måndag 22 februari 2016

SHADOWS OF KNIGHT SKS 6002 (-68) US

A band often regarded as a one hit wonder, due to their celebrated 1965 cover of "Gloria" - reaching #10 on Billboard and high on many other lists - but by many also held to be one of the best mid-sixties US bands and seen as forerunners in the psych, hard rock and punk genres. However two albums 1966 - "Gloria" and "Back Door Men"- plus a couple of more 45:s failed big sales and the lack of further success led to bad economy and group starting to disintergrate. By the time this third album was recorded only vocalist Jim Sohns remained from the original setting. He put a new band together and got a contract with Super-K label, then ruled by "bubblegum" producers Kasernetz and Katz who at about the same time handeled Ohio Express and 1910 Fruitgum Company. So with this you could expect the tracks to be unholy clashes between soft bouncy pop and dirty garage psych, but I don't get that at all. Larger part very good hard garage psych with lots of fuzz, howling guitars and a fair share of cheeky organ. There are orchestral overdubs to some of the songs and even an attempt to melody sometimes, drowning in the overall raw energy. I've seen it criticized for being aimless and too diverse, but that's not what I hear. The aim is crude and the whole thing well put together. If you're really hard-core and want it all dirty you can jump the three short slightly mellower numbers starting side one, but the rest is rude enough. Originally released in US only. 2013 UK vinyl reissue on Cherry Red (CRP 202). US 1994 CD on One Way Records (OW 30331) came with four bonus tracks. First US had label as shown here and glossy cover. (YZÄ*) (ÖGÄ*)

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