LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Credited as one of the best late '60s German psych-rock albums, 1968's 'Psychedelic Underground' by Bokaj Retsiem ('Meister Jakob' with the letters reversed!) is an eccentric, soulful, acidy and fuzz-rockin' exploitation work that clearly prefigures a part of the Krautrock movement. Featuring Rainer Deigner, the former guitarist of '60s beat group German Bonds, as the composer and only credited musician (although other musicians assisted him on a.o. bass and organ), this is basically Rainer's freaked-out tribute to his favourite children's song, 'Meister Jakob', consisting of trippy instrumental sections, furiously savage e-guitar crescendos, amazing psych-rock improvisations, and a slight hint of '60s US garage-psych. 'Psychedelic Underground' is an exciting psych-kraut trip for fans of Vanilla Fudge, Hendrix and Iron Butterfly. Bokaj Retsiem's album basically belongs to the same family of exploito-LP's as the ones that are credited to Hell Preachers Inc., Electric Food and Pink Mice, all of which were recorded with involovement from the musicians who'd become known as Lucifer's Friend in the '70s.

Track listing

• A1 So Bad 6:00
• A2 Classic Bokaj 0:27
• A3 It's Over 4:17
• A4 Only A Child 0:50
• A5 Sad Bokaj 0:48
• A6 I'm So Afraid 3:34
• B1 Bokaj Retsiem 5:40
• B2 Bossa Bokaj 0:42
• B3 Pill 4:45
• B4 Something's Wrong With Bokaj 0:27
• B5 Drifting 4:36