Despite garnering great commercial rewards, Tommy James and the Shondells harbored a desire for more expressive modes of experimentation.

Fifty years ago, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s “Fire” had to be just about the coolest thing you’d ever seen – and for parents, probably one of the scariest.

Jack Bruce and Robin Trower’s ‘Seven Moons’ arrived a decade ago this month, proving there was still a place in this world for vintage-sounding psychedelic blues-rock.

Itching to do his own thing, Jimi Hendrix bassist Noel Redding formed Fat Mattress, which fused whimsical psychedelic pop with sunshine-spangled folk rock.

Sounding like nothing on the airwaves, or even in underground music circles, Drywater was either several years behind or a few years ahead of its time.

‘Get Dreamy’ is a little more than a curiosity for the Terje Rypdal freaks, fans of original psych-rock who hadn’t already discovered this obscure relic of its time will find much to trip over.

‘Psychedelic States: Florida in the ’60s Vol. 4’ focuses on teen garage rock sounds rather than the acid-drenched dementia its title suggests.

Jacco Gardner’s fine new second album ‘Hypnophobia’ channels the spirit of Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett circa 1967.

Merrell Fankhauser’s contributions to the music scene are priceless, and I’m thrilled to say his memoir is just as worthy.

Charlotte Kemp Muhl and Sean Lennon’s Ghost of A Saber Tooth Tiger offered a revealing cover tune during a stop at a New York City radio station.