Darius - Darius (1969 Psychedelic Folk)

A mysterious figure of the late '60s who put out an interesting eponymous album on the names-can-be-deceptive Chartmaker label. With his funky, keyboard-based rock and full, soulful vocals, Darius sounded like a more eccentric and far moodier, doomier counterpart to Lee Michaels. The record was imaginatively arranged and produced, with flourishes of flamenco guitar, odd echo-tinkles, and some dynamic organ and bass hooks adding to its overall air of idiosyncrasy. It's little known, even among psychedelic collectors, and worthy of exhumation on CD reissue.

"I feel so bad," sings Darius with an air of resigned desperation near the end of the opening cut, "Shades of Blue," before closing the song with a truly memorable larynx-shredding scream. That sets the tone for this weird little mini-gem, a kind of downbeat psychedelic anomaly that nevertheless boasts some nifty melodic hooks and tight, exuberant playing. Darius delivers his trippy but anxious tunes with a powerful, fetching grit, bolstered by pungent organ and piano arrangements. There's a curious air of mystical disorientation on this obscurity, which deserves a wider hearing. The 2001 CD reissue, as a German import on World in Sound, adds three previously unreleased cuts, also recorded in 1969. These aren't quite up to the same level as the rest of the songs, and one, "Peace & Love," sounds like an instrumental backing track missing the vocal.(AMG)

01. Shades Of Blue
02. Dawn
03. Mist-Veiled Garden
04. I¥m The Man
05. I Feel The Need To Carry On
06. Dirty Funky Situation
07. Blow My Mind
08. Sweet Mama
09. Ancient Path
10. Hear What I Say
11. Don¥t You Get The Feeling (Bonus)
12. A Woman Like You (Bonus)
13. Peace & Love (Bonus)

Post by ChrisGoesRock