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Czechoslovakia
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— MUSIC TO HEAR —
BEAT & PSYCHEDELIC MUSIC IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA
(1965 - 1972)

Some may think that Czechoslovakia was a Beat and Psychedelic wasteland with a few exceptions like The Matadors and Olympic. Wrong! They HAD their underground scene behind the iron curtain and also some mainstream singers who presented a handful of good songs (although I'm not sure if they know what they did).

Tracklist:
1. Blue Effect - Sun Is So Bright (Prague - Panton 03 0203 - 1969)
- Late sixties psych à la Fleur de Lys "Try A Little Sunshine". Not comparable to their later progressive work.
2. Flamengo - Co skrýváš v ocích (Prague - Supraphon 0 43 0457 - 1968)
- Great singles band that finally made a highly regarded progressive album in 1972. "Co skrýváš v ocích" is an excellent psychedelic trip, not far away from the Electric Prunes.
3. Olympic - Telefon (Prague - Supraphon 1 13 0412 LP »Želva« - 1968)
- R&B stomper with lots of fuzz from the debut-album by famous Czech-band.
4. Sally Sellingová - Chmýrí (Prague - Supraphon 0 43 0549 - 1968)
- Groovy garage-track overlayed by Sally Sellingová's solemn vocals. Reminds me somehow to The Disturbers' "Coming To Your World" (if that helps). Miss Sellingová did also some singing for Apollobeat.
5. Juventus - Procitnuti (Prague - Supraphon 0 13 0525 LP »V.A. - Beat-Line Supraphon 1968« - 1968)
- Karel Černoch's cool singing gives this late sixties Beat number a hypnotic character.
6. Prúdy - Pod so mnou (Bratislava - Opus 9013 2237 LP »Zvonte Zvonky« - 1969)
- From their excellent debut-album comes this slice of demented Freakbeat.
7. George & Beatovens - Dívky Z Perel (Prague - Panton 0 40 203 - 1969)
- Hip-shaker from a band that had more to offer than only this song.
8. Marta Kubišová - Balada O Kornetovi A Dívce (Prague - Supraphon 1 13 0587 LP »Songy A Balady« - 1969)
- Mighty and mystic folk-psych ballad with sitar/tablas ect. One of the best Mrs. Kubišová ever did. "Tak Dej Se K Nám A Projdem Svět" is the other song which is worth seeking out. Both were from her debut-album "Songy a Balady" (1969).
9. Soulmen - I Wish I Were (Bratislava - Panton 03 0108 EP - 1968)
- Great song that makes its way through a driving "Harlem Shuffle" Beat. Their only E.P. is pretty much in the Clapton/Bruce/Baker mould that also contains the outstanding "A Sample Of Happiness".
10. Rebels - Definitivní konec (Prague - Supraphon 0 43 0536 - 1968)
- Much of their material is weak but "Definitivní konec" comes in a slightly psychedelic and heavily orchestrated guise. At the beginning of the new decade they were involved into the "Fairy-Tales in Beat" album which is well worth hearing and better than the material they've did earlier.
11. Five Travellers - Midsummer Night (Prague - Vega 2329 M EP - 1969)
- This wild R&B/Garage pounder was released on the fench Véga label. The Five Travellers were in fact Olympic, who choose this moniker for one E.P.
12. Golden Kids - Women's Day (Prague - Bonton 710505-2 - 1997 [rec. 1969])
- This was a collaboration between Czech solo singers Marta Kubišová, Václav Neckář and Helena Vondráčková. "Women's Day" is the english version of "Den žen", a track from Neckář's first album, and finally released as a bonus track on the Micro-Magic-Circus-CD on Bonton in 1997.
13. Atlantis - Don't You Break It Again (Brno - Supraphon 0 43 0891 - 1970)
- Cool funky dance-floor number with shades of Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger.
14. Beatmen - Let's Make A Summer (Bratislava - Supraphon 013842 - 1965)
- Moody laid-back Mersey-Beat. All their 3 singles are worth a listen.
15. Modus - Smutok (Bratislava - Bonton BON 4917222 - 1998 [rec. 1970])
- Their breakthough came at the end of the seventies but they had unreleased material recorded earlier. "Smutok" is from 1970 and a nice pop tune. If Ray Davies would sing instead than this song could be the twin of "Dead End Street".
16. Framus Five - Hold On I'm Comin' (Prague - Supraphon 1 13 0578 LP »Blues In Soul« - 1968)
- Michael Prokop's band did a competend version of the Sam & Dave classic. Their album "Blues in Soul" lives up for its name.
17. Hana Zagorová - Svatej kluk (Ostrava - Supraphon 0 43 0489 - 1968)
- Excellent psych-pop tune from her first single. The follow-up "Prý jsem zhýralá" is great Girl-Pop.
18. Matadors - Get Down From The Tree (Prague - Supraphon 0 33 0211 EP - 1967)
- The Matadors were together with Olympic the poster children of the Czech Beat scene. They were also one of the first groups that released an album with predominantly R&B/Beat/Garage music. "Get Down From The Tree" from their second E.P. was also the opener of their only longplayer and it is a wild R&B/Freakbeat track.
19. Speakers - Mlha se ztrácí (Brno - Discant 0 43 0046 - 1970)
- This powerful pop song has all the ingredients to make my day: A swirling bass, an appealing piano in turn with a cool organ solo and a great hookline. They later evolved into Junior.
20. Jaromír Mayer - Slunce za oknem (Czechoslovakia - Supraphon 013852 - 1965)
- Unexpected tough Beat blast from mainstream pop singer Jaromír Mayer.
21. Synkopy 61 - Lady Godiva (Brno - Panton 080248 Mini-LP »Festival« - 1972)
- Fine baroque psych-pop by anyway good Brno band.
22. Bluesmen - Zpívej Mi Dál (Olomouc - Panton 03 0123 EP - 1968)
- Hana Ulrychová, Jaroslav Vraštil and Vladimír Grunt teamed up later with Atlantis, which were not unlike in sound like The Bluesmen.
23. Pavel Sedlácek & The Colour Images - Hádej (Prague - Supraphon 0 43 0813 - 1969)
- Pavel Sedlácek gives this cover version of Les Sauterelles' "The Heavenly Club" a new pretentious coat.
24. Marie Rottrová & Flamingo - Bílá pláž (Ostrava - Supraphon 0 43 0912 - 1970)
- Basically they were a soul band but "Bílá pláž" is a sweet pop period piece.
25. Beatings - We'd Be Happy (Prague - Panton 03 0224 EP - 1970)
- For a moment they forgot their mainstream Pop-Rock scheme and bang the drums with this excellent Freakbeat grenade.
26. Progress Organization - Snow In My Shoes (Brno - Discant EP - 1970)
- This respected progressive band wade with "Snow In My Shoes" through early Soft Machine territory.
27. Fortuna - Snad Už Zítra (Prague - Supraphon 0 13 0536 LP »Fortuna« - 1969)
- A dreamy folk-song from their only platter.

Get Part 1 here
Get Part 2 here
(Artwork included)