Beacon Street Union - The clown died in Marvin Gardens (29/9/19)

I could play anything from the numerous bands and artists i've mentioned already, but i'm having more fun exploring things i've never heard.

I think it's completely fair to call Beacon Street Union obscure. They only made 3 albums and this is the second.

I don't pretend to know why they reused the same dead clown as The Doors did a year before, or why they do an elvis impersonation in the middle of Side A, but I do know that everything else is pretty great. The guitar doodles on "a not very august afternoon" are really enjoyable, and they use their orchestral backing in creative ways.

I don't have anything to suggest for comparison, they are pretty unique like most of the psychedelic bands of the time. I wouldn't call them groundbreaking or essential, but they make some pretty good music for zoning out and wobbling your head back and forth.

I was a little apprehensive about the 16-minute "baby please don't go," and while it's no "inna-gadda-da-vita" it does have some great jam sections broken up by the vocal refrain (which you may or may not find quite annoying).

All in all, it's a pretty good album except for the cover of "blue suede shoes." Whatever reason they had for including it is completely lost on me.

https://youtu.be/o-1ClV8QsfY

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