Albums similar to the middle era Beatles, Pet Sounds and/or Odessey & Oracle
The Millennium
Begin Released July 1968
AMG review :
"The Millennium's Begin can truly be described as a bona fide lost classic. The brainchild of producers Curt Boettcher and Gary Usher, the group was formed out of the remnants of their previous studio project, Sagittarius, which was preceded by yet another aggregation, the Ballroom. On Begin, hard rock, breezy ballads, and psychedelia all merge into an absolutely air-tight concept album, easily on the level of other, more widely popular albums from the era such as The Notorious Byrd Brothers, which share not only Usher's production skills, but similarities in concept and construction. The songwriting, mostly by Joey Stec and Curt Boettcher, is sterling and innovative, never straying into the type of psychedelic overindulgence which marred so many records from this era. For example, "It's You," by Stec, is as powerful and fully realized as the era ever produced, easily on par with songs by the Beach Boys and the Byrds — and, yes, even the Beatles. At the time the most expensive album Columbia ever produced (and it sounds like it), Begin is an absolute necessity for any fan of late-'60s psychedelia and a wonderful rediscovery that sounds as vital today as it did the day it was released. [Disc three of the 2001 Sundazed three-CD release Magic Time: The Millennium/Ballroom Recordings includes everything from the Begin album, as well as the unreleased "Blight"/"Just About the Same" single that was added to the 1990 Begin reissue, and the single versions of "It's You," "I Just Want to Be Your Friend," "5 A.M.," "Prelude," "To Claudia on Thursday," and "There Is Nothing More to Say." The other two CDs have tracks from other acts Boettcher was involved with during the late '60s (most of them by his prior group, the Ballroom), as well as previously unreleased instrumental versions of three songs from the Begin album: "It Won't Always Be the Same," "There Is Nothing More to Say," and "To Claudia on Thursday."]"
Mike Tingley
The Abstract Prince Released February 1968
The sole LP of a Caifornian artist, released in Holland, has an impressive opening with the totally Barrett-with-strings "A Real Fine Time". A rather rich production - the basic rock instruments with something like a strings ensemble - often creating an amazing wall-of-sound, contrasting with the unusual melodic lines that Tingley uses in several tracks. This is rather different from the use of strings in other psychedelic records, like in "Forever Changes" and closer to Phil Spector's way. Sometimes flutes, layered vocals, tablas and acoustic guitars are used to give the desired psychedelic (or folky in a few cases) sound.
I wouldn't know if the producer (Tony Vos - also jazz saxophonist, DJ in famous Radio Veronica) or Mike Tingley himself had studied the Beatles' arrangements in Rubber Soul or Sgt.Pepper that was released a little earlier, but this album is standing between the psychedelic era of the Byrds, Syd Barrett and Sgt. Pepper. There are a few songs that sound too mellow today and they could never be called psychedelic but rather teenage pop, like "Begin the Sun" or "Crossroads", but this was more or less usual at that time (don't forget that it was released on Decca)
Another unusual point is the lyrics: we're listening not just the broken heart stories or the peace-and-love messages that we'd expect, but also political songs, like the marvelous title track (which I feel is a case that the strings are a bit over-used and didn't helped the song much).
Also surprising is that this brilliant record remains undiscovered until today, never reissued or even posted in blogland. (Taken from Lost In Tyme blog).
The Junipers
Cut Your Key Released September 28, 2008
Shindig Magazine review :
"Maybe a year and a half ago, The Junipers wandered out of 1967 and affiliated themselves with the great stable of bands based around London's Redbricks club night. Unlike a lot of modern bands that tip their hat to late sixties psychedelia, The Junipers decided that songs and melodies were more important than getting the right haircuts and sitting around pretending they lived in Laurel Canyon. On this, their debut album, the band have merged a melodic touch that really is second to none, with a refreshingly timeless production; taking inspiration from the golden era of recording, but never laboriously emulating. It sounds like it could have been recorded on tape, but to be honest who cares when the songs are this great? Imagine Curt Boettcher and Brian Wilson double teaming McCartney's Ram and you wouldn't be far off. Nowhere near enough bands sound like prime Harry Nilsson nowadays."
Grapefruit
Around (1968)
AMG review :
"Like the fruit after it was named, Grapefruit's debut album was at times too sweet, but was on the whole a promising and worthy effort. Devoted almost wholly to songs written by leader George Alexander, the record featured tuneful, upbeat mid-tempo late-'60s British rock with good harmonies, creative ornate arrangements, and a very slight and very sunny psychedelic tinge. Certainly similarities to the Paul McCartney-penned tracks from the Beatles' own psych-pop era are evident, and if George Alexander's songs weren't in nearly the same league as McCartney's, well, no one working the style was in McCartney's league. Grapefruit was at their best on the occasional songs in which they reached into slightly darker and more melancholy territory, particularly when they made creative use of strings, organ, baroque keyboards, and Mellotron, as on "This Little Man" and "Dear Delilah" and the instrumental "Theme for Twiggy." The latter tune sounds like something that could have been killer had words been devised; as it is, it seems like something that wasn't quite seen through to completion. There's also the Four Seasons cover "C'mon Marianne," which, although it wasn't one of their better tracks, was (along with "Dear Delilah") one of their two small U.K. hits. The CD reissue on Repertoire adds "Dead Boot," the non-LP B-side of "Dear Delilah."
