My Indole Ring - My Indole Ring 1969 [2001]

This eponymous album is the first (and probably only) to document the music of the late-'60s psychedelic rock group My Indole Ring. A local legend in Vancouver, Canada, back in 1967-1969, the quartet did not even release a single but, 25 years after the fact, this CD presents demos and live recordings that were all previously unavailable. Judging from this hour's worth of material, My Indole Ring definitely had something going. The set kicks off with "Orange Float Petals," an impressive acid rock song that became the group's signature tune. Full of instrumental quirks and imaginative vocal harmonies, this one is anthology material. "Love People Everywhere," "Blue Wax," and the instrumental "Silk Road" are satisfying but more generic numbers. The influences of West Coast (Jefferson Airplane) and Vancouver groups (Papa Bear's Medicine Show) are detectable. The group rounded up its sets with blues standards, and its take on "Another Man Done Gone" and "Early in the Morning" follow the developing crossovers between blues-rock and pop at the time. The CD concludes with 20 minutes of live material. The sound quality takes a severe drop: The demos have been well restored but these recordings from the Retinal Circus in Vancouver remain murky. Besides nostalgic Vancouver residents, this album will be of interest only for psychedelic rock collectors. A limited-edition LP with fewer tracks has also been released.