STONE GARDEN-STONE GARDEN-

As the decade was turning from the ´60s to the ´70s this outfit from Lewiston Idaho release their sole album and talk about hard as a rock. This Psych/Hard/blues/prog rock album got all influences from back in the day but most important, in it´s own personal style. Formed in the early ´60s by brothers Gary, Paul & Neal Speer these youngsters teamed up to start a band and would set their mark in their own way.

The production is lame and thin but there is something lurking in the shadows that will awake your interest to continue to listen to this strange brew of highly personal songs. There is nothing that really stand out here except maybe the bassplayer, Dan Merrell. As this is also a sort of tribute to all the great British acts from the timeperiod you always forgive some of the stolen riffs and soundframes. This is great fun to listen to!! 🙂

Whatabout the drummer, Neal Speer?? As this is a selftought drummer there are some bits and pieces missing. The drive and enthusiasm is there but you can´t bring nothing back from the striking abilities and hitratio. The dynamics are questionable to. The strong card is the interaction together with the bassplayer which brings a steady ground for the rest to lay back on. But overall a story you quickly forget.

As this record is so versatile and tend to bend at every direction, it brings a colorful palett to discover. Youthful boldness brings the songs up several notches but maybe this is most for the fanatics of Psych/Hard/Blues/prog rock from the timeperiod.

Great copies of reissues are out there for less money and why not? This album is certainly not your everyday digestive cracker! Get on the limb and try out a new sensation in early American Psych history! You might just like it! 🙂

VINYLRATING/GRADE

-5-OK!-WORTH EXPLORING-