Ten Obscure Rock Albums

That Expanded my Mind

by Anthony Servante

1. Demian 1971

When I first heard the band Demian, I didn't know they were called Bubble Puppy before. It didn't matter. Their crisp guitar work and catchy melodies ushered in the 1970s with a Rock sound that opened the door for bands like Journey and Boston. Their debut album as Demian, Face the Crowd, reworked some of Bubble Puppy's songs by adding some better production and tougher edge to the soft rock sound of the former band. Sadly, this lineup of the band lasted only through 1971. Still, for me, it's this band showed me that 70s Rock was only just beginning. 

2. Ram 1972

RAM was the last great Psychedelic Rock album. The song Aza was a 20 minute epic piece of music that played with soundscapes, eerie synthesizers, sudden bursts of raunchy guitar-work, and haunting vocals. When I was a DJ at the college radio station, I played this song for the campus. It received equal amounts of cheers and moans. But I didn't care. This music was something new in the Psychedelic Rock realm, and I couldn't wait for their tour and next album. Too bad the band broke up and neither tour nor lp happened. I highly recommend this one to Space Rock fans. 

3. Mad River 1968

Mad River was Psychedelic Rock at its finest and at the heyday of the genre. The songs ranged from five minutes to twelve minutes and incorporated sound effects that added layers to the haunting melodies and trippy beats. Singer/songwriter Lawrence Hammond abandoned the Rock sound in 1969 in favor of a Country style in the tradition of bands like Poco, which sent the band members scattering into other groups such as Country Joe and the Fish and Jefferson Airplane. But their first album, the self-titled Mad River, impressed me in 1968 with its new form of Psychedelic music that I've never heard again till this day. 

4. Touch 1969

Remember that song, Louie, Louie by The Kingsmen? Well, the young keyboardist, Don Gallucci, was fired from the band because he was too young to tour. Coliseum Records signed him, and he formed the band Touch. Legend has it that Mick Jagger and Jimi Hendrix sat in on the studio sessions to watch the band record. And that's the story behind the album. I'll never know the fact from fiction. What I do know is that unmistakable keyboard style of Gallucci is used to full effect on this epic Psych Rock recording that blends technical sound with talented musicianship. The songs soar with catchy riffs, and in the masterpiece "Seventy Five", you'll never forget when the vocal scream turns into a guitar solo. Too far ahead of its time for Prog Rock, but that's what makes it Prog Rock. 

5. Good Thunder 1972

I never knew if the band's name was Good Thunder or Goodthunder, and the internet doesn't seem to know the difference either. So, I'll go with my first impression: Goodthunder. This band is just damn good Rock. And the whole album plays as if it were one long song instead of the eight tracks we get. To me, it Heavy Pop Rock, although I've seen Prog Rock and Psych Rock online. Wrong. These are catchy tunes that'll stick in you head and follow you around for the rest of your lives. I know. They've been living in my skull since 1972. And we're very happy to have them here. 

6. Black Widow 1970

When I was a DJ, I played this album a lot. Listeners would always drop by the station to ask if this was a new Jethro Tull album. After I'd tell them it was a band called Black Widow, they seemed disappointed with the answer. Many were put off by the satanic lyrics, but people didn't realize it was all part of the live show, you know, like Alice Cooper used to do. The music is a fusion of Jazz, Psych, and Prog Rock. If that mix of rock sounds good to you, then forgive the lyrics and enjoy this sound that still stands the test of time. 

7. Tranquility 1972

The Art Rock band, Tranquility, opened for Uriah Heep. The audience booed them, but they kept on playing. "Art Rock" was something new at the time. Bands like Roxy Music were still inventing it. But Tranquility had a firm grasp of the sound. I understand that they are more popular now than in their own time, but that's par for the course with bands like these, you know, trendsetters. This is a sound that must be experienced to be appreciated. No description can do it justice. I'd say it's a cross between Queen and Art in America, two other bands who redefined Rock. 

8. Fat Mattress 1969

I followed Noel Redding's career from the Jimi Hendrix Experience to Mountain, and all the way to Fat Mattress. He parted ways with Hendrix when he wanted to include more of his music to the Experience mix, but that didn't happen. So, Redding added his blend of music to Leslie West's band for a bit, then to The Noel Redding Band, and finally to Fat Mattress. Again, we have a mix of Prog and Psych Rock, but with a touch of Folk Rock. I was sad that the Redding sound never found its place in Rock, but Fat Mattress is the closest, I feel, he's ever gotten to getting it the way he wanted it heard. 

9. Red Weather 1969

If you like Blue Cheer, and who doesn't, then you recognize the name Leigh Stephens, lead guitarist for the band. He went off on his own to create his solo work, Red Weather, a toned down version of Blue Cheer that relies more on earthy blues with electric guitar. That Hard Rock sound is still there, but more laid back, like Led Zeppelin blues ("When the Levee Breaks" comes to mind). Some of the more stand-out songs from the album for me are Joannie Man and Red Weather, but the whole album rocks. 

10. Quintessence 1969

What can I say about a band that combines Hare Krishna chants with three roaring guitars, a flute, power drumming, and a live show that's been compared to the Grateful Dead's epic improvisations onstage and Pink Floyd's intricate arrangements in the studio. Quintessence wore their religion on their sleeve and let their Prog Rock speak for itself. With the advent of YouTube, more Quintessence live material is finding its way to fans, but even if you just listen to the studio work, you'll be blown away by the majestic vocals and hard-hitting guitar work. Yes, even the Hare Krishna pieces are catchy enough to sing along with while you play your air guitar during those edgy solos.