VA - Look At The Sun (Precious Seconds Thought Gone From The British Underground 1967-1970) [2010]

BRITISH UNDERGROUND

VA - Look At The Sun (Precious Seconds Thought Gone From The British Underground 1967-1970) [2010]

Released in 2010 by Top Sounds Records, Look At The Sun is a revelatory compilation that digs deep into the British psychedelic and progressive underground, spotlighting acetates and BBC session recordings that had long been presumed lost. This is no casual psych sampler, it’s a curatorial triumph, unearthing 22 tracks from 1967 to 1970, many of which had never been commercially released before.

The set opens with a charming BBC “Saturday Club” intro by Keith Skues, setting the stage for Kaleidoscope’s “The Murder Of Lewis Tollani” and a vastly improved BBC version of “Faintly Blowing”, both sourced from Top Gear broadcasts. Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera contributes two rare BBC cuts, including the blistering “Flames”, while Louise, a genuine psych obscurity, delivers the haunting title track “Look At The Sun” and the whimsical “Toymaker’s Shop”, both from acetates recorded in late 1967.

The compilation also features The Glass Opening, a mystery band whose four acetate tracks, including “Does It Really Matter” and “Love’s Gone Bad”—are fuzz-drenched gems that rival anything on Perfumed Garden. Coconut Mushroom surprises with a heavy take on The Who’s “Call Me Lightning”, and The Fleur De Lys appear with a scorching BBC version of Albert King’s “Cross Cut Saw”, previously thought lost.

Sound restoration by Denis Blackham ensures these fragile recordings retain their analog warmth while gaining clarity. The CD comes with a 16-page booklet packed with artist notes and track sources, including broadcast dates and studio origins.

This is a rescue mission for British psych history, preserving the fleeting brilliance of bands who never made it past acetate or airplay. Essential listening for collectors and historians alike (B)

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Track list

01 Introduced By Keith Skues - 'Saturday Club' LP of The Week 0:56

02 Kaleidoscope - The Murder of Lewis Tollani 3:01

03 Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera - Reactions of A Young Man 2:28

04 Louise - Toymaker's Shop 1:54

05 Onyx Set - A Kaleidoscope of Colours 2:31

06 Kaleidoscope - Faintly Blowing 4:34

07 Louise - Look at The Sun 3:31

08 Glass Opening - Does it Really Matter 3:06

09 Coconut Mushroom - Without Her 2:50

10 Ony Set - You've Gotta Be With Me 2:48

11 Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera - Flames 3:07

12 Glass Opening - Dust My Blues 2:44

13 Fleur De Lys - Cross Cut Saw 2:45

14 Glass Opening - Love's Gone Bad 3:09

15 Graded Grains - Better By You, Better Than Me 3:57

16 Glass Opening - The Fool 3:01

17 T2 - Highway 3:31

18 Coconut Mushroom - Call Me Lightning 2:12

19 Elastic Band & Mike Mac - Uptown and Downtown 2:00

20 T2 - Careful Sam 7:03

21 Glass Opening - Larkday 2:55

22 Glass Opening - Silver Bells and Cockle Shells 2:49

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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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