SAN FRANCISCO SOUND Fifth Pipe Dream '68 orig psych LP

$

179

Much-coveted ORIGINAL pressing of classic San Francisco Haight-Ashbury psychedelic sounds, "San Francisco Sound - Fifth Pipe Dream" from 1968.  This one's coveted for 1) the beautiful full-color Bill Graham style gatefold sleeve (there was also a black and white version pressed, but really - why bother?), 2) the excellent San Fran bands featured here, several of which never got the chance to record an album (Indian Puddin & Pipe, Black Swan), and, most importantly, 3) the music!  This really IS the best of the best in San Francisco acid sounds.  Sure, fans of the Dead, the Airplane or even the Charlatans might bemoan their omissions, but there's nothing here you would even think of removing to make way.  Besides, It's A Beautiful Day have never sounded more psychedelic, and more than make up for the lack of an Airplane with their moody "Bulgaria" - a trippy masterpiece of male/female harmony vocals, screeching violin and psychedelic break.  They urge you to "come with me, on a voyage within" and I don't think they're talking about a miniature submarine ride through the arteries.  Wide-eyed, deep-pocketed psych heads will also be familiar with the Tripsichord Music Box, whose "You're the Woman" was the one of the crushing, punishing highlights of their rare album.  Melodically similar to the Jellybean Bandits' "Country Woman", the Music Box pile on a blistering pair of heavy fuzz guitars that may rip apart lesser-brand speakers and will certainly turn cheap headphones inside out while you're wearing 'em.  As for the bands that didn't get record contracts, Indian Puddin and Pipe turn in a positively beautiful orchestrated ballad with "Beyond This Place" that really WILL take you beyond this place, if only for a few brief minutes.  It's a wonderful change of pace from all the fuzz and circumstance, a gorgeous pop song that even the Fading Yellow fans would love (although I don't think they'd be looking here in the first place).  The Puddin's other contribution, "Hashish", is a stone-cold KILLER Indian magic carpet ride with blistering FUZZ and certainly one of the most amazing things to ever come out of the San Francisco scene.  It certainly captures its subject well.  Nearly as good - It's a Beautiful Day's "Aquarian Dream", another exceptional Indian-inspired fuzz-laden bellydance that benefits from some huge orchestral blasts like the ones you'll find on the Who's "Underture", and a KILLER sidewinding snake-dance melody played on a cheezy roller rink organ.  And when the guitarist unleashes his fuzz, the sounds that come out are absolutely earth-shattering, giant bellows from the dragon of rock guitar.  While "Fifth Pipe Dream" may not, in its short album length format, claim to completely cover the entire San Francisco sound, it certainly serves up 40 minutes of the most exciting ones.  Finally - a rare album you WILL listen to again and again.  Original 1968 pressing on the San Francisco Sound label, S7B-11680-X.  Gatefold cover's in VG- shape because the bottom seam is split all the way (could be repaired if you'd like).  Some light cover wear on image, nothing bad, and the start of a seam split on the top (1 inch).  Vinyl plays REAL STRONG, VG++ with very little surface noise if at all.  And album you will treasure.  Winning bidder pays $4.00 media mail shipping in the US, $8 air mail to Canada, $14 air mail everywhere else.  Paypal, Bidpay, cash, checks and money orders accepted.  Please check out my other auctions for more vinyl obscurities, and I will combine shipping costs on multiple wins.