HARDTIMES Blew Mind 1967 ORIG TRIPPY FOLK PSYCH LP HEAR

$

30

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS…

THE HARDTIMES "Blew Mind"

Original 1967 LP on the WORLD PACIFIC label, STEREO WPS-21867

COVER:  VG++, very light ringwear on front, light staining on back

VINYL:  CLEAN, plays VG+

Original WORLD PACIFIC inner sleeve included

Great undiscovered pop psych from Los Angeles, circa 1967 – the Hard Times “Blew Mind”.  I dunno, I think the guys are being too hard on themselves.  If they’re going through “hard times”, I don’t hear it.  I hear GOOD times, and not the Florida and James Evans kind, on the jangly  harmony pop goodness of “Goodbye” and “Fortune Teller” – then again, I also hear HIGH times, and not the underground hemp magazine kind, on trippy little numbers like “Blew Mind” and a cover of Donovan’s “Colours”.  But HARD times?  Not hardly.  Unless, of course, they were prophesizing about the nearly four decades of obscurity in which their lone album would languish. 

But that’s no fault of theirs – this is GREAT stuff – check out the Byrds-like jangly folk pop of “Goodbye” and “Sad Sad Sunshine”  (an Al Kooper composition that sounds curiously like the Byrds “Wasn’t Born to Follow”).  And who dropped that “Psychotic Reaction” rave-up break smack dab in the middle of “Goodbye”?  The Hard Times are pretty good at trippy garage pop too – check out “I’m Not a Rock”.  If the title reminds you a bit of the West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, then the song itself will do so even more.  But don’t think of WCPAEB’s “Help, I’m A Rock” – this is more in keeping with their more melodic side – superb garage pop with great vibrato guitar, pounding electric piano and a bit of the Beatles in the melody. 

Of course, when the Hard Times drop some acid and become the High Times, things REALLY start taking off, and that’s no more evident than in the otherworldly title track.  “Blew Mind” lives up to its promise, a psychedelic rocket launch set to a mysterious, hesitant Troggs “Love is All Around” bassline, creeping along the red shag carpet like the Cheshire Cat on a bad trip.  The opening minute is all sound effects and paisley trickery, the sounds of big church bells pealing out a death knell and some snippets of a NASA rocket launch countdown.  As the count reaches the launch – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…the Hard Times kick in with a chorus of stoned vocals, chanting “Blew…Blew Mind” while a barrage of vibrato guitars shimmer like the sunlight through the low-lying fog in the poppy fields.  As you may have already guessed, this is pure crystallized psychedelic pop, whose sole purpose is to alter your consciousness, gliding along on a sloggy, half-asleep trancelike rhythm like the Troggs “Love is All Around” or the Sundae Times “Psychedelic Dream” – with a TON of trippy sound effects and minor key chord progressions, capably providing the soundtrack to your favorite black light poster.  I’m voting for the topless Amazon warrior girl. 

Elsewhere, on a nearly unrecognizable cover of Donovan’s “Colours”, the Hard Times go all soft, with an uber-lounge arrangement, breathy vocals and light orchestration that swells like an edema for the second verse.  It’s the kind of soft pop that’s so soft and ethereal, you’d swear some chemical involvement was necessary.  And that may have been the case.  Of course, the trippy outer space glissando piano runs that come between each verse also help clue you in.  So again, I’m left to wonder why these guys called themselves the Hard Times.  This album seems all so effortless, and goes down like spiked cherry punch.  “Blew Mind” – now THAT I understand.  And at least for a handful of tracks, they accomplish that goal.

HEAR IT!

UPDATE:  SORRY, I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  ALL DOMESTIC ORDERS REQUIRE DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, WHICH IS AN EXTRA 75 CENTS.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $10 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $16 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  ALL FOREIGN ORDERS REQUIRE CERTIFICATE OF SHIPMENT, WHICH IS AN EXTRA $1.10.  I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

And finally, I include delivery confirmation on all shipments inside the US.  This is my proof of shipment, and also helps us to track your package if it doesn’t arrive when it should.  I will email you within 2 days of shipment and give you the confirmation number at that time.  Insurance is always optional, but for larger orders, it’s highly recommended.   I DO NOW REQUIRE THAT ALL FOREIGN BUYERS PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1.10 FOR PROOF OF SHIPMENT.  IT'S A NOMINAL FEE AND THE CHEAPEST WAY FOR ME TO PROVE THAT I ACTUALLY SHIPPED YOUR PACKAGE AND DIDN'T JUST POCKET YOUR MONEY AND SKIP TOWN.  For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.