6.27.2006

Rereleased into the Wild

The last few of these posts have involved artists with a heavier guitar sound, but I'd be remiss if I was to claim that this sound made up the majority of overlooked elder bands. Many fine bands formed what became known as the West Coast Psychedelic Sound. Mostly based in and around California, these bands had a brighter sound that reflected the California climate they sprang from. The two most obvious bands cited from this scene are The Grateful Dead and The Jefferson Airplane, however they merely represented a fraction of the talent this scene had to offer. Here are two other excellent examples of West Coast Psych.

KaK - KaK
It's both unbelievable and sad that this group never received the acclaim they were due. Their 1969 debut doesn't have a single bum track on it. It's a prime example of the sunny west coast sound but still retains a nice rock edge that is evident on
numbers such as Disbelievin' and Everything's Changing. The album also contains the monster of a medely, Trieulogy that although it could've sunk into 60's self indulgence, actually comes off as a highlight of the album. A couple of nice reissues of this exist; a vinyl version was available for a time and can still be found used and an extended CD version retitled KaK-Ola. I'd go so far as to say this is a necessity for those interested in great bands of the 60's.
Download:
Disbelievin'.mp3
Lemonaide Kid.mp3
Buy KaK

The Wizards From Kansas- The Wizards From Kansas
Just as many great Surf bands had never seen the ocean, not all of the great bands that reflected the West Coast Sound were actually from the west coast. Originally called Pig Newton and the Wizards from
Kansas, this group actually was from the plains of Kansas. Signed after an opening spot at the Filmore East to Mercury Records, the band unfortunately disbanded shortly after their record was released due to some members of the band choosing to pursue jazz as a more meaningful career. Any doubt that they couldn't hold their own on the coast is quickly quashed after a listen to Country Dawn which sounds like a lost Grateful Dead track and their cover of Codine is a dark and diparaging take on the original.
Download:
Country Dawn.mp3
Codine.mp3
Buy The Wizards From Kansas
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posted by dissensous at 9:45:00 AM

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