Reverb Central .:. Review .:.

I was dubious about the claims that Folkstone Prism was an album of desert surf music from 1971, but damned if that's not what it is. Oh, it's psychedelic and swirly and sometimes backwards. but it has great tremolo guitar, some fuzz, interesting drums, and most importantly, is a melodic work. Surely adventurous and well off the beaten path, but surely worth checking out.

Picks: I Don't Know, Patti's Dream, Dancing Doris, Goodbye Pamela Ann, Black Sunshine, The Bug The Goat And The Hearse, Cloud Of Lead, 1001 Twice

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

"I Don't Know" is mostly just spooky and airy. Its sound is orchestral, though there is no orchestra. Drama and ethereal delay with drums and bass.

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

When I first heard this, I thought of Epitaph at the beach, or perhaps Tombstone Valentine period Wigwam. No, it's really like either, but it has that sort of fringes of psych feel.

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

"Dancing Doris" opens from a backwards cymbal, then employs a disturbed beat and almost Middle Eastern melody. This is really engaging and mysterious. Psych with tremolo and machines. Perhaps like Amon Duul II's "Kanaan," it's wonderfully mathematical.

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

"Goodbye Pamela Ann" rises slowly from gentle feedback into "Tomorrow Never Knows" drums. The melody line is ethereal, and is interrupted periodically by surf guitar. This is hugely spooky and psychedelic, with a mystical sound aggregated with surf and dangerous imagination.

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

Distant jaws harp with exotic percussion and drums provide a foundation for a psychedelic swirl of echoed and fuzzed guitar. Melodic, and maybe a bit scary. This has the earmarks of the big halls, yet is much too melodic and musical. Very engaging.

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

This is an incredibly short burst of musical engagement with backward guitars and desert smells. It's just a melody riff repeated, but still it's very cool.

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

Very short, backwards, and should be developed into a complete instro. Spooky and cool.

Desert Surfadelic (Instrumental)

backwards throughout, except for the lead guitar, "1001 Twice" is not just psychedelic, it's also melodic and enticing. Another brief track that should have been fleshed out into a full fledged song.