psych Archive
23 Dec 2019
Musoscribe’s Best of 2019: Reissue/archival Releases
2019 was another great year for reissue and archival releases. A few stood out as especially noteworthy; those are listed and briefly described) below. More details (my reviews, interviews … that sort of thing) can be found by clicking the links below each. The Black Watch – 31 Years of Obscurity I wasn’t familiar John
08 Dec 2019
Album Review: Bask — III
For a small city, Asheville is home to musicians representing a staggering array of musical styles. In an era that many see as post-album, post-rock and post-all other manner of things that make music special, it’s surprising that there’s a small but solid heavy rock scene in and around the city. A vivid testament to
29 Nov 2019
Let’s Talk About ‘Nuggets’ with Lenny Kaye (Part Two)
Continued from Part One … You had moved on by then, right? I only lasted like five or six months at Elektra. And about six months after I was gone and forgotten about it, somebody called me up from there and said, “We have the rights to all these records, these songs. What do we
28 Nov 2019
Let’s Talk About ‘Nuggets’ with Lenny Kaye (Part One)
On this day of Thanksgiving I’d like to give thanks to Lenny Kaye for creating Nuggets. It’s not hyperbole to assert that Nuggets affected the course of popular music. In its own way, the 2LP set released on Elektra Records in the early ’70s influenced an entire generation of musicians. The compilation curated by Lenny
24 Sep 2019
1969 Okay: The Stooges’ Debut Album at 50
There was little precedent – virtually none on major labels – in 1969 for The Stooges. As a genre, punk rock hadn’t even been conceived, nor had “shock rock.” So it was largely unexpected when Elektra signed a scuzzy, primitive band from Detroit called the Stooges. The album package itself was deceptive. Most every visual
13 Aug 2019
Hundred Word Reviews for August 2019, Part Two
Ten more reviews. All new music, covered in the space of 100 words each. Jazzmeia Horn – Love & Liberation I love instrumental jazz, but I have to admit that vocal jazz resonates less strongly with me. Thus, you’ll find remarkably few reviews here that cover jazz vocalists. This is well worth an exception; very
31 Jul 2019
A Look Back at Pink Floyd’s ‘More’ Soundtrack (Part 2)
Continued from Part One… A very brief instrumental, the unimaginatively named “Party Sequence” features Nick Mason on several overdubbed bongo drums, with wife Lindy trilling along on penny whistle. Side Two of the original More album opens in grand fashion with “Main Theme.” The gong would become an integral component of Pink Floyd’s live set
30 Jul 2019
A Look Back at Pink Floyd’s ‘More’ Soundtrack (Part 1)
As 1969 began, decisive changes were underway for Pink Floyd. After making two albums and a number of singles with Norman Smith in the control room, Pink Floyd began to move toward self-producing. And having had successful experiences – at least from a creative standpoint – working on film soundtracks, the band decided to plunge
06 Jul 2019
Album Review: Aura Blaze – The Sparkling Black
Well, well: this is unexpected. The press on this album suggested something in the vein of Pink Floyd; oddly, one act I don’t hear in this music is Floyd. But as “Overture” Solar Emerge” opens, Aura Blaze sounds more like Caravan. As the song unfolds, the instrumentation reveals hints of National Health and Egg, more
12 Jun 2019
Album Review: The Gun — Gun
Brothers Adrian and Paul Gurvitz launched The Gun in 1967 a a re-branded and slimmed-down version of their previous band the Knack (no relation to the American power pop quartet). Then using the surname Curtis, guitarist Adrian and bassist Paul led a power trio with Louie Farrell on drums. Taking an aggressive and decidedly psychedelic