July - The Second Of July

July "The Second Of July", is a collection of demos recorded in London in early 1968 prior to their first album.

By this time, anyone with an interest in psychedelia that stretches beyond the Beatles or maybe Strawberry Alarm Clock (at a pinch), knows who July is. Well, at least they know that a band called July put out a super rare album that is considered by many to be one of the pinnacles of the psychedelic era. There's no way to overstate the excellence of the album, with its eerie sound, Indian-influenced chord sequences, studio trickery (tape loops/phasing), and heavily reverb-laden vocals. But that’s not the story we’re here to tell. Even before that quintessential psychedelic album was made, band leader Tom Newman was experimenting with home recording equipment. In 1967, he installed basic recording facilities in the bedroom of his flat in an old Victorian house in Ealing.

There, he and guitarist Peter Cook tried out ideas, coming up with many of the standout songs from the July album. The demos they recorded display the kind of confidence that Newman feels was lacking in the album proper (yes, the ultra- famous psychedelic classic album!) that they recorded in 1968. Let’s go back to the near-beginning of it all, to a flat in a Victorian house in Ealing, and listen in on demos recorded with DIY alacrity by a studio whiz, tracks which will change the face of psychedelia, eventually, after decades of obscurity.(lions productions)

Legendary band of psychedelic pop in the sixties.

I say ''Good Night'' because tomorrow is another working day. Hope all of you enjoyed the weekend. Have a good night
                                      Frank
Flac

Kaleidoscope - White Faced Lady 1970 (1990) Flac

White Faced Lady is an album by UK band Kaleidoscope (who by this time were calling themselves Fairfield Parlour). It is a concept album that tells the story of a pale-skinned girl named Angel, from her troubled youth to her sudden rise to fame as a movie star to her tragic decline and untimely death. Reportedly, it was inspired by the life of Marilyn Monroe, and indeed the final track name-checks Marilyn and Arthur Miller. As a rock opera, it follows the example of The Pretty Things' S. F. Sorrow rather than The Who's Tommy, with the liner notes telling the complete story and the songs expounding on key events. Many of the songs are tied together by brief musical segues.
The band worked on the album privately from 1970 to 1971. They had a deal in place to deliver the finished album to a record label for distribution, but the deal suddenly dissolved. The album went unreleased until 1991, when it was released by the band's own The Kaleidoscope Record Company (KRC 001 CD). (excerpts by wiki)

I'm a big fan of the band and this is (imho) a real underrated work. This is a cocktail of psychedelic pop, folk and a little prog. If you don't know the british Kaleidoscope give 'em a try. Really wonderful songs here. Sometimes i curse my bad english because i can't describe how good a particular record is. Anyway, grab it it's fine.
Cheers
          Frank   New link 
The link expire 2017-05-31

appendix: This is the japan remaster by 1990.

VA - Great British Psychedelic Trip Vol. 3 1965-1970 (1993) (Flac)

VA - Great British Psychedelic Trip Vol. 3 1965-1970 (Flac)

I thought i am too lazy to do some postings today. But i know how it annoy me if i have to wait for the other parts to complete an edition. That's why i decided to post all three parts. Enjoy!
Frank   Flac

VA - Great British Psychedelic Trip Vol 2 1965-1970 (1988) Flac

Here is the second part of the 3 disc edition.
Viel Spass
                SB1 Flac

VA - Great British Psychedelic Trip Vol 1 1966-1969 (1988) Flac

From the audio archivists at the U.K.-based See for Miles reissue label comes the CD incarnation of The Great British Psychedelic Trip -- a highly acclaimed compilation of long-forgotten hits and considerably more misses. Circa 1986, the label released four single-LP volumes under the same title. This disc is the first in a series of three CDs that recompiles the four records into the digital domain. Seekers of highly obscure music from the late ‘60s are in for a certain treat, particularly enthusiasts of ‘60s Brit-pop -- which is a more apt description of the music found here -- as the term "psychedelic" inevitably conjures images of extended instrumentals and loosely arranged jams. This brilliant music is nothing if not well arranged and succinctly presented in true pop song style. A majority of the artists and bands on this disc may not have made much of a dent in the charts or at the cash registers, however as the contents reveal, many of them definitely had the talent.The first two CDs in this series gather some of the lesser-known artists who recorded at least one single for Decca U.K.'s new "progressive" spin-off label, Deram Records, launched in the fall of 1965. Many of the bands during this era took their cues as much from American garage and the burgeoning underground rock movement as they did from their native Carnaby Street and the concurrent mod scene. Even though these artists might not have made an impact equal to that of the Who, the Small Faces, or Love and the 13th Floor Elevators, they certainly were kindred spirits in a sonic sense. While there is nary a dud amongst the 26 tracks on this compilation, there are a few most exceptional works worthy of revisitation. Most notably are the Californians cover of Warren Zevon's "Follow Me" -- which he recorded with Tule Livingston under the guise of Lyme & Cybelle. This rendering is an inspired, harpsichord-driven and tambourine-tapping masterpiece and would have been the ultimate vehicle for the Monkees. "Red Sky at Night" -- not to be confused with a similarly titled song by the Fixx -- is among the heavier pieces on this volume. With the noir aura of King Crimson and ravaged fretwork reminiscent of Black Sabbath, the Accents unleash a track that pre-dates heavy metal by nearly two years. There are also a few early appearances from artists who would later go on to more notable things. If the song title "Baked Jam Roll in Your Eye" sounds extraordinary enough to have been a Rutles parody, the reality is that the band Timebox was a seminal stomping ground for both Pete "Ollie" Halsall (bass) and John Halsey (drums) -- who co-wrote the track. Despite the absurd name, this uptempo performance contains a Halsey-led rhythm akin to something Dave Clark might have been able to pull off. The track "Shades of Orange" was co-composed by Rolling Stone Bill Wyman during the brief period that he managed the End -- a project taken on at the urging of Stones producer Glyn Johns. Indeed, the song sounds steeped in the Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request, because, according to Dinnes Cruickshank's fascinating liner notes essay, it was worked up as the band was preparing that album. It has also appeared on numerous bootlegs as a "lost" Rolling Stones piece. Tragically, The Great British Psychedelic Trip series has been out of print since the mid-‘90s. A scouring of used CD bins has been known to produce copies, presumably picked over by consumers looking for top-shelf and well-known artists.(Lindsay Planer)

The edition includes three volumes and i post the other two in the next days. This is a really nice
collection of psychedelic pop stuff from mid until late sixties. Light on your incense sticks and enjoy!

Cheers
           Frank    New link