- unknown

- none known

Genre: psych

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Bedlam

Company: Condor

Catalog: CST 2457

Year: 1968

Country/State: Canada

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: small store stamp and '60' on back cover; crease along bottom right corner 

Available: 2

Catalog ID: 5329

Price: $150.00

Top caliber Canadian exploito ...   Seriously, that's about all the bibliographical info I can provide on this album.   Released on the Canadian Condor label (which released an eclectic mix of MOR and rock materials), 1968's "Bedlam" was produced by Jean Daniel and Jack Millman (the latter was a Vancouver-based television weatherman).  There are no performance credits leaving you to conclude that this was a studio enterprise slapped together in the hopes of capitalizing on prevailing musical tastes. 

Musically the collection was all over the place offering up a manic mixture of pysch-propelled sound collages, song snippets ('Winchester Cathedral' buried in 'Head Games and Other Assorted Crap') spoken word segments ('After Six'), backward tapes and other studio effects.  It made for a cool album to listen to with good headphones and a couple of beers.  Epitomized by the lead off track 'Parade At the Funny Farm' the results included a little bit of everything including a melody that borrowed heavily from Sam and Dave's 'Hold On, I'm Comin'' mixed with what sounded like Wild Man Fisher vocal samples. The second half of 'Head Games and Other Assorted Crap' somehow managed to mix a wonderful Association-styled top-40 melody with a wild mixture of channel hoping sound effects. 'Head Amusement' could have easily been lifted from an early Steppenwolf LP. Just to make things interesting the instrumentals 'Raunchy Boog-a-loo' and 'The Truth' had distinctive funky feels ('Raunchy' was one of the standout tracks).  Sure, there was plenty of wasted space here.  'Head Job' was a boring spoken word/telephone conversation segment.  The goofy and very dated 'Happy Academy' and 'Trans Luv Airlines' would have sounded at home on a Firesign Theater LP.  Still, one of the better exploito LPs I've heard and a fun, if occasionally frustrating listen experience ... if these guys had let a little more of their song craft show through the effects rampage then this could have been a major find.

"Bedlam" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Parade At the Funny Farm   (Johnny Kitchen) - 8:38

2.) Head Amusement   (Ludie Pressman) - 0:29

3.) Raunchy Boog-a-loo (instrumental)   (Jack Millman) - 2:54

4.) After Six   (Phillip Werber) - 2:29

5.) The Truth   (Jack Millman) - 3:09

(side 2)
1.) Head Games and Other Assorted Crap   (Jack Millman) - 6:09

2.) Head Job   (Ralph Morris) - 2:59

3,) Happy Academy   (Frank Morris) - 3:54

4.) Trans Luv Airflnes   (Ludie Pressman) - 3:49

5.) Let's Split   (Johnny Kitchen) - 2:35

So much for facts.  There are multiple theories out there with respect to who these guys were.  Some folks have linked the album to Wild Man Fisher.  Seems doubtful to me.  Others claim the mysterious 'Johnny Kitchen' who seems to have been responsible for a mid-to-late 1960s mini-industry releasing psych-exploito albums by a host of groups including The Blues Train, The Trio of Tyme, Victims of Chance, etc. was the brains behind the LP.  Who knows.

If you want to save some money the Gear Fab label has reissued the album in vinyl and CD formats (catalog numbers GF156LP and GF156).