West Coast freaks the Savage Resurrection were formed out of local garage bands, and this album is one of the better-known major-label acid rock releases of the era. What makes the record so cool is the double dose of aggressive fuzz lead guitar by John Palmer and Randy Hammon.
The album has its ups and downs. The opening track, the somewhat lazily titled Thing In ‘E’, is a total stormer, reminiscent of rivals Blue Cheer. Talking To You is like the Velvet Underground meeting UK psych legends the Open Mind, as is the hypnotic Remlap’s Cave Part II.
There are some searching psychedelic moments on Tahitian Melody and the Blue Cheer influence seems blatant on Someone’s Changing. Indeed The Savage Resurrection was produced by Cheer producer Abe ‘Voco’ Kesh. Things descend into self-indulgence with Jammin’, an eight-minute bore-fest that’s saved only by that dual guitar soloing. Appeal To The Happy is good-time rock’n’roll, but it’s followed by album closer Expectations, a mind-bending instrumental nugget.
The band had a lot of potential, and we can only imagine how great a more focused and cohesive follow-up could have been. Unfortunately they splintered and split not long after this release, although a version of the band has been active in recent years.
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