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Various Artists “Marijuana Unknowns Vol. 1” review

January 20, 2013

Various Artists “Marijuana Unknowns Vol. 1” review

Various Artists “Marijuana Unknowns Vol. 1”
(Stoned Records 1997)
An album with a theme, “Marijuana Unknowns”
features obscure bands from the sixties toting tunes referencing the heady
herb. Subject aside, which is not nearly as shocking or rebellious as it was
when these tracks were conceived, this is a really great collection of songs as
it examines an array of musical moods and measures. Expected to be a series, no
additional installments ever appeared, which leads me to believe there were
simply no funds to keep the project going. Perhaps the record label’s money all
went up in smoke – pun purposely intended!
Marked of mouth-watering bubblegum
ingredients, it’s no surprise Ron Dante, whose merry pipes inhabit sugar-coated
ear candy by the likes of the Archies and the Cufflinks, is the vibrant
vocalist behind the Two Dollar Question’s hook-happy “Aunt Matilda‘s Double
Yummy Blow Your Mind Out Brownies,” and then there’s The World’s hilarious “Pot
Party,” which should actually be called “LSD Party,” as it consists of a gaggle
of people laughing themselves silly while a bluesy surf rock band noodles away
in the background.
Framed of clattering riffs and rhythms
secured tight to a sneering garage edge worthy of the Seeds, “Walking In The
Queen’s Garden” by Them cycles in as a surefire winner, movie star Mike
Clifford weighs the pros and cons of the wacky weed in a perfectly polished
croon on “Mary Jane,” and Listening’s “Stoned Is” floats and flows to a spacey
sleepy-eyed pitch that cops the trippy instrumentation of “Strawberry Fields”
towards the end of the cut. Other grand gems heard on “Marijuana Unknowns” are
Owen B’s “Zig Zag Man,” which races around and around to a hard driving
exposition of zig zagging melodies, and the Zombies meet the Monkees
atmospheric pop rock of “Mary Mary” from the Birdwatchers. And let’s not
exclude Sweet Smoke’s “Mary Jane Is To Love” that ripples and rolls with
sweeping organ flourishes and windy choruses or Copperpenny’s “Can’t Stop The
World,” a theatric and downright frightening mass of heavy duty drug-dappled
paranoia.
Even if you don’t puff the stuff, you’re
guaranteed to enjoy “Marijuana Unknowns Vol. 1,” as the songs are nothing short
of catchy and creative.
Review made by Beverly Paterson / 2013
© Copyright http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com
/ 2013
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