1969 UK psychedelic folk/rock with female vocals and trippy guitars.

Introduction

The Axe wailed into existance in 1968, initially playing psychedelic rock heavily influenced by the US West-Coast movement. By 1969 they had undergone severe changes losing a “Great Society” style saxophonist and introducting heavier and more idosyncratic material into their live set. Having attracted critical acclaim during their many concerts (which included supports for FREE an THE WHO) at the end of ‘69 they entered Beck Studios of Northamptom to record a demo-disk. The dozen or so 10” acetates (+ at least one 12”) they were subsequently presented with were given to the band members and sent to Radio Stations for promotional purposes. The acetate captured their potential to fine effect, only marred by a mix that buries some exceptional guitar leads and a blasphemous fade on the originally 10 minute “Here to There”. The original master tapes being lost, this LP has been pieced togheter from three surviving acetates and some out-take material, partially reconstructing what must have been an astonishing studio set.

It is an engaging LP, with vocals that slice through curved air with an echo of the lost carol of harvest, and dangerous offerings of distortion writhing as hell-borne Toad-Beasts to earthly planes from sulphorous spawning grounds. Note also the exceptional drumming, particularly during the awesome out-take “AHINAM II”.