1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die - #72. The 13th Floor Elevators - Psychadelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (1966)

The 13th Floor Elevators - Psychadelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (1966)

Label – International Artists
Producer – Lelan Rogers
Art Direction – John Cleveland
Nationality - USA
Running Time – 35:43

Track Listing (standout tracks listed in bold)

1. You're Gonna Miss Me
2. Rollercoaster
3. Splash 1
4. Reverberation (Doubt)
5. Don't Fall Down
6. Fire Engine
7. Thru The Rhythm
8. You Don't Know
9. Kingdom Of Heaven
10. Monkey Island
11. Tried To Hide

I admit, as I have had to several times already reviewing these records, I had never heard of much less heard the 13th Floor Elevators. Believe me, I hadn’t missed anything. A track or two of inventive psychedelic rock is one thing. A whole record that seemed WAY longer than 35 minutes is just way WAY too much!
This was the groups debut. There are just too many twists of the melodies and down right psychobabble lyrics make it sound like these are just acid trips set to music. And you know – that’s probably exactly what they were trying to achieve. The REAL birth of acid rock is in the grooves of this record. It’s just not any good. The mix is bad as well. The Elevators sound like they are at the bottom of a well for the whole album.
Singer Roky Erickson's vocals are strong and mixed up high in the mix, and one wonders what he could do with some real songs of substance instead of these non melodic pointless meanderings.
It is not recommended.


You can purchase the CD here.

Neal Schon from Journey is 55; Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden is 52; Johnny Van Zant from Lynyrd Skynyrd is 49; Mike Cross from Sponge is 44;

ON THIS DATE
1977 Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones is arrested in Toronto for heroin, cocaine and narcotics paraphernalia. Police believe his intentions are to traffic the drugs. He grtd off with a fine and community service.
1980 At the Grammys: Billy Joel - 52nd Street Best Pop Vocal Performance and Album of the Year
2002 At the Grammys: U2 - Best Rock Album for All That You Can’t Leave Behind, Record of the Year “Walk On”, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group “Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of”, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group “Elevation”.

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