Customer Reviews

Suddenly One Summer

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

 

 

Suddenly One Summer is sought after for a reason and Jay Kaye was just a teenager when he wrote this stuff. It's been a collectors item and it is undoubtedly one of the best pop psych albums released back in 1968. Another masterpiece from the Psychedelic Renaissance Era! Just listen to "Fly", "O.D.", "Land Of Sensations and Delights" and "Dead". Exquisite arrangements and vocals, not to mention some nice fuzz. You'll start to climb until you've reached your peak! Another top review in my large list of favorite 60's albums!

In 1969 this album was issued, and had very little info as to who played on it, nor did it have little more than a song listing. Originally issued by White Whale, this reissue has some information and lots of notes. OF COURSE - THE MUSIC. This album is loaded with effects and, for the day, decent production. The album symbolizes life and death in a musical setting. Of note is the backwards tapes on "Fly" - a possible hit single (White Whale issued "Break of Dawn" as the single off of this LP). For collector's this is a must have.

This was one of those albums i held out on trying to locate in a store for YEARS, you know, the elusive album you just WANT to hunt for while rumbling through the stores. Well, i NEVER located it and said to myself, it is time to just go and get this album and see if it meets my expectations. I will say, considering the artist at the time of making this album was 15, this music is AMAZING. The album isn't a classic or anything but the music held within is something to enjoy and if you enjoy psych music ala Beatles style, this will suite you just fine.

If you are on the fence whether to go ahead and grab this album,then it is of my opinion to make the purchase. So many great albums went unnoticed during the sixties, it is nice when you can unearth a high quality piece of music worth giving many spins.

Truly deserving a reissue this lost "pysche" classic is worthy of the cult following it has garnered. I am so glad i stumbled upon this excellent mix of what sounds like at times mellow Radiohead some 30 years before their time written by a very talented 15 year old. It ofcourse has all the hippie and pyschedelic trappings or benefits as i consider them and is a time capsule of 67-68 but like the pretty things S.F sorrow it is well recorded arranged and very honest if not naive. I personally love all the 1967-68 recordings from the bands during this era and this is one that deserves to be heard along any other summer of love classic. Its a mix of orchestral pysche pop with some interesting sound effects backward guitars and upfront trippy vocals. One of the best unknown hard to find albums in my opinion.

Recommended you listen to this while tripping on anything from cough syrup to mushrooms to meditation and your little minds will be blown, like young J. Kaye's obviously was. It's hard for me to even believe that he was that young. However when you find out his mom's a professional jazz guitarist and he heard the Beatles before they hit big in america, skipping school at thirteen to listen to their records all during the first great psychedelic era (second one coming soon) it's actually plausable. "Fly" is the first track you will LOVE (reverse tape stuff, mind numbing lyrics) but actually the whole album is a conceptual piece spanning from birth to death, you'll really dig the whole thing.... Also of note is that this was reissued on vinyl, available at www.sundazed.com. viva analogue! cds are wretched!

I was quite satisfied with my purchase & the checkout experience. The first time I heard this album was the spring of 1972. It was absolutely appropriate then; Now, the same feeling comes back whenever I hear it...! I was very much surprised & impressed to have found such an obscure album in such a quick and simple way. It was obscure in 1972. It brings back lots of memories. I appreciate being able to access such obsure releases.

'What powers' at our fingertips! This album was magick then as it is now.

this is a wonderful album. what's really impressive is jay kaye was only FIFTEEN YEARS OLD when this incredible album was released. it is orchestral psych for the most part, with occasional horns. FLY really is the best track, but NOBODY, an arthur lee and love sounding song is also great. none of the songs on the album are embarassing or boring. it isn't perfect, but its definitely an overlooked gem of the era.

I first heard word of the track "Fly" in a review of Arf! Arf! Records' "A Heavy Dose of Lite Psych" compilation in Mojo magazine. The reviewer vowed that this track was worth the price of admission by itself, everything else was bonus. I was intrigued by the description of "what Radiohead may have sounded like in the Summer of Love". Receiving the compilation CD, I immediately listened to this track and completely fell in love with it. When I heard the album had been re-released, I jumped at the chance to buy it. I have to admit I set myself up for disappointment. The only other tracks that come close to comparing are "Land of Sensations and Delights" (little more than two minutes), "Christine" and "The Times". None of these tracks can match "Fly", however, and many of the others sound like Jay forgot to write the rest of the song (like the last track on side 1, "Nobody", if I remember correctly). It's still interesting, but I would not rate it as five stars. I'm hoping I'm not misled with Aerovons and Gandalf (both of which I'm getting ready to buy, and comparisons to the Beatles and the Zombies are enjolling me to buy these).