EDDIE CALLAHAN False Ego LP/1976 US/Top Private Press Power Pop Loner Rock Psych

$

40

EDDIE CALLAHAN 'False Ego' LP (US, Time-Lag, Catalogue #Time-Lag 056) Brand new/unplayed copy of superior and limited (edition of 700 copies only) year 2011 Time-Lag label edition of masterfully crafted and highly sought-after 1976 US private press power pop loner rock psych acid pop monster by Eddie Callahan. Another fantastic edition from the unbeatable folks at Time-Lag. Full printed LP jacket this time (the original 1976 press had pasted on slicks), plus insert with photos and historical notes. 

(NOTE: LIMITED, SUPERIOR TIME-LAG LABEL EDITION OF 700 COPIES ONLY!)

'First ever reissue, deluxe and legit, of this quite rare 1976 Southern California private press gem. It's a strange, fantastical, and totally distinct album that will have you sucked in almost instantly. This one is extremely hard to pin down - think something like a loner power pop rock opus, heavy on the psychedelic production values, studio dreamer vibes, and timeless hooks. The songs are unusual but infectious, the production is breezy & expansive but not polished, and the vocals are constantly morphing yet always effective. In fact, the hazy chameleon-like personality here might be one of the best things going for the album, as not only does Eddie seem to be channeling a handful of different vocalists, but the whole mood & sound shifts around unexpectedly as well. Even the potential low points somehow work, and there's surprises around every turn. The often questioning, self-reflective lyrics add yet another layer of mystique to the trip. Musically the most mellow points hover around gorgeous, airy, rural-tinged, floating psychedelia with beautifully layered acoustic & electric guitars, tinkling keys, and lush mellotron. When things pick up they're truly rocking, with tight punchy rhythms and Eddie firing off big chunky guitar riffs like he's playing to the packed stadium behind his third eye. All the studio tricks at hand are put to full use with sweet leslie guitar effects, special tones, backwards solos, elaborate multi-tracked sound fields, and some of the most wonderfully bent synthesizer soloing ever laid to tape. The perfectly strange & beautiful cover art seals the deal... Mastered from the artist's well preserved & great sounding master tapes. Pressed on highest quality 180gm virgin vinyl, and packaged in an exact reproduction heavy old-style cover, with exact repro labels. Also includes a double-sided heavy stock insert with a bunch of great vintage photos of Eddie rockin' the Marshall stacks a the 'False Ego' sessions, plus new notes from Eddie, his wife Donna-Davi, and album producer Robert Berry. One time pressing of 700 copies.'

'This wonderful album has been described as 'loner rock', an interesting distinction since so many of these thoughtful, quirky songwriters make folk records that, um, don't rock. Within about two minutes of the first song (which includes mystical lyrics, bizarre spoken backing vocals and killer synth), I was hooked. The good news is that most of the album keeps pace, with gorgeous pop, power pop with backwards guitar, stunning acid rock with a Stranglers-type synth break, and all sorts of surprises. This album has a timeless quality, like the very best pop, and only the talk box on one song places it firmly in 1975-76. Otherwise it could just as likely have been from 1970 or 1979, and in fact has a bit of a new wave feel to it. It's not exactly 'psych' or 'power pop', and genre fans might not be sure what to make of it, but it's just plain too good for classification. Callahan is a Hare Krishna, which explains the mystical questioning of many of the lyrics. He's also a bit of a chameleon, sounding like three or four different singers over the course of the album (which, along with the unusual arrangements, makes this album fresh and unpredictable in ways few pop albums are.) The last three songs are a bit of a letdown, as they're merely good. If they had been as good as the rest for the album, it would be an eternal masterpiece. As it is, it's still one of the finest and most distinctive private press albums I've ever heard. Great album cover, too (despite being a cheap paste-on), and an even better label design.' - Aaron Milenski/Acid Archives

High-quality 180-gram vinyl pressing.

Tracks on this LP are as follows:

Shipping in US is $4.98./CANADA AIRMAIL is $16.98./MEXICO AIRMAIL is $22.98./OVERSEAS AIRMAIL is $23.98. (Shipping totals will be consolidated for multiple winning bids.)