�Was tripping in a nudist camp / Got busted �cause I wore my clothes.�

William Penn Fyve - Swami

It takes quite a bit of nerve to title an album Hopelessly Obscure 60�s Psych when so much of the period�s music has already been lost to time. Ironically, I can�t seem to find the source that spawned this album. Nevertheless, upon acquisition, the songs at least seemed promising. After an initial listen, though, my gut reaction was to admit there was indeed a reason for the songs� obscurity. They�re not terrible�they just haven�t aged particularly well.

Unless there�s a four-on-the-floor beat driving them, this isn�t a time for songs about free love. OK, perhaps that�s not true, but the trancelike drone of an organ shouldn�t be accompanied with caveats about alcoholism. Not in 2006. We�ve got real addictions, maaan. This is a time of DDR and World of Warcraft! And that�s not to make light of alcoholism nor to understate the importance of lyrics such as �Will this hypocritical society we fear come to pass?�, but these songs were meant for a moment. I�ll be the first to admit, however: they sure are a lot of fun.

Spontaneous Corruption � Freaky Girl

In fact, not only are they entertaining, but this song specifically is one of the most enjoyable tracks I�ve heard all year. Not sure why, honestly: it could be the familiar grittiness that had me hooked on garage-rock for a number of years, or the fact that someone thought it worthwhile to write a song about �freaky girls.�

These songs weren�t written for me, and while it�s unjust to suggest heavy drug usage is a prerequisite to taking pleasure in psychedelia, especially considering how many non-psychedelic artists compose under the influence, I can�t help but feel regrettably distanced from the genre.

I want to enjoy music without necessarily having to interact or empathize with it. I don�t want to be a snob who thinks something only has value if it�s written for when and where they happen to be in their life. This year �Freaky Girl� helped me jump that hurdle. I still look for that bond in the music I love. The only difference is that, now, it�s a perk instead of an ultimatum.