MORNIG DEW on the MAD RIVER

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Two bands today and they're both from the late 60s and almost equally fantastic. First out I would like to recommend Morning Dew (1967, Roulette, SR-42049). This is a nice piece of folk/psych/pop/prog-music of its time, untuned guitars, nice out of tune melodies and an singer who is eerily trustworthy. He is singing these somewhat melancholic lyrics with a passion that makes shivers down my spine. All of the songs are in their own style but with the same mood attached to them. Some more in the vein of blues, some really slow and atmospheric and some just straight popsongs but with that little extra thing that makes this album a 10 out of 10. The beautiful cover that is almost too happy adds a feeling of happy times gone really wrong. Can't really pin down this feeling but it is there in the record that you absolutely have to hear. My favorite songs are Crusader's smile and Gypsy (the guitarsolo at the beginning here almost makes my cry every time).











("Ahhh Shake your tambourine!")





The second band of this day is another psych/prog/druggy/garage-band from San Francisco called Mad River and their debut album (1968, Capitol records, ST 2985). This is seriously one of the most competent bands dealing with drugs as much as they must have done. EVERYTHING is trippy as hell, the drums are insanely composed BUT well-played and tight to the other guys doing their job equally perfect. The vocals are really nervous and whining filled with angst and drugrelated depression. I really feel sorry for theses addiction but damn what a nice albums this is. Hope they are doing alright in a rehab center today and don't plan any stupid renunion tours. This time as well a really nice cover, like they did them back in the 60s, almost a touch of black metal if it wasn't for the fully readable logo. On the copy I have (some later release on Edsel Records) there is a picture of the band on the back and the singer, the one in the middle, really doesn't look to know in what part of the universe he belongs, awsome pictuce! My favorite track on this album is not one of the most progy but instead the long atmospheric horribly dark song called War goes on, nothing is happy here but the sounds are as if from another dimension. Go ahead Amphetamine Gazelle!!!











("I'm too stoned to understand anything that goes on here!")
("Why did you put spider in my mind?")