h o m e
Psychotropic Zone (Web, Finland)
December 2003
Various Artists: Further Adventures of the Telepathic Explorers
This is a sequel to last year's compilation called The International
League of Telepathic Explorers. Nick Bensen from Free City Media
openly admits being addicted to melodic 60's inspired psych rock with
wild guitars, and this is what we get here, as well. There are
actually surprisingly few same artists involved now than last time.
Nick still decided to put the artists in alphabetical order. Aquarium
Poppers is now called AqPop, and again opens the album with a nice pop
track. Then follows Anton Barbeau's "Motor" that is going to be on
the Canadian version of his marvellous "King of Missouri" album that
will be put out by Bongobeat Records. The track doesn't really match
with the best stuff on the album, but you can't really complain when
The Bevis Frond are acting as a backing band. Nick Bensen himself
performs the track "Summit" with Jeff Sanders from Mountain Mirrors.
Quite oppressive track and I don't really seem to get inside it. Then
it's time for some Bevis Frond, and what we get is "Under London
Wall", apparently played (and wanked on!) by Nick Saloman by himself.
I don't know about you, but I'd always rather hear one rusty, honest
demo by this fellow than 100 ultra hi-fi sounding mainstream hits.
The Bitter Little Cider Apples have been able to squeeze in a bit
harder song than last time. "Butter Face Down" is almost fast punk
pop; a nice track. Our old friends Dipsomaniacs come next with their
track "Freedom Candy". For me, The God Box was the most pleasant new
acquaintance: Limo from Shiny Gnomes, Fit and Limo and Discolor gives
us a very great song with his new band. "Student of Astrology" is a
celestial composition with mellotrons and nice vocals! Then we get to
the brain-frying acid/punk/garage/stoner rock of The Heads. The group
speaks out about things that worry them in a live version of "Stodgy
(The Coke's Gone Flat)". This is heavier stuff than last time, thanks
Nick! Next we've got under two minutes of The Impossible Shapes, then
trancey "Just a Domino" by the Kable. The Lucky Bishops are with us
again, now with their fine track "She's Breaking Up". In the end it
gets rather psychedelic. Patrick Porter's "A Better Thing" is a
peaceful ballad, and then we go for a real trip with Sh'mantra from
Australia. What follows is "What Do You Want?" by The Sunshine Fix
Electric Blues Band. Troll is another, very nice new acquaintance on
this album. "Shattered Venus" is absolutely marvellous psych song by
this cosmic union from San Francisco. I'm also
very happy that Joe Turner carried on making music after Abunai!
disbanded, because his number "Turn Me Upside Down" is an excellent
three and a half minutes of magic mushroom vibes. I think
that this compilation is maybe a bit more uneven as a whole than the
previous "Telepathic Explorers", but on the other hand this one has a
few better songs than its predecessor. I've now listened to the album
more than 10 times, and it still gets better every time. In addition,
all the tracks are previously unreleased or rare. This leads to a
conclusion, that also this CD is an essential part of any modern but
60's styled psych fan's collection.
LISTEN TO THE SONGS!