ST ELMO'S FIRE (OH)

"Live At The Cleveland Agora" 1980 (Corposant)  [inner sleeve; #d]

Hard progressive guitar keys. Garagy King Crimson sound and Tolkien influence. Not an expensive LP.

ROD ST JAMES ( )

"Has Anybody Seen A Superstar" 1972 (Paula lps-2218)   

Nice one. Trippy organ, wailing fuzz, and wah-wah over a funky psych backing with 'laid-back cool' phased hippie vocals. Donovan meets Marcus (McDonald)! [RM]
~~~
Interesting combination of funky guitar rock and some folk. The cover is mysterious and it’s impossible to tell from his singing if he’s white or black. There’s some hot guitar here and some pretty catchy songs. It’s a darn good mainstream 70s rock album, though I suppose some would say he’s trying too hard on the few folky songs on side two. There’s nothing “psychedelic” about this album, and other than the lead guitar, it’s not hard rock either, so the hype is sometimes misleading. Nonetheless it’s a very good album and is quite scarce, and I recommend it. [AM]

SAINT JOHN GREEN (Los Angeles, CA)

"Saint John Green" 1968 (Flick-Disc fls 45001)

Trashy sci-fi bubblegum fuzz punk with Kim Fowley involvement, cheesy organ fun. Goofball concept about the end of the world. [RM] 
~~~ 
It's pretty cool to think that stuff this bizarre was getting released and distributed in the late 60s. Goofy comedy bits and fake Satanism mix with garagy pop to make for a fun album. There are a couple of excellent songs here too, and not a boring moment to be found. A nice companion piece for Kim Fowley's "Outrageous". [AM]

ST LOUIS HOUNDS (St Louis, MO)

"St Louis Hounds" 1977 (Hounds 101)  

Rock with big band sound and violin. This is actually the third Pavlov's Dog LP, which had been rejected by Columbia.

ST PIUS X SEMINARY CHOIR (CA)

"Each One Heard In His Own Way" 1968 (Century 30441)  

Here’s one choir you definitely won’t want to miss. Notice that they’re directed by the Rev. Nicholas T. Freund, the same guy responsible for The Search Party’s "Montgomery Chapel", one of Christian music’s absolute top psych rarities. Although this male/female choir doesn’t really sound like The Search Party, they sure don’t recall any choir I’ve ever heard before. The rock, folk, psych and electronic influences heard here once again confirm that Freund was very much a part of the experimental late ‘60s. The choir itself comes across big and loud, and at more than one point it even sounds like they’re yelling at the top of their lungs. The instruments are loud, too: the electric bass, the organ, the acoustic guitars, the electric guitar, and especially the drums and percussion. "Meditation – Acts 2:1-12 – Pentecost Sunday" opens the album on a highly avant garde note, with liturgical readings, chanting and dissonant singing backed by a variety of harsh heavy grating electronic sounds. Covers of Ray Repp’s "I Am The Resurrection" and "Come Children Hear Me" follow, sounding like straightforward ‘60s Catholic folk as typically heard on the World Library or FEL labels. Bluesy harmonica joins with some cool electric guitar riffing on Sister Germaine’s "Who Is This Man". Next is an intense psychedelic version of "Get Together" with big drums, swirls of spacey organ and tripped-out Sgt. Pepper flutes, and a short modal/raga electric guitar solo. Side two is entirely taken up with a rocking performance of John Ylvisaker’s "Mass For The Secular City" (from Praise The Lord In Many Voices Part I), highlighted by psychy organ and electric guitar interaction. Very primitive looking yellow cover with red dove/fire design, along with newspaper clippings about the group on the back. [KS]

ST RAPHAEL FOLK GROUP ( )

"Sabbath Prayer" 196  (no label)  

Late 1960s typical Christian folk and folkrock with male/female vocals, in a nice color sleeve. Described as unexciting by some.

SAINTROCK (NY)

"Conceptual Orchestra" 1978 (CER)  
"Conceptual Orchestra" 2005 (CD)

Westcoast/rural-flavored religious folkrock with flute and fuzz from duo, highly rated by some. There is a second LP from 1984, "Second Coming", and further recordings from recent times.

SAINT STEVEN (MA)

"Saint Steven" 1969 (Probe CPLP 4506)  [gatefold; red label rim]  
"Saint Steven" 1969 (Probe)  [bootleg; gatefold]
"Saint Steven" 199  (CD TRC, Europe)
"Saint Steven" 199  (CD BOD 102, Germany)

Ambitious and eclectic Boss-Town sound that's received some hype recently though I can't say I'm blown away by it. Fuzzed hippierock mixed with folkie bits and interesting lyrics but nowhere as freaky and arresting as the top psych LPs from the time and place, in my opinion. May appeal more to fans of early UK/Euro artrock and prog. Earlier recordings as the Frontpage Review have been made available (CD "Mystic Soldiers", Big Beat). Cataldo was later in the Nervous Eaters. The LP title is sometimes listed as "Over The Hills". A Canadian original pressing exists without gatefold; the album was also released in Peru for some reason. See also comment for One St Stephen. [PL]
~~~
After Morgen, this is the key collectable on the label. Opinions are divided on it, but I think it's a good one. There's a mild theme to it, with background noise on several songs (political commentary, animal noises), and two distinct album sides: "Over The Hills" and "Bastich." I'm not really sure what it's about, but it has an appealing strange energy. The music is a mix of melodic pop/psych and heavy psych. The songs vary in quality but all have nice fuzz guitar and a few, notably "Bastich 1" and "Voyage To Cleveland," are quite memorable. Not a masterpiece, but an interesting album. Oddly enough, "Bastich 1" was covered by Whalefeathers. How in the world did they ever discover this song? [AM]

SALEM MASS (ID)

"Witchburning" 1971 (Salem Mass slp-101)   
"Witchburning" 199  (Salem Mass, Europe)  [bootleg]
"Witchburning" 1998 (CD Gear Fab gf-117)
"Witchburning" 1999 (Akarma 092, Italy)

Cheap-sounding hard rock with lots of moog. For the first song, which is quite long, it's pretty cool, but overall this isn't anything special and doesn't cover any new ground after that one song. It's nowhere near as dark as the band and album title would imply, though the synth does get pretty creepy now and then. [AM]

SANDS OF TIME ( )

"Sands Of Time" 197  (Sands Of Time 2000)  

Not to be confused with any other Sands Of Time, this is unexceptional hippie folk with male/female vocals. The cover shows the main couple in a field.

SANDSTONE (PA) 

"Can You Mend A Silver Thread?" 1971 (SA 2911)  

Little-known local folkpsych trip with a total UK sound, reminiscent of the Shide & Acorn album in particular. Male/female vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar tapestries, flute, piano and occasional violin all create a dreamy, wistful mood typical of the style. While not terribly original it is skillfully done and hits all the right spots, and is likely to delight genre fans in a big way. I might have opted for even more of the female vocals but it's a minor objection. Some trad moves here and there for an "authentic" feel, but really a trip off the lysergic Camelot magic first invoked by Donovan back in 1967. [PL]

V.A "SAN FRANCISCO POP FESTIVAL" (CA) 

"San Francisco Pop Festival" 1968 (Colstar 5001)  [poster]  

Obscure comp done to cash in on the San Francisco craze of '67-68. The marvy packaging (including a poster) is probably of more interest than the sounds, which apart from three or four OK garage/psych numbers is wholly superflous. S.F experts suggest that several of the groups listed actually represent various one-off studio amalgamations involving the highly active ex-New Zealander Ray Columbus. The track attributed to the Haight-Ashbury Blues Band was actually pre-Horses/Kingfish group New Delhi River Band. "Friendly indians" by Charolette Wood is the high point to me. [PL]

SANSONE & McDONALD ( )

"Country Life & My Wife" 1976 (Acredited)  

Local folkrock obscurity with a 60s throwback sound.

SANTA FE ( )

"The Good Earth" 1972 (RTV 301)  [wlp exists]  

This is a collectable because of the label, but it's not something many collectors will want to listen to more than once or twice. It's non-psychedelic rural rock, with a few good-timey rock songs and some horns. They try awfully hard but really don't develop an identity. Despite the variety of arrangements it's pretty bland.  The band's earlier, self-titled LP on Ampex is highly rated by some. [AM]

DAVID SANTO (NY)

"Silver Currents" 1968 (Phoenix phs-101)  
"Silver Currents" 1969 (Sire ses-97004)  [altered cover]

Obscure Village folk-hippie guy with tremendous 45 "Rising Of Scorpio", included on this LP in an alternate mix. Rest of the album is disappointing third-tier Donovan sounds with offkey vocals. File under "avoid" next to Marcus on Kinetic. [PL]
~~~
Santo’s best known for “Rising Of Scorpio,” a cool tune that appeared on many psychedelic compilations, despite musically being pretty straight folk rock. The rest of his album is pretty similar, though no other song is quite as memorable. Santo has a warm, guy-next-door voice that’s more likeable than good. His songwriting is good but not great and the album is a fun but minor entry into the 60s singer/songwriter sweepstakes. This LP came out twice, once on a small label with a colorful cover photo with Santo’s face in a bunch of clouds, and a second time on Sire with a black and white photo of Santo in a cold-weather parka. Both versions are scarce, though the original generally goes for twice as much as the second issue. [AM]

SAPPHIRE THINKERS ( )

"From Within" 1969 (Hobbit 503)  [wlp exists]  
"From Within" 199  (Hobbit) 
"From Within" 2000 (CD Summer Of Love 2000-2)

Surprisingly good CA-sounding melodic/harmony psych trip, instantly likable and strong enough to hold your attention for repeat plays. Elements from disparate sources are brought in -- Curt Boettcher sunshine pop, Bay Area teen top 40 psych like Neighb'rhood Childr'n, Sunset Strip organ/fuzz/flute a la Strawberry Alarmclock -- yet the end result is consistent and convincing, with plenty of strength in the songwriting and arrangements, and no major weaknesses. A few tracks point towards the relaxed early 1970s psych sound of Kak and Bob Smith. Impressive, not unlike a junior Music Emporium. Ex-Merry Prankster Sandy "Dismount" Lehmann-Haupt was involved and may have contributed to the non-fake vibe of this LP. [PL]
~~~
All the elements are here: cool organ, solid male and female vocals, catchy melodies, plenty of fuzz guitar, but somehow this album never really worked for me. I'm not sure if it's overlys formulaic, or if the songwriting is a little bland, or I find the flute annoying, or what, but I keep trying to discover what others see in this record with no luck. The album definitely lacks the kind of wildness found in, say, Neighb'rhood Childr'n, or the kind of songwriting excellence and diversity that makes Creation of Sunlight and the Strawberry Alarm Clock rise above their similar saccharine tendencies. [AM]

JOHN W SARGENT ( )

"John W Sargent" 196  (no label)  [no cover]  

Druggy lounge rock with guitar, organ, flute. Some of the vocals are unintelligible which may well be for the best. The label reads 'demonstration copy'. [RM]

JOHN SASE see Aessence

SATAN & THE DECIPLES (LA)

"Underground" 1969 (Goldband grlp 7750)  

Mock-satanic swamprock with classic "theme" song that features unconvincing devilish laughter and a swank Sam The Sham occult party groove that needs to be heard. Made by stupid people for stupid people! [PL]
~~~
This album is a riot. That doesn't mean it's good; it's not. It is, however, one of the most absurd and misguided attempts at exploitation you'll ever hear. The long opening "Satan's First Theme" is ridiculous beyond belief. The singer laughs and growls in a goofy way that wouldn't scare a two-year old, and the lyrics are equally tame. I mean, if you're trying to be Satan, wouldn't you be evil, or scary, or offensive? He doesn't go much further than suggesting he should have sued the writers of the bible for libel. This goes on for about eight minutes, as he sing-speaks and while the backup singers call him "the bugger man." Unforgettable! Another long (7 minute) song ends the album, with the same singer/narrator teaching us about "The Book Of Alpha." It's more of the same and less entertaining only because it's the second time he's pulled the same schtick. The lousy garage pop songs and country ballads that come between these two "masterpieces" are mundane by comparison, even though they're pretty goofy too. Most of you will think this is a colossal waste of time, but some of you will treasure it for life. [AM]

"THE SATANIC MASS" (San Francisco, CA)

"Recorded Live At The Church Of Satan" 1968 (Murgensturm MM 6660)   

Satanic service with sinister organ and preaching. Conducted by church leader Anton Szandor Lavey. One side features a recording of his "Satanic Mass" recorded live, the other features LaVey's reading from "The Satanic Bible" over selected classical music. Reissued on CD several times by labels such as Amarillo, Mephisto, and Rare Recordings.

SATANS (Andover, MA)

"Raisin' Hell" 1962 (no label 3262)  

Instrumentals from the East-Coast prep rock scene, the renowned Phillips Academy (Rising Storm, etc) to be precise. Very crude sleeve artwork.

RICK SAUCEDO (IL) 

"Heaven Was Blue" 1978 (Reality 55)  
"Heaven Was Blue" 2003 (Orange Double Dome)  [300p]

Elvis impersonator moonlighting as a psych genius in a nice blue haunted house sleeve. This is melodic 1970s psych like Michael Angelo and Bobb Trimble with a great sidelong epic and two rootsy r'n'r numbers that stick out like a sore thumb. The good stuff is killer though, rich guitar textures supporting dreamy vocals carrying wellwritten songs through plenty of changes yet always with an eye on the ball; likely to appeal to any and all psych fans out there. All reissue copies came with loose, unglued cover slicks. [PL]
~~~
This is the kind of album that makes collecting so much fun. Who in a million years would have guessed that this Elvis impersonator also was a tortured soul who real voice would be so pretty in a pop sense? The two regular length popsike songs on side one are as good as music gets, every bit as emotionally deep and chill-inducing as Michael Angelo or Bobb Trimble, packed with melody, hooks and dreamy guitars. The sidelong suite is almost as good, but suffers from sloppy rhythms. It sounds as if the drums were overdubbed, and several times the drummer struggles to keep up. The two good time rock & roll songs that close side one are nothing particularly exciting even for fans of the style, and couldn’t be more out of place. Still three quarters of a very special album is something to treasure, and everyone reading this needs to hear it. [AM]
~~~
see full-length review

SAVAGE RESURRECTION (CA) 

"Savage Resurrection" 1968 (Mercury mg-21156)  [wlp; mono]  
"Savage Resurrection" 1968 (Mercury mg-21156)  [red label; mono]  
"Savage Resurrection" 1968 (Mercury sr-61156)  [red label; stereo]  
"Savage Resurrection" 1988 (Mercury)  [bootleg]

One of the classic heavy psych albums, this is one that every fan of the genre seems to like. What makes the album so cool is that they have not one but two wild guitarists, and the dual lead guitars spew fuzz and feedback brilliantly throughout. As much as I enjoy this album, though, I must say that after about twenty listens I still can't remember more than one or two of the actual songs without hearing them again. If the songwriting had been up to the level of the guitar playing this would have been as good as Morgen. The one common criticism is that it's yet another one of these records with a long blues jam on it, but the guitar playing at least makes the jam more enjoyable than most others in the style. As is sometimes the case, the mono promo has been reported as having the best sound of the pressings. [AM]

SAVAGES (Bermuda) 

"Live 'N Wild" 1967 (Duane 1047)  
"Live 'N Wild" 1984 (Resurrection CX 1330)
"Live 'N Wild" 2002 (CD no label)

To me one of the best local garage LPs, an authentic live recording from a Bermuda rich kid hangout. Lots of Animals/Stones moves but also several great originals like "The world ain't round" and the sublime "Quiet town", three of which have appeared on comps. Tough garage sounds successfully mixed with atmospheric ballads in a stylish manner, my only gripe being the wasted "On Broadway" cover and the "manly" sub-Burdonesque vocals on a few tracks. "No no no" is a studio recording from a post-LP session and was inserted into the album with some fake crowd noise added. Original copies of this LP are hardly ever offered but by all means try to score the old vinyl reissue. The label was from New Jersey, but the band was mainly based in Bermuda. There is also a good non-LP 45 track. The vinyl-sourced CD reissue comes from the band themselves. [PL]

SAVANNAH ( )

"Crank It Up" 1977 (Chrome Thigh)   

Hard guitar jamming dedicated to Tommy Bolin.

SKY SUNLIGHT SAXON (Los Angeles, CA)  see article

"Lovers Cosmic Voyage" 1976 (Emerald Light GF 571231)  [no cover]  

"Heavenly Earth - Live at the Orpheum" 1977 (Sunbow 001)  [2 inserts]

"Masters Of Psychedelia" 1984 (New Rose, French)

Still going strong (?) into his fifth decade of flipped out sounds, the great man's discography could fill a book of its own. We've narrowed it down to things immediately relevant to the Archives. Credited only to Sunlight, "Lovers Cosmic Voyage" is a new agey harp & piano meditation on space travel with dogs, quite surreal for the whole 15 minutes it lasts. "Heavenly Earth" is  credited to Sunlight Rainbow Stars New Seeds and is a droning basement 70s psych trip that would fetch a lot more $$$ if made by unknown guys, the only drawback being the lack of guitar-leads. Although the sleeve bears no such credits, it appears that side 2 of "Masters Of Psychedelia" features Fire Water Air, circa 1975, from the same recording session that yielded the Yahowha-related "Golden Sunrise" LP. [PL]
~~~
see -> Alright Family Band; Yahowha 13

SAXONS (New York City, NY)

"Love Minus Zero/No Limit" 1966 (Mirrosonic AM 1017)  [mono]
"Love Minus Zero/No Limit" 1966 (Mirrosonic AS 1017)  [stereo]

Baroque vocals and harpsichord folkrockers from duo doing three Dylan covers among others.

SCHROEDER & FOREST (Canada)

"Another Brand New Day" 1975 (no label)  

Hippie folk with flute and male/female vocals. May be a demo pressing only.

JIM & CHERIE SCHWALL (Chicago, IL)

"A Wedding Present From" 1971 (no label)   

Early 1970s, laidback mostly acoustic blues jamming. Made as a gift for friends. Jim was in the Siegel-Schwall Band. There was a later private press also, "Spring Vacation" (1978).

JOHN SCOGGINS ( )

"Pressed For Time" 1976 (Tiger Lily 14059)  [promos exist]  

Charming dreamy 1970s pop with an early new wave sensibility mixed with a warm, 1960s-style folkrock sound. Light, upbeat vocals fit the music perfectly, and the playing is fine with lots of ringing guitars. Several songs are superb 3-minute creations in the classic McCartney/McGuinn school, and the LP sticks close to this credo throughout, with only a jokey hillbilly tune wasted. While not a far out psych monster or hardrock blowout, most people who hear this like it, simply on ground of its talent and sunny feel. Too bad it came out on the tax-loss Tiger Lily label; on the appropriate label it could have been a Shoes-type cult classic. [PL]
~~~
Along with Stonewall, this is the cream of the crop on this fascinating label. Pressed For Time is a very solid 70s pop album-hooky, highly melodic songs, jangly guitars, lovely high male vocals and joyous harmonies, and a significant Beach Boys influence. A bit of fuzz guitar, especially on "Somebody's Sad," adds a nice touch of energy. The format is varied by a goofy country tune on side one and a soulful Easybeats cover on side two, but otherwise it's just one memorable, hummable song after another, evoking the best summer feelings. Power pop fans will go insane when they discover this one. Oddly, there exist a number of copies of this album with stickers on the cover, some of which list the actual band members, implying that unlike other Tiger Lily albums at some point there was an effort on someone's part to actually sell the thing. [AM]

SCORPION ( ) 

"Scorpion" 1970 (Tower st-5171)  [striped label]  

Black guys doing raw underground bar funk sounds, sometimes hyped by dealers but hardly the most highly rated LP in the style.

SCOTTI (CO)  

"For Friends" 1973 (Strawberry)   

Folkrock obscurity in nice color cover.

SCREAMING GYPSY BANDITS (Bloomington, IN)

"In The Eye" 1973 (BRBQ)  
"In The Eye" 1996 (OR 014)  [paste-on; insert; 375#d]

Nice flowing rural rock with lots of little exotic world music touches, female vocals. Saddhu Brand meets Hickory Wind! Member Bob Lucas had a solo LP, "The Dancer Inside You" (BRBQ, 1974). [RM]
~~~
This album sports a mix of styles and a communal feel. Not all of it is memorable but there are two or three excellent, resonant songs here. Horns are used to powerful purpose. It’s hard to classify this one.  It’s not folk, not soul, not progressive. A nice find for jaded listeners. One of the highlights would be re-recorded for Caroline Peyton’s "Intuition" album. [AM]

SEARCH PARTY (Sacramento, CA)

"Montgomery Chapel" 1969 (Century 32013)  [600p]  
"Montgomery Chapel" 1994 (Rapturedelic)  [paste-on]
"Montgomery Chapel" 1998 (CD Flash, Italy)
"Montgomery Chapel" 200  (Void 22)  [insert]
"Montgomery Chapel" 2004 (CD Beatball 05, South Korea) 

One of the more notable discoveries of the 1990s, a primitive Christian folkrock LP which isn't great all through but hits some truly unique moods and sounds on about 2/3rds of the tracks. Obviously inspired by the westcoast "psychedelic" sounds of the era, the Search Party take compositions by their spiritual mentor, a Catholic middle-aged priest, and turn them into primitive California garage folkrock and psych with fuzz leads and raw vocals! Most Christian "folkrock" LPs suffer from still having one foot left in Sunday School, but these young seminarians have definitely broken through to the other side. Side 1 ends with an unparalleled 9-minute downer folkrock excursion with heavy soulsearching lyrics that alone makes "Montgomery Chapel" worth checking out, but beware -- it's crude, even the female vocalist has a strange edge. Unrehearsed confessions from a basement Music Emporium. [PL]

SEBASTIAN (Canada) 

"Rays Of The Sun" 1969 (MCA 7001)  

Most of this album is horn- and string-heavy AM pop, though two songs here, both self-produced, are from a completely different world. They are long folky ballads, dreamy and intense with powerful vocals. They're kind of humorless, but they're great anyway, precursors of 70s psych classics like the best songs on the Garrett Lund album. Elsewhere, one song opens with some terrific phasing, though everything else is much more conventional. The mainstream stuff here is quite good if you pay attention, but you'll probably be more likely to wonder what Sebastian could have come up with if he'd had full creative control. The self-produced songs are long and take up a third of the album's running time. [AM]

SEBASTIAN (Canada)

"Head Roach" 1972 (Vintage)  [booklet]
"Head Roach" 2005 (Void 037)  [500p; inner]

A different Sebastian, with an LP of stoned folk and Zappaesque touches, supposedly banned upon release due to drug references.

OSH SEBROW (NJ)

"Angels Are Falling" 1982 (Osty)  [insert]

Interesting early 80s pop album with folky leanings. Sebrow did the whole thing himself, which unfortunately means it has a drum machine. The songs are quite good in a post-Beatles pop mode, and Sebrow has a haunting voice. One song is a tribute to John Lennon, but unfortunately quotes from some McCartney songs that Lennon always hated. Lennon would be spinning in his grave! Otherwise, though, if you can get past the drum machine (which I can not), this is a nice album. Osh was an Eye Surgeon and gave out the "Angels Are Falling" LP to his patients. Due to a quantity find it's not a pricey album at all. He also did a much earlier LP, "I Can See Tomorrow" (Ame, 1974). [AM]

SEEDS ( )

"Hymns For A New Age" 1978 (Whatever WA 101)  

Unrelated Seeds doing hippie folk.

V.A "SEE/HEAR RECORD MAGAZINES" (Canada)

"See/Hear Record Magazine #1" 1968 (See/Hear ST 55852)  [folder with info sheets]  

"See/Hear Record Magazine #2" 1968 (See/Hear ST 56410)  [inserts]  

Avantgarde publications including a 12" record and various inserts/magazines. Mixes avant music with poetry and electronic freakouts typical of the era. Issue #2 has some members from Mock Duck. Bill Bissett is also featured, and got to release his own LP as "See/Hear #3".
~~~
see -> Bill Bissett

SEICHE (Chicago, IL)

"Dose After Dose" 1981 (no label)  [plain cover; 100p]
"Dose After Dose" 1999 (Hexamon 001)  [500p; 2 inserts]

Highly regarded progressive hardrock trio with hard fuzz leads, mystical vocals, burnout vibes.

SENSATION (Milwaukee, WI)

"Sensation" 1976 (no label)   

Mid-70s Beatle throwback sound.

SEOMPI (TX) 

"Summer's Comin' On Heavy" 1998 (Rockadelic 33)
"AWOL" 2000 (CD Gear Fab gf-136)
"Seompi" 2000 (Akarma 089, Italy)  [2 LPs]

A tasty selection of previously unreleased circa 1971 material from an Austin-based band often referred to as the "Black Sabbath of Texas", a rather inaccurate handle as the bulk of the material is progressive hardrock with jazz leanings. It's still heavy and powerful stuff though, especially the awesome "AWOL/Elijah" blowout that closes side 1. Their two famous 45 tracks are included in alternate versions, along with a bunch of originals and a "Voodoo Child" take that's good but can't match Hendrix. Have to admit some of the avantgarde stuff goes over my head, but should be mandatory to Texas and/or hardrock aficionados. Odd packaging on the Rockadelic includes an outer rubber sleeve and plenty of pics.  The Gear Fab and Akarma releases add some 45 tracks and even more unreleased material (on the Akarma only) to the Rockadelic album. An early, previously unknown 45 has recently been found with at least one track not reissued on any of these. [PL]

SEQUOIAH ( )

"Sequoiah" 1975 (700 West)  [2000p]  

Another little known title on the prolific Indiana label, stoned moody rural rock with violin.

SEQUOIAH STREAM (Richmond, IN)

"Sequoiah Stream" 1971 (no label)  [no cover; insert]  

Half listenable live-in-auditorium college comp with a couple strong downer folk tracks and a smoking fuzz workout. The cover was not finished in time so a mimeographed insert contained all the info. [RM]
~~~
Here's some background on this LP and the Earlham College scene courtesy of Todd Cerney: "The name Sequoia Stream was the title of a piano instrumental on the album from the year before or maybe 2 years before that I produced out of a series of live performances. It ended up as the album title. These albums were an extension of the yearly poetry book that the school would produce. In fact the one made in 1971 was one of the reasons I decided to go to the school in the first place... There was a guy named Charlie Bleak who was incredible (sang like Paul Macartney) and wrote amazing songs. He and several students there did an album called Hoi Polloi. Charlie went on to get a record deal but never got on the radio for some reason. I didn't know him and he wasn't a student anymore when I got to Earlham myself...".
~~~
see -> Attention Span; Hoi Polloi

SERPENT POWER (San Francisco, CA) 

"Serpent Power" 1968 (Vanguard 9252)  [mono]  
"Serpent Power" 1968 (Vanguard vsd-79252)  [stereo]  
"Serpent Power" 199  (Vanguard, Italy)
"Serpent Power/Poet Song" 1999 (CD Akarma 053/054, Italy)  [2-on-1]

While all kinds of mediocre rarities are treated to pages of lip-service, this fine little LP still remains underappreciaed. It's a good early SF LP; stripped down folkrock a la the first Airplane with a slightly bohemian vibe and some David Meltzer poetry on the back cover. Not freaky or avantgarde, more like folky Bay Area pop. A couple of excellent tracks with female vocals on side 1, while the 13-minute "Endless tunnel" on sided 2 fails to reveal any metaphysical insights yet is still kinda cool, with noted banjo-master Jean-Paul Pickens guesting. Enjoyable and historically significant LP in a nice cover, and as the original's still fairly cheap, go get one. The LP was released in February 1968. An original Australian pressing exists. [PL]
~~~
This is one of the best co-ed albums in the San Francisco style. The feel of the guitar and organ arrangements is just right, and Tina Meltzer's vocals are strong without being uncontrolled. Generally rock albums by poets can be pretty annoying, but this keeps its pretentions in balance and the songwriting is sharp and clever. The 13-minute closing track is a powerful vision of a personal apocalypse, and foreshadows "Hotel California" by almost ten years. [AM]
~~~
see -> David & Tina Meltzer

SCOTT SESKIND (Boulder, CO)

"Scott Seskind" 1985 (no label 11785)   

Late phase downer/loner folk and singer/songwriter trip, mostly acoustic, some tracks with a small band.

SEVENTH DAWN (MD) 

"Sunrise" 1976 (Fantasy Worlds Unlimited)  [200p]  
"Sunrise" 1994 (Project Aquarius)  [275#d; insert]

Local hippie folkrock and melodic prog few had heard of until the reissue appeared. Some people hate it and it is probably the only hallowed $1000 rarity to feature a Barbra Streisand tribute song. Nevertheless I dig this LP, it has a wonderful naive seriousness that makes me think of high school project records, with three brothers and a sister doing male/female vocals and an even mix of folky ballads and fuzzed prog hippierock. "Free" has a great late 60s Beatles feel and is a personal fave. The album was recorded in the electronic music lab at Virginia Commonwealth University. The small press size has been confirmed by the band. 25 copies of the reissue run came with leftover slicks and inserts from the original pressing. Some unreleased recordings from 1979 exist. [PL]

SEVENTH SEAL (VA)

"Reflections" 1999 (Justice 0)  [insert]

30+ year belated addition to the Justice label catalog, via an album that was recorded but never released by the label back in 1967. Weighing it against the stablemates, this is clearly above average, with a number of band originals and a more genuinely contemporary (as in 1966) moody garage and folkrock feel than the usual Justices. The release is nicely done in a way that looks and feels like a 60s pressing, and anyone with an interest in local teenbeat albums may want to check it out, apart from the obvious completist angle.

SEVENTH SONS ( )

"4:00 AM at Frank's" 1968 (ESP 1078)   
"Raga" 199  (CD ESP 1078) 
"4:00 AM at Frank's" 1999 (Get Back GET 1038, Italy)

Garagy trance raga jams with Buzzy Linhart on guitar and vocals. Basement Eastern stuff with percussion and flute, has been compared to Handgjort.

SEVENTH TEMPLE (Canada)

"Under The Burning Sun" 1978 (no label 7T)  
"Under The Burning Sun" 2004 (CD Radioactive, UK)

This LP was heavily hyped and priced when discovered a few years back, although the excitement cooled off once people found out that rather than some lost acid concept killer, it was 18 minutes of Canadian late 70s basement prog, nothing more, nothing less. The short playtime suggests it may have been intended as a demo LP; in any event it's a symphonic-oriented trip with mid-tempo tracks, lots of mellotron and moog and the typical arch-pompous UK prog mood. You can still spot traces of decent melodies in there, and the amusement value of a Canuck teenager trying to sound like Jon Anderson shouldn't be understated. The opening title number is the best of the three tracks, with feedback leads and an occasional sci-fi cheese drama feel not unlike Eyes-New Gods. May appeal to fans of Autumn People, although more theatrical and less warm. Crude cover which along with the band name and album title makes this item look a lot cooler than it actually is. [PL]
~~~
see -> Drama

BECKY SEVERSON (St Cloud, MN)

"A Special Path" 197  (no label)   

Christian teenage femme acoustic folk with short songs, inspired by the book of Jeremiah. One track appears on the "Ladies Of The Canyon" compilation.

SEX (Montreal, Canada)

"Sex" 1970 (Transcanada 775)  
"Sex" 199  (no label)  [bootleg]

"The End Of My Life" 1971 (Transcanada 785)  
"The End Of My Life" 199  (no label)  [bootleg]
"The End Of My Life / Lectric Music Revolution" 1997 (CD Hipschaft)  [2-on-1]

Unexceptional post-psych prog hardrock LPs from obscure French-Canadian band. Some jazzy moves on the second LP.

V.A "S F O MUSIC BOX SET" (San Francisco, CA) 

"S F O Music Box Set" 1967 (no label CRS-1162)  [4LPs; box-set; insert]  

Quite rare 4 LP box set of SF area songwriter demos connected to the Trident operation, released around X-mas 1967. Contains rare tracks by Blackburn & Snow, Mystery Trend, Sons Of Champlin, Randy Steirling, Ron Davies, John Stewart, and others. Only the songwriters are credited, not the performers, which makes figuring the actual credits out somewhat difficult, but folkrockers We Five play a number of tunes. Mostly folky stuff; Ron Davies' contributions are interesting in a 1965 Paul McCartney direction and remain completely unreleased from what I can tell. John Stewart is the ex-Kingston Trio guy and gets 3 full sides worth of uneven material. The Mystery Trend material (5 tracks) sounds better in this raw, non-cleaned up mix than on their Big Beat CD. For the Blackburn & Snow tracks (10 in total) the difference is less pronounced, but many 1960s fans are again likely to prefer the more living and less channel-isolated stereo mix of the box-set vs the Big Beat CD. [PL]

SHADE TREE (KS)

"Shade Tree" 1979 (Buffarilla)  

Mediocre Southern/rural rock with a couple of good tracks.

SHADRACK CHAMELEON (IA)   see interview

"Shadrack Chameleon" 1973 (IGL 4051-5)  
"Shadrack Chameleon" 1987 (no label, Europe)  [250p]
"Shadrack Chameleon" 2000 (CD Gear Fab 110)  [+bonus tracks]
"Shadrack Chameleon" 2000 (Gear Fab 202)  [+bonus tracks]

Wellknown Midwest rural rocker with a wideopen honest sound I find hard to resist. Long tracks with organ/guitar and warm basement vocals, sounds like Neil Young circa '69-70 or a less nihilistic Rayne. A true relic of the era with deep college dorm lyrics not easily penetrated, and strong songwriting from the very young band. Personal fave that sounds better with each passing year. Nice minimalist sleeve job a la St Anthonys Fyre. The CD has their good pre-LP 45 as bonus. [PL]
~~~
This album has an amateurish, laid-back feel that is very appealing, especially on the two or three songs with really strong melodies. Some of the lyrics are heavily counter-culture, but the band never comes off as having an attitude or a chip on their shoulder. It’s pretty intelligent, or at least pretty genuine. The feel of the sparse arrangements is one of great warmth. It’s the kind of album that at first sounds like it has nothing to it, but after a few listens really starts to sneak up on you. Fans of low-budget 90s pop might like it too. [AM]

SHAGGS (South Bend, IN) 

"Wink" 1967 (MMC 6311)   
"Wink" 1984 (Resurrection CX 1295) 
"Wink" 2004 (CD Radioactive 079, UK)

Local prep-rock LP on a folkrock/Beatles '65 bender; ambitious multipart vocal harmonies and fake 12-string jangle make for a charming experience, though it's not "fuzz garage" by any means. These Notre Dame boys had enough cojones to tackle two Beatles tunes with reasonable success, but the highpoint of the LP is an atmospheric "If I were a carpenter". One group original (I think), other covers include Stones, Who, Beau Brummels, Byrds, Them, and a bizarre "Hey Joe". Disappointing sleeve well below the genre average. The album was financed by a local business college student who thought he was going to make big $$$ but ended up selling copies door-to-door! In addition to the LP, the band recorded an acetate 45 of two non-LP tracks which received some local airplay. Chuck Perrin (see entry) appears on this acetate, but was not in the band when the "Wink" LP was made. The 1980s Resurrection reissue is mastered at an annoyingly low volume (as all Resurrection LPs seem to be) and displays cover wear on the front cover repro. [PL]

SHAGGS (Fremont, NH) 

"Philosophy Of The World" 1971 (Third World 3001)   
"Philosophy Of The World" 1980 (Rounder 3032)
"Philosophy Of The World" 199  (Red Rooster)

Magically incompetent teen sister garage band who play and sing like ten year olds. Unreal plodding drums, out of tune guitars, and amazing off-key vocals. Jawdropper slice of life lyrics loaded with girl diary philosophies, Foot Foots, and parents who are always there. They were coerced into recording this by their father and their discomfort is clearly evident. This record is known to end parties in record time. The second LP "The Shaggs' Own Thing" (Rounder 3056, 1990s) is more monstrosities from the vault. Promo copies of "Philosophy" include an 8x10 photo, 2 wallet photos, and a business card. [RM]
~~~
This is one of the most misunderstood albums of all time. It's one of the very, very few "real people" albums that appeals to people who don't appreciate those records in a condescending, or amused, way. Musicians tend to like it, which is also unusual for a record of this type. What makes these three sisters different from every other "inept" band is that they redfine the meaning of that word. This is not just another album by people who just learned to play their instruments last week. It's more like they taught themselves to play without having any instruction, and without having any knowledge of music theory. Once they figured out a way to play, which is unlike any "accepted" method, they worked on it and perfected it. Evidence of this is that a number of bands who wanted to cover Shaggs songs couldn't figure out how to play them. From the sounds of it, they even made up their own way of tuning the guitars, and rather than playing chords, they played patterns that follow along with the vocals. It's unique and impossible to duplicate. It also is one of the greatest ever expressions of pure love of music, and the joy and warmth of this album is irresistible. [AM]

DEL SHANNON (MI)

"The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover" 1968 (Liberty lst-7539)  

There aren't a whole lot of 50s or early 60s stars who gracefully made their way through the 60s, but this well-loved album is proof that it was possible. This isn't really a "psychedelic" record (way more strings than sound effects), but rather a case where a great talent (man, what a voice!) realized that the 60s brought about a great step forward in the use of recording techniques and arrangements. Shannon warmly embraced the possibilities. At the same time, he wrote a fantastic batch of pop songs, and the mix of the great songs, the stunning voice and the ambitious sound makes for a truly wonderful record. Also released in England with a completely different cover. The rest of Shannon's vast output fall outside the scope of the Archives. [AM]

SHANNONDOAH (WA)

"Ideas & Rhymes" 1977 (Blue Heron)  

Private press-looking LP from country rock/folk quartet with some female vocals and an a capella cover of "Come up the years". The Minstrel String Guild duo help out on one track.

SHANTI DAS (OR)

"Servant Of Peace" 1973 (no label)  [insert]  

Communal hippie folk with male/female Harmony vocals and chanting, Eastern instruments.

SHARKEY (San José, CA)

"Signposts" 1975 (no label)  

Obscure post-Syndicate Of Sound LP, breezy westcoast rock with some guitar jamming. Issued with a songtitles sticker on the shrink.

SHATTERS (Austin, MN)

"Shatters" 1966 (Welhaven 63)  

Sleeve-less demo LP (or acetate) from garage band with a few 45s. The LP is mainly frat and r'n'b covers.

SHAW, ALLEN & SHAW (MN)

"This Side That Side" 197  (Sound 80 s80s-40-1425)

Trio with acoustic guitar, electric bass, and drums. Mostly mellow acoustic folk covers with psychy shadings.

SHEKINAH (MI)

"Shekina" 1982  (Eden 104)  [insert]    

This is a mystical Christian folk album with beautiful vocals and an ethereal feel. Most of the songs aren't really structured, but just kind of flow. It's very mellow, but there are drums and nice, drifting electric guitar on some of the songs. The canon vocals on "Blessed Be" and "Jesus Eyes" are hypnotic and the use of bells, chimes, woodwinds and mandolins give this album a distinctive sound. The memorable melodies make this more accessible than similarly complex X-ian albums like The Christ Tree. Not for "rock" fans, but a lovely, special record. [AM]

SHEKINA GLORY (Ilford, IA)

"Have You Considered" 1976 (IGL 6045N1)   

Very impressive custom obscurity from male/female outfit scoring high with their mix of dreamy mysterious folk/psych and west-coast rural rock. Some really breathtaking moments here. One listen to songs like "If I Don’t Let People Know", "Jesus", "Ask" and "Good Samaritan" and you’ll see these folks definitely knew how to weave in mood and texture alongside the heavier elements. One minute there’s a gentle eerie atmospheric melody with spacey flute accompaniment; next thing you know they’ve built up to a climax of blaring hard rock guitar. Some of the in-between moods reminded me of songs like The Way’s "Have you ever Heard" from the Maranatha Four LP. Closes with some joyous upbeat fuzz jamming a la Earthen Vessel on "Glory Glory". [KS]

SHILOH (TX)

"Shiloh" 1971 (Amos aas-7015)  

Early countryrock with steel and harmony vocals in Flying Burrito Bros style with Don Henley on vocals and guitar, pre-Eagles.

SHILOH MORNING ( )

"Shiloh Morning" 1974 (TRC 51053)   

Midwest male and female vocal harmony folk rock and pop with acoustic and electric guitar, bass, percussion, some mellotron. Includes versions of "Nights in White Satin" and "White Bird" among others.

SHIVA'S HEADBAND (Austin, TX)

"Take Me To The Mountains" 1970 (Capitol st-538)  [green label]
"Take Me To The Mountains" 2005 (Capitol/Scorpio) 

This was one of the earliest countryrock LPs but never made the splash it should have, yet remains an enjoyable experience with a nicely balanced country-hippie mix and Spencer's terrific violin. Both tracks from their outstanding debut 45 are re-cut here in slightly less drugged versions. Anyone who likes Sub Zero Band ought to recognize Shiva's as the original masters of the style. An original Canadian pressing exists. [PL]

"Coming To A Head" 1971  (Armadillo no #)  [1000p; paste-on; handmade labels]  
"Coming To A Head" 1981  (Armadillo no #)  [200p; printed labels]  
"Coming To A Head" 2003 (Akarma 250, Italy)  [+1 track]
"Coming To A Head" 2003 (CD Akarma 250, Italy)  [+1 track]

Contrary to what you may read elsewhere, this was not their debut album but a privately released sequel after Capitol dropped them. Basically the same style as the debut, a little less druggy and a bit more western swing. The 1981 pressing is reportedly a better pressing than the first. Later LPs include "Psychedelic Yesterday" (Ape, 1981) and "In The Primo Of Life" (Moontower, 1984) as well as a number of cassette and CDs in more recent years. Spencer Perskin is alive and well and gigging locally.

SHIVER (CA) 

"Shiver" 2000 (Rockadelic 39)  [600p]
"Shiver" 2001 (CD Shadoks 023, Germany)

As far as packaging goes one of my fave Rockadelics, superb color gatefold with cool liner notes detailing the adventures of this "tough as nails" early 1970s power trio. Music consists of long and mostly instrumental STP jams that are ferocious but not without subtlety, taking a cue from early Blue Cheer but stretching out into 100 MPH Hawkwind/Ash Ra Temple/Terry Brooks spacerock excursions. Not terribly varied and songwriting doesn't account for much, but should be of interest to fans of hard early 70s guitar trips. The band had roots in Texas but played the Bay Area biker circuit. [PL]

SHOES (Zion, IL)

"One In Versailles" 1975 (Black Vinyl Records)  [2 inserts]  
"As Is" 1996 (CD)  [2CDs; bonus tracks; autographed]

The first Shoes album was released by the band in a limited number, some of which were ruined in a flood. Supposedly only between 200 and 300 survived. The homemade album is one of the rarest and most sought-after power pop collectables, since the band would eventually become one of the most well-loved bands in the genre. As you might expect, this early offering by the band is quite crude. All of the elements of their sound are there, including sharp harmonies, quick-witted songs of love and seduction, and fuzz guitars (though these would get much louder and more frequent on their later albums.) They're clearly finding themselves as songwriters and as a band with an identity. Much of the album has a nice understated charm, and a few of the ballads are very good ("Do I Get So Shy," in particular, is irresistible.) What's yet to develop is their knack for the killer hook, and their ability to construct songs tightly and concisely. A few songs drag, and I have to think that a few years later Shoes would have shortened them, sped them up, piled on layers of guitar, and improved them dramatically. "Un Dans Versailles", thus, while a very enjoyable and melodic record, is a few notches below the band's best work (which is on the next three officially released albums.) The album's title refers to the fact that band member Gary Klebe was away in Versailles while the rest of the band recorded without him. In the 90s, Shoes put together a limited edition 2-CD set that included one CD of unreleased songs from throughout the band's career and a second CD comprising "Un Dans Versailles" and their unreleased second album "Bazooka". "Bazooka" is rather weak, unfortunately. [AM]

"Black Vinyl Shoes" 1977 (Black Vinyl)   
"Black Vinyl Shoes" 1977 (PVC)

The second Shoes album was a much larger private press than the first, and in fact was so successful that it soon was re-released on the larger PVC label. Shoes are one of the most well-loved and influential of all power pop bands, and it all starts here. It wasn't their first album, but it was the first to be heard my more than a handful of people. While the next few major label albums would be just as good, this holds a special place among their fans, as the self-production, despite elaborate attention to harmonies and guitar overdubs, gives it a fresh do-it-yourself feel that they'd never again duplicate. The guitars are fuzzy, fuzzy, fuzzy and full of hooks, and while the lyrics are about love and romance, they have a certain kind of maturity and intelligence often missing from the genre. I don't expect most visitors to this site to love Shoes, but I'd think many garage-rock fans would get a kick out of the masses of fuzz guitars. [AM]

SHORT CROSS (Richmond, VA)

"Arising" 1972 (Grizzly 16013)  [gatefold]  
"Arising" 1988 (Breeder, Austria)  [no gatefold]
"Arising" 1998 (CD Gear Fab 119)  [+3 tracks]
"Arising" 2000 (Akarma 079, Italy)  [2LPs; gatefold; +3 tracks]

Ballsy, pro-sounding early 1970s rural barrock/hard rock in an Allman Bros direction with great organ/guitar interplay, OK vocals and a versatile keyboardist. Not for garage or psych fans but should appeal to those into the local early 70s style; "Till we reach the sun" is a particularly good track. Band had a pre-LP 45 as follows: "On My Own"/"Marching Off To War" (Colpar, 1970). The A-side is an alternate version of the LP track, B-side is non-LP. [PL]

SIDETRACK (New York City, NY)

"Baby" 1968 (no label SMIS-1)  [no cover; 100p]  
"Baby" 2005 (CD Radioactive, UK)

Demo press for a planned Elektra release that never happened. Baroque-pop/folkrock with lots of harpsichord and energetic vocals. Some copies came in plain covers with LP labels glued to the front containing the relevant info.

SIDEWALK (New York City, NY)

"Sidewalk" 1975 (C.D.)  

Cosmic jazz lounge duo, some wailing guitar parts.

SILENT CHEER (Northfield, MA)

"Learning Insipid Seal" 1969 (no label 202115)  [blank back; insert]  

Late 60s garage rock covers with horns and some fuzz leads, from Mount Hermon school alumni. Mostly band originals. The same scene also produced the Knights band and the Led Balloon Jug Band LP.
~~~
see -> Together

SILENT PARTNER (Athens, GA) 

"Hung By A Thread" 1975 (Lucky Boy 32779)  [insert]  
"Hung By A Thread" 1988 (Lucky Boy, Europe)  [bootleg]

I'd be shocked to discover than the guys in REM didn't grow up idolizing this band. This is the original blueprint for the much-heralded 80s Athens scene. It's not a psych or prog (long instrumental notwithstanding) album as dealers hype it, but an ahead-of-its-time guitar pop album with outstanding playing, clever songwriting, and a touch of mystery. The title track is a killer-two overlapping melodies of equal beauty and an elaborate acoustic/electric/synth arrangement that gives way to a transcendent guitar solo. Nothing else on the album can match this amazing first song, but there's plenty to like, from the flange-heavy guitar on "Just Sail Around" to the surprising and weird metal-inspired bits in "From The Diary of H.R.H. 1975." Smart songwriting, thoughtful arrangements and excellent singing abound. They had so many great melodies that three songs actually double them up (one sung over, behind, or between the other.) A 10-minute mildly jazzy instrumental at the end manages not to ruin everything. This is a great album. Along with Arrogance's "Prolepsis", it's the 70s pinnacle of the new Southern Rock (i.e: made by guys you would actually let your daughter date) that would explode almost a decade later. [AM]

SILENT STRANGERS (CT)

"It's All Over Now" 1965 (no label BRS 390)  

Obscure local teen-beat LP in cool cover. Prep school album from Washington, CT with 12 songs, 5 of which are instrumentals. Despite some unexciting covers, this is a fairly rocking disc that stands up with the best of the genre, not unlike the Weekenders or an improved Davey & the Badmen.

JUDEE SILL (CA)

"Judee Sill" 1971 (Asylum sd-5050)  [unipak; wlp mono exists]  
"Judee Sill" 2004 (Four MWB 120)
"Judee Sill" 2005 (CD Water 158)

Sill’s story is fascinating and sad. She was a heroin addict, even a part-time prostitute, her career fell apart just as it was getting interesting, and she disappeared so completely that for years after her death nobody could even figure out exactly when she died. You’d never know she was such a wild one from the music or the album cover photos, but close listens show this to be something much more intense and deep than your average singer-songwriter album. “Jesus Was A Crossmaker” is as good as any 70s song in the genre, and should have been a huge hit. Nothing else on the album reaches those same heights, but it’s very good stuff. Sill has gotten a lot of publicity lately, as the 90s and 00s really were a renaissance for troubled and dead 70s singers. Too bad nobody noticed her when she needed the attention. [AM]

"Heart Food" 1973 (Asylum sd-5063)  [booklet]  
"Heart Food" 2004 (Four MWB 121)  [booklet]
"Heart Food" 2005 (CD Water 159)

Sill’s second album is more ambitious than the first, with complex string arrangements and a major gospel influence. The struggle between her strong religious beliefs and her “pagan” lifestyle are apparent here and it’s pretty fascinating. Musically this isn’t as consistent as the debut and it occasionally feels like the ambitious ideas took precedence over the songwriting, but this is still a really interesting record. Both Sill albums were also released in England. [AM]

SILMARIL (Milwaukee, WI)

"Given Time... Or The Several Roads" 1973 (Ettinmoore)  

This is an American band, but they sure sound British, from the melodies to the lonesome feel of the songs to the male and female vocal styles to the upbeat song about pub life. It’s a pretty impressive recreation of across-the-pond folk. It’s a long album, and at times I wish it had some rock elements to it, but there are pleasures to be found throughout, and a few songs are downright creepy. [AM]

SILOAM (St Louis, MO)

"Siloam" 197  (Timbrel 47-248)

Siloam is to American folkrock what groups like Presence, Aslan and Sanctus are to the British scene. Melodic textures of 12-string guitar, piano, percussion and male/female harmonies combine with compassionate songwriting and skilled musicianship to create a wonderful work of fragile beauty and homegrown charm. Gently strummed mid-tempo numbers like "Mystery", the minor-key "We Beseech You" and the breezy "For This Reason" all are sheer perfection for the genre. Tracks like "The Shepherd" and "Day Of The Lord" even have a dreamy psych edge to them. Others reveal a delicate VU "Femme Fatale" kind of quality. Very nice acoustic lead guitar work throughout. A seven person outfit from Dayspring Community in St. Louis. Not an expensive LP. [KS]

SILVER (Milwaukee, WI)

"Children Of The Lord" 1975 (Grammi Fonics)  [plain stamped cover]  

This is one of the albums released in the "advance reviewer copy - confidential" album covers. It's the one in the series most likely to appeal to collectors, and it has a somewhat hard rocking organ and guitar sound, some Christian lyrics and a spacy, sparse feel to it. The production sound is pretty cheap, with seemingly no attention paid to which instruments or vocals should be louder than the others. It sounds suspiciously like demos. Still, pretty cool. [AM]

SILVER APPLES (New York City, NY)

"Silver Apples" 1968 (Kapp KL-1562)  [mono wlp exists]  
"Silver Apples" 1968 (Kapp KS-3562)  [poster]  

Silver Apples will always hold a special place in the world of electronica, because there never was anything else remotely like them (except maybe Suicide.) The electronics weren’t from synths, but from the Simeon, their self-made instrument that made all sorts of wild noises. It was very limited in tonal scope, which means the songwriting is as sparse as the arrangements, and most of the variety here comes from the drumming and vocal rhythms, not from chord progressions. It’s the kind of thing that really isn’t likely to hold up for 40 minutes, so it’s quite impressive that this album is so enjoyable. It’s still fresher and more powerful than the years of synth music that followed. Some promos came with additional promo material; there are no mono sleeves. Numerous reissues exist and will be omitted here. [AM]

"Contact" 1969 (Kapp KS-3584)
"Silver Apples / Contact" 199  (CD TRC)  [2-on-1]
"Silver Apples / Contact" 199  (CD MCA 11680)  [2-on-1]

The second Silver Apples album sports longer songs and darker themes. It tends to be liked better by critics and fans, though I would suggest that if you like one you should like the other equally as much. "You And I" is probably their best song, the kind of thing that shows electronics to be every bit as sinister as the most distorted guitar. Along with United States of America and Fifty Foot Hose, this is essential listening for anyone who wishes to know how creative electronic music could be before a "traditional" use of synthesizers was established in the 70s. "The Garden" is a release of late 1960s outtakes (CD Whirlybird). [AM]

SILVER LAUGHTER (IA) 

"Handle With Care" 1976 (Fanfare Records)

This Iowa band put out two very obscure albums on their own label in the mid 70s. The first of the two is a mixture of Beatles-inspired 70s pop and backwoods rural rock. The power pop stuff here is very good, bringing to mind bands like the Hudson Brothers and Hollins Ferry. Their songcraft is strong, the singing excellent, and unlike most bands in the genre, there’s a reasonable amount of variety in their songwriting. Unfortunately, the more countrified and boogie rock songs are pretty bad, hitting a nadir with the album closer “Whiskey Heaven.” The result is that about two-thirds of this is very good. They should have stuck with their best instincts. Look at the album cover photos -— these guys are geeky wanna-be pop stars with 70s hair, not redneck drunks. [AM]

"Sailing On Fantasties" 1978 (Fanfare)

Silver Laughter’s second album drops all of the backwoods aspirations of the first. As a whole it doesn’t rock as hard, but the harder rocking songs were the duds on the first album anyway. Here they’re simply a confident, inspired pop band and the album is solid straight through. The harmonies and hooks may be a little derivative for some, but these songs are really catchy and have a nice breezy summer feel to them. While the songs are very carefully constructed, the private press production keeps it from sounding too slick, something that really marred a lot of the better 70s power pop. The post-punk 70s freshness also makes this obscurity better than just about any of the 90s power pop revival albums I’ve heard. My only complaint is that as with most bands in this genre, the lyrics are inconsequential. [AM]

JEFF SIMMONS (CA)

"Lucille Messed My Mind Up" 1969 (Straight sts-1057)    [wlp exists]

This is one mess of a record, and it's hard to recommend it, but I think it's got a lot of fun moments on it. There's wacked-out guitar throughout, the great Zappa-penned doo-wop-ballad title track, and a couple of weird ambitious classical-influenced songs. Fans of the down and dirty will probably prefer something like 'Wonderful Wino" to "Aqueous Humore" or "Tigres." My favorite, though, is "I'm In The Music Business," the ultimate tale of the struggling rock wannabe. In the song Jeff refuses to get a haircut and lose his chance at rock stardom, and ends up so hungry and poor that he takes a part in a skin flick. Grungy and hairy. Simmons also contributed to the biker movie "Naked Angels", and was formerly with Easy Chair. [AM]
~~~
see -> Easy Chair

DAVID SINCLAIR (Vancouver, Canada) 

"Take My Hand" 1973 (SGM Records no#)  

Typical '73 fence-straddler between westcoast and singer/songwriter, with convincing moves in both directions and added credibility via strong vocals and a quite professional sound. Sinclair sings and plays guitar but has a full rock band plus piano, which is skillfully employed for both introspective s/s-w and upbeat New Riders/Cambridge honkytonk digressions. Has been compared to Jackson Browne but to me it's really more of a Nor-Cal/Pacific NW trip with a fresh outdoors feel. The highpoint is an atypical but terrific Nick Drake-like folk brooder, "A tale of raven" which opens side 2. Not outstanding but enjoyable and recommended to genre fans. This LP would have deserved to come out on a real record label, such as Tumbleweed. [PL]
~~~
Sinclair is Canadian, but he sounds like an early 70s California singer songwriter. The album has crisp production and pleasant vocals and some pretty strong songwriting. The dreamy “A Tale Of Raven” is the definite standout, but this is pretty consistent. It’s a pretty mainstream record, though, so beware of “psych” dealer hype. [AM]

TONY TAM SING (HI)

"Tony" 1975 (Shampton)  

Littleknown Hawaiian LP in a folk/folkrock style, with violin. Sing is a Christian minister.

LES SINNERS (Montreal, Canada)

"Sinerisme" 1967 (Rusticana 1243)  
"Sinerisme" 1989 (Hablabel, Italy)

Wellknown French-Canadian band with several LPs, this one has half French and half English vocals in a garage beat style and is rated highly by many.

"Sinnerismes" 1967 (Jupiter 7009)  

Different LP from above, despite the title

"Vox Populi" 1968 (Jupiter 7015)  [French vocals]  
"Les Sinners, vol 1" 1991 (CD Disques Merit 22908)  [French vocals; +bonus tracks]
"25 Succès En Anglais" 1991 (CD Disques Mérite 22922)  [English vocals; +bonus tracks]

"Vox Populi" is an ambitious but un-pretentious "concept" LP in the wake of Sgt Pepper, built around a theme of the "voices of the people", and a recurring musical signature that introduces different snapshots of everyday life and attitudes, such as a taxi driver's story. These snapshots are conventional 3-minute pop songs, most of which are pretty terrific 1967 UK-style beat-psych, well-written with hooks and vocal harmonies a la the Beatles/Bee Gees/Hollies. There's also some strong fuzz leads and interesting studio effects that give the trip a clear identity, and a stoned sense of humor which works well. Consistent and skillfully balanced between songwriting and concept, not unlike the Forever Amber album, and a lot better than Rockadrome, as an example. The LP is strong enough to be enjoyable even with the French language barrier, but obviously those who don't speak French need the English vocal version, which wasn't released until the 1990s. One of the best psych LPs from Quebec, with a strong "1967" feel. The band later cut two unexceptional hardrock LPs in the 1970s, with a new line-up. [PL]

SINNERS (Canada)

"Sinners" 1970 (Transworld 6801)  

Artrock and prog with fuzz leads and flute. This is a different band from above, although they're often confused. These guys also cut a novelty hit 45 "Go-go Trudeau", with an accompanying album in 1968 (Transworld tws-1968).

SIVEL SOUND EXPERIENCE (NE)

"Sivelization 1" 1968 (Rene 1107)  

Oddball local LP of teenbeat/blue eyed soul with horns.

SIXTH STATION ( )

"Deep Night" 1982 (LPS 1588)  

Stunning soft rock set of dreamy celestial moods carried by a steady beat and rife with phased electric rhythm guitar for a wonderful unfiltered slightly out-of-tune quality. Lead vocalist sounds a lot like Neil Young with his fragile shaky delivery. Deep creative lyrics to match, with all original songwriting and plenty of solo leads on top of the rhythm guitar, sometimes two in tandem, sometimes with light fuzz or other effects, reaching some hard-hitting moments on tracks like "Scar Of Love" or the powerful "Before The Snowfall". The only other instruments are bass and drums (no keyboards or even acoustic guitars from what I can tell). Some of the most beautiful selections are the ballads, like "Make A Way For Me" or the delicate title track. Catholic I’m guessing – the back cover has references to “nihil obstat” and “imprimatur”, plus a thanks to the Bishop of Peoria. Simple sunset cover photo. One of the most impressive post-1980 custom recordings I’ve heard. [KS]

SKIP & THE CREATION (VA) 

"Mobam" 1967 (Justice 152)  
"Mobam" 1995 (CD Collectables 0602) 

Organ-led combo with hip (relatively speaking) Myrtle Beach teen club vibe, band does unusual covers of Hank Williams and "Harlem Shuffle" plus one cool original. Bonus points for excellent organ sound but the muddy recording, weak vocals and abundance of soul covers places this among the less interesting on the label. The selfwritten tune, a semi-ripoff of "Time won't let me" (comp'd on "Good Roots") is worth hearing. "Mobam" supposedly means Makers Of Bad Ass Music, but the sounds on the record belie such an interpretation. [PL]

SKOGIE (MN)

"There's A String Attached" 1974 (General)  

This weird mix of funk, glam and straightforward rock is completely unique. They take Parliament's experimentation with synthesizers a step further (or, they may actually have used them first), with bubbly bass snyths galore. The album begins with its funkiest and most synth-heavy tune, giving a strong but not 100% accurate first impression. Apparently they were a rather comical live band, but other than a disgusting sound effect that accompanies a lyric about masturbation there's no blatant humor here. The songs flow together with no space between, creating the illusion of a concept, though there's no lyrical unity. Overall, this record is pretty neat. It's creative and energetic and there are a bunch of good songs. It probably won't appeal to psych fans, but if you're looking for an unusual 70s rock album, I recommend it. [AM]

SKUNKS (WI)

"Gettin' Started" 1967 (Teentown 101)

Here's one of the few local garage era LP that's never been expensive, partly due to copies being available, partly because it's lukewarm and difficult to hype. The band has an amateur folkrock sound with nothing that grabs your attention. Mostly originals, a couple of Beatles covers. The band had several 45s which again have failed to raise much excitement.

SKY