This time around we're covering The Blues Magoos, yes.... YET ANOTHER Nuggets group (I tried to get away from it, honest...) A cracking unit too, and very psychedelic as the title would suggest. This group have the classic garage 5 piece line-up; Two guitarists/Vocalists (Emil Theilhelm and Mike Esposito), Keys Player (Ralph Scala), Bass (Ron Gilbert) and Drums (Geoff Daking). Formed in '64, the group transitioned from a Brit Invasion styled outfit to a rather otherworldly psych combo, prempting the summer of love sound that groups like The Doors and Jefferson Airplane cultivated by about a year. This album (their debut LP released in 1966, that glorious year of U.S garage rock) is a smash, opening with a little number that a certain heavy metal group would later lift the riff from...
'We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet' is a classic bit of 60's rock goodness, featuring THAT RIFF if you know what I mean (ahem, Deep Purple fans...). Vox Continental and twangy guitars coalesce with building tension, as the band careens into a solo smothered in delay/reverb, a truly epic album opener. 'Love Seems Doomed' follows, to my ears a prototype for Jim Moz's dark psych ballads over the next few tears. Although he lyrics are a little trite (and the chorus goes a bit too pop for some tastes), this is a awesome tune, extra points for the Theremin-like sound effect in place of a traditional solo, these guys have definitely been indulging in something other than diet coke... A kick-ass 'Tobacco Road' follows, a close contender to beating the Nashville Teens original. This was the track that introduced me to the group via the Nuggets set and like the majority of Lenny Kaye's choices for that album, it rules. The stomping verse/chorus descends into madness at the mid point, with a Yardbirds rave up taking control of the senses, whirling around and around like a corrupted fairground ride... Pure psychedelic bliss. A nice comedown can be found in the next track, 'Queen of My Nights', a Dylan-esque folk-rocker that flows along nicely after the chaos of 'Road' (check the groovy Inspiral Carpetsy organ break mid way thru, must have been at least a little inspirational for them). Side One is rounded out by a decent cover of James Brown's 'I'll Go Crazy', a tune seemingly covered by every R&B group at the time (and rightly so, it is hot number). The Magoos inject a little punkish energy but otherwise follow the hardest working man in showbiz's arrangement to a T.
Side Two commences with the classic garage sound of 'Gotta Get Away', could be in a film soundtrack its so representative. Particularly dig the back and forth chanting and snarlin' guitar solo and desperate sounding bridge. 'Sometimes I Think About' follows, and is a beautiful, moody blues piece (based on the traditional folk number 'Willie Jean'). A transcendent cover that conveys the longing sentiments of the lyrics admirably, more layers of organ and delayed guitar gliding everywhere. 'One By One' is next, with a bit of a Gene Clark-ish Byrds feel, again with that added element of church-ish vox continental organ (A group original too, pretty classic song writing here). The guys next cover 'Worried Life Blues' in the style of the Animals in 65' (could the singer try any harder to sound like eggman Eric?). An admirable version with at least equal gusto (if not the same level of conviction) as the Animals take (nice keys though, tastefully gothic methinks). We close out the Lollipop with a Zombies/Animals like mashup in 'She's Coming Home', more of that classic sound and awesome syncopated playing from the rhythm section, nice bluesy vocal too, a truly rocking finisher. The Magoos knock out a very cool (and influential) album here that pretty well exemplifies the garage sound of '66 with enough psych flourish to make it stand out amongst its peers, check it out on Spotify or get a copy from Discogs or on iTunes, not that much on either and well worth it.
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