VA - L.A. Gemstones, The Pop Box [2010] (5 x CDs)

L.A. POP

VA - L.A. Gemstones, The Pop Box [2010] (5 x CDs)

My friend Jose over at his excellent blog Tommentón En La Cuadra recently posted L.A. Gemstones: The Rock Box (1964–1969), a fantastic 5-CD set packed with vintage West Coast garage, psych, and fuzz. You can find it here: http://tommentonenlacuadra.blogspot.com/2025/09/va-la-gemstones-rock-box-1964-1969-5-cd.html

This set originally appeared around 2010-2011 on the now-defunct blog crystalsphere1, and it was actually part of a larger two-part project: The Rock Box and The Pop Box, each five CD sets. I’ve had both archived for years, and seeing Jose revive The Rock Box inspired me to dust off the companion set and share it here.

Since Jose has already posted The Rock Box, I won’t duplicate it, but I highly recommend visiting his site, which is full of lovingly curated compilations and deep cuts. http://tommentonenlacuadra.blogspot.com/

So, here’s my contribution: VA- L.A. Gemstones: The Pop Box [2010], featuring 144 groovy pop tracks that capture the melodic, harmony-rich side of the L.A. scene.  This sprawling set is a kaleidoscopic journey through L.A.’s pop underground and sunshine sound, spanning the golden years of 1964 to the early ’70s. It’s packed with mono 45s, needledrops, and deep cuts that balance chart charm with cult mystique. You’ll hear surf-pop from The Survivors and The Rip Chords, garage sparkle from The Hondells and Fantastic Baggys, and harmony-rich gems from The Association, Harper’s Bizarre, and The Yellow Balloon.

There’s a strong presence of West Coast auteurs, Van Dyke Parks, Curt Boettcher, and Roger Nichols, whose baroque arrangements and lyrical eccentricity give the set its emotional depth. Psychedelic pop is threaded throughout, from Sagittarius and Strawberry Alarm Clock to obscure acts like Chocolate Tunnel and Storybook.

Major artists like Elvis, Roy Orbison, The Beach Boys, and The Byrds appear in lesser-known forms, while cult figures like Tim Buckley, Gene Clark, and Fred Neil add introspective weight. It’s a lovingly sequenced listen for big ears, curious, melodic, and full of surprises.

Enjoy the ride, and thanks again to Jose for sparking the revisit. (B)

Thanks to crystalsphere1.blogspot.com for originally sharing this.

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Track lists

CD1

01 Survivors - Pamela Jean (mono) 2:36

02 Rip Chords - Three Window Coupe (mono) 1:59

03 Ventures - Walk Don't Run '64 2:23

04 Paul Peterson - She Rides with Me (mono) 2:00

05 Rick Nelson - For You 2:19

06 Elvis Presley - Little Egypt 2:17

07 Roy Orbison - It's Over 2:50

08 Honeys - He's a Doll 2:06

09 Jill Gibson - It's as Easy as 1, 2, 3 (mono) 2:24

10 Joey Paige - Dream for Sale (mono) 2:35

11 Hondells - Little Honda (mono) 2:04

12 Jan & Dean - Anaheim, Azusa and Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association, the (mono) 2:32

13 Fantastic Baggys - Anywhere the Girls Are 2:11

14 Glen Campbell - Guess I'm Dumb (mono) 2:39

15 Joe & Eddie - I'm a Drifter 1:58

16 Bonnie & the Treasures - Land of the Free (mono) 3:03

17 Cher - All I Really Want to Do 2:58

18 Gary Lewis & the Playboys - Everybody Loves a Clown 2:25

19 Everly Brothers - Man with Money 2:20

20 Sunrays - I Live for the Sun (mono) 2:27

21 Bob & Bobby - Baby What You Want Me to Do? (mono) 2:17

22 Dino, Desi & Billy - Not the Lovin' Kind 2:04

23 Bono, Sonny - Laugh at Me 2:47

24 Modern Folk Quartet - This Could Be the Night (mono) 2:40

25 Summer's Children - Milk and Honey (mono) 2:27

26 Deep Six - Rising Sun (mono) 2:30

27 Beach Boys - Little Girl I Once Knew, the (mono) 2:36

28 Righteous Brothers - Ebb Tide (mono) 2:49

29 Chris Lucey - That's the Way the World Has Got to Be - Part 1 (mono) 2:11

30 Van Dyke Parks - Number Nine (mono needledrop) 2:32

31 Ashes - Is There Anything I Can Do? 2:27

32 Association - Message of Our Love 4:06

CD2

01 Bob Lind - Elusive Butterfly 2:48

02 Mamas & the Papas - Got a Feelin' 2:51

03 Lee Mallory - Many Are the Times (mono) 3:12

04 Chad & Jeremy - Distant Shores 2:47

05 Lyme & Cybelle - If You Gotta Go, Go Now (mono) 2:42

06 Candy Company - Sugar Stone (mono) 2:35

07 Bruce & Terry - Don't Run Away (mono) 2:49

08 Beach Boys - I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (mono) 3:14

09 Mothers of Invention - How Could I Be Such a Fool (mono) 2:11

10 Tim Buckley - Wings 2:34

11 Don Grady - Impressions with Syvonne (mono) 2:53

12 Eddie Hodges - Shadows and Reflections (mono) 2:57

13 Action Unlimited - My Heart Cries Out (mono) 2:47

14 Grads - Stage Door (mono) 2:37

15 Jan & Dean - Like a Summer Rain (mono) 2:55

16 Plastic People - This Life of Mine (mono) 2:06

17 PJ Proby - Niki Hoeky 2:32

18 Gene Clark - Echoes 3:18

19 Ballroom - It's a Sad World 3:51

20 20 Tom Northcott - Sunny Goodge Street 3:00

21 Forum - The River is Wide (mono) 2:45

22 Association - No Fair at All 2:38

23 Peanut Butter Conspiracy - Then Came Love 3:44

24 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Buy for Me the Rain 2:28

25 Yellow Balloon - Stained Glass Window 2:07

26 Roger Nichols Trio - Snow Queen 3:20

27 Harper's Bizarre - Raspberry Rug 2:25

28 Tommy Roe - Moontalk (mono) 3:12

CD3

01 Love - Orange Skies (mono) 2:54

02 Bobby Jameson - See Dawn (mono) 3:02

03 Friar Tuck - A Bit of Grey Lost 2:41

04 October Country - October Country 2:38

05 Lamp of Childhood - First Time, Last Time (mono) 2:52

06 Mamas & the Papas - Look Through My Window 3:23

07 Parade - Sunshine Girl (mono) 2:44

08 Boyce & Hart - PO Box 9847 (mono) 2:59

09 Zodiac - Sagittarius [The Versatile Daredevil] 2:08

10 Arrows - Devil's Angels (needledrop) 1:48

11 Boystown - End of the Line (mono) 2:30

12 Flowerpot - Wantin' Ain't Gettin' (mono) 2:05

13 Byrds - Lady Friend (mono) 2:32

14 Merry-Go-Round - You're a Very Lovely Woman 2:54

15 Tim Buckley - No Man Can Find the War 2:58

16 Fred Neil - The Dolphins 4:06

17 Phil Ochs - Cross My Heart 3:20

18 Harper's Bizarre - High Coin 2:28

19 Sunshine Company - Back on the Street Again 2:30

20 Rose Garden - Next Plane to London 2:30

21 Sandpipers - Misty Roses 3:31

22 Bobby Darin - She Knows (mono) 2:19

23 Chocolate Tunnel - The Highly Successful Young Rupert White (mono) 2:17

24 Stone Poneys - December Dream 3:35

25 Redwood - Time to Get Alone (mono) 2:51

26 MC2 - SST (mono) 3:03

27 Pleasure Fair - Morning Glory Days (mono) 2:31

28 Garry Bonner - The Heart of Juliet Jones (mono) 2:19

29 Beach Boys - Darlin' (mono) 2:13

CD4

01 Strawberry Alarm Clock - Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow 3:07

02 Turtles - She's My Girl (mono) 2:35

03 Hardtimes - Take a Look Around 2:41

04 Harry Nilsson - Without Her 2:22

05 Scott McKenzie - Like an Old Time Movie 3:15

06 Byrds - Goin' Back (mono) 3:22

07 5th Dimension - Carpet Man 3:04

08 City - Now That Everything's Been Said 2:20

09 Judy Collins - Someday Soon 3:47

10 Association - The Time it is Today 2:18

11 Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood - Some Velvet Morning 3:41

12 Sagittarius - Glass 2:26

13 Storybook - Psych Out Sanctorum (needledrop) 3:21

14 Monkees - As We Go Along 3:53

15 Doors - Love Street (mono) 2:51

16 Mamas and the Papas - Safe in My Garden 3:13

17 Van Dyke Parks - Vine Street 3:39

18 Randy Newman - Davy the Fat Boy 2:48

19 Gentle Soul - Through a Dream 3:57

20 Collage - Would You Like to Go (mono) 2:19

21 Fun & Games - Close to Carmel 2:38

22 Gordion Knot - The Year of the Sun 3:03

23 Glen Campbell - Hey Little One 2:33

24 Johnny Rivers - Summer Rain 3:37

25 Jan & Dean - I Know My Mind (mono) 3:19

26 Barry Mann - Young Electric.. Band (mono) 3:23

CD5

01 Smoke - Cowboys and Indians (mono) 2:45

02 Millennium - To Claudia on Thursday (mono) 3:07

03 Jackie DeShannon - L.A. 3:05

04 Strawberry Alarm Clock - Pretty Song from 'Psych-Out' 3:20

05 Thorinshield - The Best of It 2:28

06 Eternity's Children - Mrs. Bluebird (mono) 3:02

07 Harry Nilsson - Mr Richland's Favorite Song 2:15

08 Richard Harris - Didn't We (mono) 2:25

09 Chris Montez - Where Are You Now 2:52

10 Elvis Presley - A Little Less Conversation 2:12

11 Turtles - The Story of Rock and Roll (mono) 2:48

12 Joni Mitchell - Night in the City 2:28

13 Cass Elliott - California Earthquake 3:28

14 Beach Boys - Never Learn Not to Love 2:33

15 Chad & Jeremy - Painted Dayglow Smile (mono) 2:31

16 Gordon Alexander - One Reel Spins Free 2:27

17 Curt Boettcher - Share with Me (mono) 3:09

18 Mark Eric - Move with the Dawn 2:45

19 5th Dimension - The Hideaway 2:46

20 Monkees - A Man without a Dream 3:04

21 Dino, Desi & Billy - Thru Spray Colored Glasses 1:59

22 Mark Lindsay - First Hymn from Grand Terrace 2:32

23 Gary Puckett & the Union Gap - Don't Give in to Him 2:15

24 Sandy Salisbury - Do Unto Others (mono) 3:00

25 Grass Roots - Heaven Knows 2:29

26 Clique - Sugar on Sunday (mono) 3:06

27 Bread - It Don't Matter to Me 2:49

28 Michele - White Linen 2:28

29 Phil Ochs - The World Began in Eden but Ended in Los Angeles 3:11

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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