Top Sounds first release of 2025 is something of an almost extinct beast these days, a compilation of late 1960s British psychedelia of which the majority has never previously been released. Spanning 1967 to 1970 the LP features fourteen tracks and opens with a superb version of ‘Astronomy Domine’ by Graphite, the first of two covers of Pink Floyd numbers on the record. Both sides of the Graded Grains ‘Animal Magic’ / ‘Lucifer Sam’ acetate are finally released in excellent sound quality thanks to the sourcing of another copy, and two sterling psychedelic rock performances by White Unicorn were only previously pressed onto a very small run of white label 45s in 1969. A couple of the legendary attractions on the London underground scene of 1967 and ‘68 who never had any music issued at the time – the Crystal Ship and the Philosopher’s Stone – have their distinctive brands of hardcore psych on vinyl for the first time whilst underground heroes Tomorrow take pride of place with a raucous pre single version of their anthemic ‘My White Bicycle’. With more first division selections from Sound Of London, the Pheonix, Them and an unknown aggregation’s amazing ‘Strange Day’, Times Of Strange Days Past is sure to satisfy the appetite of enthusiasts of obscure UK psychedelia. The CD edition includes four extra tracks and comes with a 24 page booklet, whilst the LP features a 16 page edition.
All the music has been restored to the best possible standards from original discs.
SIDE 1
GRAPHITE – Astronomy Domine (Barrett)
PHILOSOPHER’S STONE – The Portals Of Hell (unknown)
UNKNOWN - Strange Day (unknown)
THE PHEONIX – Walking In A Dream (unknown)
THEM – My Nice Coloured Love (unknown)
PHILOSOPHER’S STONE – I’m Changing You (unknown)
THE CRYSTAL SHIP – Times Of Darkness Past (Brown)
SIDE 2
GRADED GRAINS – Animal Magic (Gregory, Street)
THE CRYSTAL SHIP -The Blue Man Runs Away (Brown)
TOMORROW – My White Bicycle (demo) (Hopkins, Burgess)
THE WHITE UNICORN – Loving Red (Cole)
GRADED GRAINS – Lucifer Sam (Barrett)
THE WHITE UNICORN – I Can See (Cole)
SOUND OF LONDON – Falling (unknown)