by THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (CBS, 1968)
Often cited as major influences to superior contemporary bands such as Stereolab and Broadcast, USA were indeed ahead of their time. Main-man Joe Byrd's experimental psych-rock arrangements are pierced by the searing vocals of Dorothy Moskowitz (sometimes treated through a synthesizer, in true Annette Peacock style). Essential B-Music tracks "Hard Coming Love" and "Coming Down" are up-tempo dancefloor classics. Other notable tracks include the dreamy string-laden "Love Song for the Dead Che" and "Cloud Song". Listen to "The American Metaphysical Circus" and you'll soon see how Portishead's "Half Day Closing" was conceived. Joe Byrd went on to produce another LP under the guise of "Joe Byrd and The Field Hippies", which includes the acid-rock stomper "Never Come Down". DT

GENESIS (Skye, 1969)
Square-looking sister duo Wendy and Bonnie Flower recorded their seminal psych-folk classic 'Genesis' in the immediate aftermath of the San Francisco's infamous Summer of Love. Wendy, the elder of the two, was only seventeen at time, whilst the younger Bonnie was a mere thirteen years old. Having performed together from a very early age, their first releases were made under the guise of 'Crystal Fountain'; Wendy taking care of lead vocals and guitar, with Bonnie on drums.

They signed to Cal Tjader's 'Skye' label, and began work on new material, covering some topical subject matter of the time in 'The Paisley Window Pane', as well as auto-biographical (?) songs about everyday life and love (which seemed suspiciously advanced for two girls in their adolescent years). Produced under the guidance of Gary McFarland and backed by some top-quality session musicians, 'Genesis' is awash with minor chords, Brazilian-esque guitars, swirling keyboards and gorgeous harmonies. The sisters deliver haunting sun-drenched folk classics, occasionally off-set to more upbeat funky-rock tracks such as 'Let Yourself Go Another Time'. For the real killer tracks head straight for the sophisticated coming-of-age love song 'Realized You' and the ethereal 'By The Sea'. 'The Paisley Window Pane' was also released as a single on Skye the same year. DT

by US69 (Buddah, 1968)
Erratic A&R strategies at the Buddah label saw Bill Durso's motley crew of Mexican banditos doing a Jekyll and Hyde act, appeasing both the psychedelic LP buying market under the name US69 and the bubblegum-pop Top 40 single market under the name the Mustard Family. The 45 of 'Yesterday's Folks' / 'African Sunshine' rarely crops up, but fans of spaced-out free folk-funk, such as 'Old Man Willow' by Elephant's Memory, and 'You Never Come Closer' by Swedish group Doris, have been clearing US bargain bins of the LP for the last five years searching for the craftily titled '2069 - A Space Oddity', and in turn needle-picking an array of funk-rock stompers and schlock-raga rhythms to keep discerning DJs and beat-freaks off the street and out of the site of the opposite sex for days. AV

A disposable French prog-pop record that sounds like a ready made hip-hop instrumental will always bode well with record collectors. Even the most dismissive of anti-rap, stuck-in-the-sixties, mod-til-I-drop vinyl vulture will not turn his beak up to obscure 70s LPs with fat beats and bass lines, even if they are quite simply in denial of hip hop culture's indelible impact on record collecting in the 21st Century.

In 2004, any illegitimate recording with a four-four rock beat at the beginning can find a ready made family home alongside surrogate brothers and sisters that span each and every musical lilt in a new hybrid genre. In many second hand record shops, the breaks section is a veritable smorgasbord with flavours of country, jazz, folk, soundtracks etc., etc., ETC.. At times you wonder whether any of these groups took a crystal ball into the studio providing the foresight to tag a sampler friendly kick-and-snare intro on LP tracks which will ensure a delayed boost of sales some 20 years down the line. The endless quest for our bakerlite beats has become the skeleton key to an musical open mind.

Euro-proggers have always been influenced by jazz music. Some of the very best French prog LPs draw distinct parallels with the likes of 'Soft Machine'. The great German band 'Embryo' recorded their best material with American jazz pianist Mal Waldron. On the other hand, there is also a handful of European bands who have clearly listened to too much 'Tower Of Power' or 'AWB'. If you are willing to put this cardinal sin to the back of your mind, then Zoo's debut outing is indeed a Prog-Rock masterpiece. Alongside 'System Crapoutchik', 'Triangle', 'Martin Circus' and 'Eden Rose', the band Zoo were an experimental French pop group who flirted with commercial success without comprimising their artistic integrity.

Comprising of over ten members, the aptly-titled track 'Mammoth' is a ten minute, bass driven metronomic underground instrumental classic with padded cell keyboard twinkles on tap. Some of the rhythms on this LP will induce any self respecting MC into Tourette's-like turmoil. The drums and erratic organ mechanics at the start of 'If You Lose Your Woman', is the kind of sample that transforms progressive rock in to progressive hiphop. With two follow up LPs for Eddie Barclay, the band found some commercial success in central europe with a catchy 45. Due to Zoo's mini magnitude, the rock family tree is too proud to prune. AV