The world isn’t short of great psych and prog themed anthologies. The fact is, if you’re a keen psych/freakbeat/early prog fan, you’ve probably got those Cherry Red sets bringing together a wealth of stuff from between 1967-69, the many ‘Rubble’ releases, and more besides. Why should you add another psych oriented release to your already solid collection of compilations? Simply that ‘Psych!: British Prog, Rock, Folk & Blues 1966-73’ brings together a wealth of great music in less of a scattershot manner. Its three disc, sixty four track selection celebrates the more “out there” releases from Decca Records and their Deram off-shoot, and in doing so, plays more like a journey through an ever changing landscape from a more focused perspective, showing how the label often found themselves at the forefront of one of history’s most exciting periods in music.
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VARIOUS ARTISTS – Taking Some Time On: Underground Sounds Of 1970
As a contrast to the ‘Progressive Pop Sounds’ sets from Cherry Red Records subsidiary label, Grapefruit, the ongoing ‘Underground Sounds’ series from Esoteric opts for something far more rock oriented. Early collections covering 1968 and ’69 resulted in fine, but unadventurous sets of tunes, and as the series moves into the 70s, fans can expect a similarly accessible approach. Although the four disc delve into 1970 doesn’t necessary dig too deep for obscurities, it still plays very well as a compilation in its own right. In a little over four hours, it serves up nostalgia, unfamiliar curiosities and enough genuine classics to give a solid overview of the year’s prog-leaning and guitar heavy sounds.
KRISSY MATTHEWS – Scenes From a Moving Window
Starting his career at the age of twelve, Krissy Matthews set out to leave a mark on the world of blues music from a very young age. Like Joe Bonamassa, he possesses a great talent and feel for the genre and his instrument, but unlike Bonamassa, he is far more selective with regard to the speed of which he records and releases albums. Despite only being twenty two at the time of this album’s release, ‘Scenes From a Moving Window’ marks the end of a four year studio silence. It also marks a step up in the bluesman’s fortunes, having secured the legendary Cream lyricist Pete Brown (Piblokto/Moving Ornaments) as co-writer on eleven of the album’s tracks.