The Interpreter Vol. 2

So the bad news is that although it’s titled as such, The Interpreter Vol. 2 is not comprised of 13th Floor Elevators material. But the good news is that these songs were recorded at Hollywood’s Whisky A Go Go in 1981, during Roky Erickson’s tenure with the Aliens — meaning that the mania experienced during this time birthed some of the most creative moments in his musical career. He opens with a scratchy acoustic cover of the traditional folk standard “Lay Down Your Wary Tune,” leaning a little harder into his Texan drawl to make for a more believable performance. Throughout this recording, the fidelity is lower than low — you can even hear a girl laughing with a friend during his Byrds-y take on “Right Track Now.” But Roky’s heartfelt voice supersedes all else here. A 10- minute version of “Stand for the Fire Demon” is a standout track as Roky and the band explode into the song following his explanation of how both this particular tune and “Bloody Hammer” were both inspired by the cult horror movie Evil Dead