By now a classic LP and not only because because of the "Eight Miles High" track. Although that was noticed for its drug references it seems the lyrics was mainly about a tour to UK 1965 and some of the bad experiences they had there, while the music partly was inspired by John Coltrane and Ravi Shankar - put McGuinn's guitar figures on a sitar and you have a raga. Maybe drugs was involved, but it was more about a trip to England than a trip through the mind. However it's a killer song and, together with Zappa's "Freak Out", one of the first serious attempts to break out of the ordinary pop formula. The rest of the album doesn't strike me as extremely psychedelic today. Foundation is country, ballads and ordinary pop, but production and some of the arrangement points in that direction. At the time it was percieved as something new and seminal and probably became a source of inspiration for the upcoming psych scene. The original mono mix is loud and partly rather messy on this UK, the stereo has better separation but not that powerful. For a long time I thought the mono was it for me and that's what I wrote here first, but after lately getting very intimate with a UK 1st stereo I have to say I dig that a lot and therefore doing this re-write (20181105). For more on that check post on the UK stereo. Premiere issue on US Columbia (CL 2549/CS 9349). First UK with thick unflexible vinyl, structured label with "33" and laminated flip/back cover. (XYGZ*)
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