SOUNDS LIKE SANTANA Afro Rock RARE FUZZ PSYCH LP HEAR

$

90

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS…

SOUNDS LIKE SANTANA "Afro Rock"

Original 1977 LP on the Mexican TIEMPO label, MONO/STEREO LPT-114

Cover:  VG++

Vinyl:  CLEAN, plays EXCELLENT

EXTREMELY RARE original 1977 Mexican heavy psych rock tropicalia mix – ONLY one I’ve ever seen!  Supposedly the band behind this album – which may be called Afro Rock or Sounds Like Santana, depending on your mood at the time – was composed of former members of legendary Mexican psych band Kaleidoscope.  Either that or there’s a track from Kaleidoscope on this album not featured on their sole 1969 album – can’t really confirm or deny this because there’s NOTHING about ‘em on the Interwebs.  I’m not sure you can believe ‘em, though - they kinda lost me right away on the whole trust factor ‘cuz, to be perfectly honest, this doesn’t really sound like Santana.  Now I’m not complainin’, mind you, one Latino psych rock band that jams for thirty minutes on the same beat is really all the world needs.  But if you’re bidding on this because you think it’s the long-lost follow-up to Borboletta, you’re gonna be disappointed.  Now, if you’re like me, and you’re interested in this because it might be a long-lost Mexican heavy psych mind-melter akin to prime-time Smash, Dug Dugs and, of course, Kaleidoscope, well, you can send me a thank-you note later.  Because it is that good.

Just listen to “Boy,” an absolute fuzz-drenched MONSTER mind-fryer that really coulda been a 1971 single by Smash.  Crushes yer skull in two minutes flat, gets in and out like a good psych single should, and that’s the exact opposite of Santana in my book.  Plus it ends with an atom bomb explosion.  That other sound you hear ain’t Santana.  It’s the sound of yer brain sizzlin’.  Then there’s “I Want To Hear,” a very drugged-out ethereal bit of prog psych with muffled faroff vocals, fuzzy guitar explosions and some crazed violin in the background.  Sounds like Santana?  Uh, not really.  Maybe Sounds like High Tide and Sounds Like Curved Air were already taken.

Okay, so a few times, maybe even by accident, they DO sound like Santana.  “Fire” goes there, with a nice weedburning Woodstock jam band vibe, and “Strikes Of My Guitar” gets there after a nice tropicalia pop introduction.  But, all in all, even though this was released in 1977, I find it really hard to believe it was recorded then.  In that respect, the whole thing could be a long-lost follow-up album recorded around 1971 or 1972 by the mighty Kaleidoscope that got released in this mysteriously generic format because of recording contract/copyright issues.  Now that, if true, sounds more like it to me.  But at this point, I don’t know who to believe.  It doesn’t really sound like Santana, it doesn’t sound like 1977, and Afro Rock?  Sweet baby Jesus, Maroon 5 is more “afro rock” than this.  Maybe if this were called Sounds Like Smash, High Tide and Kaleidoscope And (Occasionally) Santana, and the band was called Formerly Kaleidoscope (But Not the David Lindley One), I’d be more inclined to believe ‘em.  But then again, where’s the fun in that?

 hear it!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  ALL DOMESTIC ORDERS REQUIRE DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, WHICH IS AN EXTRA 75 CENTS.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $10 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $16 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  ALL FOREIGN ORDERS REQUIRE CERTIFICATE OF SHIPMENT, WHICH IS AN EXTRA $1.10.  I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

And finally, I include delivery confirmation on all shipments inside the US.  This is my proof of shipment, and also helps us to track your package if it doesn’t arrive when it should.  I will email you within 2 days of shipment and give you the confirmation number at that time.  Insurance is always optional, but for larger orders, it’s highly recommended.   I DO NOW REQUIRE THAT ALL FOREIGN BUYERS PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1.10 FOR PROOF OF SHIPMENT.  IT'S A NOMINAL FEE AND THE CHEAPEST WAY FOR ME TO PROVE THAT I ACTUALLY SHIPPED YOUR PACKAGE AND DIDN'T JUST POCKET YOUR MONEY AND SKIP TOWN.  For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.