Album Reviews

You know those records that “got away”? The ones you saw in the bins when they first were released that you mean to buy but somehow didn’t? One for me was Peter Walker’s Rainy Day Raga on Vanguard. I’ll pick up a copy eventually (I said that before, back in the ‘60s, but this time I mean it!) but for now there’s this old-time/modern psych-drone fest with the recently resurfaced Walker, now in his 80s, collaborating with Harmony Rockets (better known as Mercury Rev along with Wilco’s Nels Cline, Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley and Martin Keith.

Walker studied with Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan. He also organized LSD advocate Dr. Timothy Leary’s various lysergic “celebrations”—a fact that oozes through this new recording as clearly as windowpane or a light through a clear one.

The “Mercury” reference in the group’s name relates to the storied record label not the liquid metal element, or at least that’s my belief based on the group’s use of the label’s “35MM” logo on some of its album jackets.

I bring that up because the sound of this ethereal all-instrumental multi-generational treat shimmers and dazzles throughout and will take you places where you want to go. Whoever cut the lacquers (“JLM”) cut them right to the label but that shouldn’t stop you (unless you have a changer!).

Any record featuring an Ondes Martenot is one of interest to me! And this one does. Judging by the back cover photo, everyone involved had a great time making this a little over 32 minute treat as you will have listening to it. It makes for a great “last record of the evening” album or a mid-listening session “palate cleanser”. Pick up a copy (it won't cost you much) and you won’t regret doing so—and don’t do what I did with Rainy Day Raga and wait 50 years to get it! I'm bringing my copy to the Florida Audio Expo tomorrow. I'll report back here later! Meanwhile, up next for Mercury Rev is The Delta Sweete Revisited, a star-filled Bobby Gentry tribute album featuring Lucinda Williams, Laetitia Sadier and many others.