“This is the sound of burnt hills, the smell of burnt hair, the black musical smoke from a burning methlab in an abandoned trailer park, a glorious blown out, burnt out, drug addled freak rock free for all. Imagine the Dead C if they had grown up in Modesto, skipping school and doing lots of speed in the 7-11 parking lot, or if they had spent their formative years in Texas in the early eighties smoking pot and huffing glue. Or imagine a Hawkwind practice space jam session moments after each band member received a partial frontal lobotomy. How about a playground fight between Liquorball and Faxed Head, the ‘Ball armed with flaming wadded up balls of black aluminum foil and the ‘Head flinging guitar picks dipped in lighter fluid and an rusty guitar strings. Weird and wonderfully fucked up. Fans of freaked out psychedelic punch ups, dizzying clattery outsider free rock and getting super high and diving head first into a huge pile of drums and guitars will feel right at home.”
Residual Echoes – California (2006)
“The Residual Echoes were formed by Adam Payne after he moved to Santa Cruz and met the encouraging forces of Ethan Miller (Comets on Fire) and Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance). They have blossomed into one of that city’s finest groups. Their sound is a vibrant collage of everything that has ever happened in music, all deftly manipulated and manicured by Mr. Payne into some of the most farfreaking-out jams ever heard.”
Cary Grace – Green Carrot Jam (2009)
“Cary Grace composes, produces and performs music, which is strongly related to the classic British psychedelic progressive rock sound… On her records she sings, and plays both guitar and vintage synthesizers. With her collaborators she creates moody music with strong composed melodies and lyrics, and also providing space for free cosmic jammings. The melodic side of her music could be compared to early 1970’s Pink Floyd, and the sound of analogue synthesizers in the improvisational sequences has little similar feeling as some of the Hawkwind records have.”
Strange – Raw Power (1976)
“Strange is a psychedelic rock band from the 1960s from Orlando, Florida led by Terry R. Brooks. Terry is one of those guitarists who have made the solo his life goal, just like Randy Holden, Jimi Hendrix, Wilburn Burnchette, but not out of narcissism or anything like it just because the instinct of guitar genius allows them, when the muse strikes to improvise and create incredibly personal and unrepeatable weaving of sounds.”
Red Octopus – LSDemon (2010)
“Travellin’ down the long, open road of musical open-ness, Red Octopus freely structures their tunes with an inter-ordinary mold of electric, near-drowning bass and guitar, framed around lead-filled, powerfull drumming. The trio currently are uniquely stamping their trade as a surly band of psych-cultivators, while carousing carelessly in the new up-coming underground psychedelic-rock scene. Early Sabbath is surely a no-miss influence amongst Spencer(dr), Bill(b) and Gabe(gtr), however 70’s kraut rock outfit, Can, is guaranteed a taste Red Octopus uses to fancy their heavy-psych palette. They sound as if warlord legends, Hawkwind were spiritually lending inspiration, while UK kings, Budgie tends to fight through the riffs to aid in ear-splitting shredliness. Having opened for like-minded bands, Earthless and Astra, Red Octopus is genuinely a band who wants nothing other than to perform live and nothing short of slowing down.”
Haunted Leather – Desert Spells (2011)
If you’re looking for Mammatus like stoner vibe you should check out these guys. These jams will put your mind in deep, hypnotic weed trance and won’t let it until last track.
Brian Ellis Group – Live at the Casbah (2011)
“Brian Ellis is a multi-instrumentalist from San Diego, CA, best known for his work as lead guitarist in the psych/prog band ASTRA. Having very little time for a proper rehearsal, the decision was made to play completely improvised sets, heavily influenced by early 70s fusion from Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Tony Williams, Soft Machine and Magma, the afro beat rhythms of Nigerian legends Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, as well as the intensity of heavy modern jam bands like Earthless and Acid Mothers Tempel. The result is a unique, forward-thinking blending of sounds that is virtually unheard of from modern bands, paying homage to it’s influences while never being derivative.”
Tasha-Yar – Tasha-Yar (2011)
“From within the ancient time of sound and space we arrive… TASHA-YAR are an outfit from North Carolina, weaving a sound of psychedelic nostalgia and magic. We have arrived, and we will remain.”
Ayahuasca Travellers – Ill Violato Fuzz (2011)
“Ayahuasca Travellers peddle heavy, mystical psych-rock jams for people who ingest substances that are discussed in fascinating detail on Erowid.org. Through both direct and circuitous routes, their music turns your third eye pink.”
Lighted – Queendom (2011)
“A strange poisonous gas has been leaking steadily into the basement, and it seems to have created a new toxic variety of mold that makes the hippies get violent. Hailing from Minneapolis MN, Lighted lay down aggressive synth squelch and circular diatonic guitar-scuzz over dead solid trap-kit booms and trance inducing zoner fuzz. Grimy biker-rock moves (ala Hawkwind sans fantasy gouda) combine with slamming rhythms and epic kraut-drones to create killer tracks of contemporary white knuckle psychedelia. When the smoke clears, the fingerboard is splintered and the power strip is shooting sparks. Their releases capture live improvisations. Heavily psychedelic and totally groovy.”