Customer Reviews

Psychedelic Lollipop (Reis)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This psychedelipop classic is available in three forms, but don't be confused. This, the latest version, is absulutely the best. The sound, liner notes, and packaging are first-rate. Anyone familiar with releases on the Collectibles label can guess that the two-CDs-for-the-price-of-one edition (Lollipop/Comic Book) is not a real bargain. As for the older (2002)Repetoire version, well, it contains no extras, it's sound is not quite as good, it's packed in a standard crappy jewel case, and the liner notes are useless. Rolling Stone's Encyclopedia of Rock (~late 70's, I believe) wrote the Blues Magoos off as a flashy one trick pony that influenced no one. I guess they never considered a comparison to Pink Floyd's first album, which came a year later. The Magoos hit charted in the UK and you can bet Syd Barret payed attention since the Floyd was, at that time, playing more pop-oriented music. I'll add that, in the early 80s, I caught the Chesterfield Kings at DC's 9:30 club when they were a pretty new act. At that time (at least at that performance), they looked and sounded like a Blues Magoos tribute band. Enjoy this album. It's fun. Update, Aug 30, 2011: Sundazed released newly remastered CDs of the Magoos first two albums. They both have sound that is superior to the Repertoire releases. However, they have no bonus tracks so I still recommend the Repertoire versions as well for die-hard fans like me.

Wow, this is a great album! I bought this record while in high school, living in Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota, that's ranger country people. Nothing much to do there, except listen to music. This album had been out of print for many years until recently released on cd. I have depended on reel to reel tapes to keep from losing track of this fine group altogether.

The Blues Magoos sounded like no one else in 1966, fresh and heavy with new psychedelic sounds and great vocal harmonies. "We ain't got nothin'yet" went on to be a big hit for the Magoos, but "She's coming home", "Queen of my nights" and the best version ever of "Tobacco Road" are my favorites on their first and best lp. If you like Aorta, early Country Joe & the Fish, Clear Light, Fever Tree or the Seeds you need this fine cd in your collection. Peace & Rock on

Who are they, you ask?

These guys are one of my favorites from the sixties garage scene. The best way to purchase this disc is in the 2in1 album pack that pairs this up with the follow up album, Electric Comic-Book, because it's actually cheaper, and you can experience the good tunes from that one too.

This however is the far superior album of the small catalouge of The Magoos. Why so rare?

I think, mainly, that The Blues Magoos barely wrote any of their own material, and they weren't British. The Blues Magoos came from Brooklyn, NY... but they could really rock for a sixties garage band. Listen to them cover I'LL GO CRAZY. Its a two minute long jam! Very nicely executed. Check out GOTTA GET AWAY, with the group shout along choruses. Nice,nice,nice. A little pre-punk meets bubblegum, but heavy duty. Check out TOBACCO ROAD, with the drums kill keyboards kill guitar sequence in the middle. Pisser.
This album came out in 1965, listen to how it must've influenced great bands like The Doors and other sixties legends. Some bands seem to fall through the floorboards now and then... but it's pretty great when you manage to pry them out. ROCK!

i remember getting this during my big allmusicguide buying years, lol. being a lover of 60s, it was reviewed so well, i had to get it. this is great stuff. it's american garage psych, bluesy, and just wonderful to listen to. if you don't know the first track, it's a classic that would be on oldies stations when they were feeling daring. some of the stuff on here is just wonderful, sounds like a band that really liked playing together, had a great sound and captured it in the studio. if you love 60s, have either of the nuggets sets, or any of that stuff, then you'll probably really dig this.

This Bronx-originated band had the misfortune to bust out their signature slice of garage rock, "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet," just as the psychedelics kicking in to the audience at large. The title of this debut album suggests the band was tuning in and dropping out, but even with a jamtastic freak-out added to the Nashville Teens' "Tobacco Road," the group's whining Farfisa organ and pounding rhythms were still rooted in the garage. That's not a knock on their music, just a thought as to why they were unable to follow-up the top-5 success of the single.

The ten tracks that comprised their Mercury debut were recorded in 1966, just as rock was transforming from DIY garage into flower power and psychedelia. You can hear the impact in the ballad "Queen of My Nights," which takes in both the McCoys' "Hang on Sloopy" harmonizing and Country Joe & The Fish's acidy organ-and-bass. The similarity to CJ&TF's psych-blues is also heard on the original "Sometimes I Think About," with its terrific burbling guitar solo. Most powerful of all is the full-kit drum fills, jangly guitar solo and percussive, ricocheted background vocals on "Gotta Get Away."

Whether covering James Brown ("I'll Go Crazy"), interpreting blues standards ("Working Life Blues"), or rocking garage originals ("She's Coming Home"), the Blues Magoos had the magic touch of a garage band with psychedelic flair. Fans of the Seeds, Standells, Leaves and other bands that bridged frat rock to psychedelia should have this in their collection. Of all the reissues available, the 14-track CD on Repetoire is the one to get for sound quality and completeness, as it includes the album's original ten tracks, plus four singles versiona as bonuses. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2007 hyperbolium dot com]

It's hard for me to write about "Psychedelic Lollipop" without getting nostalgic or emotional. Like many, I was first introduced to the Blues Magoos by the first Nuggets collection, which I stumbled upon in 1980. I grew up in the 60s and 70s but had never heard of the Blues Magoos until I bought "Nuggets," the single event that probably had more influence on my musical tastes than any other single event.

Before "Psychedelic Lollipop" I was content to listen to the Beatles, the Byrds, and Paul Revere and the Raiders. But when I first listened to "Psychedelic Lollipop" I felt as if somehow I had been cheated for years, not knowing that such music existed! Something about the early garage-psychedelic music seems to be hardwired into my soul: it's as if I were created to listen to guys like the Blues Magoos.

What amazes me most about "Psychedelic Lollipop" is how early it is for psychedelic music. To use the name "Psychedelic" in the title of an album must have seemed incredibly prescient in early 1966. I don't believe that the Magoos get enough credit for being there first in a number of ways.

It wasn't just their music, which I'll get to in a second. Their hair was even longer than the Beatles or other bands, and they had these amazing glowing suits. They must have seemed to some like the future of rock and roll, or at least very hip for 1966.

But, in the end, "Psychedelic Lollipop" will remain a classic because of the music. The album begins with the Blues Magoos' biggest and most familiar hit: the instantly memorable "We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet." This song has everything: a classic, tight structure; snarly garage vocals; a generous helping of Farfisa organ; some very underrated guitar work from Mike Epstein; and a whole lot of directed energy.

The other best tunes on the album include "Tobacco Road," "Gotta Get Away," "Sometimes I Think About," and "She's Coming Home." The truth is that most of the other songs are very good as well, but these are the best of the album. "Tobacco Road," which was featured on Nuggets, has this incredible freak out right in the middle of the song. When I first heard it, it seemed to take me to a whole new level of listening. It reminded me of Wordsworth's "something evermore about to be." It seemed to reveal that there was a lot more possible in a pop song than I had previously imagined.

"Sometimes I Think About" is perfectly melancholy, and the organ turns this song into a haunting melody. "Gotta Get Away" and "She's Coming Home" are just straight out great rockers.

There are very few albums of the 60s that have this many great songs on them, and I haven't even mentioned the rest of the album. In fact, one of the greatest strengths of "Psychedelic Lollipop" and what makes it a classic is not only its originality and excellence but that it hangs together as an album. When I think of "Psychedelic Lollipop," I think of it as a whole, warts and all.

"Psychedelic Lollipop" so formed my listening habits that it made the Blues Magoos my favorite band for a long, long time. One time, I even had a dream where I dreamed previously unknown Blues Magoos songs. If only I could have recorded them the moment I woke up from my dream.

When I was a kid I had an aunt who worked for Mercury records, and whenever she came over she would bring a shopping bag full of promotional copies of albums, everything from Madman Across the Water, early Bowie, Jerry Butler, all kinds of stuff. As a young guitarist it was awesome for me, and introduced me to stuff that later became classic. One day she brought this album, and the cover alone blew my little mind. When I listened to it, the music completely knocked me out. Huge drum sounds, great vocal harmonies, acid surf sounding guitar, hammond organ, tightly structured tunes, and some great psychedelic freakouts. I just about wore it out.

Years later, i saw that it had been rereleased on Cd with their second album as well. I bought it, thinking that maybe now, over 30 years later, it would be fun to hear, but maybe wouldn't hold up so well. Long story short, it sounded better than ever, and I was even more amazed by the musical vision and competency of the band, considering how young they were at the time. I have since introduced the album to several friends, all of whom were amazed that they had never heard of this band. It's too bad they dissolved before they got their due. they were as good, if not better, than most of the 1960s supergroups, and I can only lament the untapped potential here. but, with that said, this album, to me, is a masterpiece of 60s psychedelia, and is one of my favorite rock albums ever. there are no weak, filler tunes. it rocks from start to finish, and I hope all these guys did well.

I was in the Lucas County children's home in Maumee Ohio when "We ain't got nothin yet" was a hit. Better, the band actually came to the home to perform for just us "homies" and a local radio station did a remote from our campus. The Magoos played in the gym and later gave away copies of the Psychedelic Lollipop lp ( I still have my rather beat up copy ) This was my first experince at a concert and remains one of my fondest memories, even after seeing many others including Zeppelin. Thinking of the effort made by the Blues Magoos to play for us still gets me emotional.
Oh, before I forget I would highly recommend this album, espicially when I think back and compare to what passed for music (Yummy, Yummy for example) at the time.

Here lately I have been doing a few Reviews on 1960s Groups on CD's with The Repertoire label That we own. The reason is simple. Sound Quality!! Rhino & a few other Labels have also had Excellant Sound Quality ever since The CD was introduced!! From The 1960's on back you really have to watch out for Sound Quality on several Labels from the early days of The CD....This small Review is on The Blues Magoos "Psychedelic Lollipop" Album on CD (Not to be confused with The English Band: The Moody Blues). The Blues Magoos were an American Band from The Bronz, NY. You can find their Two most Recognizable songs on Rhino's "Nuggets" Box Set & those two are "Tobacco Road" & "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet" but musicly speaking: Not only are those two very good but the Bulk of this CD is very good. My Family & I owned this Album in The 60s & I have always liked "Queen Of My Nights" & "I'll Go Crazy" also. Tracks 1 - 10 are in stereo & The Bonus Tracks 11 - 14 are in Mono. FYI: Like The Uniques: The Blues Magoos were one of those 60s Bands that were better than a one or two hits "Nuggets" Band. For me this CD is a Keeper. Another thing.....The Nashville Teen's Version of "Tobacco Road" is Outstanding but I believe The Blues Magoo's Version is even better!!

This was one of the first lps I ever owned when I got it in 1968 as a 7th grader. I knew them because of the hit we Ain't Got Nothin' Yet, but when I saw the lp jacket I had to have it.
Songs were shorter then than now, so Tobacco Road seemed like In-a-gadda-da-vida then, with 4 whole minutes of jammin' and yellin'. Their playing was superb, whether it was a tender ballad like Sometimes I Think About or rockers like Gotta Get Away.
They showed so much more playing ability of that day than most other hit-makers, or bands who did stuff that passed for music. So why are moronic tunes like Wild Thing still getting more airplay than this little gem from the 60s? Despite the veiled reference to hallucenogenics on the front, you don't need no dope to enjoy this one.