LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Label: Take 5

Few debut albums sound as fearless as Black Merda. Released in 1970, it brought together psychedelic rock, soul, blues and hard-edged guitar work at a time when very few African-American bands were exploring such territory. Rather than following the conventions of contemporary soul music, the Detroit quartet embraced fuzz guitars, driving rhythms and socially conscious songwriting, creating a sound that stood somewhere between Jimi Hendrix, Funkadelic and the garage rock explosion of the late 1960s.

The album constantly shifts between heavy psychedelic workouts, intimate acoustic moments and soulful vocal harmonies, revealing a group that refused to be confined by genre. Although overlooked when first released, Black Merda has since become recognized as one of the pioneering recordings of Black rock, its influence growing steadily through decades of rediscovery by musicians, collectors and fans of adventurous psychedelic music. This Take 5 edition faithfully reissues the complete original album.

1. Prophet
2. Think Of Me
3. Cynthy-Ruth
4. Over And Over
5. Ashamed
6. Reality
7. Windsong
8. Good Luck
9. That's The Way It Goes
10. I Don't Want To Die
11. Set Me Free