V.A. - Highs In The Mid-Sixties Vol. 17-19

Texas for the fourth time, the lone Colorado compilation and Michigan for the third time. All in all 43 tracks of good and/or excellent garage punk. Only Vol. 17 suffers a bit from the noisy vinyl.

Highs In The Mid-Sixties Vol. 17
[Texas Pt. 4] (AIP 10026 / 1986)
1. Sparkles - The U.T.; 2. S.J. & The Crossroads - Ooh Poo Pah Doo; 3. S.J. & The Crossroads - Darkest Hour; 4. Souncations - Exit; 5. Visions - Humpty Dumpty; 6. Spectrum - Bald Headed Woman; 7. Gentle'men - Come On (If You Can); 8. Kempy & The Guardians - Love For A Price; 9. Roks - Hey Joe; 10. Lost Generation - They Tell Me; 11. Spades - We Sell Soul; 12. Neal Ford & The Fanatics - Bitter Bells; 13. Iguanas - Leaving You Baby.

Vol. 17 opens with the Sparkles' first record, a greasy, Astronauts-like early 60s stomper called "The U.T." (when's some enterprising pirate gonna put the Sparkles' eleven released sides, the Roy Junior 45, and maybe a couple of related tunes on an LP?). S.J. & the Crossroads serve up a steaming portion of Farfisa'n'twang roller rink dance fodder with the irresistible instrumental, "Darkest Hour." The Souncations' "Exit" is a fine, slower folk-punk thing with that same trebley whine as the Chessmen's "No More." The Spectrum's brooding cover of "Bald Headed Woman" (sorta like the Jerms' version) works pretty well, as does the Lost Generation's haunting ballad "They Tell Me" (not even listed in Journey To Tyme!). One of Neal Ford & the Fanatics' popular Tantara singles, "Bitter Bells," is a nice combination of swirling Farfisa, jangly Revolver-ish guitars, and harmony singing that is vaguely psychedelic. There's also already-reished tracks by the Spades ("We Sell Soul"), Kempy & the Guardians, the Iguanas, the Gentlemen, the Visions, and the Roks.
(review by Bill Shute, "Ugly Things" magazine)

Get Vol. 17 here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)
http://sharebee.com/ffa24e58

Highs In The Mid-Sixties Vol. 18
[Colorado] (AIP 10027 / 1986)
1. Astronauts - Come Along Baby; 2. Soul - Have It All Your Way; 3. Trolls - I Don't Recall; 4. Trolls - Stupid Girl; 5. Poor - She's Got The Time (She's Got The Changes); 6. Soothsayers - I Don't Know; 7. Moonrakers - I Don't Believe; 8. Sur Royal Da Count & The Parliaments - Scream Mother Scream; 9. Our Gang - Careless Love; 10. Moonrakers - Baby Please Don't Go; 11. Moonrakers - I'm All Right; 12. Lidos - Since I Last Saw You; 13. Rainy Daze - Fe Fi Fo Fum; 14. Doppler Effect - God Is Alive In Argentina; 15. Monocles - Psychedelic (That's Where It's At); 16. Elopers - Music To Smoke Bananas By.

The LP opens with the state's best known band, the Astronauts (check out their killer live LP on RCA, "Astronauts Orbit Kampus"), who always were cool even in the horrible z-grade surf/teenage movies they often appeared in. Their first, pre-RCA single, "Come Along Baby" is included here and it's a straight-ahead roadhouse rocker like you'd expect from a 1962 Midwest dance band - these guys always had a frat look, and a punk attitude. The other big name on the LP is the Moonrakers, with some of their great Tower singles which were all big hits in Denver. "Baby Please Don't Go" and "I'm All Right" are both wild and fuzzed-out punk, not unlike the Outcasts' "Smokestack Lightning," while "I Don't Believe" is fine folk-punk in a Leaves vein. Boulder's infamous Monocles (of "Spider And The Fly" fame) are back with an earlier, less gimmicky cut, "Psychedelic" - check out the ultracool cover photo of these guys with their hearses!!! The unknown bands on the LP definitely are all worthwhile. From the early 60s garage thrash of the Lidos' "Since I Last Saw You" (paging Tav Falco!) which is almost unbelievable in its crudity, to the mindbending 1967 psych of the Doppler Effect and the Elopers' hilarious but cool instrumental, "Music To Smoke Bananas By," to the more traditional farfisa and fuzz sound of the Soul, and from Pueblo, the Trolls (who do a great cover of "Stupid Girl"), from the beginning to the end this LP satisfies.
(review by Bill Shute, "Ugly Things" magazine)

"Careless Love" was not released by the Colordao Springs band Our Generation but by a Los Angeles band of the same name.

Get Vol. 18 here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)
http://sharebee.com/f031e708

V.A. - Highs In The Mid-Sixties Vol. 19
[Michigan Part 3] (AIP 10028 / 1985)
1. Tempests - Look Away; 2. Saharas - This Mornin'; 3. Decisions - Tears, Tears; 4. Royal Shandels - Be Careful With Your Carful; 5. Ju Jus - I'm Really Sorry; 6. French Church - Without Crying; 7. Oxford 5 - Gloria; 8. Iguanas - Again And Again; 9. Beaubiens - Times Passed; 10. Bells Of Rhymny - She'll Be Back; 11. Chessmen - You Can't Catch Me; 12. French Church - Slapneck 1943; 13. Assortment - Bless Our Hippy Home; 14. Orange Wedge - From The Womb To The Tomb.

The third part of the Great Lake State is the strongest Michigan release of this series to my ears. Tracks by the Royal Shandels, Beaubiens, Assortment or the underrated French Church are all excellent garage offerings. The pinnacle of all are the superb heavy acid-punker "From The Tomb To The Womb" by The Orange Wedge, the demented demo "Again And Again" by Iggy Pop's first band The Iguanas and finally the wonderful "I'm Really Sorry", the b-side of "Do You Understand Me?" by the Ju Jus, who also became highly distinguished with a recently 23 track CD released on Cicadelic (a vinyl issue on Break-A-Way should be released soon).

Get Vol. 19 here (Artwork included / vinyl rip)
http://sharebee.com/f6c0217d