The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators [Vinyl]

13th Floor Elevators | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl (May 27, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
• ASIN: B0016GLZCY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,613 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

For the first time in 40 years, here it is in dangerously powerful MONO, exactly as it was intended: the stupefying debut album by Texas' heroic psychedelic point-men, the 13th Floor Elevators, on Sundazed's uncannily accurate high-definition vinyl! The unearthly banshee howl of Roky Erickson, the blistering guitar of Stacy Sutherland and the demented electric jug of Tommy Hall haven't sounded this scary since their glory days in the third eye of the lysergic hurricane!Originally released in 1966 on International Artists.TracklistA1 You're Gonna Miss Me 2:24 A2 Roller Coaster 5:00 A3 Splash 1 3:50 A4 Reverberation 2:46 A5 Don't Fall Down 3:00 B1 Fire Engine 3:22 B2 Thru The Rhythm 3:50 B3 You Don't Know 2:38 B4 Kingdom Of Heaven 3:05 B5 Monkey Island 2:38 B6 Tried To Hide 2:43

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stands the test of time, August 18, 1999

By 

"wendeljig" (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators (Audio CD)

I had heard of the Elevators here and there on the periphery. After reading all the rave reviews here, I decided to investigate. To my delight, I realized that I had stumbled across a true gem. I learned that Roky Erikson's rise and fall mirrored the tragedy of his British counterpart Syd Barrett. More importantly, I discovered some great psychedelic music largely ignored by rock fans then and now. The first tune "You're Gonna Miss Me" sounded a little too popish at first, but the subsequent "Roller Coaster" expressed the band's true intent- establishment of an LSD nation/society governed by the spirit of shared community and self (hence universal) discovery...and this was mid 1966! Other standouts like "Reverberation", "Thru The Rhythm", and "Monkey Island" are positively wicked psychedelic workouts. "Fire Engine" showcases Erikson's wild vocal style complete with background siren vocals. The true highlight, however, is "Kingdom Of Heaven", a song that oozes and melts drippy with slabs of guitar and melody.....simply heavenly (ha ha). The sound quality is a little coarse, but I think it helps add a sense that you have excavated a rough diamond. Some of the drug and social references sound naive today, but we should remember that in 1966 LSD was still legal, and the idea of a psychedelic revolution was absolutely in stride with the times. Anyway you look at it, this is a great album by a band whose creative peak was all too short.

48 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AVOID THIS RELEASE OF THIS CD, buy the Spalax one instead!, June 10, 2003

By 

Walter Five (13th Floor Elevator, Enron Hubbard Bldg. Houston Texxas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators (Audio CD)

Thanks to Leland Rodgers (Kenny's brother) the master tapes for this release were lost over 20 years ago. This TRULY SORRY remaster is an embarrassment and blot on the memory of a truly original Texas band. Leland, you see, owned International Records, the Elevators label, and Roky Erikson & the band never saw a penny in royalties, only their cash advance. They have YET to see a penny from these "Collectables" releases, either, as I understand it.

Buy the French import release on the Spalax label instead.
It's WELL worth the difference in price. The sound is AWESOME on
that one.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Was it really that great? Well I guess you had to be there., April 13, 1999

By 

Jim Traweek [e-mail] (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators (Audio CD)

I look back fondly and I see with moist and biased eyes the subject of my idolatry. Was this really the greatest, most hip music on earth? Who knows. We sure thought it was. Probably Texas' only nationally renowned PSYCHEDELIC band, ever. My introduction to it was in my freshman year at UT in 1967 and my roommate went to sleep each night to the sounds of this and 5 other acid-rock albums popular in the Houston area. (much to my dismay) The wild screams of Rocky Erickson in You're Gonna Miss Me, the youthful voices on Splash1, (We all were so young, so beautiful, then) The cult heaviness of REVERBERATION and Thru the Rhythm. The unrestrained power and nerve of Fire Engine. The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators had the 'ahead of its time' lyrics and musical treatment of a much more mature group. A note: The CD recording is slightly flawed in too-quiet volume of the blockbuster hit Fire Engine which led off the side 2 of the album, but what the hey, who ever expected to see it on CD at all!! The strength and shock and innovation of the elevators moved the young inexperienced group into the spotlight of the late 60's and they responded admirably. What has happened to them now? Don't ask. But in 1967!!! WOAH! I can still see my roommate posing in his shorts mimeing Monkey Island, using his hairbrush as a microphone! "LIVIN on Monkey Island, Baby, pretendin to be a monkey too!" WOW!!!WOW!!! ...Well... I guess you kinda had to be there...