The Seers - Psych Out

The roots of this British band date back to 1984, when they were then known as Rip Van Satan and The Earth Rats. It didn’t take long for the band to attract a solid fan base, but several years passed before a full-length album came into being. Track for track, “Psych Out” is a real dazzler. A fertile union of primal energy, an edgy attitude, and fierce hooks give the album all the proper credentials to make it a worthwhile listen.

Released either a few years too late or a few years too early, “Psych Out” proves to be something of the missing link between the sixties psychedelic garage rock revival of the eighties and the Brit Pop movement of the mid-nineties. Paying no mind to the fads and gimmicks of the era, The Seers seemingly operated in a stratosphere of their own, but still sounded like they existed in the present. Comprised of lead singer Spider McCallum, guitarist Leigh Wildman, guitarist and harmonica player Kat Day, bassist Jason Kidd, and drummer Age Blackmore, the band proposed a tight rapport that enabled them to sustain momentum and excitement throughout the album.

Toiling and roiling with minimal fuss, “Welcome To Dead Town,” “Wild Man,” and “Rub Me Out” show off the band’s affection for assertive and aggressive garage punk rockers, and the psychedelic-framed “Sun Is In The Sky” sparkles and swells to an exhilarating exposition of vibrant harmonies and positive imagery. The Seers continue to work their lysergic-laced hoodoo on the title cut of the album, which injects the chorus of Funkadelic’s “Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow” into a lethal brew of wobbly wah-wah guitars, hard hitting drumming and bending rhythms. Truly spellbinding, “Psych Out” blends thick as a brick soul grooves with acid rock jamming to alarming effects. The raspy and rugged “Lightning Strikes” and the soaring power pop jangle of “I’ll Fly Away” are other madly infectious songs included on the album.

Harsh yet highly melodic, “Psych Out” remains an enduring piece of music. 1992 saw the Seers issue their second and final album, “Peace Crazies,” which also punches in as a quality collection of songs. But if you ask me, “Psych Out” is the band’s crowning glory, and what a crowning glory it is.

Review by Beverly Paterson/2015 © Copyright http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2015 

The Seers - Lightning Strikes

In the early 80’s Bristol based bands had a fearsome reputation. Living in the city’s squats fuelled mainly by cider the various bands were mainly of the punk persuasion. It was 1984 and into this cauldron of fire that two young Essex boys fearlessly wandered looking for inspiration. Eventually a tight knit unit of five guys who called themselves The Seers started getting gigs and press interest was coming thick and fast from outside of Bristol. The band carried on writing songs that would make up their first album Psych Out. Before they had even done a national tour they were signed up by the Solo Agency. In 1988 the band set about recording their first single “Lightning Strikes”, a one-off single for Rough Trade Records, with former Vibrators bassist Pat Collier. “Lightning Strikes” scored them a European hit as it was released during the era of the Hungerford shootings. 1988 also saw them become the first unsigned band to play the main stage at Reading Festival.