If I had to recommend five titles to a novice of what I consider psych. I would say, and I ain't no Rockadelic but....
Pink Floyd - Piper At The Gates Of Dawn Kaleidoscope - Tangerine Dream Tomorrow - Tomorrow CA Quintet - Trip Thru Hell Ford Theatre - Trilogy For The Masses (more so cos I just got this recently)
Trippy lyrics, phasing, self indulgence. These are how I categorise psych...or is that acid psych??? No Prunes, 13th Floor Elevators
Sod it, ebay sellers don't have this worry, I'll stick with them choices!
Smoke S/T is one of my faves...Kim Fowley and Michael Lloyd from the West Coast Experimental Pop Art Band. really great west coast psych...not sure why it hasn't been reissued on cd.
Then you are clearly out of touch with psych records that contain jiggy hip-hop nuggetz.
I know you're joking, but I'm actually not out of touch with jiggy hip hop nugget psych, or calling it such, as long as it's psych. I'm just not understanding how any record released from 1965-infinity that features long hair on the cover or a chick in gogo boots is now considered psych.
On eBay is one thing - keywords are a reality of drawing business, and "psych" is a word that can move a lot of units. But on here, I get confused and a little bummed out by people naming country rock and soul/beat albums as "psych" even though they have nothing psychedelic about them beyond a trippy cover font or maybe one 23 second fuzz break on one track.
I fully agree that "psych" is a bit of a grey term that can be applied to various sounds, but I think it breaks down simply into two elements, one or both of which need be present for the label to apply. First is lyrical, as in lyrics speaking on psychedelic subjects, be it describing a dream or the effects of LSD or at least a surreal approach to the subject at hand. The second element is aural, and mainly involves effects and studio trickery, sounds designed to be "psychedelic" in nature, phasing, delay, fuzz/distortion, backwards vocals or instruments - also, use of "exotic" or non-conventional (to rock) instruments such as sitar, tabla, harpsichord, farfisa, theremin, etc, etc contributes to this sound.
Therefore, I can accept a folk album played in a fairly conventional manner but with lyrics exploring the land of mushrooms the singer tripped through in a waking dream as psych, or a pop album that sings about Jeanie leaving him at the drive-in last night but with a backwards guitar solo and reverberated vocals as psych, but calling some straight-ahead folk rock album psych just because it was released in 1967 does nothing but confuse me.
Now, if someone would just create a "You Mad, Hippie?" graemlin, my cipher would be complete.
First is lyrical, as in lyrics speaking on psychedelic subjects, be it describing a dream or the effects of LSD or at least a surreal approach to the subject at hand. .
Aligator Lizzards in The Air??????????!! ESSENTIAL PSYCH!!!!!!!
First is lyrical, as in lyrics speaking on psychedelic subjects, be it describing a dream or the effects of LSD or at least a surreal approach to the subject at hand. .
Aligator Lizzards in The Air??????????!! ESSENTIAL PSYCH!!!!!!!
Honestly, I invite/deserve to have my rant picked apart - I don't feel comfortable making "rules" or claiming superior knowledge of things, and felt a bit toolish while I was typing it... but still, I'm honestly confused by what people consider "psych" and at least wanted to give my impression of what the term should involve. I'm really just curious what people think makes something "psych" and wasn't too hung up on the "essential" aspect, which I think is kind of a pointless qualifier to begin with.
Honestly, I invite/deserve to have my rant picked apart - I don't feel comfortable making "rules" or claiming superior knowledge of things, and felt a bit toolish while I was typing it... but still, I'm honestly confused by what people consider "psych" and at least wanted to give my impression of what the term should involve. I'm really just curious what people think makes something "psych" and wasn't too hung up on the "essential" aspect, which I think is kind of a pointless qualifier to begin with.
It's just a good adjective. "Psychedelic" that is. Seems most people apply the GENRE TAG psych to the American and British rock of the mid to late sixties that had the trappings (physical aesthetics of presentation and appearance) of that era...the PSYCHEDELIC era. That's cool. Bt the ADJECTIVE psychedelic applies to so much more music. Ash Ra Temple's first album. Fuck me if the tunes on there aren't psychedelic. I'll be damned if Get Up With It or even Live Evil doesn't put me in a stoned place if I zone out to them. I just think you can have an LP that is filed in soul or jazz or classic rock or "krautrock" that SOUNDS psychedelic.
But anyway. I can get down w/ what you laid down to SoI. Whatever works. It's fun to debate the limits of genre names, but a drag to get hung up on it. (Not accusing anyone just saying.)
out of curiosity, as a beginner in the genre, what do you think of the tracklist of my mix? i consider it proggy-psych.
Well first off, quite enjoy the mix. And thanks for putting out the tracklist.
Seems like you've pulled from many genres but all of the tracks have that psychedelic feeling. McDonald and Giles is definitely prog. Manfred Mann has been known to straddle classification lines. (no ayo?)
My studio is next to a lawyers office run by an elderly jewish man named Melvyn, I play all sorts of records and make beats and what not and whenever I run into Melvyn he says things like "Why did the music stop! I was enjoying that..." and whenever i'm like "Oh, you like hip hop?" or "you like wild guitar solos?" He'll always reply "I like GOOD music".
the first 3 Os Mutantes LPs....now, some folks might feel that these LPs are overrated, but I do not. Psychedelic in every sense...the sound, the arrangements, the songwriting, studio processes...the whole kit and kaboodle...I assume the lyrics are but I dont know Portugese.
I really didn't know that "Psych" was confused with tropicalia and progrock until this thread. Now, I know why most prices suck. Thanks.
- spidey
"spidey":
There is plenty of tropicalia that is EXPLICITLY psychedelic, its one of the hallmarks of the scene
As for prog, there is some grey area (esp in the late 60s when psych is transforming into prog) but I do hear folks conflating the genres here
For those that consider Krautrock prog though- I think the best of it is sonically and inspirationally MUCH closer to psych than prog... which is why I like it
Human Beinz. And not to be a drag, but I wouldn't call less than half of the aformentioned psych.
Thats funny, cuz everything I've heard from the Beinz is either R&B or frat rock! (good stuff for sure though)
Everyone has their own opinion on what physc is supposed to be and can be very precious about it. I find myself saying things have "Physc undertones" IE: "This is like garage rock with physc undertones". That way you don't offend anyone and you get your point across. HA
Comments
awesome psych(rock) record on deram
this is good too, on people with dave matthews
but in a world where pookah is "essential" anything is possible
Pink Floyd - Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Kaleidoscope - Tangerine Dream
Tomorrow - Tomorrow
CA Quintet - Trip Thru Hell
Ford Theatre - Trilogy For The Masses (more so cos I just got this recently)
Trippy lyrics, phasing, self indulgence. These are how I categorise psych...or is that acid psych??? No Prunes, 13th Floor Elevators
Sod it, ebay sellers don't have this worry, I'll stick with them choices!
the Zombies "odyssey and oracle" is a must have.
affinity-s/t
the loading zone
procol harum s/t
a group called smith
the first two lydia pense w/ cold blood lps.
Then you are clearly out of touch with psych records that contain jiggy hip-hop nuggetz.
essential? that record kinda sucks imo
I know you're joking, but I'm actually not out of touch
with jiggy hip hop nugget psych, or calling it such, as
long as it's psych. I'm just not understanding how any record
released from 1965-infinity that features long hair on the cover
or a chick in gogo boots is now considered psych.
On eBay is one thing - keywords are a reality of drawing business,
and "psych" is a word that can move a lot of units. But on here,
I get confused and a little bummed out by people naming country rock
and soul/beat albums as "psych" even though they have nothing psychedelic
about them beyond a trippy cover font or maybe one 23 second fuzz break on
one track.
I fully agree that "psych" is a bit of a grey term that can be applied to
various sounds, but I think it breaks down simply into two elements, one
or both of which need be present for the label to apply. First is lyrical,
as in lyrics speaking on psychedelic subjects, be it describing a dream or
the effects of LSD or at least a surreal approach to the subject at hand.
The second element is aural, and mainly involves effects and studio trickery,
sounds designed to be "psychedelic" in nature, phasing, delay, fuzz/distortion,
backwards vocals or instruments - also, use of "exotic" or non-conventional
(to rock) instruments such as sitar, tabla, harpsichord, farfisa, theremin, etc, etc
contributes to this sound.
Therefore, I can accept a folk album played in a fairly conventional
manner but with lyrics exploring the land of mushrooms the singer tripped
through in a waking dream as psych, or a pop album that sings about Jeanie
leaving him at the drive-in last night but with a backwards guitar solo
and reverberated vocals as psych, but calling some straight-ahead folk rock
album psych just because it was released in 1967 does nothing but confuse me.
Now, if someone would just create a "You Mad, Hippie?" graemlin,
my cipher would be complete.
Aligator Lizzards in The Air??????????!! ESSENTIAL PSYCH!!!!!!!
WHATEVER LIGHTS YOUR BONG FELLOWS. IS THE MUSIC GOOD?
The drumming.
I like it. here's a blog that offers their third LP for downloading:
http://postpunkjunk.com/?p=155
out of curiosity, as a beginner in the genre, what do you think of the tracklist of my mix? i consider it proggy-psych.
Honestly, I invite/deserve to have my rant picked apart -
I don't feel comfortable making "rules" or claiming superior
knowledge of things, and felt a bit toolish while I was typing it...
but still, I'm honestly confused by what people consider "psych"
and at least wanted to give my impression of what the term should
involve. I'm really just curious what people think makes something "psych"
and wasn't too hung up on the "essential" aspect, which I think is
kind of a pointless qualifier to begin with.
It's just a good adjective. "Psychedelic" that is. Seems most people apply the GENRE TAG psych to the American and British rock of the mid to late sixties that had the trappings (physical aesthetics of presentation and appearance) of that era...the PSYCHEDELIC era. That's cool. Bt the ADJECTIVE psychedelic applies to so much more music. Ash Ra Temple's first album. Fuck me if the tunes on there aren't psychedelic. I'll be damned if Get Up With It or even Live Evil doesn't put me in a stoned place if I zone out to them. I just think you can have an LP that is filed in soul or jazz or classic rock or "krautrock" that SOUNDS psychedelic.
But anyway. I can get down w/ what you laid down to SoI. Whatever works. It's fun to debate the limits of genre names, but a drag to get hung up on it. (Not accusing anyone just saying.)
Well first off, quite enjoy the mix. And thanks for putting out the tracklist.
Seems like you've pulled from many genres but all of the tracks have that psychedelic feeling. McDonald and Giles is definitely prog. Manfred Mann has been known to straddle classification lines. (no ayo?)
and props to whoever mentioned "Oar". Everyone should own that album.
What's the one w/ the soldier dood on the cover?
"spidey":
There is plenty of tropicalia that is EXPLICITLY psychedelic, its one of the hallmarks of the scene
As for prog, there is some grey area (esp in the late 60s when psych is transforming into prog) but I do hear folks conflating the genres here
For those that consider Krautrock prog though- I think the best of it is sonically and inspirationally MUCH closer to psych than prog... which is why I like it
Thats funny, cuz everything I've heard from the Beinz is either R&B or frat rock! (good stuff for sure though)
Everyone has their own opinion on what physc is supposed to be and can be very precious about it. I find myself saying things have "Physc undertones" IE: "This is like garage rock with physc undertones". That way you don't offend anyone and you get your point across. HA
Ash Ra Tempel- S/T, and German Oak.