Psych Pstuff and Psuch

Hail Voyagers! After my Leap Day celebrations, which came after my Brian Jones' birthday celebrations, I'm ready to spring into March! The Solar Deity looms large over the horizon and is getting larger by the day now. (Much to the chagrin of our Southern Hemispherical brothers & sisters.) Bring it on!

Yes, lets.....

My wanderings around the internets and webs lead to many strange encounters of note. Also, several times a day I'm informed of some such release or video or other things within the parameters of this blog's purview. Here now are some things I believe you should know about to enhance your life, give it richer purpose, and stoke the fires within you:

1 - Our good friend Kris T. informs of the Prefab Messiahs' Peace, Love and Alienation release, stating: "Funny... we had all that "release" activity last fall, but in truth the album wasn't more generally available anywhere until this month! The label was taking orders as far back as Nov., but weren't able to fill any orders for awhile because of pressing plant delays. It's turned out to be more of a Feb. 2012 release (as shown in the Revolver USA listing for it). Also starting this month, it's available from Fusetron, Volcanic Tongue (Scotland), and some smaller mailorder sites.



Further review here, at The Devil Has The Best Tuna.

2 - By now you should all be aware of the Austin Psych Fest. This year's Fest is slated for April 27 - 29. What you may not know is there will be a full-on head-spinning, jaw-dropping lineup of the greatest kind at SXSW on March 15th!

Called LEVITATION:



14 hours of sonic mayhem. (Makes me start humming a certain tune from Fiddler On The Roof.) For those of us who for various reasons cannot enjoy the day there our Apeman, Ryan Revolt, has come to your aid and rescue. Here. Thank him in the comments.

3 - Our man Blood Meridian, is at it again via a new-to-me portal: 8 tracks. (I'm supposing it a repository for mixes much like MixCloud does.)Try it here. He's a wizard.

4 - You should also know about Al Lover by now. In a league with Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve or The Time & Space Machine, he's a creator of the first rank. Try some here. (And do check out his own tribute to this year's Psych Fest!)

5 - Klemen Breznikar is relentless! His blog, It's Psychedelic Baby, has fast become a fascinating spot to read who he's captured for an interview. Checking his sidebar of prior interviews boggles. Also, he's just recently caught up with our good friend Darren Brennessel of McFadden's Parachute to post his latest album, here! Recommended.

6 - I stumbled upon this blog recently and have been enjoying the musings over various albums: The Active Listener. Give it a whirl.

7 - Mighty Chicago label, Trouble In Mind, have just informed me:




Our newest batch of 3 singles is ready to ship and these are monsters if we do say so ourselves. All three titles will be available on Tuesday, March 6th, at their website!

Check it:

TIM033 - The Resonars - Long Long Thoughts 4-Song EP Is it possible that the energy and genius created by the entire membership of The Hollies, The Move and The Who could be embodied in one guy living in Arizona? You just might start to believe it after giving this 7-inch a spin. Matt Rendon is the one man hit machine behind the Resonars, writing & recording every instrument & singing every note all by his lonesome. This 4-song EP represents his first collection of new material in almost three years, after releases on Get Hip, Star Time & Burger Records, focusing his paisley-tinted vision with one ear in the past & his eyes on the future. These tracks hit the sweet-spot between the bittersweet harmonies you love about “Evolution” era Allan Clarke and Graham Nash with the triumphant guitar and off-the-chain drum fills of a “Who Sell Out”-era Pete Townshend and Keith Moon. You’ll be hooked from the first La’s of “Long Long Thoughts” till the last faded notes of “Stumbling On Stones.” HOO BOY, you’re going to need a new needle after you get through with this one - sorry ‘bout that. The first edition of 500 copies is housed in the Trouble In Mind factory sleeve, comes pressed on randomly mixed vinyl & includes a download code!

TIM034 The Paperhead - Pictures of her Demise b/w She Is Above Me Not quite all grown up yet, Nashville wunderkinds The Paperhead return with a single that shows that these boys are maturing musically by the hour. Not only have Ryan, Peter and Walker absolutely mastered their 8-track recording skills, with the A-Side, “Pictures Of Her Demise” they’ve honed in on a thrilling synthesis of their influences. From Pink Floyd to The (Dutch) Outsiders, or Q65 and The Golden Dawn, they’ve added a dash more dandy flair a’la Rainbow Ffolly or Jason Crest. “She Is Above Me” taps into some prime “moustache-era” Beatles, resting comfortably in a Strawberry Field while a lysergic carousel whirls around & drops tab after tab of ‘Blue Sunshine’ on your tongue. All hyperbole aside, the arrangements are more intricate and these lads are continuing to be at the head of the class when it comes to the idea that psychedelic music isn’t always about indulgence - there is a simplicity and beauty in the careful construction of a song. The first edition of 500 copies is pressed on randomly mixed vinyl, includes a download code, & comes housed in a glossy, U.K.-style picture sleeve!

TIM036 - Wrong Words - I Will Change Your Mind b/w How To Keep A Straight Face One of our absolute favorite bands is back with a killer new single! This two-songer is the perfect follow-up to their TIM debut LP from last March. All the elements are here that made their full-length so great; the guitar work, thumping bass and drums, great lyrics, and the same one-two, eff-you pop-punch. “I Will Change Your Mind” has singer / guitarist Josh Miller hitting some new highs not only in guitar riff-ery but hitting those vocal high notes like he is some kind of power-pop Rob Halford ~ it’s a real rollercoaster of a tune, that takes the listener on a journey through the melodic vocabulary of folks like Roy Wood, Nick Lowe & Paul Collins without losing their own personal voice. The flip, ‘How To Keep A Straight Face’ kicks open the door & stomps in with a killer riff & some down and dirty wah-wah action, before smartly swaying into a great laid back northern California-cool melodic feel not-unlike Boz Scaggs jamming with the Barracudas. A terrific teaser for what’s on the horizon from this trio! The first edition of 500 copies is housed in the Trouble In Mind factory sleeve, comes pressed on randomly mixed vinyl & includes a download code.

Delicious! Get 'em!

8 - Those wild & wacky hipsters known as the band in Heaven have a new video out, of an older track, they'd love for you to see. Here it is:

the band in Heaven - High Low from the band in Heaven on Vimeo.

Like it..? They're giving it away as a free download here!

9 - Our Scottish buddies, The NoMen, have just released a new album dedicated to Black Bart and the day he was captured, entitled The Blackest Day, try it here!

10 - Finally, remember these wise words. Sage advice.



Have a great weekend everyone!!!