LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Francisco's lone recorded work, Cosmic Beam Experience, whichappeared on Cosmic Beam records in 1976, attracted the recentattention of music and film aficionados when its Cosmic Beam motifwas sampled by movie composer Hans Zimmer in his soundtrack toTerrence Mallick's 1998 film, The Thin Red Line. Although the film,which featured such luminaries as Sean Penn, George Clooney, JohnCussack, Nick Nolte and even John Travolta, was widely dismissedas an over-long and confusing piece of visual self-indulgence,Zimmer's soundtrack, and particularly Francisco's contribution, areoften sited as the film's only redeeming factors.Francisco was actually the LA-based Francisco Lupica, a versatilemusician at home with electric and acoustic guitars, percussion andin his capacity as a singer, well versed in unusual vocal effects.Lupica even designed a proprietary sound system able to reproducea full range of frequencies across the full aural spectrum whichdelivered an extraordinary sound experience.The album, with its unusual "cosmic" cover, has begun to attractthe attention of serious record collectors, pushing its price upconsiderably. Cosmic Beam is beautifully recorded, and with itscombination of electric and acoustic instruments, vocal chorus andtrance-inducing sounds, stands out as one of the earliest examplesof the nascent New Age movement which was to emerge en force afew years later. Highly recommendedTrack Listing1. Heal Yourself /Cosmic BeamExperience (Part I)2. Love Sweet Love (Cosmic BeamExperience Part II3. Hey Mister Sun