Customer Reviews

West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band volume 1

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Sundazed Records deserves about 9 thousand gold stars for, if nothing else, the utter omprehensiveness of the reissues they've been orchestrating these past few years. So many other labels (Ryko, Rhino, etc.) will shamelessly skim a few choice session cuts off and then stick them on promo-only releases, to be sold by used record shops for ridiculous sums down the line...

In the case of the WCPAEB's "Volume One" it's a mixed (though never unsatisfying) blessing: they were kids, they were plonking away in their home studio, they just happened to know how to record it decently. So we get the complete (or very nearly so) recorded output of the pre-totally-dominated-by-Bob-Markley band: a handful of covers (Dylan, The Left Banke, The Kinks, and a version of "Louie, Louie" so utterly straightforward and charming I've come to prefer it even to Julie London's sultry take on that wizened frat standard), a handful of instrumental and/or sketched versions of what would later become WCPAEB standards (compare this version of "I Won't Hurt You" with the heartbeat-percussioned later version on the first Reprise album), and a few examples of Markley's lyrics as they were beginning to bacterially colonize the fledgling group's pieces ("Don't Let Anything Stand In Your Way" especially).

Markley, by the way, gets a much harsher and subjective rogering in the liner notes than should be the case -- if you like the band, go seek out the two consecutive issues of Ptolemaic Terrascope (from late '98 and early '99) which tell the band's absolutely bizarre story in much broader and more revealing detail. And by all means, until someone sees fit to give us a decent re-ish of the five "proper" (ha!) WCPAEB albums, get ye hence and seek thyself out copies of the 2 illegit British CDs on which the 4 WCPAEB albums succeeding this one have been reintroduced to the ungrateful public (and count your lucky chickens if you know someone with a copy of "Markley: A Group")...

Like so many other 60s psych bands, their story is in some ways far, far stranger than the music they managed to record and release -- a fact which calls for the unleashing of a heavily-annotated 4-CD box set of all their heard and unheard music (lord knows what sits growing oxide mold down there in the Reprise vaults) -- Rhino Handmade perhaps? -- for the 17 or 18 of us who would actually purchase the thing. Until that sunny day, however, this'll do your ears fine...

This is the first legitimate reissue of the absurdly rare debut LP the WCPAEB made for the FIFO label in the mid sixties. The band were put together by Michael Lloyd, Shaun & Danny Harris and included Bob Markley. The latter was somewhat older than the others (30-ish) and had a mysterious role explained in the copious liner notes. The LP probally had fewer than a thousand pressings and was never distributed and consequently was nearly forgotten.

The group subsequently signed with Reprise where they made their reputation with three brilliant LPs (Part One, Volume 2:Breaking Through, Voume III: A Child's Guide To Good And Evil) that are regarded as Psychedelic landmarks. Two further LPs were made (Vol IV: Where's My Daddy, Markley: A Group) with similar personnel, the last credited to Bob Markley solo.

In their day, however, they were written off as Bandwagon jumpers, and it was only because of a reputation amongst collectors in Europe that their music was re-evaluated. Word of mouth told of a Legendary Unreleased Album, which was partly fulfilled when Raspberry Sawfly released an album with the same title in the early 80s. Consisting of most of the FIFI LP it also added three other tracks. Next Edsel released a Best Of. Finally in the 90s saw the bootleg relissue of most of their catalogue.

This CD then contains all of the FIFO LP (plus the three Legendary bonuses)and a host of other unreleased tracks. In truth the album is a mixed bag,containing many covers plus two tracks they subsequently re-recorded for Reprise. The sound is Garage but nevertheless compelling. The paradox today is that the WCPAEB's rarest LP is the only one legitimately available.

If you've not heard the WCPAEB before, try to find A Child's Guide first, but if you know them and love them then buy this CD.

This album is an interesting early effort, but lacks the polish of WCPAEB's later releases. I really wish someone would put them out on CD!!

I bought this when it came out because I'm a big fan of the West Coast Pop Experimental Band Major Label releases
Vol 1, 2 & 3
When I listened to this sits not very Psychedelic at all and it really sounds almost like a whole other band
I don't know a bigger fan of this band then me I have all their stuff on CD and record but this is really not worth bothering with.

No sophistication here! Down to earth garage rock - not unlike Standells or early Paul Revere.

The is a reissue of their rare 1966 Fifi album. Production very cheap, but lots of raw energy.

Well known favorites like "Something You Got", "Louie Louie", "You Really Got Me", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" and "She Belongs to Me"

Mixed with fine originals of more melodic such as "Don't Let Anything Stand in Your Way", "I Won't Hurt You" ( Buddy Holly inspired ) and "Sassafras"


Interesting versions of Left Banke's "She Must Call You Up Tonight"

The bonus tracks are generally in poorer sound quality, "Chimes of Freedom" fine and heartfelt.

My Favorite tracks are "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", the Buddy Holly inspred "I Won't Hurt You" and "She May Call You Up Tonight"