976 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (1966)

 976 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (1966)

Studio Album - Psychedelic Rock


About the Act:

The 13th Floor Elevators were a drug-culture inspired Psychedelic Rock band from Austin Texas, who had a main stint of existence from 1965 to 1969 and a few brief reunions since. Tommy Hall, their electric jug player, is credited for coining the phrase "Psychedelic Rock" and their music was groundbreaking in sound, and foundational for other similar acts. 

Just backpedal a second, it almost passed by unnoticed... "electric jug player". One of the unique things about their sound was the use of an amplified jug, which Tommy Hall performed by muttering into.

Tommy Hall encouraged them all to play, record and compose while high on LSD. In retrospect it seems inevitable that the band fell apart as a result of health issues, mental health issues and drug-related disagreements.


About the Album:

This was the first album by the band. There were a few singles from the album which got respectable performances in the Billboard Chart ("You're going to miss me" peaked at number 55)


My History with this Album:

None. 


Review:

Maybe the album would sound better if I listened to it high, but that's not how I roll. The songs are reasonable 60s guitar rock with sounds very like early Rolling Stones, Kinks, Beatles, Doors even (but no organ). The songs are fairly inane but with some dark undertones at times. There is a persistent wibbly-whiffling sound of mildly varying note, which presumably is the electric jug of Tommy Hall. It's really only mildly psychedelic in sound compared to early Pink Floyd (for example). It's OK, it kind of whiffles on but is not really that interesting. I like the cover though.

5.6/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2afQ7u8n1CzNBAHjl6OQCG

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiN-7mukU_RG7bVpv4kTf4Gw_ParA-uaU

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Psychedelic_Sounds_of_the_13th_Floor_Elevators



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