(Psychedelic / Garage 60's) VA - A Forest Of Gold Tops: 26 Tabs From The Semiconscious Sixties - 1997, MP3 (tracks), CBR 320 kbps

In the same vein as the splendid No. 8 Wire and Ugly Things Vol. 4, these two CDs present a selection of freakbeat and psychedelicacies from the lands downunder. Most of these tracks are previously uncomped, or at least not well-circulated, and it's astonishing just how high the standard is - easily equalling the best Brit raves on Rubble and Chocolate Soup.
A Forest of Gold Tops is top-notch from start to finish, highlighted by four tracks by John Jones' superb post-Missing Links psychedelic venture the Wright of Waye. "You Can't Do It Alone" in particular is a killer freakbeat track, but it's surpassed in sheer hallucinogenic intensity by the psychedelic "Sun God".
Other greatness abounds, including a fab two-sider by James Taylor Move: "And I Hear the Fire Sing" is Hendrix on Vegemite, while "Still I Can Go On" is a cool Eastern droner. Clapham Junction apparently ain't from Clapham (mate), but their "Emily on A Sunday" is as English as tea and crumpets, a powerchord smashing pop song midway between The Who and John's Children.
Another highlight amongst the many is Mike Furber's "Watch Me Burn", which sweats with a desperation that's almost scary, especially in light of the singer's subsequent suicide; it was written by Harry Vanda and George Young of the Easybeats. At the other end of the emotional Richter scale, Peter Best's "Carousel of Love" is a sweet, upbeat pop-psych cut, and another winner. My only complaint, in fact: a lack of substantive liner notes.
This oversight was corrected for the equally desirable second volume, Datura Dreamtime. The Twilights provide three of the 25 tracks here, all taken from their excellent but scarce '68 LP Once Upon A Twilight - all are superbly executed beat/pop-psych originals. Mike Furber makes a return appearance, this time with "I'm On Fire", another great Vanda/Young track following up on the conflagration theme of its companion (hear the Easybeats superior version on The Shame Just Drained). Adelaide's Glass Web provide "Two Faced Woman" and "In A Year or So", some savage freakery in a similar bag to the early Master Apprentices (anyone got a copy of this 45 they wanna part with?).
In another highlight, Muszak deliver a searing organ-driven psych epic with "Writing Letters to Nowhere". HMS Buffalo try to reach the similar heights of majestic trippiness on "Inside Looking Out" (not the Animals song) but are sabotaged by a weak, straining lead vocal.
Meanwhile The Jet Set's "Now I Love You" combines freakbeat fuzz overdrive with some harmonic DC5ish chanting and crunching, and throws a hot organ break into the bargain, and The Limit provide another catchy standout with the uptempo "Happy Life". Those looking for something a bit more laidback won't be disappointed either, Allison Gros' "Naturally" is a brilliant harmony pop number coloured by some shimmering sitar glissandos.
The Dave Miller Set's "Why Why Why" has been on a few other comps, and doesn't come close to Fang & the Raiders original recording; the same goes for Zoot's job of Tomorrow's "Three Jolly Little Dwarfs", but The Chocolate do Eric Burdon proud on "I'm An Animal". Peter Wright also looks to the Animals, borrowing a lick or two from "Don't Bring Me Down" for the great "House of Bamboo".
Overall it's a shade less consistent than the first volume, but Datura Dreamtime is still one of the better comps to make my acquaintance this year.
- Mike Stax (Originally published in Ugly Things #18, 2000)