Sold Date: July 25, 2021
Start Date: April 25, 2020
Final Price: $22.79 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 4795
Buyer Feedback: 0

H.P. Lovecraft
Live May 11, 1968
12"
VINYL
RECORD LP
BRAND NEW & FACTORY SEALED


Sundazed Music
LP 5526
UPC | 090771552617
2017


TRACK LISTING

SIDE ONE
1. Wayfaring Stranger
2. The Drifter
3. It's About Time

SIDE TWO
4. The White Ship
5. At The Mountains Of Madness
6. The Bag I'm In
7. I've Been Wrong Before
8. Country Boy & Bleeker Street
"A previously un-issued, killer acid-ballroom blitz by the late H.P. Lovecraft, a sadly under regarded Chicago band caught in its trippy Gothic psych-rock prime at the Fillmore West." --Rolling Stone

In case you hadn't noticed, there weren't a lot of people taking notes during the heyday of psychedelic concertdom'. As a result, the lore and legend of that era consists of hazy, mumbled recollections of plankton-brained survivors. Well, rewrite the history books, because Sundazed archaeologist Jeff Jarema--in collaboration with Lovecraft honcho George Edwards--has excavated this remarkably well-preserved snapshot of Freakout Central from the birthplace of noodle-dancing, the Fillmore Auditorium circa 1968.

With their mix of folk, psychedelic rock and sci-fi, H.P. Lovecraft was one of the Midwest's foremost psychedelic acts before relocating to San Francisco in 1968. This blistering live set finds them at the peak of their onstage power in their adopted hometown, turning up in a set of originals and covers that highlight the band's soaring harmonies and exquisite musicianship.

Blessed with one of the best live recording qualities one can hear from '60s efforts — especially considering that H.P. Lovecraft was never a major success — Live May 11, 1968 provides a reasonable alternate way for the curious to find out what the shouting was all about.

Split almost evenly between first and second album material, and featuring then-new bassist Jeff Boyan (brought in to replace Jerry McGeorge), this release shows that the quintet certainly had something. If there are plenty of moments where the addictive blend of garage jamming and mind blown psychedelia seems on the verge of collapsing into noodling or bad Doors imitations, there's enough of H.P. Lovecraft's own particular approach to justify a listen by anyone into exploratory late-'60s rock. Certainly once or twice the band ends up sounding remarkably prescient — the opening of "Wayfaring Stranger" calls to mind the blend of propulsion and trance Can would shortly make its own in Germany, with Tegza's tight beats leading the way.

Plenty of other examples can be noted, with the transferred tape itself further suggesting the European group's approach — check the midsection of "The Drifter," where only Michaels' keyboards steer away from the driving rhythm. Edwards and Michaels' lead vocals work great together live — their training and earlier studio experience showing well — and the whole band tackles the spirit of the times to a T. Two standout performances are the one-two punch of "The White Ship" and "At the Mountain of Madness," both of which also make for the perfect tribute to the original Lovecraft himself.
SHIPPING TO USA ONLY
$4.79 (Media Mail)
Buyer Pays Shipping
1st LP $4.79... each additional $1.50
LPs will only be combined with other LPs
To qualify for the combined  discount, all items must be purchased together,  paid for with 1 payment, and shipped all together in 1 shipment. Please use the add to cart feature, once you have ordered all your desired items,  proceed to checkout to complete your order with the combined total.