Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Trip Thru' Hell
Company: Psycho
Catalog: 12
Year: 1983
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: unauthorized UK repressing
Available: 1
Price: $30.00
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, C.A. Quintet showcased the talents of brothers Jimmy and Ken Erwin (bass and vocals/horns and vocals respectively), the line up rounded out by drummer Rick Patron, guitarist Tom Pohling and keyboardist Doug Reynolds. Starting out as a rather faceless cover band, by 1967 the band had attracted a small fan base and the attention of the local Falcon label which financed a pair of obscure pop-rock singles ("Mickey's Monkey" b/w "I Want You To Love Me Girl" Falcon catalog number 70 and "Blow To My Soul" b/w "She's Got To Be True" Falcon catalog number 71). While neither single sold, they attracted the attention of the equally obscure Minnesota-based Candy Floss label which promptly signed the band.
Released in 1968, "Trip Thru' Hell" was easily one of the year's odder concept pieces. Produced and largely written by Ken, material such as the extended two-part instrumental title track (bother Jimmy kicking in a great bass pattern), the freakout "Cold Spider" and "Sleepy Hollow Lane" sported dark, disturbing and occasionally drugged out auras. Ervin wasn't the most gifted singer you've ever heard, but buried under the odd arrangements, Philing's jarring guitar, Reynolds' stabbing keyboards and assorted sound effects (bells, anguished female screams, etc.), the results were surprisingly entertaining. Interestingly, although recorded at a small studio, the set sounds great! Top-notch production and the sound effects make it an excellent collection to hear with headphones. Recalling their earlier singles, "Colorado Mourning" (sounding as if it were recorded in a cave) and the horn-propelled "Underground Music" (be sure to check out Philing's freakout double tracked guitar solos), both sport a more conventional blue-eyed soul feel. Elsewhere, "Smooth As Silk" (b/w "Dr. of Philosophy" (Candy Floss catalog number 102)) served as the band's third and final single. As mentioned earlier, this one's widely acclaimed as a psych masterpiece. With fewer than 1,000 copies originally printed, the album's become highly sought after and extremely expensive. It's good and well worth hearing, however for most folks, probably isn't worth the current $800 - $1,000 asking price.
"Trip Thru' Hell" track listing:
1.) Trip Thru Hell, Pt. 1 (instrumental) (Ken Erwin - Doug Reynolds) - 9:00
2.) Colorado Mourning (Ken Erwin) - 2:10
3.) Cold Spider (Ken Erwin) - 4:38
4.) Underground Music (Ken Erwin) - 4:39
5.) Sleepy Hollow Lane (Ken Erwin) - 1:37
6.) Smooth as Silk (Ken Erwin) - 2:12
7.) Trip Thru Hell, Pt. 2 (Ken Erwin) - 3:30