Psychedelic Pop

1. Tomorrow’s World, When It’s All Over (Era)
A California unknown. The vocal arrangements here are reminiscent of those of Curt Boettcher – the influential studio whiz behind West Coast pop productions by the Association, Sagittarius, Millennium and many others. And, indeed, songwriters Jannsen, Jannsen and Keske were involved, albeit marginally, with a contemporary Boettcher production, the Mother Love’s “Where Do We Go From Here.”

The dense harmonies otherwise lead me to think this a group of Los Angeles folkies. Laboring under producer and engineer (and occasional Boettcher collaborator) Mark Taylor and his strict policy of enforced “grooviness,” I’m guessing.

As with a lot of the West Coast variety of sunshine pop, with this dreamy, ’67-era nugget there’s echo, great syrupy masses of it.

2. Fargo, Sunny Day Blue (Capitol)
Though recorded in California, it was Salt Lake City-based songwriters and high school friends Tony Decker and Dean Wilden who formed the core of Fargo. Decker was perhaps the more experienced hand here, having recently toured and recorded in Texas and the Southwest as part of the Tuesday Club, a harder-edged rock group that would become – after wearing through several line-ups, locations and identities – Fargo.

“Sunny Day Blue” was, I believe, recorded in 1968. It was followed by an excellent full-length album on RCA a year later.

3. The Network, The Boys and the Girls (Spar)
Soaring, dreamy pop from the late ’60s, and one of the slowest 45s ever.

Without being overtly psychedelic, this gem just settles everything down on a mellow sunshine cloud, man. Written by freelance songwriter Mark Charron (best-known for his work for B.J. Thomas), “The Boys and the Girls” was produced in 1968 for, surprisingly, Spar Records, a sort of local clearinghouse label largely oriented towards budget country and western releases.

All else is speculation about the Network, sadly. Though I’d guess this is again the handiwork of Nashville session singers and players, and not an actual working group.

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4 Responses to Psychedelic Pop

  1. whiteray says:

    The Tomorrow’s World 45 is evidently from 1967; at least, that’s the information in the Era discorgraphy at Soulful Kinda Music, http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/era.htm

    I kinda like it!

  2. Anonymous says:

    You’re right about the Fargo song being from 1968. It was the b-side of their “Robins, Robins” single. They apparently didn’t release anything else. Sorry this info is coming so late – I only just discovered your blog!

  3. Moritz Reichelt says:

    That tune by the Love Sitars “Paint It Black” appears on an album called “Raga Rock” credited to “the Folkswingers” feat. Harihar Rao on sitar and nobody less than Hal Blaine on drums and Glen Campbell on guitar. Since nothing else by the Love Sitar can be found in the internet, I guess the publication of this single was a unique event. http://www.starclustermusic.de/artists/bread/folkswin/disko/dpfo6701.htm
    http://www.answers.com/topic/the-folkswingers

  4. Zee says:

    Hi,
    The Greater Good have recently recorded a version of The Boys and The Girls, see what you think.
    Best
    Zee
    http://soundcloud.com/milehighmusicuk/the-greater-good-boys-girls

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