Neo psych
Latest album: Messages from The Mothership (2023)
Mind Control (2012)
Two seconds into this album, I love it, and ready to crown it a masterpiece. Why you may ask? Because it reminds me of the greatest "psych prog" band of them all: Group 1850. As you have seen me write before, "psych prog" is one of those terms thrown out for just about any band from the late 60s and early 70s that were maybe one, or the other - and often neither - in order to obtain top dollar for their LP wares they are selling. Group 1850 is the pure embodiment of the term, and Paradise Now (1969) is simply one of the greatest albums of all time. If Amsterdam Coffee House means something to you, then Group 1850 provides its soundtrack. With the opening notes of 'Mountain of Fire & Miracles', Sun Dial has tapped right into that psyche. It is absolutely a phenomenal piece of music, and even if the rest of the album was gangsta rap, I'd still recommend it. Fortunately no heavy gold chains, diamond earrings, sideways caps, swinging arms, and hand signals for Gary Ramon and company, as the album continues in its neo psych glory. 'Radiation' heads east toward Germany and enters the mysterious land of early 70s Kosmische, with wonderful flute laden mellotron and trance inducing drums. And they go east from there... way east. And then back for some motorik action with sitar on the title track. Oh, you get the idea. Just buy it for crying out loud. Special mention goes to the CD bonus track 'World Within You', yet another "psych prog" monster.
Zen for Sale (2003)
Sun Dial's debut Other Way Out could be considered one of the greatest psych releases from the late 1960s. Except for the small fact it was released in 1990. And then inexplicably the band dismissed the genre entirely for that annoying shoegaze/indie style that was so popular in the early 90s. I'm sure from a commercial/economic standpoint, it was a prudent thing to do. Or it better have been. But bandleader Gary Ramon was always a child of the 60s, and one had to figure eventually he'd return to his favorite style. 1995's Acid Yantra held out hope, but then the group dissipated and it seemed the dream was over. Until 2003 that is. Zen For Sale is finally the album we've all been waiting for from Mr. Ramon and company. It's a fine return to form, and the first 3 tracks are as good as anything on Other Way Out. From there it goes from merely good to great. Sun Dial, it seems, have perfected the late 1960s UK strain of psychedelic music. They tap into the best parts - the fuzz guitar, the phased and accented vocals, the charming and naive melodies - and the absolute essence of pure psychedelia. Excellent.
Acid Yantra (1995)
Sun Dial burst onto the scene in 1990 with Other Way Out, a fantastic extraction of the best of the 60s psychedelic rock albums. After trying their hand at more trendy 90s styled rock, they reemerged back to 1969 with Acid Yantra. Very much like their debut, Sun Dial has recreated the 1960s sound that you imagine in your mind, but truly never was as focused as these albums. While it misses the surprise factor the debut inherently earned, Acid Yantra is no less satisfying. Great tunes, fuzz guitars, mellotron, phasing, the whole psychedelic experience. Easy recommendation for fans of retro psych music. It seemed this would be the end of the line for Sun Dial, who spent the next few years playing around with their Prescription Drug series, and even some fake "70s" Krautrock albums. But they reappeared for a cameo in 2003, and once again were back in 2012.
2/18/17; 8/4/17; 10/11/18 (new entry); 6/16/21
Not very interesting though...
ReplyDeleteHaha - yea I figured as much. They have such a checkered history. When Sun Dial are on - they're great. But they certainly do have a lot of "junk in the trunk" in their back catalog.
Delete