Reviews (page 4 of 8)
1. Flying High - 7 Solid sound with great guitars on it. Lyrically it's enjoyable. Overall a solid track with a lot to enjoy. 2. Not So Sweet Martha Loraine - 5 Sounds like a budget Beatles. Instrumentally in the verses the song is too simple. Makes the track grow very stale very quickly. 3. Death Sound Blues - 10 Brilliant blues track. Guitar sounds brilliant on it. The maracas on the track also add so much flavour to it. Vocally and lyrically fantastic. Super listen. 4. Happiness Is a Porpoise Mouth - 3 Aside from the albeit extremely brief guitar solo in the middle of the track, it is way too monotonous to enjoy. The song is under three minutes but still moves at way too strained a pace to really get into it. 5. Section 43 - 5 Not a bad track but a bit dry. Sounds like the theme tune to a country-styled town in a Final Fantasy game. Not that memorable. 6. Super Bird - 9 Brilliant track. Really fun lyrics and instrumentally it's just as fun. Just a superb listen. 7. Sad And Lonely Times - 2 It's just a boring track. Lyrically it's not inspiring and the instruments return to the type of country/bluegrass sound on the album that isn't as enjoyable as the rock and roll that is. 8. Love - 4 More like a James Brown track than anything else. It's not bad but it's very cookie cutter in terms of its composition. 9. Bass Strings - 5 Decent slow track with good vocals. Lyrically it's a bit too... a bit too odd for my liking but still a decent sounding track. 10. The Masked Marauder - 0 Awful track. The lyrics are literally just "la la la" for three minutes without any good guitar solos or anything to make up for it. 11. Grace - 3 Bit of a lullaby. Slow, long, and can put you to sleep. Average Rating: 4.81 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.41 Rounded Down: 2 Stars
drugs
This sounded very much as the title suggests. A mish-mash of sixties musical styles (rock, psychedelia, Americana, folk), fuelled by a mish-mash of substances, I suspect. Nothing really stood out.
Trippy. This would normally fall way under my radar. I enjoyed it first thing with endless mugs of hot tea. I suspect it be even better with something a little stronger.
***An ok album, mostly easy listening.
bah.
Sicher gut gemeint, damals.
Decent album
6/10
Very good psych rock record. I enjoyed it immensely
Maybe unfair to this album, but it is the third prog rock album in three days and I am done with this genre.
Perfectly decent, but not too memorable.
Fine country album. One melody was stufk in my head all day after.
This was a 4 for awhile, then got too jam bandt for me. But there are some really neat parts here. 3/5
Definitely east to listen to and enjoyable. 3.5/5
Pretty good example of psychedelic rock. 2.5
Mira, es un disco psicodélico que pasa bastante bien.
A pretty good album, I liked Flying High, Super Bird and Bass Strings the most.
I listened to this album on a road trip and about 3 hours later promptly forgot everything this album had to offer. 2/5.
Dated silly hippy stiff. Not a good album.
Это очень крутой и хороший психоделик рок альбом, который вот я прям заценил
Don't love this type of psychedelia, but I did like how some of this sounded. Some are too meandering and slow for me, but I liked the general instrumentation and needly solos. 2.5/3
Generic hippie pop which as I get older I have very little patience for. 2/5
I've never really listened to these guys, but I found them really entertaining in a similar way that Louis Prima was -- not really connecting personally but still fun to have on while driving or making lunch.
This felt like a deep cut from a genre that has been swallowed up by the paragons that moved in a hundred different directions (Hendrix, Pink Floyd, etc) and the bands that mined every ounce of psychedelia until it was stripped clean of meaning (looking at you, Grateful Dead.) There were moments here or there where I perked up ("Death Sound" chief among them) but mostly it failed to hold my attention. I imagine a completist of the genre -- or maybe someone who grew up with this -- would find more to like here.
4.5/10
It's OK. Very 60s. Pyschedelic Folk. Not bad, but not my thing.
I didn't really like this. I think I could smell the band through my phone. It was just too much hippie.
Trippy at times but felt a little derivative. Especially at points when it was more improvisation.
I don’t remember what this sounded like
Keyboard sounds great on this Ironically the more psychedelic sounding songs were the ones I liked the least, maybe I shouldve dropped some acid beforehand and it would've clicked a bit more Definitely appreciate the folkiness of the album though
This reminds me a lot of early 60s Zappa/Mothers psych music. Cool sound.
Probably be a 4 if I still got high, but a pretty solid 3. I would probably pick up a cheap vinyl of it.
This album’s title and artwork would be hard-pressed to become more apt for the music they describe - listening to this is like a modern(ish) version of a victorian fair: ‘roll up, roll up! Country Joe and his extraordinary Fish band display a delightful array of... ELECTRIC music!’ It’s of course not just this, there’s an overlaid sense of mid-to-late sixties psychedelia and ‘San Francisco Sound’ to it all, with largely varying track times to hammer that feeling home of an A and B side, even if like me you’re listening through uninterrupted on streaming or a CD. But yeah, it’s another of those 60s American psychedelic rock albums. I can’t imagine anyone who thought this was just ‘nice’ on release would hold on to it once the genre and rock as a whole amped up a notch in the years following. But again with these earlier psychedelic releases, the following output wouldn’t have been possible without something to bounce off.
Not for me
Sweet psychedelic rock from San Fran. Absolutely love.
- it's ok .... another "not sure why it's on the list" album .... sure it's of its time but it's just not that good & they're were so many better psych records out there .... -
Meh
has its moments i guess
Boomer slop
lidt for stenet til at jeg virkelig blev vildt med det, men det lyder godt
Rammer ikke rigtig for mig selvom det var et sjovt lyt som er ret distinkt fra resten af de 60er psych plader vi har hørt. Jeg tror bare ikke helt jeg synes lyden passer til det blues de spiller.
Felt like I was on acid and LSD while listening to this. The latter parts of each sides were best.
Meh
Siistiä psykedeelistä rokkia. Vie kyllä hiukan hypnoottisiin tiloihin. Parhaat: Porpoise Mouth, Section 43, Bass Strings
Groovy start, not country for sure. Feels like a more electric version of what I imagine the beatles sounds like. Sweet guitar licks, decent vocals, crazy synth. Kind of bluesy by the third song. Some strange electronic in the middle. Good ol classic rock to round out the back end...lmao nevermind, shit weird
This was pretty good. The electronic organ (I think?) reminds me a bit of the Zombies and Doors, it really has that mid 60s psychedelic sound. There's some nicely textured songs here, as I write Bass Strings is a good example, the guitar sounds like it's being played in a metal bucket or something. Quite cool
If I were a child of the 60s this record might be up there next to Cream, The Animals, The Zombies... But I was not a child of the 60s, and maybe that's why I'd never even heard of this project before. I wasn't expecting to be impressed, I was expecting a fuzzy mess of individuals who liked to have a blast with their instruments. Everything felt bigger than that. Calculated freedom from beginning to end, and not just the musicianship, but the overall production. It must be an absolute blast to listen to this with a quality set of headphones. It does sound dated, it's a classic sound. It's very psychedelic, progressive, and solo-forward. Think, Tool goes back in time to influence The Beatles. 3.6/5
Not for me - too much clicking, dinging, and rambling along. 2/5
Not the electric i was thinking of but pleased nonetheless
Much more interesting than the title lets on. I have my suspicions that this "Country Joe" is not a fish.
im sure they were all having a lovely time
One of the albums of all time
I know their Woodstock performance well but have never heard an album. Apparently I wasn’t missing much
Death Sound // The Masked Marauder //
Country Joe had a bigger affinity for keys than I would’ve imagined (2.5/5)
I really fell into a groove with this album. And the album moves along pretty fast because of it. Even though some aod the songs are longer, I hardly noticed.
Inte min grej, för mycket drog-vibes, fick typ ångest
Good album sometimes IT sounds pretty dated but other than that really Nice groovy music that i personaly like
Favorite Track: Death Sound
An absolute ordeal.
Lejos de lo mejor de 1967, pero merecen la pena.
- ganz launig eigentlich (nicht du Section 43) - außerdem kurzweilig - trotzdem werde ich es wohl nie wieder hören 2-3/5
3.5 rounded up. kinda all the same, some songs were kinda annoying, but it was still a good vibe
This was a bit too noisy and all over the place for me. The production style was raw and not well polished. At times this comes across as charming, at other times it is just busy
If I say “psychedelic blues rock from 1967”, this is what should come to mind. It sounds exactly like the description, and does a solid job of being just that. There are very strong moments in this album, and some that are borderline annoying.
Crazy World of Arthur Brown better be on here cuz it’s tons better than this.
Likely wouldn't relisten, but can appreciate its influence and place in time. Woodstock and all that. Low on the spectrum of 3 stars. Probably great if you're on LSD and/or enjoy ASMR whisperings about LSD.
miðlungs kaliforníu hipparokk. mögulega með þeim fyrstu en óeftirminnilegt. þarf ekki meira.
Solid bluesy record with a bit of a psychedlic touch. Listenable but also a bit middle of the road. Not bad, Not great just solid.
I always thought these guys were a punchline from Woodstock but I enjoyed this quite a bit. Surprised me with how much it reminded me of the Doors.
Endured rather than enjoyed.
Enjoyed this more than i expected
I need some acid to make this worthwhile, but Section 43 was my highlight of the album
I'm sure this would be better if I was high.
To give this album the benefit of the doubt, maybe it was so influential, everyone else ripped it off and that’s why it sounds like generic psychedelic rock today. If that is the case though, the people copying them had better tunes.
This was fine - some good songs but felt very of its time. I hear Beatles, doors, Dylan in here but not as timeless.
Le désintéressement total du chanteur rend la chose vraiment moins intéressante, un peu pénible. Je pense que ça pourrait être infiniment meilleur sans son chant pathétique qui rend le tout très plat.
Love the band name
Not bad, but not noteworthy at all
Late 60's Psychedelic Rock. Whatever you imagined in your head when you read that is exactly how this album sounds. I'm not a fan of the genre, so it didn't do much for me. It wasn't unpleasant I guess. 2 Stars.
LMAO they didn't like LBJ I guess
Not my thing. I'm sure it was important, but it doesn't hold up for me.
Sympatoche
I tried. Never been a fan. Still not a fan.
Groovy. But not really my thing.
You know - I didn't expect much here. Not my aesthetic. But this helped me understand the SF scene a little better. It's like a roux, a skeleton key. Some blues. Some country. Some rock (a dash). Some folk. Some drugs. I liked it enough to listen a second time. Round two was the mono reissues. So much better. Stereo allowed thing to be weirder - sure. But the music becomes so thin - a problem for many albums in the mid to late 60s that went full stereo. The mono version allows more rock to shine through. It tightens things up. I would say it's transformative. Still pretty out there. 3.5 stars.
This one feels like one you need to be on acid to get. I was not.
just dead plain Jane middle of the road sounds very generic and fine as background music but could not see wanting to actively listening to it.
Haven't heard of them before. Can't say I was very excited listening to the album but it had some interesting moments and it definitely wasn't your "yet another copy of the Beatles" album. The guys really tried to be a bit edgy 2/5
zzzzzzZZZZZZZ
Another middling psych rock album. Not bad, not great. Porpoise Mouth
Sick psychedelic
eh
Man.. I really hate psychedelic rock
Fine. Moderately groovy, occasionally boring. This album probably sounded revolutionary when it was released, but now it reminds me of those fake bands in tv or movies where studio musicians are tasked with hippiness.
You know, it was better than I thought, but that’s not giving it much. Fairly basic white guy sixties blues rip offs. There were moments of inspiration but few and far between.
This was alright. It had some nice stuff and some stuff I wasn’t as into.
It's an OK album. Some parts remind me of the doors (organ). One track reminds me of CCR ("Love" for the vocals, though the vocals are different on other tracks). It definitely has a bluesy bent.
Maybe, really, just a 3 star album, but feeling generous and happy to hear some psychedelic rock that isn't the same three Jefferson Airplane or Doors songs. That said, there are a few unintentionally humorous moments, like the singer whispering "L... S... D..." repeatedly at the end of one song.
Compared to some of the other psychedelic rock on this list, this wasn't bad. Can understand how this might have seemed groundbreaking once upon a time, but mostly sounds like a quaint throwback now.
Favorite songs: Love, Super Bird, Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine, Flying High, Death Sound Least favorite songs: Section 43, Bass Strings, Grace 3/5
This would have been a 4, but there is an annoying dripping noise in the background of one track that made it unlistenable.
Un clásico del rock psicodélico/acid rock temprano, lanzado el mismo año que el Sgt. Pepper's. Obviamente no tan innovador como este, siendo la mayoría de los temas básicamente blues con mucha reverberación. Pero la cosa no queda ahí. También hay temas muy innovadores, más experimentales y atmosféricos, en los que dominan la armónica y, sobre todo, el órgano (a veces recuerda a The Doors), y en los que la guitarra se vuelve más interesante. Section 43, un tema complejo de muchas capas, demuestra especialmente el talento y la creatividad de Country Joe McDonald. Un álbum muy bueno, y una piedra angular del movimiento hippie de finales de los 60, merecedor de formar parte de esta lista.
Hippie Dippie ok.
It's fine, nothing special
Blind album and artist. Definitely feel the psychadelia but not my general interest for this older stuff. Cool Grace Slick got a song though.
Not terrible psychedelic rock, but I've heard better. I've been giving a lot of 3's lately, but there's just been some run of the mill stuff that's not terrible, but didn't blow me away. 3/5
A pretty plain 60's Psych record with lots of electric guitar, electric organ, and 60's shit. It was alright, but it didn't leave an impression
Really enjoyed this one. Classic/Origins of psychedelic music out of NorCal in the late 60's. All the songs worked and didn't feel over the top or out of place.
Plonger dans "Electric Music for the Mind and Body", le premier album de Country Joe & The Fish, c'est comme ouvrir une capsule temporelle directement issue de l'épicentre du "Summer of Love" de 1967. L'objet est fascinant, historiquement crucial et il suinte l'acide et la révolte par chaque sillon. C'est un document sonore, brut, audacieux et sans compromis de la contre-culture de San Francisco. Pour comprendre cet album, il faut d'abord saisir son contexte. En 1967, le rock psychédélique n'en est qu'à ses balbutiements. Des groupes comme Jefferson Airplane ou Grateful Dead exploraient de nouvelles frontières sonores, mais Country Joe & The Fish y ajoutèrent une dimension politique frontale et acerbe qui leur était propre. Le nom même du groupe – une référence à Staline ("Country Joe") et à une citation de Mao Zedong sur le révolutionnaire se mouvant "comme un poisson dans l'eau" ("The Fish") – annonçait la couleur. Cet album n'était pas seulement une invitation au voyage psychédélique, c'était aussi un pamphlet anti-guerre du Vietnam, une critique virulente de la société américaine. C'est dans cette audace que réside la première grande qualité de l'œuvre. Là où d'autres enrobaient leur message dans des métaphores florales, Country Joe McDonald le livrait avec une voix nasillarde et un sarcasme mordant. Musicalement, l'album contient des pièces de bravoure qui justifient à elles seules son statut de classique. Le morceau le plus accessible et sans doute le plus brillant est "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine". Avec son riff de guitare carillonnant, presque baroque, et sa structure pop psychédélique relativement concise, c'est un single parfait. Il capture l'essence du son de la côte Ouest tout en y injectant une étrangeté et une tension qui le rendent unique. C'est l'un de ces "bons morceaux" qui accrochent immédiatement l'oreille et démontrent le potentiel mélodique du groupe. À l'autre bout du spectre se trouve "Section 43", la pièce maîtresse expérimentale de l'album. Cette longue suite instrumentale est une véritable plongée dans l'inconnu, un "trip" sonore qui emmène l'auditeur à travers des paysages changeants. Des guitares fuzz tourbillonnantes, un orgue fantomatique qui semble dialoguer avec des esprits, des changements de rythme abrupts... C'est l'incarnation même de "l'acid rock". D'autres titres parviennent également à tirer leur épingle du jeu. "Flying High" est un rock plus direct et énergique, tandis que "Grace", hommage à Grace Slick de Jefferson Airplane, déploie une atmosphère plus planante et contemplative. Ces chansons montrent que le groupe, lorsqu'il canalise son énergie, est capable de produire des moments de pur génie psychédélique. Malheureusement, pour chaque "Martha Lorraine", il y a un morceau qui semble s'étirer sans but, une jam session qui sonne plus comme une répétition enregistrée à la hâte qu'une composition achevée. L'expérimentation est une chose, mais elle frôle ici parfois l'auto-indulgence. Le groupe semble tellement épris de sa propre liberté qu'il en oublie parfois de construire une chanson. Mais presque 60 ans après, le son si révolutionnaire à l'époque, devient un obstacle aujourd'hui. La production est brute, presque abrasive, et la voix de Joe McDonald, si distinctive et parfaite pour porter le message politique, devient lassante sur la durée. Son ton caustique et son timbre particulier manquent de la chaleur ou de la puissance mélodique d'autres chanteurs de l'époque. Enfin, l'album souffre d'un certain manque de cohésion. Il oscille constamment entre le folk contestataire, le blues électrique, la pop psychédélique et les délires avant-gardistes. Si cette diversité est intéressante sur le papier, elle donne à l'ensemble une allure de compilation, de collection d'idées jetées sur bande, plutôt que d'un album au flux naturel et cohérent. On passe d'une ballade presque folk à une explosion de fuzz sans transition, ce qui rend l'écoute fragmentée et fatigante. En conclusion, "Electric Music for the Mind and Body" est une œuvre paradoxale. C'est un pilier fondamental du rock psychédélique et un témoignage inestimable de l'effervescence politique et culturelle de 1967. Son influence est indéniable, et ses meilleurs moments sont absolument brillants, visionnaires et chargés d'une énergie brute qui a rarement été égalée. Pour tout historien du rock ou pour tout amateur de psychédélisme pur et dur, son écoute est indispensable. Cependant, en tant qu'album à écouter pour le simple plaisir, il révèle ses faiblesses. Son caractère décousu, la nature parfois datée de ses expérimentations les moins réussies et son son globalement rêche en font une expérience exigeante et inégale. On en ressort avec une immense admiration pour l'audace et la vision du groupe, mais sans avoir été totalement transporté du début à la fin. Il y a de l'or dans ces sillons, mais il faut accepter de tamiser beaucoup de sable pour le trouver. C'est un album que l'on est content d'avoir exploré, un chapitre essentiel de l'histoire de la musique, mais pas nécessairement celui que l'on remettra sur la platine tous les jours. Un solide, mais frustrant, 3 sur 5.
Unimpressive psychedelic/blues rock with pretty bad mixing most of the time. Sounds unfinished and unrehearsed, but there is some creativity to it.
nah
Some highs and some lows, but pretty decent overall
What the Doors could have sounded like.
Too country for me, Joe
good sound way before it's time.
Sounds like most San Francisco music in 1967. Enjoyable but nothing hugely exciting
Took a little to get into this but once I did enjoyed it. Very acid but pleasant on a sunny evening
mid
Could listen to it again.
Normally I'm not really into Acid rock or psychedelic rock, but this one was quite alright and especially a few of the tracks caught my attention more than I'd expected. Standouts Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine Section 43 The Masked Marauder 3/5
Good psychedelic 60’s sound
I just listened to this one about a week ago. I probably play this album 3 - 6 times a year...because of the amazing grooves that start the album: Flying High, Not so sweet..., Death...by this time I am committed, happily! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s ok. It would probably be better if I was baked out of my gourd, but I’ve got work today, so …
this missed the mark for me. not much stands out
track 1: A good opening tbh, kinda sloppy though, but a good track track 2: Kinda lack of the spices, but the synths are good (not great but listenable) track 3: I kinda like this one, it got the spice, better than the two before. + The guitar solo is quite good track 4: Lack of spice, but I like the melody and guitars track 5: the instrumental is long and kinda uneven, but good for easy listening and exposure to early psychedelic-rock music track 6: Okayy this is the track I'm into track 7: the overlay lyrics is kinda messy, but ugh I love this melody, giving spring vibes track 8: FINALLY THE DYNAMIC I'M LOOKING FOR, This one is my fav track so far track 9: the spice is there, but the pace of this track is so slow (SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!) track 10: this one is better than the 5th track, and the spice is also there (I like the guitar solo and the "la la la") track 11: meh (6/10) kinda generous to give 6 tho, this album lacks spices in certain tracks, but for people who want to get into psychedelic-rock this album is essential to listen to, although it's not for everyone
This wasn't as bad as a lot of the comments make out It was fine. But pretty boring. Nothing too exciting 3 ⭐️
Could've been louder. Nothing really stood out to me.
6/10 - has some good parts and some bad parts but overall it’s alright
Actually thought it was pretty good for some 60s psych rock that I’d never heard of. Don’t usually like this stuff
Wtf does 'electric music for the BODY' mean
I usually love psych rock, but this one just annoyed me tbh
she might have the body of a 12 year old girl but she has the mind of a woman which is what matters
I do not like this. I get that it's important for starting a musical style, but what if it's a musical style I'm ambivalent towards? It's hard to get excited about this and even harder to continue listening to it.
Correcto
This was rubbish. Blended together in a mediocre mush and at times felt like a Doors tribute band. 1 star.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was in my 12-hour YouTube video Flowstate – Chill and Coffee. It’s basically white noise. Somehow, it carries zero emotion — nothing felt, nothing released
It's interesting as proto psychadelia but I just can't jive with the folksy sensibility of this one.
“It’s a shame you grew up in the city and didn’t learn about country ways”. I abhor being preached to in any genre, but I simply will not tolerate it from country artists whose whole shtick is extolling a way of life that is underwritten by dead last rankings in all key development metrics. The psychedelia angle doesn’t work for me either. I just about cringed to death when the singer started whispering “LSD” slowly into the mic. One star: Poor 💫
lol
I only made it half way through
This was a bit of a revelation. A bunch of great songs set to the bckdrop of some awesome psychedelic arrangements. great singing, interesting instrumentation and a rhythm section that really cooks. 4 stars
Pleasant enough sixties psychedelic rock. Very thin guitar sound. Wouldn’t go back to it.
I thought the album was gonna be bad but that death sound to the masked marauder run 🙏 would i revist the album hmm idk but there are tracks forsure i’m revisting maybe the vocals will rub off on me
I was not familiar with them. It was an enjoyable bike ride into work
I guess it belongs on the list, but I don't need to ever hear it again.
If I'd been young in the US in the 60's, Superbird might just have been my song of the summer. Unfortunately, I wasn't young in the 60's, and I'm also not from the States.
First track Bass Strings was uninteresting Doors-esque psychedelia, the whispered "LSD..." at the end was almost comedic. Yeah, I got that was what the track was about already, thanks. Second track Sad and Lonely Times was a jaunty country pop song, strange tonal shift. Then the third track is back to nursery rhyme psychedelia. Fourth track Grace is maybe very slightly heavy metal, with its chanted, heavy lyrics. So is this varied or unfocused? It's all over the place, to be honest. What does this band want to be? I suppose they can do whatever they want, but it's a bit of a jarring listening experience. Some of the albums on this list are forgotten, some are forgettable, this is both. When I hear albums like this I think that it's interesting to hear something from this time and genre, but as for personal enjoyment, it's not all that.
Good but nothing too memorable
How the Grateful Dead should sound in my mind
A classic acid/psych rock album from 1967. You just can't miss that one!
really aged poorly
I liked this better than yesterday's psych-rock pick (Iron Butterfly), and the album overall was decent-to-good for me.
Pretty fun album. I enjoyed it and pretty cool for 1966. 3.25/5
This one was a big surprise for me. I thought I knew what Country Joe & The Fish sounded like, but this is a mix of psych, blues, jazz, folk and even a little ren faire. I really enjoyed it, and would definitely listen again.
DNF Nothing groundbreaking for me
Guitar was cool but wasn't connecting with it overall
Pleasantly surprised, not really my thing but there is much to be appreciated.
Fine but not enjoyable
This was significantly more fun and interesting than you'd expect from them, given the band name. I was all braced for rootin', and afraid that our good friend tootin' might be close by. But this was actually a fairly serviceable, if totally unremarkable slice of rock. Nothing special, but a relief nonetheless.
A hippie mate of my Dad's loved Country Joe and The Fish but never really shared his penchant for psychedelia. The instrumental track sounded like (Listen to the} Flower a people with it's sitar excess. Also in the first track, Joe tells the story of being picked up by some dudes who took him to LA Airport and gave him $20 to take a flight back home. The average price of a domestic flight in the US when this song came out in 1967 was $37 so this story seems somewhat -pardon the pun- fishy. I thought about giving this a 1, but it's a 2 because I didn't hate it, just found it to be boring in a way only someone who was massively stoned could enjoy.
Good old blues-rock. Not the thing I would listen on a daily basis
I dunno, I don't think I'm the target audience for psych-folk albums from the 60s and/or 70s. It's all just too meandering and trippy for me, but I know this stuff has a place in the history of popular music.
3.5/5
This album should be the soundtrack of 60s counterculture, because it’s such a strong reflection of that era. It was definitely an influential release for psychedelic and acid rock, with a strong bluesy edge that gives the music a raw, unpolished sound.
Was okay, maybe what you expect from someone named country joe and the fish
Oh hey, I remember these guys as the boring interlude between The Who and Otis Redding in “Monterey Pop”. These too much psychedelic crap on this list
7.5/10
holy shit bro shut uP!!!!!!!!!!! this wasn't even Bad, it was just so forgettable, meandering, and irritating that i wanted to sling it into the river. why is this on here. leav eme alone
this honestly does not hold up in 2025. i'm not even sure it would've in 1980. this is rough and sloppy and boring. the short songs are easily the best ones on here, because hearing these guys bumble through what sounds like their first and only take of multiple 7+ minute songs is a torture i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. favorites: flying high, super bird
4/5 - very 70 psy rock, good variations in the tracks, very in the time while being quite progressive and fresh
when I read Psychedelic Rock I was already alarmed, then the album started better than expected but after Song 4 it got quite boring for me
This is what happens when you let men do whatever they want. Especially back in the 60s like girl go take care of your wife yoi beat
Not bad but at times the organ was overpowering
Ok
Such a fun sound, instruments and lyrics, comforting as in I felt like I’d heart it before til some noise would come out of the left headphone
The Good: We’ve got music for the mind and body, and it’s electric! The Bad: Wondering how country Country Joe really is… The Ugly: Trying to figure out what a fish has to do with the entire thing… Before I proceed, note that I did not listen to this album 2 times, like I pretty much do all the time… not because I think the album sucks, like many people do, but more because my mind, and body, were not ready for psychedelic music today. I did spend some time reading other people’s commentary, and had to giggle a couple of times. It seems that certain people believe you shouldn’t listen to these cats as they are RED commie Bastards (don’t ask why some of that was in caps, and other portion not…), or that there are better bands that made this kind of music… true. However, once I got over the bad production aspects of this record, I have to say that there are only 2 tunes on this album which I don’t like, one being the last tune on the album, and way too long. I forget which song is was, but I got a massive Jeff Buckley feeling with one of the tunes, which made me perk up, as I realized that I was listening to something that ended up being influential to many artists, both contemporary as well as later. So what shall I score this? Given that I did not get pulled into the album, I think I am going to shoot down the middle and not mess with the overall score of this album… 3*
I had a joke a queue up to call these guys the Thankful Deceased (I know I'm so clever), but it looks like they came just before Garcia and Co. This is more of the same when it comes to psychodelic rock. Honestly, I enjoyed it a lot more than Ripple. The recordings are raw as hell which really captures a live music feel and I liked the weirdness. I won't visit often but it was a fun trip at least.
I wanted to like this. Unfortunately it felt like it swapped genres every couple of songs and I just found myself confused listening to it. None of it was necessarily bad but I wouldn't listen again.
2/5 Early psych rock that just doesn't do it for me. The only two real "standouts" (if you can call them that) are "Sad and Lonely Times" and "Love", the rest is middling and sometimes downright obnoxious to listen to.
Not bad… drugs would make it a lot better.
This is #day297 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... this challenge has helped me solidify two key aspects of my mature musical taste. I'm not talking about post-punk or the edgier side of new wave, not the time for that. What I do want to say is: I love psychedelic rock and the hippie era. I'm not sure I can explain it sensibly (my wife would probably prefer it if I could), but there's just something about this era that feels so relatable. Maybe in another life, I was a hippie? Dumb thought, I know. The other thing is, I love golden age hip-hop. Anyway, Electric Music for the Mind and Body may be a little too bluesy at times, but when it leans into that psychedelic/folk kind of shit, it steals my heart. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day298.
Gimme an F! Gimme a U! Gimme a C! Gimme a K! What’s that spell? FUCK (this shit)!
no band named “first name last name and the blanks” has ever made good music
If Quicksilver had something, this record has NOTHING. Just absolute hippie horseshit from front to back. There’s no hook, there’s no melodies, there’s no talent from the players. If these were merry weirdos doing some wacky psych experiments I’d be into them but they might be the single best representatives of plastic flower power bullshit ever. I wish I could give it 0 stars.
sleep
3/10
3/5
This was awesome. I had always heard of them, but never really knew what to expect and kind of had a preconceived negative assumption for some reason. Probably because of the word “country”. Anyway, was I wrong! This is great psychedelic rock… bluesy, a little out there, everything you would expect.
It’s fun and interesting. As I understood, one of the earliest psychedelic albums. Good!
I like these guys for I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die-Rag but their other material on this album isn't anywhere near as strong.
Okay, that album confirms that not every band featured on Woodstock 69' was good. This record sounded a little bit like a very bad attempt to encapsulate the whole psychedelic rock era, creating a bit of a caricature of the movement. No revival please.
Decent 60s psych rock. Mostly unmemorable outside of the comic book references and explicit invocation of lsd.
Pretty bland, but I can see how this was a pretty monumental change in music when this album was released.
This album was in my dad’s vinyl collection so I’ve heard it more than a few times. Jams from the late 60s SF psychedelic rock/blues and Woodstock era are important culturally, but not my favorite. These guys didn’t last, which is a bit of a shame when you compare them to some others from the scene that were around forever. 3⭐️
Nearly interesting, but I was reminded of this project showing me that Ogden Nut Flake album which is from the same time and thinking that executed this kind of sound in a much more entertaining way.
Psychedelic country? Not doing much for me Even sounds like early funk in places The Masked Marauder sounds like The Doors Best track - Section 43 or The Masked Marauder 3 stars
Psychedelic 60’s
Funky folk
Ehhhh ok
Ah, 1967. The year that all the amazing psychedelic rock got made and changed music forever. Meanwhile this odd homage to all of the better stuff slipped out unnoticed. I tried to like this more but it will be forgotten very quickly, I’m afraid.
Absolutely loved this! Every single song was a highlight for me
Not for me even slightly
Heavier and more bluesy than The Byrds, just as unmediated and pertinent as Buffalo Springfield, Country Joe & The Fish bursts in like they know they are underrated. B/c man, what a revelation, I thought they were just the most vocal anti-war activists at Woodstock. In reality, they go toe-to-toe w/ the groups I just mentioned as well as bands like Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, and Love. The music is psychedelic, but never breezing or flimsy - they have nothing to do w/ what's gossamer or insubstantial: just listen to the instrumental track 'Section 43.' Lyrically, it's outspoken but also poetic: 'In startled greens of playground grass / A child jumps rope to rhyme'; 'It's a bird it's a plane, it's a man insane, it's my president LBJ'; 'L.S.D. / L.S.D. / L.S.D.'
Felt very modern and enjoyable, especially the more upbeat numbers.
Seems like some heady jams from the late 60s SF psych scene and Woodstock era bands. Despite that expectation, this album was great and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
On the first listen, I thought this was just kinda alright, but on the second listen I think I appreciated it a lot more. It had a flavor VERY reminiscent of early Doors with some Animals, Cream and Jefferson Airplane thrown in there too. It was obviously super psychedelic and crunchy with a bunch of catchy hooks and cool melodies. The production quality was typical of 60's psychedelic rock, which is to say that it was a little fuzzy and not super crisp and clear, but I didn't mind it at all. Listened to it twice and really dug it. Five stars.
Chill and enjoyable
This would’ve been one star better had I dropped acid beforehand.
I found this boring. While part of the groundbreakers in psychedelic/acid rock, I prefer to get my sampling from this genre from King Crimson, Pink Floyd, the Doors, and even Iron Butterfly.
I’m sure this was an important album for the time, but to me it was pretty boring. A few songs stood out, but overall just some snooze psychedelia. There were much better bands performing in this genre back then.
I enjoyed the mood I think this was going for, but overall pretty lacking. Not sure this particular album or band really deserves to be highlighted honestly. But I didn’t hate it, enjoyed parts of it.
Only looked at the album title before putting so was expecting some 90s electronic music and was pleasantly surprised it was not that. I thought this sounded like a mix between the doors and CCR. Some good parts but nothing took it over the top for me. I also respect what they had to do back in the day to chase a guitar tone but for me it sounded thin, too much high end and twangy. The clean tone was better than when they hit some distortion. 2.5 but rounding up because telling LBJ to go work on his ranch in Texas and the not so subtle promotion of LCD are quite funny to me.
Thought this was going to be a sleeper hit for me. But for every good thing (the guitar in Death Sound) there seemed to be an annoying thing (rattle or tambourine or whatever the eff that was on Death Sound). I did appreciate at the end of one song they just whispered “LSD…” Good not great but an interesting listen nonetheless. 2.75/5
2.9 Pretty impressive that this was released in 67, but has slightly been diluted by the sheer number of 60s psychadelica on this list. It's all starting to blend into one. I think if this had popped up 700 albums ago I'd have a lot more time for it, but as it is I'm a bit exhausted after having listened to it.
It’s ok. Look, this is why I’m always whining for half stars. I rated my last two albums three stars, and I liked both of those LOADS better than I liked this milqutoast, paint-by-numbers, psychedelic 60s rock template - but I didn’t *dislike* this. It’s not my kind of music, and I don’t really want to listen to it again, but do I want to give it a 2? I mean…kind of. But even at 2 stars, I’d rather listen to this than the Bruce Springsteen album I got a few days ago. 2.5 stars.
Calm but interesting. Consistent.
Loved it. I love 60s psych blues. More of this pls!
My colleague just walked into my office and asked me "What the fuck are you listening to now?!" Specifically, it was track #10, "The Masked Marauder." Here are the complete lyrics: La la la la la la la la la La la la la la la la la la La la la la la la la la la La la la la la la la la la La la la la la la la la la La la la la la la la la la
Typisch 60s album, en dan nog eens tijdens de Summer of Love. Niet per se een album waarvan ik zeg: goh dit moet je echt wel geluisterd hebben. 'T is vooral de sound, de vibe en de periode die belangrijk is. 3.2
This one's a headscratcher for me... not sure what makes this a Top 1001 album I have to listen to before I die. I think I'd do just fine never hearing this one. Sounds like a weaker Grateful Dead jam band from the 60's. Zero hits, everything sounds pretty much the same, dated and doesn't hold up super well today, no standout tracks that I could see though "Flying High" has 5M listens over 57 years. Maybe it's a stoner anthem? I honestly didn't enjoy a single song. Not my thing, and not thinking they created the jam band genre cause the Dead were doing it first, so no bonus for influence. This one's a mystery, folks! Not worthy, 2 stars for being ok background music.
Started out better than I had expected. Mix of psychedelic and hillbilly. Definitely interesting never heard of these guys before. So very 60s.Martha Lorraine is the best from this record for my money.
Hippiemuziek uyt den ouden doosch, beetje blues hier, beetje peace en love daar, met z'n allen in kleermakerszit op oma's tapijtje en geef maar door die waterpijp. Op geen enkele manier verbaasde het mij dat dit uit 1967 komt. Orgeltjes, gitaar en mondharmonica, best leuk maar helaas voor de makers is deze elektrische muziek voor lichaam en geest een beetje ondergesneeuwd door ik noem een Jimi Hendrix, ik noem een The Beatles, ik noem een Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan of The Doors. Desondanks vond ik dit een vermakelijke zit.
Wat kunnen we hier nu weer van verwachten? Jaren '60. Maar van Country Joe en genaamd Electric Music. Het dekt nog niet eens het hele spectrum. Er had ook nog wel een hint naar blues, naar Soul, naar folk, naar... bij gekund. De nummers zijn niet per se onderscheidend, maar liggen vaak wel prima in het gehoor. De variatie maakt het grootste verschil. Er zitten wel verschrikkelijke stukken met een neurotisch orgel tussen (dieptepunt Section 43) die aan de sterren zagen. 2,5 ster
Soms komen er in deze snoblijst van die bandjes langs, waar je echt nog nooit van hebt gehoord. Aan de ene kant is dat mooi, want daarom luisteren we deze lijst nog steeds, om verrast te worden door iets wat we nog niet kennen. Aan de andere kant worden we nogal eens teleurgesteld, omdat er een reden is dat we het niet kennen en vaak is dat omdat het ultiem kut is. Nu dus deze Country Joe, uit een periode van beatmuziek. Maar ook de psychedelische tijd van Jefferson Airplane en andere obscure bandjes uit San Francisco, lees ik op de wiki. Naast het psychedelische heeft het ook genoeg bluesy elementen, een schurend gitaartje is geen uitzondering. Het heeft af en toe wat weg van Cuby of the Doors, al is er ook af en toe carnavalesque theater of een bijzonder zenuwslopend orgel. Ik kan deze muziek altijd wel erg goed hebben merk ik, zolang het maar niet te vaag wordt en er genoeg gitaar in zit. De zang is ook niet storend en dat maakt het geheel best fijn om te luisteren. Het is zeker gedateerd, je hoort dat het uit die Woodstock periode komt, maar dat is helemaal niet erg. Vermakelijke 4 sterren.
I grew up in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, blessedly at least a generation removed from this. But I heard plenty of this kind of music anyway. Didn’t like it then, don’t care for it now. Was this album groundbreaking at the time? I dunno. I will say this: I’ve never heard of Country Joe & the Fish, but I’ve heard of plenty other contemporaneous bands out of San Francisco, so that’s telling me something.
I liked this a lot, I definitely want to listen to it again.
Eh... it was okay, had some really good acid / psyche rock elements, but also a lot of more forgettable elements & it feels a little long despite only being 40 minutes, still enjoyed some parts, but pretty mediocre for the most part, the mixing & production also sounded like ass & was super thin, brings down the score a little.
I only knew Country Joe from his famous anti-Vietnam War song and a vague memory from the Woodstock movie. This is considerably more psychedelic than I was expecting. But in a good way.
I don't mind this type of psychedelic noodling, but I miss some kind of hook to draw me in, not just noodling for noodling's sake.
Folksy country? Decent idea
Good, enjoyed it
pov - you walk into a dive bar
Made it to track 4, which is really 3 tracks later than it needed to be, before I turned it off. Very, very bad.
This sounded like noise
I preferred the parts where he wasn't singing
Classic sixties hippie counter culture anthems. How times have changed (or have they?)
Boring a hell a few good songs tho
Well that was annoying. Not just annoying, that was genuinely obnoxious and difficult to get through. I guess if I was a teenager in the late 60’s smoking some terrible dirt weed in my friends older brothers bedroom this would seem like the coolest thing in the entire world. Fortunately, I am not that. 1*
On the outro of one song, I think it was “Bass Strings”, the guy is not-so-subtly whispering “LSD” into the mic. Yeah, we get it. Every stereotype of psychedelic rock is present on this album, and while I have to assume this was at some point novel and exciting, to me in the present day it just feels masturbatory and incredibly lame. Pass.
Cool psych blues
Super bird is good, the rest of this album sucks ass
Starts as a mostly country album with some blues guitar solos, then gets a more psychedelic as it goes on. There are some decent guitar parts in the album - Death Sound and Super Bird weren't bad, but Credence Clearwater Revival did 60s protest music much better
There were some really fun guitar moments. But overall the production is terrible and there are a lot of moments where it's just random noises.
Never listened to a full album. I’ve heard “I feel like I’m fixin’ to die rag”, are the more than anti-war music? I guess I’ll have to find out.
3.5 Seemed like this album was either highly influential or a complete ripoff of what was going on at the time, depending on when it was released. I enjoyed it
This music has no soul, it sounds like they are just playing the notes on a page. Think painting by numbers but music form.
A lovely little edition for the soul.
Interesting, some songs just had to get skipped though lol. 'Who am i' is the personal favorite.
this is nothing to me
not for me
Right on man. Psychedelic acid rock vibes, unknown to me before this. I can see why didn't have the mainstream appeal of Jefferson Airplane but I didn't hate it
Trippy, but not enough to stand out
Groovy. Can you dig it? Don't bogart that joint, man.
I liked the album but did get over it pretty fast.
I’ve heard the name before but other than knowing they performed at Woodstock I know nothing about this band. The music… well sounds like they performed at Woodstock. It’s psychedelic blues rock. It’s fine. I’ll give it three stars for history but it’s nothing I’ll bother listening to again.
Really not bad for what it is, early psychedelia coming out of San Francisco in the middle/ late ‘60s. It’s just not music I really want to hear.
swampy fuzzy psych rock with whiny guitars is just something that triggers something in me hahaha. I like it! These Tunes are raw and great. Enjoyed this album lots! (4.0/5.0)
Do you think the Doors would have been halfway decent if only they got rid of Jim Morrison? Not that simple. Some work can't withstand being removed from its scene slash context.
Enjoyable psychedelic rock. Nice sound to it. Made quite a splash at the time.
Good album from a historical perspective. But 60 years removed from the psychedelic era this is just run'o'the'mill psych rock and blues. Cool shit, but 3 million better examples of this.
A protest song with teeth! Barry Melton's been a longtime guitar hero of mine, with a liquid sound that your Jerry Garcias could only imitate. I guess Joe and David took a lot of solos on this one. No so sweet martha lorraine has a great blues bridge that is way catchier than it has any right to be. Anyway, not really a jug band like they started, but there is a lot of interesting stuff going on here.
Not as terrible as I was expecting. But still not something I enjoyed. It has its place.
All the short songs were really good but the 3 5+ minute songs were bleh.
Country, bluesy, psychodelic - very 60s!
I don't really have anything special to say about this album. It is good, feels consistent and has some rock jams. Nothing that shines by its own.
Not sure how I never heard of these guys as they’re way up my parent’s alley, especially my dad. Superbird was certainly an interesting protest song that I haven’t heard.
More 60 s music which wasn’t great
It's fine for psychedelia -- some pretty decent james on here, but I was more impressed by the "related" stuff that I got served after the album finished playing. Unexpected bangers: Death Sound, Sad and Lonely Times, Bass Strings
Tiresome stuff.
Meh. Something I've realized about myself, going through this project - while music that's too smooth, like quiet storm, gets low ratings for bouncing right off of my ADHD brain, the twangy sound of "country" grabs hold a little too well, and ends up annoying me so much I automatically deduct a star. Even the finest Johnny Cash album can't squeak past four stars with me. And this is... okay, I hear the bits that influenced a lot of later acts, but I wouldn't necessarily call it good music. What do I like? Skillful use of electric instruments, like guitars and synth. I also react more favorably to eccentricity than to mainstream pandering. I'm currently listening to the Django Django album that I know is somewhere in the generator, wishing I was reviewing something I vibe with today. 🤷🏻♀️
From the first note you know this is going to be psychedelic music and it certainly is. In a way that is about 200 percent to strange for me. While some parts of certain songs were good they quickly turned in to strange notes, strange singing and things I don't really know how to describe. Its always fun listening to the album of the day but I can't say this was something I will ever listen to again.
This record has all you'd expect of late 1960s San Francisco psychedelia—swirling organ, trippy guitar, and loose performances—but it's not a total disaster. When they lock into a structured yet fuzzy groove, it’s passable. But like many albums of its era, it is high on its own atmosphere. Everything goes on too long — the organ drones, the guitar recycles tired electric blues licks, and the smug hippie vocals ramble pseudo-profundities over plodding progressions. If this is Electric Music for the Mind and Body, then my mind and body says, Nope.
Fun and groovy.
A little off to me. I thought this was going to be perfectly made for me. It looked all old-school psychedelic. It kinda is but not to the degree I was expecting. Still good don't get me wrong just not what I was wanting
Honestly, this album doesn't do much for me, but what it does do it does pretty well. For a moment there I felt myself transported to the sixties, hair past my shoulders, wearing nothing but a pair of ripped bellbottoms, just smokin' and orgying my days away.
Psychedelic rock
Section 43 might be the worst song I've ever listened to
ayfkm
6/10
Enjoyed it! Never heard of them before
Country Joe and his Fish need to practice. The music is almost nonexistent and the vocals are boring. The album cover is the best part of this one.
I’d heard of this band as they were about during my formative years when I began to appreciate and listen to music. Must admit the Country Joe bit led me to believe that they produced American Country music which is not to my taste or liking at all. So today was a revelation. Whilst I could hear some Country influence the majority was rather quite good. Not enough to make me go out and seek out their music but something I wouldn’t now reach for the skip button on a random streaming playlist. 3/5 16/3/25
Not bad
Funsies
I had a real hard time finishing this one. The sound mix is atrocious, that hard panned guitar and organ are so loud over everything else it was an obnoxious listen more than anything else. Might be a better experience listening to a better mix, as I can really see the roots of The Doors here, but in the state I have access to this is hideous.
Great album, got that 60's groove. No wonder this band played in the legendary Woodstock venue. Happy times and lots of acid for sure.
The first couple of tracks were pretty decent, then it devolved into a psychedelic, hippie, nonsense trip I didn't care to go on.
Sorry but I don’t do drugs so the album is mid for me. 3.5/5
I saw country and 1962 and thought this was going to be the worse thing I’ve ever heard but I was wrong ! Will not be listening again but enjoyed; Not so sweet Martha Lorraine Death sound Super bird
I enjoyed - 3.5
a trilha sonora completa pra qualquer variedade de pensamentos que passa pela minha cabeça
Jazz-infused psychedelic rock—what could go wrong? I’ve never heard of this band or album before, so I was looking forward to giving it a listen. Overall, I found the album to be an easy listen with some great moments. That said, it’s not something I’d revisit often. Favorite songs: Flying High and Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine—both are great tracks with some lovely, twangy guitar. Least favorite: Grace felt pointless. Album artwork: Cool cover.
Real meandery, most of it? I can tell that some of it is good but it still did nothing for me.
Flying High 3.5 Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine 3.4 Death Sound Blues 3.2 Happiness Is a Porpoise Mouth 3.3 Section 43 3.3 Superbird 3.1 Sad and Lonely Times 3 Love 3.3 Bass Strings 3.2 The Masked Marauder 3.3 Grace 3 Score: 3.236363636
Pretty average album. Nothing too notable, yet nothing really bad either. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
bbn
A big slab of psychedelic country blues, reminding just how refined this could be delivered and how satisfyingly delivered by cats (or fish) who knew what they were doing. Indeed, the Summer of Love raised the floor on a certain style, a certain sound, and lots of bands – CJ&F very much included – delivered at a high level. In general, this leans. "Sad and Lonely Times" is first rate and dreamy-gently trippy "Area 43" and the similar (but darker-hued) "Bass String" are also quite strong. A weakness is that they seem to overrely on the organ late on in the record. In general, one thinks this leans more to the mental-psychological, than the bodily-physical side of the title's equation, though one's always been more of a thinker than a dancer. One's glad to have heard this which also serves as a juicy and enjoyable historical artifact.
Kinda cool. Sometimes long tracks it’s hard to keep focus and sometimes it starts to seem like multiple songs in one. Some good stuff but nothing that holds memory of interest.