Album Review: The Chemistry Set — Pink Felt Trip
For some, the idea of making (much less listening to) psychedelic music inn the 21st century seems anachronistic. I don’t share that sentiment; even without the use of psychedelic drugs, the music continues to entertain me. And a current-day act calling itself The Chemistry Set has just released Pink Felt Trip, a raging slab of what I’d advisedly categorize as hard psych.
If your tastes lean toward The Open Mind (“Magic Potion”) and Julian Cope’s second-wave psych, you’ll definitely want to dig into Pink Felt Trip. With an attitude that veers wildly from the Hawkwind flavor of the title track to the Spinal Tap-meets-Moody Blues “The Witch,” it’s an exhilarating sonic ride. Period instruments (or modern-day equivalents that will fool you into thinking they’re vintage) are employed to deliver the mystical, lysergic character of the music.
Chemistry Set sometimes feels a bit like Dukes of Stratosphere, especially on tasty cuts like “Lovely Cuppa Tea.” And the group digs into some heavy, hypnotic riffage on “Firefly,” conjuring memories of lesser-known acts like Andromeda. “Psychotronic Man” applies a cinematic sheen with some Indian textures; the result sounds not unlike Justin Hayward backed by Kula Shaker. “Paint Me a Dream” combines Revolver-era sonics with ‘90s Britpop a la Stone Roses. Put another way, it’s reeeally good.
“Sail Away” explores the Delta blues side of psychedelia, with keening slide guitars and percussion that sounds straight out of the Maharishi’s ashram. “The Rubicon” rocks out and hard, with insistent woodblock and a Kinks feel. The album concludes with an epic work, the 11-minutes-plus, three-part suite “Self Expression Trinity.” Like any good extended work in the psych (or psych-adjacent) category, it features plenty of dramatic sweeps, tympani and Mellotron (or their equivalents) and takes its time to develop. But it’s a corker, and earns its extended run time.
Vintage-sounding psychedelia is alive and well in 2022. Visit Pink Felt Trip for proof.
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 4500-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 taught 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: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.