Karl Ikola's Favorite Records Of 2002

All archival entries 'cept the last one....it's my thang, dig? KI

1. PUBLIC NUISANCE, Gotta Survive (2CD on Frantic (US), 2LP + EP on Shadoks (Germany))
   The greatest unearthed '60s LP (plus demos, all recorded '68-69) of all time. Public Nuisance was Sacramento's Mod-est and Pop-est freak band, more melodic than Oxford Circle and harder hitting than New Breed. But they had the same great mystique and material as world class bands such as the Creation and the Misunderstood. Leader Dave Houston (a prolific solo artist in his own right up through today) contributed mightily to late '70s Sacto garage/psych greats, the Twinkeyz.
2. MICHAEL YONKERS BAND, Microminiature Love (LP on De Stijl label)
   Unissued '68 experimental garage/psych recorded for the Candy Floss label (C.A. Quintet) at Dove studios (Calico Wall) in Minneapolis. Yonkers later mined a more folk direction but these tracks are infused with an anger and braininess that is the dream hybrid of the Red Crayola and the Litter.
3. SPIKE-DRIVERS, Folk-Rocking Psychedelic Innovation From The Motor City in the Mid-60s (CD/LP on RD records of Switzerland)
   This is an archival release of Detroit's answer to San Francisco's pre-Jefferson Airplane raga-folk-rock originators, Great Society. Eastern scales and harmonies, dark thoughts and beautiful melodies. Collects their rare 45 on Om and a bunch of unreleased material. Essential for archival freaks and just plain music fans (US Kaleidoscope fans, take heed!!). A bit of the Farina's vibe is here as well.
4. DANNY BEN-ISRAEL, Bullshit 3 1/4 (LP on World In Sound (Germany))
   Wow! From 1970, the greatest psych LP from Israel along with Churchill's ('68), this is a freak-fest akin to Erkin Koray wrestling Sonny Sharrock to the floor over trad Hebrew folk interludes...a psych LP that will satisfy the non-practicing "psychedelic fatso" of yore...
5. CHRIS LUCEY, Songs Of Protest and Anti-Protest (UK Revola CD)
   Reissue of this amazing lost moody psych/folk gem, originally released on the Mira Records (of Leaves "Hey Joe" fame) subsidiary, Surrey, in 1966. Lucey also recorded an LP under the Jameson moniker called Color Him In, released on Verve in 1967, and worked with Curt Boettcher of Ballroom/Sagitarrius/Millenium fame...should appeal to fans of Arthur Lee and Love....this is his most angst-ridden and passionate statement from the delusory core of the Sunset Strip in '66...
6. HAL BLAINE, Psychedelic Percussion (CD, Japan, MCA)
   Legit Japanese major label (MCA) CD reissue of this obscure and exotic L.A. studio artifact, originally released on LP by Dunhill in 1969. Much wilder than Blaine's first solo LP (the '63 Hot Rod styled LP he recorded for RCA), this lovely reissue is from tapes and will fill your room with the kind of shimmering uncertainty you've been craving...
7. TWINKEYZ, Cartoon Land (LP on Anopheles Records)
   My second archival offering of 2002 (see below for the other). This is an LP version of the out of print Aliens In Our Midst CD with new mastering and unbelievable original artwork by group founder Donnie Jupiter of this late '70s DIY garage/psych Sacramento group's (think Simply Saucer or Pere Ubu) best studio recordings. 1000 LPs only on clear vinyl, 13 tracks, two (their unreleased fourth 45) never having seen the light of day on vinyl before. Includes Donnie Jupiter, Tom Darling, and ex-Public Nuisance Dave Houston.
8. TRAD GRAS OCH STENAR, Djunglen's Lag (CD reissue on 1/2 Special Records)
   Perfect CD reissue of the second LP by these Swedish early '70s underground legends (ex-Parson Sound, International Harvester, etc). Extended Velvetsy crunchfests and droney bliss outs for the melancholy, as if "Oh! Sweet Nothin'" was recorded at half-speed through a plexi-glass window for your enjoyment...
9. DEBRIS', Static Disposal (LP on Anopheles Records)
   My first archival offering in 2002, an exact reissue (1000 copies only) of this classic '75 recorded/'76 released private press monster from Oklahoma. Way better than Rocket From The Tombs. Includes previously unreleased version of the Stooges' "Real Cool Time" from a '75 rehearsal recording.
10. DEAN CARTER, Call Of The Wild (CD on Ace/Big Beat, UK)
    This is late '60s psychobilly from the rural Midwest! Dean Carter is known mainly for his all-time blast-off version of "Jailhouse Rock" (Ear Piercing Punk comp LP) that lays waste to the Residents AND the Monks in one breath. He uses DOBRO like a mean slide steel guitar, hence the freaky sounds on "Jailhouse" and many others -- 29 more tracks are here (most unissued tapes) including "Rebel Woman" (the flip to "Jailhouse Rock"), "Call Of The Wild", "Black Boots", "Dobro Picking Man", the twisted, haunting balladry of "Midnight Sun"....Yow! The story behind getting this released at last is chronicled in the detailed booklet. Look out, Hasil Adkins -- Dean Carter has done come to dinner!!!
11. V/A (AUSTRALIAN BEAT/GARAGE/R&B/POP-SIKE), HOT GENERATION + OF HOPES AND DREAMS AND TOMBSTONES + PECULIAR HOLE IN THE SKY (Series of 3 CDs on Ace/Big Beat, UK)
    A series of three killer compilation CDs on Ace/Big Beat taken straight from the Festival (Australia) master tape vaults, mined for primo beat, R&b, psych and garage rock 'n' roll! Hot Generation (high energy garage/rock 'n' roll), Of Hopes and Dreams and Tombstones (R&b, punk) and Peculiar Hole In The Sky (Pop/Psych) are all essential for the non punk-specific Oz garage fan.
12. ROCKET FROM THE TOMBS, THE DAY THE EARTH MET... (Gatefold color wax LP on Smog Veil.)
    Best sound available of these "loft" sessions recorded in Cleveland in '75, though some material from the old Jack Slack boot is absent, and the fact that they cut off "Satisfaction" after a minute is reason for serious frustration in the listener. Still a must.
13. V/A (AUSTRALIAN garage/punk '76-'87), DO THE POP!! (Shock Records 2CD set, Australia)
    Shock Records out of Melbourne issued this exhaustive 2CD set, compiled and annotated by David Laing of Grown Up Wrong! and Dog Meat records fame. The perfect taste (and a full course meal taken in totem!) of classic Australian garage rock and punk from '76-87; from the Saints and Radio Birdman and Victims and Lipstick Killers to Lime Spiders, le Hoodoo Gurus, Scientists, Celibate Rifles, etc.
14. BOB DYLAN, BLONDE ON BLONDE (2LP mono remaster on Sundazed)
    Sundazed has performed one of its greatest customer services by doing the mono mixes of this and Surrealistic Pillow in the same month let alone year. The tough, garage edge of Dylan and Band as recorded here are taut, tense and BLARING on the electrified cuts, making this THE way to own this 'un. Can you believe the currently available US CD version of this album still fades "Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands" prematurely? Shameful, at least there's some respect on tap here.
15. VAINICA DOBLE, s/t LP + 45 (Wah-Wah label of Spain, late 2001 reissue)
    OK trendies!! Wake up and listen to something as vital (though even a bit more esoteric if you can believe it) as those Os Mutantes reissues everyone went gaga about a few years ago...these Spanish ladies cut this fine fine debut LP in 1971. This reissue on the Wah-Wah label is lovingly done, with a bonus p/s 45 of their Christmas offering... Lovely bubbling percussion and acoustic instrumentation make this a nice balance 'tween "Acid Folk", "Psych" and "World Music". Label it however you'd like, this is as good as anything reissued in 2002...
16. DRIVING STUPID, Horror Asparagus Stories (CD on Sundazed)
    Brilliant New Jersey-by-way-of-Sunset Strip band, with both sides of their legendary 45 for Koppelman-Rubin's KR imprint (immortalized on the Pebbles 3 Acid Gallery LP), as well as a complete unreleased LP! Like frat rock pranksters who dosed on Freak Out...apparently this music freaked out Steve Stills when it was being recorded across the hall from the first Buffalo Springfield LP in '66 in Hollywood!!
17. STICKMEN WITH RAYGUNS, Some People Deserve To Suffer (CD on Emperor Jones)
    Kind of like the Driving Stupid if they were 15 years older and had evolved into insufferable alcholics/junkies, but still hadn't "given up the ghost" when it came to making discordant music updated to the (read: post-Watergate) times. Essential archival CD recorded '82-'87 of all the extant recordings by this great Dallas, TX group, featuring Bobby Soxx on vox (Learn To Hate in the '80s solo shot from '81 was on Bloodstains comp)...includes the well known "Christian Rat Attack" (covered by Dim Stars), "Scavenger of Death" (dating all the way back to the Teenage Queers precursor) and a bunch more essential crud...
18. ANGUS MACLISE, Astral Collapse (LP on Quakebasket)
    Drone like a Devil
    Sing like an Angel
    Your face disintegrates
    Immediately upon impact
    
    Coarse caucuses
    Inverse hypothesis
    Hypnotic invisible light
    Bewildered soul incomplete
    
    KI 2/14/03
19. RUST, Come With Me (LP on Akarma, Italy)
    Amazing German '69 psych that sounds like it belongs on the Nuggets II box set (hint: UK style)..fuzzy textures/vocals, lotsa organ fills and hooks-meets-chaos Small Faces meets Deviants magic that blew my mind...
20. ELF POWER, Nothing's Going To Happen (CD on Orange Twin)
    Good choice of cover material, and they sample DEBRIS' "One Way Spit" on their rendition of the Bad Brains' "Pay To Cum"...how can you lose?