In the mood to get a little obscure? I’ve been writing about psychedelic rock for quite some time now, and I still manage to discover psychedelic rock bands that I (and many others) have never heard of. And they’re absolutely incredible. Let’s take a look at just a few obscure acts in psychedelia, shall we?
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1. Baby Grandmothers
This psychedelic outfit is best known for their self-titled album, which was released decades after it was recorded. Before then, we only had a single and a few other live recordings from the late 1960s to enjoy. It doesn’t get more obscure than this Swedish psych-rock outfit.
2. Birmingham Sunday
This band is on the pop end of the spectrum of psychedelic bands you’ve probably never heard of. However, “pop” doesn’t have to mean “mainstream” or “boring”. This band knew how to use the mellotron and boasted some excellent production techniques in their releases. Those fuzzy guitars, those delightful flutes, those gorgeous harmonizing choruses… A Message From Birmingham Sunday is essential listening.
3. The Avengers
If you’re a pretty big psychedelia nerd, you may know of The Avengers already. There’s really something to be said about this New Zealand band’s final album, Medallion. It’s a product of its time, the outfit’s most psychedelic work, and not something you should skip.
Medallion boasts some excellent original tunes and covers, from “Love Hate Revenge” to “The Days Of Pearly Spencer”. Their debut album is worthwhile too, though it leans more toward freakbeat than pure psychedelia.
4. Bo Grumpus
What a name! Bo Grumpus is best known for the obscure album Before The War. Though, at the time, it wasn’t exactly obscure. That album was released on a major label in 1968, and it was their first and final release.
It’s kind of wild that this psychedelic rock outfit only lasted for less than two years, because this album is excellent. The payoff isn’t immediate, but there’s something to chilling out and listening to Before The War in its entirety. Sometimes, patience is key.
5. Circus Maximus
A standout band among psychedelic bands you’ve probably never heard of, Circus Maximus is best known for their self-titled 1967 album. This band was quite talented, especially in the way they blended together folk, rock, and jazz into their own bespoke version of psychedelic rock. It’s a garage rock album at heart, and one could say it’s a pioneering album of folk punk, in a way.
Photo via YouTube
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