Brain Police Soundtrack CD

The Brain Police's sole LP, actually a demo disc in a plain sleeve made with the intention of attracting label interest, is fair but unexceptional local 1968 psychedelia. It's one of those records without any serious flaws, but also without any seriously exceptional properties to compel cult interest (although, obviously, it got some cult interest, as it eventually got reissued on CD with bonus tracks). There are baroque pop influences in some of the melodies, harmonies, and arrangements; shifts in tempo and tune that obviously took some time to work out, even if they weren't that striking; tight interplay between guitars and organ; and a bit of blues and heavy psych to the solos. Sometimes this has a nearly AM radio pop/rock bounce that's lighter than usual for bands of this ilk (as on "Find Me a Moment"), but there's also grinding bluesy rock ("Gypsy Fast Woman"); the intro to "Adler" takes liberally from Cream's arrangement of "I'm So Glad." [The CD reissue on Normal/Shadoks doubles the track listing with ten bonus cuts, including the 1969 single "World of Wax"/"Smoking at Windsor Hill"; the sunny, almost geeky pop/rock of a 1964 single by the Mandells, who included Brain Police songwriters Rick Randle and Norman Lombardo; and three garage singles from 1965-1966 by the Other Four, who also had Randle and Lombardo in the lineup.] ~ Richie Unterberger

Icelandic stoner rockers Brain Police truly arrived (in their homeland, at least) with this, their second full album (but first since admitting new singer Jens Olafsson into the fold), and its pair of breakout hits, including the local number one, "Jacuzzi Suzy." Originally unleashed on the quartet's 2002 Master Brain EP, the song was tacked onto the end of Brain Police -- the album -- alongside another EP favorite "Taste the Flower," and, thus, rounded out a very solid, if stylistically rather conventional stoner rock set, which effectively put Iceland on the hesher map. In essence, the Brain Police specialize in a crunchy, fuzz-toned, and economical derivation of the genre, reminiscent of bands such as Dozer and Fu Manchu, and the latter's influence is particularly felt on the laid-back grooves, occasionally spoken lyrics, and even cowbell peppering "Free Lovin' Temptress" and "Johnny Babas." But the quartet also knows how to turn up the intensity and really pound the asphalt à la Nebula with hard-charging highlights "Rocket Fuel" (that other hit mentioned earlier) and "El Duderino"; or, extrapolate their songwriting for some excellent tripped-out jams in "The Journey Is the Destination" and "Womble Dust." Through it all, the forceful, snarling vocals of recently acquired frontman Olafsson are probably the most crucial ingredient (see the brilliantly named "Return to the Lovechopper of Destiny," in particular), giving Gunnlaugur Lárusson's ripping guitar tones a real run for their money. To be perfectly honest, no song here sounds like an all-timer for the stoner rock genre, but there's still much to love about the Brain Police and their volcanic island thunder. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia

The Brain Police's sole LP, actually a demo disc in a plain sleeve made with the intention of attracting label interest, is fair but unexceptional local 1968 psychedelia. It's one of those records without any serious flaws, but also without any seriously exceptional properties to compel cult interest (although, obviously, it got some cult interest, as it eventually got reissued on CD with bonus tracks). There are baroque pop influences in some of the melodies, harmonies, and arrangements; shifts in tempo and tune that obviously took some time to work out, even if they weren't that striking; tight interplay between guitars and organ; and a bit of blues and heavy psych to the solos. Sometimes

Known as San Diego's Only Psychedelic Cops, the Brain Police recorded a limited pressing LP that has become a very sought-after collector's item. That LP, along with '60s demos, is presented here. The band wa