The Paper Garden “The Paper Garden
Presents” (Relics Records, 2012)

You can’t always judge an album by its
cover, but in this case you can. Housed in a wildly colorful sleeve populated
with cartoon figures surrounded by kaleidoscopic motifs, “The Paper Garden
Presents” exposes a vision blooming with paisley powered whimsy. Initially
released in 1968 on the Musicor label, the record sadly fell through the
cracks, but has since acquired the praise of collectors all over the world and
is now considered something of a minor masterpiece.

Buoyed by a prancing shuffle and buzzing
fuzz guitars, “Sunshine People” is perhaps the most radio-ready track on the
disc, and the head spinning “Gypsy Wine” is spiked with a rousing run of swift
and speedy violin work. Glazed with jangling sitars, the sleepy and spacey “Man
Do You” slinks and slides with trippy curves, while “I Hide” hops and bops to
the tugging tune of peppy rhythms, capped by a burst of seizing guitar licks,
and then there’s “A Day,” which whispers and sighs to a ghostly ambience
drafted of lush orchestration, phased vocals and quirky sound effects.

Clocking in at under thirty minutes in
length, the album still manages to get its message across in such a limited
amount of time. Operating out of New York City, the Paper Garden thrived on
innovation, as they adorned their material with a variety of different
instruments. Although the band’s melodies and arrangements often aimed for the
unconventional, their songs are gripping enough to be instantly
attractive.  High-pitched singing and
billowy harmonies post as additional staples cementing the goods. Clearly
influenced by the psychedelic hoodoo practiced by the Beatles, trickles of the
Idle Race and the Bee Gees, and even the jolly jugband stylings of the Lovin’
Spoonful, further arise on “The Paper Garden Presents,” resulting in a record
that’s both playful and progressive.

Review made by Beverly Paterson / 2013

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http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com / 2013