The Legendary Mushroom Sessions

The Legendary Mushroom Sessions are the end result of precisely what the title promises — a six-month-long sojourn at the Opium Den studios, during which Frantic Flintstones' frontman Chuck Harvey's newly coined Magic Mushroom Band side project feasted on their namesakes and recorded whatever came to mind. It could have been a disaster and, in many ways, it was. Certainly the original tapes were never released, and might even have been lost forever had Cherry Red not purchased the old Link Records catalog and, after "much digging and legal maneuvering," finally unearthed the tapes. Add the bandmembers' own delight at the possibility of finally allowing the sessions to see daylight, and the results are here for all to marvel at. Marvel, and wonder just how the Flintstones' traditional constituency would have reacted to the ensuing barrage of psychedelic jamming, anarchic noise, and 'billy tinged brain damage that was liberally spread over 18 tracks. Chances are, they'd have loved it — once they got over the initial shock. Little here resembles the Flintstones in any way that you can put a finger on, but Harvey's own presence forms an unassailable link, and the presence of two covers, "Endless Sleep" and "The Race Is On," at least proves that his tastes remained constant, even if the delivery was way out in left field.

An acquired taste, then? Maybe. But it's an addictive one as well.