Last month, we ran a feature on our forty favourite genre compilation albums of all time. Among stiff competition from the likes of Soul Jazz, Awesome Tapes From Africa and more, The Brown Acid series still stands out as one of the best.
Since it began in August 2015, the series has compiled the very greatest in proto-metal and proto-stoner rock rarities from North America. These long-forgotten bands were disillusioned by the hippies and charged by the Vietnam war and Altamont, but appeared long before punk and at a time where metal was in its infancy. While Black Sabbath might take all the credit, the Brown Acid bands played a part of their own in the genre’s rise to power.
As the series’ continued and sustained quality can testify, there’s no shortage of excellent music still to be uncovered, even as the compilers approach a half-dozen’s worth of editions.
Above, you can hear Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip in full ahead of its release this Friday, April 20. It features tracks from as far back as 1968, lovingly restored and compiled by Permanent Records’ Lance Baresi, in partnership with RidingEasy Records’ Daniel Hall.
"I essentially go through hell and high water just to find these records," Barresi says. "Once I find a record worthy of tracking, I begin the (sometimes) extremely arduous process of contacting the band members and encouraging them to take part. Daniel and I agree that licensing all the tracks we’re using for Brown Acid is best for everyone involved.
"There’s a long list of songs that we’d love to include, but we just can’t track the bands down. I like the idea that Brown Acid is getting so much attention, so people might reach out to us.
Brown Acid: The Sixth Trip is released on April 20. To pre-order a copy, click here.
