Two bands have been really scratching my “druggie psychedelic rock” itch over the past few weeks with their new discs. Both the Fresh & Onlys’ debut self titled disc and Thee Of Sees’ sophomore disc Help are great ventures into the twisted world of 13th Floor Elevator-type psych-pop madness. While Thee Oh Sees’ record is a little more fractured and dark, it is a strong record that finds acid rock aficionado John Dwyer creating revelatory and enrapturing garage rock stompers. Dywer seems unafraid to take the more fuzzed out and abrasive route to really drag the listener into the excellent swirling mess of a universe he has created on the propulsive and chaotic Help.

While they technically fall into the same broad stroked category as Thee Oh Sees (at least in my simple world), the Fresh and Onlys serve up a mellow, easy to swallow take on trippy garage rock. The vocals are farther up in the mix and the instruments sound less harsh, but this is not to say that the Fresh and Onlys sound boring or mainstream by any stretch of the imagination. The group simply takes a stronger pop route, especially on songs like “Nuclear Disaster” which finds it at its most straightforward and shows the band’s classic pop structure while still staying true to the late ’60’s San Francisco sound. Both of these bands hearken back to a time that is long gone, but have found a voice that still sounds as exciting and invigorating 40 years after the original call was made to “Turn on, Tune in, Drop out.” Even if the people who originally said that are now short selling stocks and driving SUVs, at least the great music lives on.

The Fresh & Onlys “Nuclear Disaster” (mp3)
Thee Oh Sees “I Can’t Get No” (mp3)

The Fresh & Onlys: Official MySpace
Thee Oh Sees: MySpace Wikipedia

Also: The Fresh & Onlys “Disoriented Youth”