Say Psych: Playlist 9/2016

This weeks Psych Insight playlist is an all-Canada special! Ten tracks from ten great bands all producing great music over the last half century, with a definite nod to the current scene which appears to be in fine health. The music speaks for itself, but I thought I’d add a bit of atmosphere with a picture from Canadian artist Rob Gonsalves, whose mind-bending pictures mirror the psychedelic magnificence on show here. Enjoy!

Baalslapper by The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol 

This is from The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol’s (TBWNIAS) most recent album ‘Masters of the Molehill’, released last year by Cardinal Fuzz. The album made our ‘Essential‘ list last year, and this is my favourite track from it…a total banger! Watch out for a 3lp box set of previous TBWNIAS coming shortly on Cardinal Fuzz, as well as a new album later this year.

Motherfuckers Never Learn by Shooting Guns

I’m listening to this track more than any other at the moment. It’s just so full on and keeps going to the absolute bitter end. I can only imagine what this would sound like live, from the band’s second album ‘Brotherhood of the Ram’, available from their bandcamp page here.

Their Lust Grows With Their Size by Hawkeyes 

Absolutely mammoth track from Hawkeyes, from the band’s epic album ‘Poison Slows You Down’, still available from the band’s bandcamp page here.

Civilisation Machine by The Plastic Cloud

Brilliant slab of 60s psychedelia from The Plastic Cloud, whose sole eponymous album is something of a rarity. The album combines beautiful melodies with more improvised sounding tracks. This is one of my favourites from the album.

Trinity Test by Moths and Locusts

I’ve only just recently come across Moths and Locusts, but immediately took to the band’s brilliant fusion of all sorts of genre into something dark, complex and exciting. This is a widescreen album which could never be background music. Trinity Test is the opener and sets out the band’s stall pretty effectively. I’m very excited to note that a second album is due later this year. For now check this out:

Setting Sun by Elephant Stone

One of my favourite tracks from the last few years. The melody hits me at a very emotional level and just makes me feel so happy. Beautiful!

Devastation – Besnard Lakes 

One of the most important tracks for me over the last few years. A chance visit to a Bernard Lakes gig in Leeds in 2010 set me off on a musical course that has lead me to a massive rich seam of great new music, and inspire me to write this blog. I’ve much to be thankful for here. You can read a review of the band’s most recent album, ‘A Coliseum Complex Museum’ here.

Dark Night by The Radiation Flowers

Absolutely beautiful track from The Radiation Flowers. Dreamy music and vocals send you off into a eerie yet safe place. Just drift off and enjoy. Check out the bandcamp page for details of the full self-titled album here

Talk To Me by 49th Parallel

Another oldie, and one to get up and dance to. Brilliant garage sound with some seriously funky undertones. 49th Parallel were another relatively short lived band who left a small but well-formed legacy behind them.

Dead Flag Blues by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

What can I say about this track. For me it is an absolute nailed on classic. It is one of my desert island discs and something that I want to have at my funeral. It is a track that hit me squarely between the eyes as the full jaded nonsense that was Britpop was revealing its true nature. ‘Dead Flag Blues’ in many ways re-affirmed my love of music…utterly magnificent!

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