Album Details

• Artist: Various Artists
• Album: Creative Outlaws:u.s. Underground 1962-1970
• Label: TRikont
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2007-07-04

What I like about this set is that it doesn’t try to prove itself cooler than the era it celebrates; a lot of anthologies mine the depths for obscure tracks that only the really cool were into back in the day. While there is the obscure here, represented by Pearls Before Swine, Exuma and West Coaxt Pop Art Experimental Band, what was one the tip of one’s tongue in that decade–pardon the acid reference–still packs a wallop.

We may all more than know by now how Hendrix, Stooges, Blue Cheer, Grace Slick, The Fugs, Godz, Beefheart, Chambers Brothers–all included here with tunes you might more or less expect to be anthologized–formed some of the bedrock for all sounds post-them, however low record sales were for ‘em in 1969. Is it possible, if you have a heart, to ever get tired of "Time Has Come Today," "Summertime Blues," or Jimi’s National Anthem? Sometimes it is nice to remember an era where even the more known bands were shocking, and still are. 1977 also comes to mind. You don’t really have to dig too deep to find truth, if you are digging up a time that tried to be honest.

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