Episode 005: Five Days 'til Allhallowtide

Episode 005: Five Days 'til Allhallowtide

01 De Maskers - Death (Netherlands 1967) Dutch beat combo that dabbled in psychedelia in the late 60’s, De Maskers bring an over the top sense of drama for their eerie ode to death. They would continue on releasing singles until calling it quits at the dawn of the 70's.

02 Jason Crest - Black Mass (UK 1967) Speaking of over the top, even in a genre hell bent on effects and  experiments, this song stands out as one of the most truly demented of its time. With a completely backwards backing track and shrieking witch-like vocals, this otherwise cheerful pop quintet from the UK do their best to summon the dead on tape.  While only active for a year, their singles and demos are revered as some of the finest examples of the UK pop-psych genre.

03 Cape Kennedy Construction Co - Armageddon (UK 1969) Has the end of the world ever sounded so beautiful? A one off UK obscurity that paints a bleak yet exquisite picture of our earth’s demise, the phased explosions are a particularly delightful part of the kitchen sink.

04 Los Gatos - En El Año 2000 (Argentina 1970) One of Argentina’s top rock exports, these freaky felines gave their take on the end of time in their native tongue. The organ player’s generosity with atmosphere and effects makes this a stand out in their already stellar catalog. 

05 Os Mutantes - Ave Lucifer (Brazil 1970) Brazilian’s finest mastered the evil tune across their trio of first releases, as evidenced on this gem from their third LP.   All of their albums and various solo efforts are well worth investigating.  

06 Pookah - Rain on My Grave (US 1970) An outstanding moody number from an American trio that was lucky to have their sole album receive prime major label production courtesy of United Artists.  Not much is known is of this mysterious band though they appear to have New York roots.

07 Druids of Stonehenge - Six Feet Down (US 1968) The Druids hailed from New York City and added the "of Stonehenge" to their name once moving to the west coast, eager to join the burgeoning psychedelic scene.  Their lone 1968 LP for pop-psych label Uni has long been a sought after garage/psych gem.  This Doors-esque number is heavy on the downer vibes and represents the headier side of the album.

08 Bermuda Jam - Good Trip Lollipop (US 1969) A freakishly twisted mind melter from an otherwise tame outfit, this is the lone standout from their mediocre LP.  But what a stand out it is, with hellish sound effects and clanging chains as their backdrop, they manage to pull off a trippy eploito track that still spooks.

09 Fifty Foot Hose - Cauldron (US 1968) Not for the faint of heart, these genuinely experimental electronic wizards gave two shits about the pop charts, although a whiff of the Airplane can be heard on a few of their tunes. If a seance was committed to tape, it may sound like this.  One of the finest bands to incorporate electronics into their sound, their LP for electronic label Limelight is solid all the way through.