Various Artists: The League of Psychedelic Gentlemen (2012)

Taking inspiration from the enjoyable but perhaps not quite top notch action movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, this four track collection was the result of a further pondering on the subject matter from a psychedelic rock perspective. What if one could assemble overlooked but awesome musicians to establish a psychedelic rock supergroup. Or, to ground oneself a bit closer to reality, at least make a compilation with a select few of them. The result of which became this four track EP.

Nick Nicely has been given the honour of opening the proceedings, and does so with a compact affair that use a tight bass and drum foundation for his distanced effects vocals to play upon, with Mellotron surges and harmonic guitar details as the main recurring features with a vast array of psychedelic dripping instrument details coming and going at will in a select few sequences.

The Bevis Frond is next up, Nick Saloman exploring an early 70's tinged light variety of hard rock on I'm a Stone. Using acoustic light toned guitars and electric darker toned calm riffs upon steady rhythms, with a single psych dripping guitar solo later on joined by a myriad of like-minded friends for the chorus and instrumental sequences that follows. With calm, clear vocals and a certain lo-fi edge to the proceedings.

Anton Barbeau and Three Minute Tease reference back to The Beatles with their When I Was 46 (In the Year 13), with a harmonic light toned lightly psych flavoured main theme that collapse in a handful of very different and distinctly psychedelic manners before we're at the end of this tale.

And last but not at all least, Paul Roland unleash the brilliant genius that is The Puppet Master. Plucked guitar licks and bass as the foundation for spoken vocals and ghostly organ intrusions on this one, occasionally gathering intensity to rise up into a harmonic, sort of Beatlesesque chorus but with a haunting organ present. We Are the Hollow Men, yes indeed.

A worthwhile collection of under-appreciated masters at their trade, much more so than the movie that gave the initial inspiration I might add (although I would like to see what happened to a certain grave in Africa as far as that flick goes). But this EP is, yet again, a fine collection of psychedelic experiences to be enjoyed by a relatively select few vinyl enthusiasts only. These days Fruits de Mer press from 800 to 1000 copies of each release. When they are sold that's it. So if this sounds like a must have slab of vinyl, you'd better order early.

My rating: 90/100
Track list:
1. Nick Nicely - Rosemary's Eyes        
2. The Bevis Frond - I'm a Stone        
3. Anton Barbeau/Three Minute Tease - When I Was 46 (In the Year 13)        
4. Paul Roland - The Puppet Master