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Various Artists: Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-68

Rhino

Originally released in 1972, Nuggets has taken on hallowed status wherever vintage rock and roll is celebrated. The 27 tracks compiled by Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye—then, just a respected music writer—weren’t even old, considering the double album’s most recent tracks were released a mere four years earlier. Yet, the primitive aesthetic was light years from the gorgeously orchestrated Philly Soul, the navel-gazing mellowness of singer/songwriters and the screeching hard rock of the early ‘70s.

All you needed, it seemed, was a Farfisa organ and a dream. A fuzz pedal helped as well, but what these obscure groups really contributed was a sense of freedom within the tight confines of the 45 RPM single. Some groups were bluesy (The Blues Magoos), some were poppy (The Knickerbockers), some howled and others ached. None had an extensive, memorable career. Yet, they caught the proverbial lightning in a bottle as rockers of serious consequence for their three minutes of fame. For Nuggets’ 40th anniversary, it’s been issued as a standalone CD, LP and download—and not just as part of an extensive box set. Though, truth be told, should the primal goodness speak to your soul, then you’ve got a lot of catching up to do, with further Nuggets collections, the Pebbles series and Back from the Grave compilations. Garage rock’s immediate appeal was the feeling that anyone could play it. Time has taught us that the magic found so readily here is more elusive than it sounds.