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Between 1967 and 1970, New York’s Mainstream label, a respected imprint known principally for its high quality jazz and soundtrack catalogue, recorded and released over two dozen full-length rock albums. “All Kinds Of Highs: A Mainstream Pop-Psych Compendium 1966-70” collects the best moments from these records, along with selected highlights from Mainstream’s singles inventory of the same period."
It was still an era where there was no guarantee that even a significant hit single would grant an artist the luxury of a long-playing disc. Yet, in an assiduous move, company president and A&R chief Bob Shad single-handedly traversed the nation to assemble a roster of unknown rock bands, have them quickly record LPs in the styles of the moment, and then throw it all up at the proverbial ceiling, to see what would stick. At the time, and for some years after, Shad’s rock’n’roll splurge was viewed, somewhat cynically, as emblematic of the industry’s gross exploitation of the baby-booming psychedelic milieu. As popular music got more self-consciously cerebral and the Rolling Stone mindset took over, the rock album had become a sacred totem, an instrument of the “serious” artist. Which no doubt precluded any of the Mainstream acts getting taken seriously."
I always did, however. Back in the 80s, a Mainstream album, when you were lucky enough to spot one in the vinyl hostelries of London, was a fascinating curio. Intriguingly cryptic names such as the Bohemian Vendetta or Tangerine Zoo, emblazoned upon garish pop-art sleeves, stood out in the racks. My friend Tom (later in Th’ Faith Healers and Quickspace Supersport) and I vied with each other to “collect the set”, as it were, but truthfully, at the time, the Mainstream psychedelic albums seemed too few and far between, and I was frankly too broke."
It wasn’t until I later moved to the US that I caught up on classics from the Tiffany Shade, Jelly Bean Bandits and Growing Concern and also started acquiring some of the numerous non-LP singles on Mainstream and its subsidiary Brent - many of which, by Fever Tree, Paraphernalia, the Country Gentlemen and suchlike, are true gems. It always struck me that Bob Shad was a kind of unwitting patron of pop-psychedelia, or at least a chronicler of American rock at a grass roots level. He had a knack for frequently choosing groups that had something a little out of the ordinary, whether it be in songwriting chops, instrumental abilities, or just a unique slant, that to revisionist ears is a most appealing aspect of the label’s rock legacy. Mainstream artists in this era touch equally on Anglophile pop, folk-rock, world music, country and vocal harmony, in often thrilling manner."
It also occurred to me as I collected Mainstream releases that, while each album had merit, there were always tracks that stood out. Using the “Nuggets” precept, it made sense to gather all these strongest moments together. Thus we have “All Kinds Of Highs”, which focuses squarely and unapologetically on the pop-psych end of the spectrum, eschewing the hard rock or horn rock stylings of later Mainstream acts such as Last Nikle, Josefus etc. That can be someone else’s compilation - in the meantime, revel in the glorious, groovy miscellany assembled here."
Side 1
Journey To The Center Of The Mind - The Amboy Dukes
For A Moment - The Orient Express
Saturday Night - The Country Gentlemen
Mr Grey - The Stone Circus
Caught In The Rain - Ellie Pop
Nature's Children - The Tangerine Zoo
Girl, Oh Girl (Don't Push Me) - Fever Tree
An Older Man - The Tiffany Shade
Please Come Home - The Six Pentz
Riddles & Fairytales - The Bohemian Vendetta
Get Him Out Of Your Mind - The Underground
You'll Walk Away - The Art Of Lovin'
Now He's Here - The Grammy Fones
Generation - The Jelly Bean Bandits
Crazy Town (Move On Little Children) - The Superfine Dandelion
Twenty Light Years Away - The Orphans
Edge Of Time - The Growing Concern
Someone Must Have Lied - The Fun & Games Commission
Can't You See - The Tangerine Zoo
I Don't Know Why - The Wrongh Black Bag
Easy - The Underground
One Good Reason - The Tiffany Shade
Timekeeper - The Scarlet Letter
You've Got The Power - The Art Of Lovin'
Can't Be Love - Ellie Pop
Tapestries - The Jelly Bean Bandits
Side 2
I Can Beat Your Drum - Fever Tree
Trip To The Zoo - The Tangerine Zoo
Seven North Frederick - Ellie Pop
Good Times - The Art Of Lovin'
A Quiet Revolution - The Tiffany Shade
Mary Maiden - The Scarlet Letter
All Kinds Of Highs - The Bohemian Vendetta
Baby Please Don't Go - The Amboy Dukes
Take Me Back - The Underground
Imitation Situation "4/4-6/8 Time" - The Sixpentz
You're A Drag - The Off-Set
Sit Down I Think I Love You - The Growing Concern
Neon River - The Jelly Bean Bandits
A Little Star - The Orient Express
Another Morning - The Tangerine Zoo
Sara Wells - The Stone Circus
Day And Night - The Superfine Dandelion
Satisfyin' Sunday - The Underground
Paul's Circus - The Art Of Lovin'
Today - Tomorrow - The Fun & Games Commission
All I Really Want - The Growing Concern
Sunny Days (And Good Good Living) - Paraphernalia
Would You Take My Mind Out For A Walk - The Tiffany Shade
200 Years - Maxx
Tinkle Talk - The Sixpentz
I Need Your Lovin' - Freeport"
