Various Artists – Brown Acid: The Eleventh Trip
RidingEasy Records
Release date: 31/10/2020
Running time: 33 minutes
Review by: Alun Jones
8/10
One of the best things about the Brown Acid series is imagining the alternate reality where these songs, long forgotten in the mists of rock’n’roll legend, actually attained the success so many of them deserve. A world where these long-lost bands are as equally revered as BOC, Grand Funk or the MC5. The same world, probably, where Lemmy’s still alive, Trump never got near the White House and the last Star Wars film came out in 1983.
But maybe that’s just me. What I do know, is that the Brown Acid series from RidingEasy Records offers up another batch of ten proto heavy rockers that have been excavated from the depths of memory and given new purpose. Lovingly curated and nursed back to life; then unleashed upon a musical landscape that didn’t know it needed the songs, but by Jimi – we’re thankful for them.
The first track on this compilation, “Something Else” by Adam Wind, didn’t flip my switch much at first. After a couple of plays, however, the Hendrix style guitar frenzy did the trick. Then the marvellously named Grump rock out with “I’ll Give You Love”, reminiscent of the mighty Steppenwolf with skronky organs and scratchy guitar.
“Diamond Lady” from Larry Lynn is a fantastic punchy, psychedelic number. Then midway through the album, we get “In Wyrd” by Renaissance Fare. This track sounds like the Doors being particularly annoying when they’re on the wrong drugs. Thankfully, at under 3 minutes, it avoids some of Jimbo and pals’ lengthier exasperations; it’s the only challenge on an otherwise album of rock’n’roll killers.
My highlight of the collection is “Just Can’t Say” by Day Break – a boogie influenced groover with desert rock swagger. Debb Johnson contribute “Dancing in the Ruin”, which packs Stax style brass to great effect, and finally Crazy Jerry rounds things off with the riff-tastic “Every Girl Gets One”.
The Eleventh Trip in this series continues to surprise and entertain. It’s a compilation that’s so solid you’d need a forklift to move it. Dig out your flares and love beads, heat up the lava lamp – it’s party time again!
By the way, I invented the term “skronky organs” and I’m trademarking it.
Track listing:
- Adam Wind – Something Else
- Grump – I’ll Give You Love
- Bagshot Row – Turtle Wax Blues
- Larry Lynn – Diamond Lady
- Renaissance Fair – In Wyrd
- Zendik – Mom’s Apple Pie Boy
- Day Break – Just Can’t Say
- West Minist’r – I Want You
- Debb Johnson – Dancing in the Ruin
- Crazy Jerry – Every Girl Gets One
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This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al, in association with the awesome Ever Metal.
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