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Monday 24 January 2011

Exploito-psych # 4- The Generation Gap - Up Up and Away

I like this cover. There's something very strange about a girl's face in a psychedelic apple!
If you've ever wondered what Up Up and Away would have sounded like if it was sung by one person instead of The Free Design and then that person's voice was multi-tracked in a poor attempt to make him sound like a vocal group - then this is the record for you!
I'd hazard a guess that the voice belongs to Cole - it sounds very like his.
For the most part the vocal numbers are pretty disposable.
Once you've got over the horrors of the title track we are subjected to I'm A Man (sadly not the Howlin Wolf classic) and a rather strange, slightly country song called Make Up Powder and Paint.
So far so not very psych!
But then we get Lisa. Amazingly, for an exploitation record, this sounds like an original vocal song. And even more unusual its quite good with some very fine guitar work and a plaintive, hazy vocal. It's not impossible that this an out-take of the Id sessions.
I also like the next track, High On Love. Of course, this is in the context of this kind of record. We're not talking about an undiscovered popsike gem. Just a slightly catchy song.
Over on side 2 is where the Animated Egg/Id action is. Don't hang around on Woman of Mine but head straight to Hard Times (I Said She Said A Cid from the Animated Egg), Strange Shadows (Sure Listic from Animated Egg) and Fool's Luck (Our Man Hendrix from the Id out-takes).
The ex-Animated Egg tracks have lost the phasing and other effects that have been layered all over that record - they sound rawer and slightly more aggressive.
Then in true exploitation style the record concludes with an absolutely dire vocal number. But you got three great fuzz instrumentals - what more do you want?

4 comments:

  1. For what it's worth, I think it's more of a psychedelic onion

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  2. I think the vocal numbers are great...it's not just about the fuzz. Woman of Mine is ace

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    Replies
    1. Maybe I'm a bit harsh about the vocal numbers - but I can't deny that its the fuzz that first attracted me!
      Do you know who the vocalist is?

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  3. Except from "High On Love", this album is sheer rubbish.

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