James Blackshaw - Celeste

Celebrate Psi Phenomenon 2004

01 Celeste Pt. 1

02 Celeste Pt. 2

It's nearly five years now since James Blackshaw announced he was retiring from touring. Since then there have been no live appearances or record material.

Interestingly, the official Bandcamp only lists the first and last albums.

This was his second release. First issued by Celebrate Psi Phenomenon in 2004, then as a CDr by Barl Fire Recordings the following year and finally by Tompkins Square in 2008.

Krokodil - The Psychedelic Tapes

Second Battle 2005

01 The Creator Has A Master Plan
02 Stehaufmädchen Part 1
03 Marzipan (Live)
04 Stehaufmädchen Part 2
05 You're Still A Part Of Me (Live)
06 Stehaufmädchen Part 3
07 Odyssey In Om (Live)
08 Raga

Germany's Second Battle released this compilation of jams and live tracks in 2005. Material recorded between 1970 and 1972 and captures the band, as the title would suggest, at their most psychedelic.

Makes a tasty companion to 'An Invisible World Revealed'.

Various Artists - September 2013

Self made compilation 2013.

01 Naomi Chomski - Tapestine
02 The Cosmic Dead - Eyes in The Mountains
03 Depth Charge - Legend of the Golden Snake
04 Eric's Trip - My Chest Is Empty
05 Carol Kleyn - Street Song
06 Pan•American - The Cloud Room
07 Caravan - And I Wish I Were Stoned/Don't Worry
08 The Mebusas - Mr. Bull Dog (Original 45 Version)
09 Bill Plummer & The Cosmic Brotherhood - Arc 294°
10 College - Can You Kiss Me First
11 The Holydrug Couple - Ancient Land
12 Chelsea Wolfe - Hyper Oz
13 Sungod - The Infinite Regress
14 ZENИTH - B&W Road

Another old mixtape.

Krokodil - An Invisible World Revealed

United Artists 1971 / Second Battle 1999

01 Lady Of Attraction
02 With Little Miss Trimmings
03 Odyssey In Om
04 Green Fly
05 Looking At Time
06 Last Doors

Bonus Tracks:

07 Pollution
08 Krokodil Session Part 1
09 Krokodil Session Part 2


Often grouped along with Krautrock bands, Krokodil were actually an international affair; members came from West Germany, Switzerland and the U.K.

Starting out as a blues based band with prog touches, by 'An Invisible World Revealed', their third album, they had started to add cosmic and psychedelic sounds. The song 'Odyssey In Om' is a kosmiche classic.

I've used the Second Battle re-issue as it includes some jam tracks to expand the album and actually improves on it.

I'll be looking a further into this period in the coming months.

Note: the name of the drummer and the front cover artists is Düde Dürst, so you know it's going to be good.

The Gene Clark Group

Unreleased 1968

01 Los Angeles

02 I Pity the Poor Immigrant

03 That's Alright by Me

Another set of songs given a home within a fictitious alternate timeline.

After the failure of 'Gene Clark & The Gosdin Brothers' and no label to pick up the demos from the 'Gene Clark Sings For You', Gene found himself starting again (again).

For a very, very brief period of time in early 1968, he set up The Gene Clark Band with guitarist Laramy Smith.

They performed a handful of gigs in L.A. and recorded three and a half songs.

Laramy had already played on a version of 'That's Alright by Me' from 'Gene Clark Sings For You' recorded only a few months earlier. This version is more complete with a fantastic country style vocal from Gene.

'Los Angeles' is a new Gene original and has a 'Younger Than Yesterday' type feel and sound.

The original 'I Pity the Poor Immigrant' had only been released a few weeks earlier on Dylan's 'John Wesley Harding' and Gene turns in a wonderful version.

Also attempted was 'Lyin' Down the Middle', but a full take was never completed.

Shortly after, Gene was picked up by A&M Records and started Dillard & Clark.

These three tracks (and indeed The Gene Clark Group) were forgotten until the excellent anthology 'Flyin' High' was released in 1998.

These three tracks deserve their own spotlight and make a grand EP.

Mellow Candle - The Virgin Prophet

Kissing Spell 1994

01 Heaven Heath
02 Waterman Weatherman
03 Sheep Season
04 Buy Or Beware
05 Break Your Token
06 Lonely Man
07 Lords Of The Green Grass
08 Dan The Wing
09 Silver Song
10 Poet & The Witch
11 Boulders On My Grave
12 Reverend Sisters
13 Crabtree
14 Pretty Polly
15 The Virgin Prophet

In their lifetime, Mellow Candle only released one album; 1972's 'Swaddling Songs'.

As part of label Kissing Spell's Erewhon Underground Folk-Rock Series, 'The Virgin Prophet' completes the picture of this Irish underground folk rock band.

Included within are all seven tracks from the Decca test pressing acetate from 1971. The remainder of the tracks are unreleased early songs from 1969-70.

Spectrum - California Lullabye

Sympathy For The Record Industry 1994

01 California Lullabye
02 It's Alright
03 Indian Summer
04 True Love Will Find You In The End
05 Thru The Rhythm

Essentially a re-packaging of the previous year's 'Indian Summer' EP for the American market.

It was however a limited 10" with exclusive track and cool art.