GABLES (MA)

"Snake Dance" 1966 (Fleetwood gab-1)  

Garage beat teens.

GABRIEL GLADSTAR (Bellingham, WA)

"Garden Song" 1973 (Flying Guitar no #, Canada)  [color art cover]  
"Garden Song" 1981 (Flying Guitar no #)  [reissue; b & w photo cover]

Mostly acoustic flowing cosmic folk. The album was recorded at Haveaniceday Studios in Seattle and received some local airplay.

GALAXY (FL)

"Day Without Sun" 1976 (Sky Queen 1677)  
"Day Without Sun" 1989 (Sky Queen, Europe)  [bootleg]
"Day Without Sun" 1997 (CD Flash, Italy)
"Day Without Sun" 1999 (Akarma 008, Italy)  [+2 tracks]
"Day Without Sun" 1999 (CD Akarma 008, Italy)  [digipak; +2 tracks]

Pretty late in the game but rooted firmly in the late 1960s sound, with female vocals and hippierock moves mixed with heavy riffing and spacerock ambitions. Has some pretty good tracks, the reissues might be worth checking out. The 1989 counterfeit is close, but can be recognized via the fine print on the back cover which is blurry, and the cover is of thinner stock than originals; furthermore in the dead wax the figure '7' is written the European way, i e crossed. [PL]
~~~
1970s spacerock rarity by a heavily female band (the keyboardist is named “Space Mama Geiger"!) It’s the only album I know to have a drum solo by a woman... but it’s still a drum solo. The songs are long and somewhat tedious, but there are some neat ideas here and overall it’s a pretty enjoyable record for something so uneven. The band recorded two later unreleased LPs in 1976 and 1984, which are reissued in the Akarma set "Very 1st Stone" (LP and CD, Italy). These LPs are more in a traditional blues rock style and are less interesting.[AM]

BOB [ROBERT] GALLO see A New Place To Live

JAMES GALYON ( )

"James Galyon" 197  (no label)  [test pressing; no song titles; 300p]

Loungy singer-songwriter with cheesy synths. Ex-Mason.

GAMES (CA)

"Stargazer" 1977 (Cascade Court DAT-LP211)   

Melodic synth progressive pop with delicate female vocals. Too pop for some on the love songs but the synth textures, sweet vocals, and lively production are quite distinctive for a local LP. [RM]
~~~
Take this review in context, because there may be nobody who likes this album as much as I do, and it's possible that this album could send a pure psych fan off of a bridge. But... for what it is, this is an amazingly accomplished record. It's possible to describe it as the world's only disco/prog merger, as it has dance beats, keyboard textures and high female vocals that could only have come from 1976/1977, but also long complex songs with elaborate structures and clever synth playing. Fans of Abba (or early Cardigans, for that matter) will love the vocals and the melodies. The unusual jazzy chords and sweet vocals definitely have the same feel as the first few Cardigans albums, but the long songs, keyboard-heavy arrangements (there are no guitars on this album) and occasional rhythms straight out of Broadway put this somewhere else entirely. Disco that you can do a chorus line dance to? Every song has an infectious melody, yet at the same time the songs are complicated and unusual enough to reveal new depths multiple listens. The vocals are lovely (even the cheesy backing vocals), but show real strength when necessary, and it's clear that tons of time was put into perfecting these songs. Lead singer Colleen Fitzpatrick is very, very talented. Every vocal nuance is perfectly suited to the songs. For a private press, this is very well produced, too. Your friends will make fun of you for playing this, but collectors should be brave, no?  [AM]

GANDALF (Greenwood Lake, NY)

"Gandalf" 1968 (Capitol st-121)  [rainbow label]  
"Gandalf" 198  (Amos, Europe)
"Gandalf" 1991 (CD See For Miles see-326, UK)
"Gandalf" 199  (Fantazia am-121, Europe)
"Gandalf" 200  (Capitol/Scorpio)
"Gandalf" 2002 (CD Sundazed 6152)
"Gandalf" 2003 (EMI-Capitol 121)  [blue vinyl]
"Gandalf" 2003 (Radioactive 15, UK)  [picture disc; 500p]

Moody melodic studio psych classic which most 60s fans dig. Predominantly covers and some seemingly odd choices at that, looking back to 1940s-50s easy listening on things like the opening "Golden earrings" and Eden Ahbez' "Nature boy". The Gandalf guys run these songs through their own sophisticated baroque organ/guitar machinery with compelling results, bringing out a rare reflective mood from this meeting. Still, the band original "Can you travel in the dark alone" is clearly the best cut, and the album is in a sense a victim of its own cleverness, since you can only squeeze so much head action from old crooner hits. Some unreleased tracks exist that have not yet been made available. [PL]
~~~
Clearly a case of sound/mood over material (there are only two originals here), this album has achieved true classic status over the years. It's not actually a rare LP, but every collector wants one, and as with Morgen or Linda Perhacs the quality and uniqueness has allowed the value to stay high despite a copy being offered on eBay virtually every week. There really isn't anything else that has a comparable feel. From the spooky vocals to the heavy reverb and phasing to the unusual use of strings, this is just plain otherworldly. Essential to any comprehensive psych collection and easy to obtain as it has been reissued several times. [AM]
~~~
see full-length review

GANDALF THE GREY (New York City, NY)

"The Grey Wizard Am I" 1972 (GWR 007)   
"The Grey Wizard Am I" 1986 (Heyoka hey-207, UK) 
"The Grey Wizard Am I" 2003 (Gear Fab 208)  [+bonus tracks] 
"The Grey Wizard Am I" 2003 (CD Gear Fab 202)  [+bonus tracks] 

Fashioning himself after a Tolkien figure (with a cape and hat no less), this NYC wizard cut a rare DIY folkrock trip that's been known for decades on the private press scene. I love the title track and a couple of other hobbit-oriented numbers, while some of his neighborhood observations sound less interesting and more typical Village product in my ears. Nice basement sound is a plus in this context. Opinions diverge a bit on this one, but the reissue is worth checking out. He made a rare pre-LP 45 under his real name (Chris Wilson) and even a comeback 45 in the 1990s. [PL]
~~~
Some people love this, but to these ears it’s an amateurish, monotonous, poorly played folk rock record. Knowledge of Tolkien will help the listener to enjoy the lyrics. Otherwise all of the songs sound the same. Recent reissues include some bonus tracks in the same vein, making it an even more tedious listen. This gets points for having been discovered really early in the collecting world: it was well-known back in the early 80s. [AM]

GANDHARVA see Cosmic Sound Of Gandharva

GANIMIAN & HIS ORIENTAL MUSIC ( )

"Come With Me To The Casbah" 1959 (Atco 33-107)  

Rather amazing late 1950s forerunner of the Orient Express and John Berberian east-west amalgamations. Very good LP with superb Middle-Eastern belly-dance vibe, not dry or academic but as real as a hazy party night of spicy food and liquor at the local kebab parlour. Personal fave falls out of most psychedelic timeframes yet belongs in here with flying colors. Guy also had some 45s under various names, and probably more album releases. One track pops up in a cover version on the great John Berberian LP on Verve 10 years later. [PL]

JULIANA GARZA ( )

"Communion Muse" 1973 (NALR 31607)  

This one was recommended to me by some trustworthy parties but I was initially put off by Sister Juliana's vocals, which are lacking both in terms of hitting the right notes and staying with the beat. Repeated plays reduced this stigma and brought the album's qualities more into light, such as a charming basement folkrock sound with harmonica, flute, organ and even some light wah-wah guitar. Songwriting isn't bad at all and fittingly goes in a John Ylvisaker direction, with a definite leftover 1960s folk-boom vibe, and even some psychy minor chord moves. The lyrics seem to be a mix of trad psalms, prayers, and self-penned meditations. Sister J is joined by a male singer on the best track who sings a lot better than she does, which makes for an odd effect. All over worth checking out for fans of local 1970s sounds with some unusual aspects. Possibly recorded in Cincinnati. A few copies came with a booklet. Sister Juliana did a Catholic folk LP in 1967 on the Audio Recording label. [PL]

GATES OF DAWN (Alberta, Canada)

"Keep On Truckin'" 197  (Vocal)  

Rural rock barband with a healthy share of fuzzed rock covers from the late 1960s, like "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Magic Carpet Ride".

GATES OF FREEDOM ( )

"A Religious Rock Service" 196  (Covenant)

Jewish x-ian rock service with garage teen backing group. Sitar on one track, haunting melodies, femme choir, and overblown vocals in the Ylvisaker tradition. Likely to appeal to 'real people' fans. [RM]

V.A "GATHERING AT THE DEPOT" (Minneapolis, MN)

"Gathering At The Depot" 1970 (Beta s80-47-1414s)

Local bands recorded live, with unique tracks from the Litter, Thundertree, Danny's Reasons, and others.

V.A "GATHERING!" (Madison, WI)

"Gathering" 1969 (Coliseum lp-711-dm)

Local bands including Wizzard, I D E C, Danny & the Aces, Parabolic Rush and Myrckwode.

GATORS (Nashville, TN)

"In Concert" 1965 (Bulletin 27981)  

Obscure teenbeat LP from band featuring Dan Folger on keyboards, who later became a successful songwriter. Line-up includes piano and sax and the sound is mainly non-Brit Invasion, with instros, frat, pop and soul covers; not terribly exciting. Front cover is a cool live shot of the band.

GATSBY (Philadelphia, PA)

"Life Goes On" 1977 (Maxfield)  [insert]

Basement hardrock and loungy progressive covers. Dedicated to the Moody Blues.

ARTHUR GEE (Toronto, Canada / CA / Denver, CO)

"The End Is The Beginning" 1969 (Two:Dot)  [1-sided]  
"In Search Of Arthur" 2004 (RD Records 13, Switzerland)  [+bonus tracks; insert]

Ron describes this better than I can, see below. The last track is a killer deep guilt-trip on level with Perry Leopold, re-done in a less effective way on the Tumbleweed LP. Arthur Gee was originally from Canada but spent some time in Colorado and in California where this 1-sided demo LP was recorded for a small label in Ojai. After this he returned to Colorado where he put together the Arthur Gee Band. The Canadian link is obvious from the Canada BMI registration on the label. This 1-sided demo contains a track with the exact same (unusual) title as a number on the Fraser & Debolt LP from Canada, but oddly it is a completely different tune. Bonus tracks on the reissue include unreleased material and a pre-LP 45 he made in Canada. [PL]
~~~
Dark, damaged acoustic strum folk in Perry Leopold style but a bit stronger vocally. Missed notes, stream of consciousness lyricism, and obsessions with mystic and biblical imagery. Saddened reports on the lost state of the planet. A great loner mini-LP, although you really can feel too much. The label was a contract service in Ojai, California. Unlike his later LPs, this (as well as the reissue) was credited only to "Arthur". The label has no title but the sleeve shows the album title "The End Is The Beginning". Some copies came with promo photos. [RM]

"Dawn Of Time" 197  (Marcus 2502)  [no cover]  

Recently discovered demo LP that seems to date from between the Two:Dot demo and Arthur getting signed with Tumbleweed. Several track titles overlap with both the preceding and subsequent LPs, but since the production credit (Marcus Demerst) differs from these, it may be alternate mixes or alternate versions altogether. This LP has 10 tracks.

"Arthur Gee" 1971 (Tumbleweed TWS 101)  [gatefold; booklet]

Gee's real debut LP is also the first release on the Tumbleweed label, and a fine start for both. Upscale, intricate production typical of the label with Arthur's atmospheric voice given an appropriate context that involves a full folkrock setting plus bells, violin, even jew's harp. Opens on a strong psych vibe, then goes through various chameleon tricks including outlaw country, Tim Hardin folk, and some obvious Dylan "Blonde On Blonde" moves. It's all quite appealing and held together by the expensive, elaborate arrangements. The LP has obvious 60s remnants and is less singer/songwriter than most Tumbleweeds. Two tracks from the Two:Dot demo LP appear in more elaborate versions, although I prefer the sparser 1969 sound of "Meditations". Easy to find and well worth checking out.  Gee's second LP for Tumbleweed ("City Cowboy", 1972) is inferior in a countryrock direction. [PL]

GENERATIONS (NC)

"Meet the Generations Combo" 1967 (Justice 158)  
"Meet the Generations Combo" 1994 (CD Collectables 0614)

The last of the label's rock'n'roll/r'n'b releases does suggest a sort of development for the Justice/Southeast scene, but needless to say it's not in the right direction. Nope, this is a mission statement from 7 white Durham teenagers that Las Vegas lounge-soul is the way to go, with fake ID crooner vocals and seducto assembly hall sax up the wazoo. The limited funds and lack of reality checks puts a Twilight Zone spin on things, like seeing expensive stock footage inserted into an Ed Wood Jr movie; there's glitzy female harmony vocals but the drummer can't keep time! Eerie psych version of "Don't let the sun catch you crying" is a high-point, and the organist likes to do Procol Harum "acid" runs on his keyboard, even on James Brown tunes. There's also an apathetic, pedestrian "Walk away Renee", and an uptempo track where the entire rhythm section falls apart. What a mess, like the Checkmates on cough syrup. Closest of all Justice releases to Incredibly Strange domains, this needs to be heard at least once. The Collectables CD reissue displays tape damage at a few spots, this may or may not derive from the original album. [PL]

GENESIS (Los Angeles, CA)

"In The Beginning" 1968 (Mercury sr-61175)  [textured cover; red label; gold label promos exist]  
"In The Beginning" 197  (Mercury sr-61175)  [2nd press; non-textured cover; skyline label]
"In The Beginning" 2001 (CD Black Rose BR 137)

Most of this album is pretty typical post Jefferson Airplane co-ed psych/folk-rock, better than most but not exactly stunning. But they really shine on the 16-minute blowout on side two, which follows up a few haunting verses with a long guitar solo that's exactly the opposite of what you'd expect: it's carefully constructed, like a set of short guitar solos and repeated hooks strung together rather than one long jam. Not a note of it appears to be improvised. It's not at all complicated, but that means that no time is wasted showing off, and it ends up being one of the best long solos you'll hear. The rest of the album pretty much pales in comparison, but for the one song alone it's worth owning. [AM]
~~~
see -> Do It Now Foundation

GENTLE SOUL (CA)

"Gentle Soul" 1969 (Epic bn-26374)   
"Gentle Soul" 2003 (CD Sundazed 11123)  [+9 bonus tracks]
"Gentle Soul" 2004 (Epic 26374)  [legit reissue]

Light drifting psych rock produced by Terry Melcher. With Ry Cooder, Van Dyke Parks, Bill Plummer, Mike Deasy, Larry Knechtel, and other session pros helping out. [RM]
~~~
Nice, pleasant folk duo featuring noted songwriter Pamela Polland. Some slide guitar from Ry Cooder on one track and some dreamy moments help make it a little more appealing to adventurous listeners than many others of its ilk. It probably would have benefited from drums, though, and it’s hardly in the league of, say, the two Kathy Smith albums with which Polland was closely connected. [AM]

GENTS (CT)

"We Gotta Get Outa This Place" 1966 (RPC 70481)  [mono]  
"We Gotta Get Outa This Place" 1966 (RPC 70481)  [stereo]  
"We Gotta Get Outa This Place / The Best" 199  (no label)  [partial reissue]

Connecticut Coast Guard Academy students who paid for this vanity LP and sold it at gigs. 12 tracks in total, mostly Brit Invasions covers with a few instros. Great version of "Don't let the sun catch you crying" is a highpoint, but mostly it's very familiar ground for Eastcoast teenbeat LPs. The partial reissue is on a split LP, with other side by the Best (see entry) and uses the Gents front cover.

GEOFFREY (MD/NY)

"Geoffrey" 1972 (Concert Arts CA 7506)  [gatefold; 500p]  
"Geoffrey" 1996 (Psychedelic Archives 1004, UK)  [no gatefold; 295p; insert]

I've done my best to get into this but it's still so-so singer/songwriter stuff rather than the "mindblowing" "acid folk" dealers hype it for. Consistent and wellwritten but no real depth or freakiness. Has that UK troubador vocal style that ruins so many local 1970s LPs. Neat sleeve photo of the weird-looking guy. [PL]
~~~
Similar musically to Perry Leopold but not as dark. Sensitive guy acoustic folk psych with flowery lyrics. Different textures and changing tempos within songs. His vocals are quite beautiful and delicate but all-in-all this is a good record to sleep through. [RM]

SIDNEY GEORGE ( )

"Sidney George" 1976 (no label)  

Lo-fi mid 1970s rock with a sleazy real-people feel, some flute and wah-wah guitar.

WINSTON GEORGE (London, Canada)

"Any Direction" 1970 (Ergo 7001-S)  

"City Wilderness" 1976 (Ergo 7602-S)

First LP is highly rated basement folkrock/singer-songwriter with organ and a moody Dylanesque feel. The recording is pretty primitive. The second LP is more conventional with bluesy moves, a bit like Philip Lewin. Privately made reissues on CD-R exist.

GEORGE EDWARDS ( )

"38:38" 1977 (no label)  [blank cover]

Seldom seen melancholic basement folkrock with 60s psych overtones, nice echoey fidelity, spooky mellotron. A track such as "Wintertime" is similar to Kath in sound and atmosphere, while the obvious hippie remnants and nice melodic feel on other tracks recalls a nocturnal Michaelangelo. This is the work of a band rather than a single guy, which is why it's listed under "G". From LA or Detroit, I'm told.

GEORGIA PROPHETS (GA)

"Fever" 1971 ('Custom 8')  

Local hippie bar-rock groove band, with an unusual mix of funk and soft westcoast moves. Half is covers including a memorable "Down by the River", while the originals aren't very exciting. The LP's mix of styles has seen it offered as both "garage", "psych" and "Northern Soul". You have been warned. Supposedly less than 200 copies pressed.

JOHN GILBERT / MEADE RIVER (KY)

"John Gilbert/Meade River" 1972 (AV)  

Posthumous tribute LP to 17-year old Gilbert who died in a car crash; crude home recordings of basement guitar-rock with plenty of atmosphere and a couple of killer tracks. Side 1 is unaccompanied instro guitar workouts; side 2 is partly full band psych-rock, partly sparse basement folk. Not for everyone, but for pursuers of the most buried local sounds, this is one of the big ones, with an unusual context on top. [PL]
~~~
Moody psych and folkrock. The LP is a memorial to John Gilbert put out by his parents. Some tracks are John's solo recordings and some feature his group, Meade River. Great amateur live-in-living-room ambiance, the tracks range from garage folk to fuzz blues with raging guitar heading into Alvin Lee territory at times. The second side has some wonderful acoustic tracks with basement vocals and downer lyrics. If you ever wondered what acoustic guitar shards sound like, check out the revelatory "Travelin' Free". No-fi beast that conjures up memories of lost hours clanging away in friends' garages before reality held her sway. [RM]
~~~
see full-length review

RICHIE GILBERT ENSEMBLE (CA)

"Richie Gilbert Ensemble" 1978 (Chestnut)   

Soft rural folkrock with mixed vocals and off-key Dylan moves on Gilbert's part. A couple of good tracks with femme vocals. The recordings seem to date from an earlier era than the release year.

GINGER (Minneapolis, MN)

"Ginger With Bob Edwards" 1973 (Cheap Swank no #)  [no cover; 2 inserts; 100p]  

Obscure Minneapolis album released as a posthumous tribute to vocalist Bob Edwards, who is featured on side 1 of the LP, which is live recorded 1970-71 barrock with westcoast moves and Hammond upfront, a bit like side 1 on Soup or a lo-fi Short Cross/Sweet Toothe. Side 2 is more interesting and features 1972-73 studio recordings of the band without Edwards and is a more esoteric rural rock/singer songwriter trip with a Band/Hickory Wind vibe. Main attraction is an unexpected acid sound collage straight out of 1967, apart from that this is an average local early 1970s artefact, although some people rate it highly. The record was not issued with a cover. Some covers were made up recently by a dealer, utilizing the inserts and a concert flyer for the design.[PL]
~~~
Except for tragedy, we would never have had this most essential human real people experience. Lead singer tragically dies in a car wreck and group reforms with his twin brother on vocals/lyrics. Side one is crude bar band rock recorded live, never intended for release. The magic is on side two with unbelievable emotion and tortured lyrics. "He'll Talk To You" says that if you don't think of him he will talk to you, and on "The Early Morning Rehash," he does! That song is a truly strange and eerie psych masterpiece. A glimpse into humanity [Mike Krafcik]

GLORY (Houston, TX)

"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 1969 (Texas Revolution cfs-2531)   
"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 199  (Texas Revolution, Europe)  [bootleg]
"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 2000 (Akarma 114, Italy)
"Glory: A Meat Music Sampler" 2000 (CD Akarma, Italy) 

This has caught some attention of late but should be considered an aquired taste only. The basic feel is of late-night spontaneous blues-based studio jams revolving around main guy Linden Hudson who sings, plays percussion and also coordinated the session, which was partly recorded at Andrus Studios of "Easter Everywhere" fame. A rootsy Southern all-night bar feel evolves with a certain appeal, but the tracks are really hit and miss affairs, for example the vocal riffs on "Wish ta heck" are so annoying I can barely listen to it. Despite trying hard Hudson isn't good enough a vocalist to make it memorable, though jazzy wee hours keyboard improvs add the right touch. There isn't much songwriting to talk of, more like excursions from basic mood riffs. Any attempts to sell this as a "guitar killer" should be considered dishonest hype. With a strong female vocalist such as Lisa Kindred this would have worked better, but still remained a marginal item. Not sure why this was reissued, really. [PL]

GLORY (San Diego, CA)

"On the Air" 2002 (Rockadelic 40)

Personal fave among the Rockadelics of the new millennium; a no-frills teenage hardrock blast cut live afterhours at a radio station in San Diego in June 1970. No traces of flower power whatsoever as the remarkably tight band blows through their Ya-Ya's era Stones/Led Zep club set of ½ covers and ½ great originals. Vocalist is right on, lead guitarist won't quit, but the real show is the stunning interplay between the rhythm guy and the drummer. Perfect loud soundscape with 100% presence, the whole thing recalls Oda and the rootsier side of the Estes Bros. Cover is disappointing - bring back the old skulls and needles! A future meat & potatoes hard rock classic... this is not psych. The band recorded several 45s and more material may be released. In the 1980s they resurfaced as popular combo the Beat Farmers. [PL]

GLORY ROAD (AZ)

"Exit" 1977 (Hand In Hand HHGR-1000)  

Christian proggy melodic rock.

GOD UNLIMITED ( )

"Ride On" 1970 (GIA 123)

Wellknown Jesus music vocal harmony folkrock group led by Tom Belt with several releases, this one usually rated as their best. Contains a long song with lots of lead guitar and some spooky folky songs as well. The self-titled debut from the late 1960s (Century 34122) supposedly also has its moments. None of these LPs are expensive.

GOLD (San Francisco, CA)

"Gold" 1996 (Rockadelic RRLP-20)  [600p]

Yet another Rockadelic discovery, "Gold" is one of those projects that takes a little effort to get into. Apparently recorded and shelved in 1969, the set has a distinctive late 1960s West Coast feel to it. It's certainly not the most ground breaking LP you'll ever buy, but is kind of interesting for the decent male/female singers and it's mix of musical styles. bouncing between rather conventional hard rock (the crazed opener "No Parking" and "Summer Dresses"), Latin-rock influences (the instrumental "Conquistadore"), and an occasional soul touch thrown in. [SB]

"Mission Rock" 2002 (CD World In Sound 1014, Germany)

This 1971 live set has been described as disappointing, but does include two rare Country Joe tunes, as he was collaborating with the band at the time.

"San Francisco Origins 1970" 2003 (World In Sound RFR 019, Germany)  [+bonus 7"; poster]
"San Francisco Origins 1970" 2003 (CD World In Sound 1018, Germany)  [+bonus tracks]

The LP has a 1970 live set from Fillmore West with raw version of their 45 track "No parking", plus the flipside from the 45. The CD adds the Rockadelic LP material (see above). Gold's unreleased material are good examples of the Bay Area sound of the early 70s, with Santana and horn-rock moves creeping in and psychedelia creeping out. There's even more live stuff in the vaults, including a pretty good tape from a live radio broadcast circa 1971.

GOLDEN DAWN (Austin, TX)

"Power Plant" 1968 (International Artists 4)  [wlp exists]  
"Power Plant" 1978 (International Artists 4)  [IA box-set reissue]
"Power Plant" 198  (International Artists)  [bootleg]
"Power Plant" 1988 (Charly lik-24, UK)
"Power Plant" 1992 (CD Eva b-26, France)
"Power Plant" 199  (Get Back, Europe)

One of my (and many people's) personal top 20 1960s LPs. Killer garage-folkrock-psych sounds with Tommy Hall-inspired lyrics and great melancholic vocals. The emotional range is remarkable for such an early album, going from the snotty acidpunk of "Evolution" over the classic psych of "My time" into the brooding introspection of "Reaching out to you". "This Way Please" is one of the ultimate acid introspections of all time. Add to that a killer cannabis/shroom dayglo sleeve and you've got a major classic on your hands. Almost everyone loves this, essential to any decent psych collection. The LP was recorded July 1967 but not released until the turn of the year in order for IA to focus on the 13th Floor Elevators' "Easter Everywhere". Originals have cover slicks and "IAS 4 Side 1 IA" in the dead wax on side 1, while the box-set reissue is boardprinted and has a matrix # that begins "Ach...". The mid-1980s reissue is close but has less bright front cover colors than the original. There are probably more reissues & bootlegs. "George Kinney's post-Golden Dawn band Headstone saw a retrospective CD release of circa 1970 material in 2002 (Splash 2, UK). [PL]
~~~
Most people rate this as second best IA album after "Easter Everywhere", and I'd agree. The Elevators comparisons are warranted, especially in the vocals, but most of the album has a really garagy feel. They seem more youthful and energetic than the Elevators -- "Fire Engine" and "Earthquake" are the Elevators songs that have a similar feel to Golden Dawn. Good variety of songs, with just enough effects and trippy moments to keep it interesting. Lots of hooks... if stuff like "Pushin Too Hard" and "Psychotic Reaction" could have been hits, these should have been too. The Get Back vinyl reissue has poor sound and even a couple of dropouts. None of the reissues including the legal 1978 one are from master tapes, as these were lost in the early 1970s. [AM]

GOLDEN DRAGON (San Francisco, CA)

"Golden Dragon" 1981 (no label)  [handmade cover]   

Heavy fuzz psych rock with riffing Hendrix sound. There is also a 12" single from 1983 with paste-on covers in different designs, the song is "Too Late" in an entirely different version from the LP. There is also a 45 (again with varying sleeve designs) with "Highway Child" in the same version as the LP, but with a non-LP B-side. However, some copies of the 45 are 1-sided with only "Highway Child".

GOLDENROD (Los Angeles, CA)

"Goldenrod" 1970 (Chartmaker csg-1101)
"Goldenrod" 198  (Heyoka 205, UK)
"Goldenrod" 199  (CD World In Sound, Germany)  [+bonus tracks]
"Goldenrod" 2000 (World In Sound 011, Germany)

A one-off congregation of LA session heavyweights who also perform on Darius' classic LP, this is long heavy psych instrumentals in an acid context. Opinions differ on this, I think it's pretty interesting & trippy. Has a great sleeve too. [PL]

GOLDEN THROAT (HI)

"Golden Throat" 197  (Trim tlp-1981) 

Early 1970s jammy folk, organ, mixed vocals.

GOLDTONES (Riverside, CA)

"Live At The Teenbeat Club In Las Vegas" 1965 (La Brea 8011)  [mono]  
"Live At The Teenbeat Club In Las Vegas" 1965 (La Brea 8011)  [stereo]  

Club rock r & b pounders including "Gloria" and good moody original "I'll love her". With Randy Seol (pre-Strawberry Alarm Clock). An earlier incarnation of the band featured Glenn Ross Campbell (Misunderstood) and made a very good surf 45 in 1963.

GOLGOTHA (NJ)

"Old Seeds Bootleg" 1973 (no label)  [paste-on cover; 200p]  

Westcoast sound rural guitar rock that has been compared to a mellow Little Feat. This is a remake of an unissued LP recorded for Jubilee. The small press size has been reported by the band.

GOLIATH (IN)

"Hot Rock & Thunder" 1972 (Bridges bg-2704)  

Progressive hardrock effort with standard rock setting plus moog. This album was quite plentiful and sold cheap for several years, but the price is finally rising again. Virtually all known copies have a minor edge warp. Same label as the much rarer album by Dawson.

GOOD CHEER (IN)

"Good Cheer" 1972 (ORS 1007)  

Basement rural rock with covers and some psych moves. Organ-led sound is somewhat similar to Hickory Wind.

GOOD DOG BANNED (CA)

"Good Dog Banned" 197  (no label dm-1001)  [paste-on cover; 500p]  
"Good Dog Banned" 2002 (CD Gear Fab 125)

A rural rock obscurity that covers every Marin County cliché in the book to the point of sounding almost like a parody of the genre. "Smokestacks" is a nice hippie folkrocker with ringing guitars, but the rest ranges from mediocre to outright infuriating in its weedsmoking easygoingness. The key to this genre is songwriting, vocal harmonies and guitar arrangements, and these guys underperform in all three. Featuring an ex-Sons Of Champlin member, some tracks sport Sons-style sax and could be seen as an anti-urban variation on that band. Obviously derived from 1970 Dead, but disappointing even to genre fans. Worst track features a dialogue between a band member and a tree (!). Not all rare albums are good. [PL]

GOOD SOIL (IN)

"Good Soil" 197  (Barn Recording Studio)   

Mainstream Christian folkrock with Marsha Rollings of Anonymous on vocals.

GOODY TWO SHOES (Canada)

"Come Together" 1969 (Allied/Paragon 237)  

Rural and rustic bayou rock with guitar moves, mix of originals and covers like "Come together". Two members were formerly with A Passing Fancy, and there is a version of "I'm losing tonight" on this LP.

JON GORDON ( )

“Jon Gordon” 1976 (Tiger Lily 14008) 

There’s quite a bit of variety here: folk rock with 12-string guitars, guitar-heavy blues rock, rural rock, mild prog, old-style rock and roll and even a violin hoedown. Gordon has a decent pop sense and there are several catchy songs here, as well as some nice guitar hooks and solos. At least two songs steal blatantly from the Beatles. Amusingly, the album’s one ballad is a love song to his television. This certainly isn’t an unusual or freaky record in any way, but as mainstream 70s rock goes it’s pretty enjoyable. In typical Tiger Lily fashion, the cover and label omit mention of one song, and there are a few obvious mastering glitches. Unlike a lot of tax scam records, though, it has a substantial running time. [AM]

GRACED LIGHTNING (IL)

"Side" 1975 (no label GL-1)  [1-sided album; paste-on cover; inserts]  

Three tracks of instrumental heavy guitar progressive with Gary Gand. Recorded at Golden Voice Studios.

GRADUATES (Memphis, TN)

"Graduates" 197  (Renegade 1003)  

Semi-competent early 70s lounge rockers. Mostly covers including "Let It Be", "Hey Jude", "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself Again" (good one), and a lightning rendition of "Come and Get It".

GRAFFITI (DC/NY)

"Graffiti" 1969 (ABC s-663)  [gatefold]  

This is a very good major label psych album that’s hard to define. It has a few semi-heavy moments, some fuzz guitar, soulful vibe, lots of effects, and occasionally crazed singing. The songwriting and playing are solid all around, and the album opens and closes with very strong songs. Worthy of close listens—there’s a lot going on inside this one. Some copies of this album are incorrectly mastered, with one song repeated and another missing. [AM]
~~~
Interesting and somewhat underrated late 1960s psych/artrock transition piece, one of several respectable ABC albums from the era. Each song is jampacked with ideas and sounds, a sizable amount of $$$ must have gone into this. The overall style is reminiscent of the more highbrow Bosstown trips (like Freeborne) with a bit of UK Moody Blues/Procol Harum/"Abbey Road" classical and jazz ambitions. The second track has all the pieces fall into place including lyrical fuzz leads, while the band elsewhere often fall victim to an inability to get their ideas sorted. Bringing in Association/Boettcher highpitched vocal harmonies doesn't work that well, while several instrumental passages are so elaborate that the songwriting goes AWOL. This is an album where each of the elements is appealing by itself but when put together the puzzle seems a bit contrived and due to its overly complex nature, impersonal. Still worth checking out at the current low price, just like label-mates Ill Wind and Bold. The band also had a non-LP 45. [PL]

GRANDEURS (Los Angeles, CA)

"The Grandeurs" 196  (JH-1001)  [no sleeve?]

Obscure teenbeat/club LP, possibly issued without sleeve. Covers of "Wooly Bully" plus various Brit Invasion, soul and frat numbers.

GRANDMA'S ROCKERS (IA)

"Homemade Apple Pie & Yankee Ingenuity" 1967 (Fredlo 6727)  
"Homemade Apple Pie & Yankee Ingenuity" 1993 (Del-Val 009)  [350p]

Some were disappointed with this addition to the Del-Val reissue roster and while it ain't no DR Hooker, I think it's pretty enjoyable. A local garage LP on the famous Fredlo label with mostly '67 top 40 covers all done in a convincing manner plus one monster fuzz original, "Blue peppers". One of the better local teen-beat cover LPs but not much for those who want psych. Silly name & title, great sleeve. According to the band, about 300 copies were pressed. [PL]

GRAND THEFT (Mercer Island, WA)

"Grand Theft" 1972 (no label GT-1)  [no cover]  
"It's Eating Me Alive" 198  (Hablabel, Italy)  [new sleeve]
"Hiking Into Eternity" 1996 (CD Epilogue ep-1004)  [+6 bonus tracks]

This LP sounds like a gang of crazed teenagers causing audio-induced subsidence in the neighbourhood. If you enjoy instruments being sledge hammered to within an inch of their lives to the sound of top quality high pitched screaming vocals (and let’s face it, who doesn’t), this might be the ticket. The sound is so extreme it will make you grin and finally fall around laughing. Any LP with a 10’12” track about buying a burger, fries and a milkshake is well worth having, in my world anyway. Just marvel at the deepest lyric from “Closer to Herfy’s”: “Went driving by the lake...lookin’ for a milkshake”. Better than “Stairway to Heaven”, certainly more relevant. If ponderous, meaningless guitar based rock is your thing, then you may feel the finger of mother fun poking rather hard at your ribs. “Scream/It’s eating me alive” introduces side 1 with patent super-screaming and wasted, reverberating, guitar riffs. “Log Rhythms/Meat Midgets” chugs along with a cool, almost punk vibe. Faux mystic chanting on Ohms with lyrics like “they used to put strychnine in that stuff, we had a reeeaaal good time” cannot fail to make you laugh out loud. As we all know (now) it was ‘just a joke’, and a very funny one it is too. The sheer commitment to making something so extreme ends up producing a genre classic. The folkrock group Bluebird made it to make fun of Grand Funk. The original plain sleeve is stamped "Made in Canada". Both reissues are retitled, for some reason. [RI]

GRANICUS (Cleveland, OH)

"Granicus" 1973 (RCA apl-0321)  
"Granicus" 1997 (CD Free, Europe)

Far out 1970s hard rock album by some American Indians who just hated Ohio, and maybe everything else as well. They're not very fond of their own record, feeling that the major label production stripped them of their energy. Though much of it is sloppy and chaotic, some is unexpectedly smooth as well. It's hard to imagine just how heavy they think it should have been, though, because it has some excruciating moments as it is. The singer is really crazed, screeching at a high level that could hurt the ears of Led Zeppelin and Leafhound fans. Hell, it could even go too far for Rush or Pavlov's Dog fans. The songs ramble to good and bad effect. The 11-minute "Prayer" is incredibly powerful despite (because of?) being very repetitive, but the long songs on side two aren't nearly as interesting. A stupid song insulting their home city of Cleveland assured that they blew their only chance to sell any records anywhere. The album's "ballad" is an instrumental with lots of mellotron. Some think this is a lost classic, and during moments of the first side, maybe it is. But not much else here hits the mark the way "Prayer" does, and the band's own assessment of the album as promising and unique, but heavily flawed, is on the mark. [AM]

GRANMAX (MO)

"A Ninth Alive" 1976 (Pacific 1001)
"A Ninth Alive" 1976 (Panama prs-1001)  [white vinyl]

"Kiss Heaven Goodbye" 1978 (Panama 1023)  

Fans say that the addition of Nick Christopher is what made this such a leap forward from their less interesting (and much easier to find) first album. The band sure gels here, but Christopher's warbly, nasal voice is an acquired taste. I defy anybody to listen to him screeching "I am the prince" without chuckling. Maybe that's the point, though, and there's no denying the musical power of this record. It's hooky, full of energy and speed, the songs are concise and the band is tight. The tone is varied by excellent use of acoustic and slide guitars and tasteful phasing. Once you get used to the voice you'll find plenty of melody too. Highly recommended to fans of 70s semi-metal hard rock. [AM]

GRAPES OF RATHE (PA)

"Glory" 1969 (Tarus)  

A mixed bag of sounds that mixes dreamy psych with bad top 40 and horns. Has a good reputation but is actually a fairly weak album with no real identity and some nonsense. Full review once I get around to playing it again.

GRAVITY ADJUSTERS EXPANSION BAND (Fairfax, CA) 

"One" 1973 (Nocturne nrs-302)  

Spacy experimental cosmic trance. Communal trip of homemade instruments, sound generators and percussion. 

GREAT AMERICAN DREAM ( )

"Home And Free" 1975 (Audifex)  [blank, stamped cover]  

This is another one of those "Advance reviewer copy" releases that were sold via ads in Rolling Stone. This time the fake label is "Audifex." Side one is mostly soulful 70s rock, and is pretty good. The band is tight and there's some cool lead guitar (played through Leslie speakers.) The album's best song is the proggy "You Can Fly," which has excellent harpsichord/flute interplay. Side two, unfortunately, only continues the style for one song. The others are two blues tunes and a rock/soul ballad, none of which are very interesting. Like a lot of the records in this series, it's quite short: 9 songs, 26 minutes. The production is raw and demo-like. [AM]

GREAT LOOSE BAND & OK CHORALE (CA)

"Stone Crow" 1976 (Blue Bong no #)  [150p]  

The "Stone Crow" album was a musical play recorded live around 1975 at he University of California in Irvine. The original recording has narrative between all of the tracks telling their story of seeking the ultimate THC induced high. The leader of the band, guitar player Brook Meggs, had a strong tie to Capitol Records through his dad, Brown Meggs, a high level excutive famous for signing the Beatles to Capitol for state side distribution. According to Brook, the album was a custom Capitol press of 150 copies. Unfortantly, the recording was too long for a single album so all of the spoken parts between all the tracks were edited. Without the narrative, the album is still very long- winded which is why all the songs run into each other without any dead space between the tracks. Musically, it's an enjoyable record and unlike most other albums that deal with the same subject matter, this one has a low "goof factor." Being that it's a live recording by musicians that obviously already found the ultimate high backstage before the show, they truly live up to their name and have a good time sharing their buzz on stage. [JSB]

GREATRIX FREEDOM BAND (Canada)

"Better Days Ahead" 1970 (Paragon 294)  

Rock trio doing Creedence, Janis Joplin covers plus originals, on the same label as Christmas.

GREEK FOUNTAINS (LA)

"Take Requests" 1967 (Montel Michelle 110)   

Popular local garage/teen-beat band with several good non-LP 45s. This LP, released as by the Greek Fountain River Front Band, was made when the band was essentially history already, and is a disappointingly stiff affair and not the frat garage blowout you might hope for. An all-covers lineup mixes jugband folkrock, blue-eyed soul and two Beatles covers for bad effect. The band sounds uninspired, the drummer sucks (strange for a club act), and the recording is flat and unexciting. I have to rate this one of the least interesting albums from the era that I've heard; comparable to the weakest Justice label titles and several notches below something like the first Spiffys LP. "For No One" is the highpoint, mainly because it's such a great song that not even these guys could screw it up. A 45 was released from the LP. [PL]

GREEN (Dallas, TX)

"Green" 1969 (Atco SD 33-282)
"Green" 2003 (CD)

Psych fans hate horns, which is the only possible reason that this ace album has been ignored for so long. The horns here aren't your typical soulful saxes, trumpets and trombones, but a large variety of instruments, used to add color and mood. There's no bombast at all. Strong songs have the ante upped by the unusual arrangements and a variety of cool production tricks. A few songs on side two cover the same ground as better ones on side one, but the majority of this record is terrific. Their 2nd LP ("To Help Somebody", 1971) is considered much inferior. [AM]
~~~
Obscure title receiving some interest of late, and deservedly so. An easily accessible late beat/psych LP that nevertheless has a lot of odd angles going for it that keep surprising you. The overall style is late 1960s McCartney/Odyssey & Oracle pop channeled through the high-IQ east coast psych sensibility that produced albums such as the second Fallen Angels and Elizabeth. Use of horns is remarkably good and an asset to the album, as are the moody teen vocals. You can tell the release date by some raw guitars and the inventive rhythm section playing, but a charming Anglo '67-68 vibe is retained throughout. It's too early to be retro and comes off more like a testament to the tight grip the Beatles maintained on many musicians across the US, even as they were falling apart. "Sgt Pepper" is explicitly mentioned in the lyrics, which combined with four bars of Dick Dale at the end of the fuzz-laden title track indicates the fun and artistically conscious nature of this LP. Judging by the catalog number the LP was released in the Spring 1969. The band came out of the North Texas State University in Denton. [PL]
~~~
see full-length review

GREENWOOD, CURLEE & THOMPSON (St Paul, MN)

"One Time, One Place" 1972 (no label gc-72105)  [insert]  

Local communal hippiefolk artefact with a couple of really good psychy tracks and the rest passable singer/songwriter sounds. In general the guitar-based songs are good, while I think the piano tracks drag the album down. On level with the similar-sounding Big Lost Rainbow, although most people seem to rate this LP higher than I do. My favorite track has the entire commune joining in on a mix of 1970s "aware" lyrics with raga acoustic and flute, like a politically correct Manson Family. [PL]
~~~
Cool counterculture artifact from well-meaning hippies who spent two years perfecting their craft. Most collectors lament that there's too much piano here but even the overlong ballads are good. This is a great album. The intelligent lyrics are foul-mouthed in a wholly appealing way, and the mellow music is very well-played. Nice little guitar parts come when you least expect them, giving energy to the quieter songs, and the vocals are confident and laid-back. [AM]

GREER (NC)

"Between Two Worlds" 1973 (Sugarbush sbs-109)   

Obscure artefact out of a local scene that produced cult music for a 15-year period; this is a powerful trip in a song-oriented 1970s British rock/hardrock style, with psych moves on the two long epics. Plenty of raw guitar, some piano and synth, heartfelt vocals, all wrapped in a consistent package that displays talent and self-confidence. May be too much of a 70s mainstream sound for some, and indeed it would have deserved to come out on a major label. Should appeal to fans of Felt on Nasco. According to an article in Kicks #1, some of the songs had been recorded for a 1971 LP by related band Arrogance that never came out. [PL]
~~~
This is one of those albums that gets hyped as "psych" or "prog" when in reality it's mainstream AM-styled 1970s rock, made more collectable by rarity and pedigree. As such, though, this is very good. It's heavy when necessary, melodic when necessary, and has a crude enough production sound to appeal to those who would never listen to, say, a BTO album. The opening song could pass for heavy power pop, which should please fans of new wave-era NC rock. This is not as good as Arrogance's outstanding "Prolepsis," but due to the longer songs and less professional sound, it may be preferred by readers of this book. [AM]

SPARKY GRINSTEAD (Oakland, CA)

"Won Out" 1978 (Sparlene Records)

Here’s a charming little pop album, 25 minutes of peppy melodies, acoustic guitars, simple arrangements, and lyrics about gurls. The best song by miles and miles is the opening “Fall On Me,” which has a lovely melody and some really cute-sounding fuzz guitar. It’s a triumph of low-budget recording, and by comparison makes early Shoes or the Toms sound like they were recorded at Abbey Road. The rest of the album isn’t as fantastic, but it’s fun straight through and Sparky has a really nice voice. The CD reissue doesn’t list the memorable “Big Ass” (he’s attracted to them), but includes it as a surprise bonus track. I wonder what his svelte girlfriend (pictured on the back cover) thought about that one. This is certainly not an album for psych or even folk collectors, but it’s recommended to pop fans and also fans of “real people” who can actually sing and write. [AM]

GRODECK WHIPPERJENNY (OH)

"Grodeck Whipperjenny" 1970 (People ps-3000)  
-- a Canadian pressing exists
"Grodeck Whipperjenny" 199  (People, Austria)  [bootleg]
"Grodeck Whipperjenny" 2003 (CD Radioactive 0017, UK)

I've returned to this LP for a second look as opinions differ so much on it. It certainly doesn't sound like the Airplane much, but I do find it a bit tough to swallow. The playing and arrangements are mostly fine, but the vocals mess it up a bit, both in terms of sound and mixing. It's almost as if the LP had been recorded with another set of vocals in mind, or that the overdubs were made in a rather hurried manner. The opening track may in fact have been intended as an instrumental. In any event, the unusual, almost Eartha Kittish femme vox don't blend well with the adept psych-funk-rock fuzz/keyboard groove tunes, and on several occasions they fall out of step with the beat. Added reverb and echo effects make the awkward soundscape seem worse than it had to be. About half the LP is still very good, with a peak in the long track on side 2 where everything falls into place for a few minutes. The CD reissue has good sound and is worth checking out, due to the LP's esoteric nature and the individual responses it triggers. [PL]
~~~
Utterly unique album that has aged extremely well. It was released on James Brown's label, and is awfully funky, but it also has ideas from all different musical worlds. Great playing abounds, and the strange female singer, who isn't feminine in any way whatsoever, has an understated power. A long jam on side two suffers from a few blues/jazz/hard rock clichés, but otherwise this is wholly original and impossible to describe. I can't for the life of me understand why everyone lumps this one in with the Airplane-soundalike bands, as there's absolutely zero resemblance to West Coast rock. There is also a "second" LP credited to James Brown, with instrumental groove funk-rock ("Sho' is Funky Down Here", King 1971). [AM]

THE GROOP (Los Angeles, CA / Vancouver, Canada)

“The Groop” 1970 (Bell 6038) 

The Groop had a single release and also a song on the “Midnight Cowboy” soundtrack, but for some reason their album’s release was cancelled. Though there was no actual release and cutouts never appeared, mysteriously a few sealed copies surfaced, all in the same spot, in a record store in the early 90s. Apparently no other copies have yet to be found, making this possibly the rarest of all major label releases. It’s quite good too, a top rate harmony soft rock album, with a nimble rhythm section, co-ed vocals and horns.  It’s a bit funkier/more soulful than similar examples of the genre like Roger Nichols and the Free Design. Like a lot of west coast bands, the Mamas and Papas were an obvious influence. [AM]

RICK GROSSMAN (Northbrook, IL)

"Hot Romance" 1978 (Thunderbolt)

This labor of love private press is as bad as the cover photo would lead you to imagine. It feels like the work of a horny 12-year-old, but Grossman’s chest hair proves it’s the work of a horny adult (or overly mature teenager?) He’s a truly terrible singer, unable to hold any of the three notes in his range, and projecting absolutely zero personality. When his vocals are backed by equally inept instrumentation (shooting for mellow jazz rock or music-hall styled pop), it is enjoyably comic. This is most true on the songs where the “congos” are way up in the mix for added faux-romantic effect. Sax and vibes give an indication that he got a few cues from porno movies. As bad as this record is, Grossman has a reasonably developed pop sense, and the upbeat songs have a contagious energy. “Mellow Heaven Clout, in particular,” is really catchy, especially the echoed handclaps. The ballads, however, are deadly. This isn’t nearly at the level of prime real people artists like Kit Ream or Kenneth Higney, and in the long run two sides are a bit much. For a song or two, though, it’s a kick. Best lyric: “Up all night, ya, we roll in the sack/just the kind of place she’d like to do you at.” [AM]

GROUND ZERO (Wheaton, IL)

"Ground Zero" 1979 (Retread)   

This gets hyped by dealers as a hard rock album, but don’t go expecting anything heavy or fuzz-happy. It’s actually hard power pop, decently played and sung, but not especially inspired or creative. There’s also an acoustic Latin-flavored song, a couple of weak funky rockers and, towards the end, a complete abandonment of harmonies and melody. There’s some cool lead guitar here and there, but this isn’t anything special. The closest comparison in the private press world is the album by Roundhouse, though that is better than this. [AM]

GROUNDSTAR (CA)

"Forced Landing" 1980 (Stellar sr-2549)
"Forced Landing" 1980 (Stellar)  [2nd press; altered cover]

By 1980 AOR was all over the airwaves, but within the genre this is a bit of an oddity and is rather special. Bits of hard rock, prog, space rock mix with a pure pop sensibility, and the powerful helium-voiced woman and poppy-sounding man are much more appealing than the eunuch-like wailers who ruled the genre in the 80s. The songs are reasonably short and the rockers are fast. The kind of pomp and arrogance that gave the genre a bad name are nowhere to be found here. This doesn’t resemble heavy metal at all, even on the power ballads. The album has been compared to Styx and Yes in their poppier moments, but this is much more (pardon the pun, given the album title and cover) down-to-earth. This ranks just a notch below Marianus for me as top of the heap early 80s AOR private press fun. The second pressing altered the cover art a bit, changed the song order, and re-named a few of the songs. [AM]

GROWING CONCERN ( )

"Growing Concern" 1968 (Mainstream 56108)  [mono; wlp exists]  
"Growing Concern" 1968 (Mainstream s-6108)  [stereo]  
"Growing Concern" 199  (Mainstream)  [bootleg]
"Growing Concern" 1996 (CD Golden Classics Rebirth)
"Growing Concern" 2004 (CD Radioactive 069, UK)

One of many bands rooted in the melodic sides of early Airplane and Mamas & the Papas, this mystery group brings a crystal clear vocal sound and more reverb than Dick Dale ever dreamed of to create a cathedral type sound which has blown many minds. Several cover versions but mostly good ones, such as the outstanding opening Hollies interpretation, and their own tracks are enjoyable too. Not a total classic, but a winner on charm and impressive surface; one of my Mainstream label faves along with Bohemian Vendetta and Orient Express. [PL]
~~~
Most people consider this top of the Mainstream heap, and for the length of side one they're close. Beautiful, haunting instrumentation (great use of harpsichord) and an excellent set of songs makes for very pleasant listening. The male singer has a voice that gets cloyingly sweet though, moreso with each listen, and by the end of the album it gets downright irritating. Side two also suffers from the unnecessary inclusion of some very common cover tunes, and on the whole this is only half of a great album. [AM]

PETER GRUDZIEN (New York City, NY)

"Album No.1 (in two sides): The Unicorn" 1974 (P.G 101)  [500p]
"The Unicorn" 1995 (CD Parallel World cd-2)  [+6 bonus tracks]

If you want to go as far out as it gets, this underground cult album from a gay hillbilly NYC visionary provides a map. One of the more remarkable LPs I've heard, or to quote its original advocate Paul Major's classic description: "Johnny Cash and Gandalf the Grey drop acid and meet under the altar to discuss religion while perfoming weird sex acts." One track is like stumbling into a Salvation Army meeting while tripping, another is a 9-minute lament with incredible lyrics. There's ripped off choral music, basement electronics, lots of bluegrass, and more. The primitive recording and occasionally unfinished arrangements should not obscure the fact that "The Unicorn" is an artistically aware statement from a unique artist, inhabiting a unique world -- the van Gogh of 1970s folk. Grudzien has plenty of more recordings waiting to be reissued, and has achieved a cult fame in recent years including TV features. [PL]
~~~
Eccentric country psych with bluegrass picking, religious imagery, and gay concerns. very special 'real person'. Home studio compilation with tons of claustrophobic sounds in the thick, Trimblesque mix. Some of the material dates back to 1956! A dreamy psych aura hovers over the essentially country playing which tends to stagger rhythmically. Amazing songs about hard-luck gay romance and hallucinatory religious visions with an upfront sincerity that's breathtaking. The vocals are something else too, spoken-sung in a nasal baritone. This is a very special work of art that's almost too complex and otherworldly to grace mere vinyl. [RM]
~~~
This one of a kind blatantly gay psychedelic country album deserves pretty much all of the praise it gets in collectors circles. There’s nothing even remotely like it, and it works not because of the “real people” appeal, but because Grudzien is a fantastic songwriter with a bunch of great ideas and a wholly distinct personality. It’s insulting to speak of him in the same breath as the many talentless “incredibly strange music” folk he’s usually lumped in with. Truly great stuff that stands the test of time. Even the 90s bonus tracks (with drum machines) on the CD reissue are great. Everyone needs to own this. [AM]

GRYPHON (MI)

"Gryphon" 1975 (no label nr-12487)  

Dual-lead hardrock and prog with melodic moves.

GUILD (Seattle, WA)

"Susurrus" 1978 (KM 2381)  [500p]  

First LP by introspective folkrock duo, Renee and Daryl Redeker, with mixed vocals, rock setting, 12-string guitar and some synth. Mostly originals but also a "cover" of John Cage's "Silence", which scores points in the humor department.

"Musik" 1980 (no label)  

Second LP is similar in style with short songs, some fuzz breaks, and lyrics concerning mental illness.

GUITAR ENSEMBLE (Las Vegas, NM)

"Have Faith" 1970 (no label)  

Charming Christian strum folk teens, harmony vocals. Seven acoustic guitarists, two bassists, two "rhythm"(!), and godsend Mary Kay Johnsen on organ and vocals. This first LP is more in the folkrock direction with less of Mary Kay's vocals and a somewhat more primitive feel.

"The You-N-You" 1971 (no label lps-812)  

The followup is a special latenite beast that sneaks up on you with its aching sincerity and visionary lyrics, the creepy ones by Bob Rivas. This manages to be clean cut and way lost simultaneously... like an acoustic New Dawn with better vocals! Inspirational verse: "It is you seeing others as you would have them see you. It is you seeing you in others. It is others seeing you in them." [RM]
~~~
Despite that everyone who hears it seem to like it, this is still one of the most underrated local LPs around. Enjoyable all through in its introspective light-folkrock moodiness, with superb peaks in tracks like "The Answer" and "Lamb of God". Back cover photos of the band in very goofy school yearbook type photos adds to the appeal. [PL]
~~~
see -> Concern
~~~
see full-length review

"GUITAR PICKS & ROACH CLIPS" ( )

"Guitar Picks and Roach Clips" 1973 (Stoneybrook)  [2 LPs]  

Mostly instrumental jams in a psych/prog style. This is a various artists LP featuring Gordon Alexander, Bob Jameson, Road Apples among others, and also Alicia May who did "Skinnydipping In The Flowers". The album is a movie soundtrack for an obscure animated feature which briefly played theatres.

SANDY GURLEY & THE SAN FRANCISCO BRIDGE (CA)

"Sandy Gurley and the San Francisco Bridge" 1968 (Tower st-5135)  

Gurley has a great voice and though most songs have horns, there are a couple with wild fuzz guitar too. Kind of a mixed bag, but enjoyable. Oddly, the version of "Can't Buy Me Love" is exactly the same backing track as that by Neighb'rhood Childr'n, just with Gurley as lead singer. Produced by Larry Goldberg & Leo Kulka (Afterglow, Maze, Mesmerizing Eye...) [AM]

MARGO GURYAN (MA)

"Take A Picture" 1968 (Bell 6022)  
"Take A Picture" 2000 (Siesta, Spain)  [altered sleeve] 
"Take A Picture" 2001 (CD Franklin Castle/Oglio)  [+bonus tracks]

Guryan is one of the few female songwriters to claim a heavy "Pet Sounds" influence, and while this doesn't touch, say, Billy Nicholls, it's a lot better than, say, Marc Eric. Psych fans dig it for the closing "Love," which has a freakout section, but pretty much all of the album is easy to like. The songwriting is complex and thoughtful, and while it lacks the inspiration of the classic that inspired it, it's one of the better soft rock albums of its time, and blows away stuff like Wendy & Bonnie or Lily & Maria. Unreleased material has appeared on CD in recent years, such as "25 Demos" (Franklin Castle). [AM]

GWYDION (Oakland, CA)

"Songs For The Old Religion" 1975 (Nemeton 101)  [insert]  
"Songs For The Old Religion" 1995 (Psychedelic Archives, UK)  [insert]

This is an LP that sounds pretty good under special circumstances, but the other 364 days of the year it sounds like what it is, namely a piece of mediocre, derivative Northern California pagan hippiefolk. The style is Brit-trad:ish with mostly selfpenned material and female vocals on a few tracks, which incidentally also are the best. The lack of originality and a dull, non-dynamic recording makes this hard to enjoy, except as an odd artefact from a poorly documented scene. The most appealing aspect is the cover, with Gwydion doing his best to convince us that he is a Glastonbury/Stonehendge druid - even has the costume act down, although a big spliff in his hand blurs the impression. Gwydion's story is still somewhat mysterious, and there is a strange tribute website done by his lady disciples which paints him as a man of Father Yod-like stature, unlike the Pig & Whistle talent contest reject this LP radiates. The second LP ("The Faerie Shaman", 1981) is inferior. Gwydion passed away shortly after, thus fulfilling a premonition of premature death that he had in England a few years earlier. [PL]

GYE WHIZ see Dave Lamb & Gye Whiz

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