The magic of many of these Baroque rock LP’s, considered now as Psychedelic leads one to wonder, if in part the difference in the approach to studio craft, as well as the vision of the musicians. The studio as instrument was clearly something many producers must of been more than ready for by the time rocksters loaded with psychotropic social landscapes and other eclectic excitments dropped into the soundstage. What has been refered to as “the call and response of the top ten” is a given in motivating psychedelia, as was R&B, Blues, Disco… ad infinitum. The producers though were likely primed for the technological challenges of the psychedelic era by the natural high of gadgetphilia inherent with electronhead’s practices since antiquity.

If LOVE in L.A. can wax a 12inch Psychedelic masterpiece as in Forever Changes, without being called Beatles copycats, why can’t the Rolling Stones do the same in London? Wasn’t “Something Happened To Me Yesterday” on Between the Buttons a dose of Vaudeville that pre-dated Sgt. Peppers? The Rolling Stones have their own singular approach to music that was just begining to blossom on this LP, which was enhanced by the fashionable evolution of studio techniques of the time, as well as the general 20th century tribute to sensuality and visionary experience known as Psychedelia.

Within Brian Jone’s mellotrons and other exotica, Richards jagged quitar snaps into a sharpened hardrock form that would shape their next 4 records. From Their Satanic Majesties request through Exile on Main Street the Stones were on a run.

The only weakness of this LP, now on DSD CD and SACD, is that it does not include 4 other potent songs from this period as a bonus which also demonstrated the Stones excellence in Psychedelia. ‘We Love You’, ‘Child of the Moon’, ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ and ‘Dandelions’, would of been a sweet bonus.

If you enjoy the concept of album as artform don’t miss the intense creativity of Their Satanic Majesties Request. It is one of the LP’s that is vastly better than Sgt. Peppers in representing the genre Sgt. Peppers is alledgedly said to be the ultimate example of.