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15 most essential Psychedelic Albums


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I think it's pretty clear that the teacher was dealing with the "psychedelic era", which mostly took place in the mid/late '60s. Sticking with the '60s, for now, will allow the teacher (if he's worth his salt) to show how that music influenced later musical styles once he gets to that era later in the semester. This is a history class and history classes are usually chronological.

 

Arguing that the teacher should be discussing the Stone Roses alongside Pink Floyd is no different than saying the teacher should talk about the Stray Cats alongside Carl Perkins.

 

From what I can see of the homework, they are actually connecting the thread to today. The examples that I can see on her homework for modern day psychedelic are "Dandy Warhols" and "Brian Jonestown Massacre" among others. I would at least agree with BJM but Pop Todd has a good list. I'm pretty impressed with any high school class that is going to bring up BJM.

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From what I can see of the homework, they are actually connecting the thread to today. The examples that I can see on her homework for modern day psychedelic are "Dandy Warhols" and "Brian Jonestown Massacre" among others. I would at least agree with BJM but Pop Todd has a good list. I'm pretty impressed with any high school class that is going to bring up BJM.

 

BJM are a good example. Of course I will forget essential ones. But I think of the Dandys as more of a pop band than psych. Their only connection to psych is their well-documented fued with the BJM. (But that is a lot of fun to read about.)

 

Another modern psych band, as long as we're back on the subject:

Cornelius

 

They even have the visuals in their live show to match.

And, would you include

Neutral Milk Hotel

?

At first blush, they didn't occur to me. But the dreamlike imagery in their lyrics; the adventurous arrangements imply to me that they do fit that definition.

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Please understand that my list of the bands from "my" era (Flaming Lips, et. al.) was not meant to place any of those bands in the same category of the "essential" albums that inspired/began this thread. Although, for academic purposes, it would make a good topic for discussion, to trace the influence and progression from A to B.

 

But that would be the only context in which such discussion would be pertinent, methinks.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean. My post wasn't meant as a criticism, more like just thinking aloud.

 

I think tracing the influences should play a pretty major role in a music history class, both to show how musical elements from one era tend to reappear or evolve, and to try to trace the developement of new genres or styles.

 

Sounds like the teacher is not taking a strict chronological approach, which is different and probably more interesting than any history class I've ever taken.

 

I'm curious if this class has an "essentials" list for each era or style of music that is studied.

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HL-331039.jpg

 

Though like all great rock critics DeRogatis can be a bit insufferable, he's at his best in this book. Throughout he basically weaves almost the entire history of rock under the umbrella of psych, and considers stuff like the first two Velvets albums, Eno, Bowie, XTC, The Talking Heads, and almost all of the bands PopTodd mentioned, and even Yankee Hotel Foxtrot era Wilco into his canon.

 

I love that the teacher included The Misunderstood on his essential list of that era, he or she either really likes that band or is familiar with the rock hipster technique always make sure you have at least one obscure release on your list of essentials even if you haven't actually heard it to appear more cool. It's always worked for me, I don't even really know who Wilco is.

 

--Mike

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HL-331039.jpg

 

Though like all great rock critics DeRogatis can be a bit insufferable, he's at his best in this book. Throughout he basically weaves almost the entire history of rock under the umbrella of psych, and considers stuff like the first two Velvets albums, Eno, Bowie, XTC...

 

Which XTC? Because they went through a lot of permutations, including their (self-consciously) psychedelic alter-ego The Dukes of Stratosphear. But any of several of their albums can be lumped into the psych cannon -- Skylarking and Oranges and Lemons, in particular.

 

Just curious.

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Which XTC? Because they went through a lot of permutations, including their (self-consciously) psychedelic alter-ego The Dukes of Stratosphear. But any of several of their albums can be lumped into the psych cannon -- Skylarking and Oranges and Lemons, in particular.

 

Just curious.

 

He covers the entire career up until Oranges and Lemons and also goes into the Dukes side project, he wasn't a big fan of their later works (I think he needs to listen to Apple Venus Volume One harder, but that's just me). They're in his British post-punk psych section along with The Soft Boys and Teardrop Explodes.

 

--Mike

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I've been playing this soon-to-be psych classic all year. GREAT record. The review doesn't even mention one of the songs of the year in Don't Worry Marie.

 

El Goodo - Coyote

 

51mnEawFQhL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

 

 

El Goodo combines the mellow and melodious psychedelic sounds of the Beach Boys, The Byrds and Love with beautiful and lush arrangements that call upon the mystical countryside from whence they came. The result is the creation of a mysterious, sweepingly grand, and at times whimsical approach to their already eclectic soundscape. Their intoxicating sophomore release, is both sprawling and hauntingly deserted, evoking a sonic landscape richly cultivated with intense harmonies and darkly articulated instrumentation. “Aren’t You Grand”, “I Saw Her Today”, “Talking to the Birds”, and “Oh, to Sleep” feel cinematic, like a dark western cowboy soundtrack, juxtaposing surfy and at times summery melodies to create an ominous scoure. “Feel So Fine”, “Be My Girl”, and “I Can’t Make It” continue in El Goodo’s knack for beautiful harmonies, but opt for psych-breakouts and breakdowns. Coyote was produced by the band in a deserted theater and is a beautiful piece of darkly rich psych-pop perfection, brought to you by the new breed of Welsh pop wizards.

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You gotta go with Piper. That's the one that set THE standard. And it's not just the sugary bullshit psych, but the contrasting dark stuff.

 

My "updated" list would look something like this, based on what I would tell someone if they said "what music should I listen to while on psychedelic mushrooms or LSD?"

 

 

1. Piper at the Gates of Dawn - Pink Floyd

2. Meddle - Pink Floyd

3. Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts - M83

4. Are You Experienced - Jimi Hendrix

5. Bitches Brew - Miles Davis

6. In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson

7. Days of Future Passed - The Moody Blues

8. The Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips

9. Aoxomoxoa - The Grateful Dead

10. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

11. Ummagumma Disc 1 - Pink Floyd

12. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Ennio Morricone

13. The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld - The Orb

14. Boces - Mercury Rev

15. The Closing of Winterland - The Grateful Dead

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Though like all great rock critics DeRogatis can be a bit insufferable, he's at his best in this book. Throughout he basically weaves almost the entire history of rock under the umbrella of psych, and considers stuff like the first two Velvets albums, Eno, Bowie, XTC, The Talking Heads, and almost all of the bands PopTodd mentioned, and even Yankee Hotel Foxtrot era Wilco into his canon.

 

 

That's becasue all art rock, alternative rock etc was spawned by psych rock.

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Sounds like I have to check out El Goodo.

 

If acid was the mother of all fusion, then in my opinion these would also qualify for the list.

 

VanMorrisonAstralWeeks.jpg

 

SantanaAbraxas.jpg

 

Bitches_brew.jpg

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HELLO????? How about The Zombies - Odessey And Oracle. One of the best albums/psychedelic albums of all time. Came out in 1967.

 

I think of that one more as a Baroque Pop record than a psych record. If we we're counting it as a psychedelic record than we'd have to include stuff like The Millennium's "Begin" to the list as well. Both of those I'd classify as great Baroque Pop records with slight hints of pyschedelia, but not enough to belong in the category.

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I believe that Jefferson Airplane album is an anthology. I would have went with After Bathing at Baxter's. I would have loved to have had a class like that.

 

Baxters is certainly the most pschycadelic, but Surrealistic Pillow is the classic. Pick any Airplane actually.

 

LouieB

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I love Nazz. What album is that? I have all their stuff, I think, but none of the album covers look like that.

Self-titled debut (1968).

 

Truthfully, I've only heard it a few times, but it left an impression. "Open My Eyes" is really something.

 

Their second could also be on this list:

 

d619677yq4i.jpg

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Self-titled debut (1968).

 

Truthfully, I've only heard it a few times, but it left an impression. "Open My Eyes" is really something.

 

Their second could also be on this list:

 

d619677yq4i.jpg

 

This one has some pretty psychedelic stuff, particularly "Nazz Commercials":

 

Nazz From Philadelphia

NAZZ.jpg

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