A Sunbeam

 

Fancy a dreamy, enticing Brazilian trip this fair Monday? Thought so.

My Magical Glowing Lens - Raio De Sol

For Your Eyes Only

 

Evil, blue, starry? You name it, we've got it, so here's another eye-opening six pack. Eye-catching artwork by the all-seeing Tinca. Her fine exhibition in Belgium is still going by the way: do pay a visit if you can. Now groove to the eye, my amigos da musica.

Clifford Jordan & John Gilmore - Evil Eye
Young John Watson - I Got Eyes
Lenny Drake - Love Eyes
Psychotic Turnbuckles - Groove To The Eye
Kendra Smith - Stars Are In Your Eyes
T.C. Matic - Middle Class And Blue Eyes

Just Jonesing

 

Craving some good ole country love? All you need is the Possum, singing his particular version of the blues. Here's a couple of current faves.

George Jones - She Once Lived Here
George Jones - She Loves Me (Right Out Of My Mind)
George Jones - She Needs Me

Dub Mining

 

Were these slowcore kids inspired by reggae and dub or what? It's in the spaciness, or whatever you want to call it, of their sound. You can hear it in the drumming too, while a mouth harp even acts as a melodica of sorts. This is a track from their fine fine Placer Found debut (2000), re-released last year. Have a listen, while I'm off to hunt down a copy of follow-up Let Us Garlands Bring.

Early Day Miners - Prospect Refuge

To See

"Let them see, let them hear..." Presenting an all-seeing six pack for your listening pleasure. Visionary illustration by our resident artist Tinca, who's got a prestigious exhibition coming up soon by the way. Go see it if you can.

Danny Dill - The Eyes Of Death
Solomon Burke - Beautiful Brown Eyes

Erroll Holt - Who Have Eyes To See
Crystal Syphon - Marcy, Your Eyes

Help Yourself - Your Eyes Are Looking Down

Suburban Lawns - Green Eyes

Walk With Me

 

Do yourselves a favour and head over to Save Your Face for an extensive look at the early live days ('82-'83) of the Dream Syndicate, expertly and lovingly compiled by Matthew Specktor. Wild guitar duels and unexpected covers a specialty, even when they don't know all the words and their souls are possessed by Jackson Browne. The stuff of legend.

The Dream Syndicate - Folsom Prison Blues (live '83)
The Dream Syndicate - Morning Dew (live '83)

Red As The Rose

 

You're probably familiar with Rain And Snow, for it was often covered by the good old Grateful Dead, retitled Cold Rain And Snow. But have you heard the version Garcia & co based it on? Here's that timeless beauty, as performed by Appelachian banjo player Obray Ramsey.

Obray Ramsey - Rain And Snow

Master Plan

 

It's a relatively small step from Denmark to Sweden, where psychedelic vibes run wild, too. Take Djinn: a collaboration between members of Goat and Hills, so quite the pedigree. No wonder their brand new Transmission record grooves and grooves. Only when they venture too deep in Ayler/Pharoah territory do they lose me, as that's frankly above their paygrade. But altogether, their exciting and remarkably organic-sounding mix of free jazz fusion, psychfolk, krautrock and everything in between made jaws drop around here. One for the end-of-year lists for sure.

Djinn - Creator Of Creation

And while we're on the subject of Hills, their hypnotic Frid album from 2015 remains in heavy rotation at FTSOTS headquarters. Much recommended if you like your psych way krauty, if you know what I mean.

Hills - Kollektiv

Danish Delights

 

The Danish sunship explores the galaxy again. As expected, Wildfire's yet another heavy trip, but less jazzy this time, as if Quicksilver's Happy Trails replaced Sun Ra's Space Is The Place on their collective turntable. A step back? Maybe so, and Another Shape Of Psychedelic Music remains my favourite of theirs. Still plenty to enjoy here though.

Mythic Sunship - Redwood Grove

And let's stay with the Danes a while longer, by way of southern California: last year's collaboration between Jonas Munk (of Causa Sui fame) and Brian Ellis definitely deserves to be heard, too. A modern day Bitches Brew? That maybe too much praise, so let's just say that if innovative and heavy fusion is your thing, you gotta dig their San Diego Sessions.

Ellis/Munk Ensemble - Electric Saloon

Ballad Time

 

Fort Lauderdale meets Cape Town, or: mister Shepp teams up with mister Brand. What can possibly go wrong? 

Archie Shepp & Dollar Brand - Left Alone

Where-o?

 

Wild and wacky nederbiet thingy from '66. Channels the Troggs, Abraham, and mustard. Flute solos a specialty. Solo! Those were the days, pop kids.

The Eurfians - Waaro?