rep>>> Various Artists - The IKON Records Story (1964-66 us, cool cryptic garage pearls, double disc set)

Sacramento-based Ikon Records is one of those labels that makes obsessive garage collectors squirm and sweat, stammering phrases to each other like "only three known copies, dude" or that most dreaded, tear-choked revelation: "there's only one known copy!" Because of their scarcity, even by local indie garage label standards, Ikon 45s have largely eluded the garage compilation-makers, so the label's output has been something of a secret shared by just a few elite high rollers and clued-in Sacramento locals. 

No hype, my friends: YES! This is hands-down the best '60s garage reissue of the year, filling the requirements of both historical significance and, more importantly, musical excitement. The Madd, Inc provide the immediate standout with the jaw-dropping "I'll Be the One." It's got an assertive lead vocal, two cool, locked-in guitar parts, a tight, rhythmic groove, and a dangerously tense mood snapped apart by a killer fast-fingered Drake Levinesque guitar break. No two ways about it: it's a frickin' MONSTER. While not in the same league as "I'll Be the One," the same band's secret agent themed "Sooperspy" and the wiry instrumental "Batman A Go Go" are also rather good.

More fantastic garage band thrills are drummed up by the Mergers ("Love, You Funny Thing"), the Kee-Notes (a great arrangement of "St James Infirmary"), the Styx ("My Girl"; not the Temptations song), the Knightsmen ("Daddy Was A Rolling Stone"; not the Temptations song either), the Denny & Kenny Duo (the ultra rockin' "Meet My Little Sweety"), the Sons of Sound ("I'm Coming Home"), and the Prophets (the up-tempo but oddly plaintive "You Wonder Why"). Bluesier fare is dished out by the Parish Hall Blues Quintet ("Smokestack Lightning" and a decent cover of the Pretty Things' "I Can Never Say") while solid surf/instro sounds are provided by the Nervous Kats, the Cautions, the Avanti's and the Marauders.

Those looking for minor key magic will be well-pleased too when they get a load of jewels like the Yo Yoz' exceptional, Zombies-flavored "Leave Me Alone," the Bristols' "She's Gone Away," the Shondells "It's True" and the Mergers' "I'll Be On My Way." This two-disc set come with a 28-page booklet jammed with full-color photos, label shots and abundant liner notes by Alec, Joey and others.

Ugly-Things

Artists - Tracks - Composer

Disc 1

1. Ikon - Intro - 0:47

2. Madd Inc. - I'll Be The One (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:38

3. Shondells - Something's Got A Hold Of Me (Etta James, Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods) - 2:39

4. Eirik Wangberg - Every Night I Dream A Little (Eirik Wangberg) - 2:25

5. Nervous Kats - Surf Express (Bob Smith) - 2:05

6. Bristols - She's Gone Away (Ron Meyer) - 2:14

7. Mergers - Love, You Funny Thing (Ron Andre) - 2:44

8. Avanti's - Countdown (Alan Cheney) - 1:48

9. Bobbies - Truck (Dirk Hamilton) - 2:19

10.Yo Yoz - Leave Me Alone - 3:11

11.The Knightsmen - Fever (Eddie Cooley, John Davenport) - 2:55

12.The Styx - My Girl (Don Branch) - 2:32

13.Kee-Notes - St. James Infirmary (Traditional) - 2:53

14.R.C. And The Tambourines - Quirk (Rich Clark) - 2:23

15.Shondells - I Cried Last Night (Perry Jones, Rick De Long) - 1:54

16.Cautions - Surfer's Beach (Joe Puliz, Pete Andrews) - 2:18

17.John Rosasco Quartet - Come Running To Me (John Rosasco) - 2:15

18.Townsmen - High Heel Sneakers (Robert Higginbotham) - 2:36

19.Moss And The Rocks - There She Goes (David Houston) - 4:46

20.Nervous Kats - Simba (Bob Smith) - 2:05

21.Prophets - It's All Over Now (Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack) - 3:28

22.Parish Hall Blues - Smokestack Lightning (Chester Burnett) - 4:09

23.Versatiles - Pretty Girls (Eugene Church, Thomas Williams) - 3:01

24.Unknown Artist - Gloria (Van Morrison) - 2:40

25.Russ Olson - Sorry About That (Eirik W. Wangberg, Russ Olson) - 2:09

26.Denny And Kenny Duo - I Love You So (Kenny Whitcombe) - 2:49

27.Madd Inc. - Batman (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:49

28.Avanti's - Too Much (Alan Cheney) - 2:37

29.Marauders - Intro-Surf Jam (Carl Wilson) - 2:24

30.Marauders - Carol (Chuck Berry) - 2:56

Disc 2 1. The Knightsmen - Daddy Was A Rolling Stone (Louise Acuna, Sammy Acuna) - 2:51 2. Denny And Kenny Duo - Meet My Little Sweety (Kenny Whitcombe) - 2:53 3. Prophets - You Wonder Why (Sterling Bunnell, Terry Taylor) - 2:58 4. Madd, Inc. - Sooperspy (Lee G. Downing) - 2:59 5. Unknown Artist - Searching - 2:32 6. Nervous Kats - Chong (Bob Smith) - 2:16 7. Parish Hall Blues Quintet - I Can Never Say (Dick Taylor, Phil May) - 2:58 8. Shondells - It's True (Perry Jones, Rick De Long) - 2:51 9. Eirik Wangberg - You Woman (Eirik Wangberg) - 2:33 10.Townsmen - Leaving Me (Bob Troyan) - 2:30 11.John Rosasco Quartet - The Shift (Gladys Cotton) - 1:47 12.Sons Of Sound - I'm Coming Home - 3:16 13.Cautions - Groovin' (Joe Puliz) - 2:26 14.Yo Yoz - Stay With Me - 2:36 15.Avanti's - What's Wrong With Me (Alan Cheney) - 2:12 16.Sel-Sync - The Fire Is Gone (Jerry Pine, Steve Squires) - 2:13 17.Beau Jesse - Tell Her That You Love Her (Ric Myers) - 1:55 18.Kee-Notes - Please Don't Tell Me No (Cliff Maurer) - 2:31 19.Eirik And The Secret Agents - Sorry About That (Eirik W. Wangberg, Russ Olson) - 2:33 20.Townsmen - What Have I Done (Bob Troyan) - 3:23 21.Fabulous Futuras - When You Ask About Love (Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis) - 1:47 22.Dirk Hamilton - Happiness (Dirk Hamilton) - 3:24 23.Bobbies - Orangutang (Houston Box) - 2:04 24.Mergers - I'll Be On My Way (Ron Andre) - 2:32 25.Mymes - You Lose Girl (Bill Wallace, Pat Brusa) - 2:20 26.Moss And The Rocks - Please Come Back (David Houston, Pat Minter) - 3:23 27.The Styx - Stay Away (Don Branch) - 2:56 28.Madd, Inc. - Batman A Go Go (Gary Baermann, Rick Leal) - 2:42 29.Checkmates Ltd. - Do It To Deff (Bob Stevens) - 4:06 30.Ikon - Outro - 0:39

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