Album Review: The United States of America – s/t
It’s easy to forget that in 1968, getting weird and unearthly sounds on your album (assuming you wanted them; plenty did) was no easy task. There were no presets, no samples; if you wanted the whooping effect of a ring modulator, you had to find one, and then figure out how to operate the damn thing.
The only record released by The United States of America employed that, and much more. USA made for challenging listening in ’68, and it still does today. The album occupies that odd musical space between conservatory recital and soundtrack to a (bad?) acid trip. Don’t let that scare you away, or you’ll miss something grand.
The album kicks off with “The American Metaphysical Circus,” sounding like a gang of wooden flute-playing hippies colliding with a Fourth of July marching band. “Hard Coming Love” is a conventional song in the 1968 freakout mode, not unlike the background music you might hear on a vintage episode of Mannix. “The Garden of Earthly Delights” puts electronics to the task of sounding organic, and succeeds. Every song on the record is remarkable in its own way.
The United States of America sounds like little else in your collection; it pushes the boundaries of song and sound. With its amazingly faithful reproduction of the original packaging, the recent Sundazed reissue on vinyl is warmer than earlier CD releases, but then you probably knew I’d say that.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.