Ellison, “Strawberry Rain,” Forge Your Own Chains: Heavy Psychedelic Ballads and Dirges 1968-1974 (Now-Again, 2009)
The last few years have seen a number of terrific compilations coming on the market. The window seems to have been opened, and the comp has taken on new relevance — a hard-copy Playlist in an otherwise download world. Well-curated, these comps can pull together a coherent picture of a style or subject, culling from rarities that generally have been available to only a few.
Forge Your Own Chains, released late last year, is a great example of a comp working well. The fantastic booklet, well-illustrated, well-researched and well-written is worth the price of admission alone. Ellison was a Canadian band from Montreal and this is their debut track! Not a bad way to get going. Released in 1971, it’s a psych blend of Beatles, Alice Cooper and Grand Funk Railroad, as described in the liner-notes. I don’t want to say much. I recommend you head out and buy this comp. Fifteen tracks of bliss.
The Baby Grandmothers’ track, “Somebody Keeps Calling My Name,” has previously appeared on Hallock Hill here.
Tracklist:
1. Top Drawer “Song of a Sinner” 8:44
2. Sensational Saints “How Great Thou Art” 3:35
3. East of Underground “Smiling Faces Sometimes” 6:27
4. D.R. Hooker “Forge Your Own Chains” 4:45
5. Shin Jung Hyun and the Men feat. Jang Hyun “Twilight” 5:40
6. T. Zchiew and The Johnny “Let Yourself Be Free” 3:46
7. The Strangers “Two To Make A Pair” 2:52
8. Damon “Don’t You Feel Me” 2:36
9. Ellison “Strawberry Rain” 5:33
10. Morly Grey “Who Can I Say You Are” 3:45
11. Shadrack Chameleon “Don’t Let It Get You Down” 4:44
12. Ofege “It’s Not Easy” 4:25
13. Ana Y Jaime “Nina Nana” 3:18
14. Kourosh Yaghmaei “Hajm-e Khaali” 2:42
15. Baby Grandmothers “Somebody’s Calling My Name” 9:13
