Psychedelic music comes into bloom again in the second quarter of 2018. Seek and find fresh vinyl revivals of music from Steve Miller, Pink Floyd, the Who and Jefferson Airplane.
Other artists spotlighted in Q2 include Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead, Utopia, Love and King Crimson. Here’s Psychedelic Sight’s latest record buying guide, on a scroll:
Steve Miller: It’s a thread almost lost in the mists of time, but classic-rock staple Steve Miller once led a first-class underground band. Revisit Miller’s primo psychedelic-era output via a Capitol Records’ rerelease campaign that includes four of his early albums: “Children of the Future,” “Sailor,” “Brave New World” and “Number 5.” (Or spring for the “Complete Albums Volume 1” box set and get nine albums of varying quality.) Marvel to the silky sonics of “Song for Our Ancestors.” Get high with the “Space Cowboy.” Get down with “Going to Mexico.” Try to catch that hippie “Quicksilver Girl.” Black-vinyl albums feature “newly remastered audio by Steve Miller and Kent Hertz.” The box set streets for about $200 and comes out May 18.
Pink Floyd: “Relics” was the first compilation album featuring the Brit psychedelic rockers. Much has happened since the comp debuted in May 1971, but that collection of “Antiques & Curios” is back in original form nonetheless. Singles, B-sides and songs from their first three LPs. Key tracks include “Interstellar Overdrive,” “See Emily Play” and “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” (studio). Cover includes the black and white drawings by Nick Mason. Remastered in 2018. Stereo except for the two singles. May 18 via Pink Floyd Records.
More Floyd: The 1995 live album “Pulse” gets new life May 18 via a four-LP box set. The band was David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright, playing works from “The Division Bell” and “The Dark Side of the Moon” in full. Hardback book. Serious art direction — with different sleeves for each disc — but, sorry, no little flashing red light. Sony Legacy, May 18.
The Grateful Dead’s “Cornell 5/8/77” concert enjoys protected status from the Library of Congress, at least as a tape recorded by an audience member. Grateful Dead Productions broke out an official CD release a while back after the band’s “lost tapes” of the show were found. Now comes a vinyl box set with five discs, as recorded from the soundboards by Betty Cantor-Jackson. The many key tracks offered at Barton Hall, Cornell University, include “Jack Straw,” “St. Stephen,” “Morning Dew” and “Scarlet Begonias.” Out May 8.
Jerry Garcia: The box set “Before the Dead” finds young guitarist Garcia exploring folk and bluegrass. “Intimate live recordings to live studio recordings to field recordings.” With Robert Hunter, the Black Mountain Boys, David Nelson and the Asphalt Jungle Mountain Boys. Four CDs or five LPs. May 11 on Round Records.
The Who toured the U.S. in the spring of 1968, operating under a scorched-earth policy. The quartet was captured live in New York, a few months after the release of “The Who Sell Out.” Tracks on “Live at the Fillmore East 1968” include “Relax,” “Boris the Spider,” the mini-opera “A Quick One” and a half-hour workout on “My Generation.” Three LPs or two CDs via MCA. April 20. Also, a rerelease of Pete Townshend’s “Who Came First” with live tracks and demos. Two CDs. April 20 via UMe.
Love: The seemingly endless stream of rereleases of the critical fave “Forever Changes” continues with the ambitious “50th Anniversary Edition” box set. Containing four CDs, one DVD and one LP, the set marks the CD debut of the remastered version from original co-producer and engineer Bruce Botnick. Alternate mixes of the album and “rare and unreleased singles and studio outtakes.” Single versions of “Alone Again Or” and “A House Is Not a Motel” that are “available now for the first time since 1967.” Via Rhino. Read more about the “Forever Changes” box set.