THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA The United States Of America G+/VG+/VG LP 1968

$

79

Released in March 1968 on Columbia Records, The United States Of America is the band’s only studio album and one of the most radical major-label rock releases of the late 1960s. This copy is an original 1968 U.S. stereo first pressing, catalog CS 9614, identified by the Columbia red 360 Sound Stereo labels and period-correct jacket construction.

This album occupies a unique place in rock history. Unlike nearly every contemporary psychedelic record, The United States of America deliberately eliminated guitars entirely from their lineup. Instead, the group built their sound using early electronic processing, tape manipulation, electric violin, keyboards, bass, drums, and vocals. At a time when most psychedelic rock still relied on blues-based guitar structures, this record leaned heavily into avant-garde composition, musique concrète techniques, and studio experimentation that was closer to academic electronic music than mainstream rock.

The lineup on this album consists of Joseph Byrd (keyboards, electronics, composition), Dorothy Moskowitz (vocals), Gordon Marron (electric violin), Rand Forbes (bass), and Craig Woodson (drums). Byrd, who had formal training in electronic and experimental music, used ring modulation, tape effects, and layered studio construction in ways that were virtually unheard of on a Columbia Records release in 1968. The result is a dense, cinematic, and often confrontational album that pushed the boundaries of what a rock LP could be at the time.

Musically, the album moves between satirical psychedelic pop, politically charged counterculture commentary, and abstract sound collage. Tracks such as The American Metaphysical Circus and Cloud Song are frequently cited as early examples of electronic rock and proto-experimental pop, while songs like Hard Coming Love, Where Is Yesterday, and Stranded In Time reflect the social unrest and cultural upheaval of the era. Despite critical interest, the album sold poorly upon release, largely because it was too experimental for mainstream radio and audiences. The band disbanded shortly after, making this a true one-off project.

A major point of collector interest is the original manila-style outer envelope, which is present with this copy and pictured. This envelope was intentionally designed as part of the original release, evoking institutional or governmental paperwork and reinforcing the album’s conceptual and political themes. Many surviving copies no longer include this envelope at all, making complete examples significantly harder to find. The presence of the envelope adds meaningful collector value and is increasingly uncommon more than fifty years later.

This copy is still partially in original shrink, another uncommon survival detail for this title. Given the album’s age and the nature of its packaging, most first pressings show heavy wear or missing components. Complete examples with the envelope and shrink remnants are far less frequently encountered.

Condition
Vinyl: G+
Cover: VG+
Inner Sleeve: VG

Please refer to all photos for detailed visuals of the vinyl, jacket, and sleeve, as collectors have varying standards for grading criteria.

This is not a casual psychedelic record or a novelty item. It is a first-pressing example of one of the most forward-thinking and historically significant experimental rock albums of the 1960s, issued on a major label and preserved here with key original components intact. Copies like this are sought after by serious collectors of psychedelic, avant-garde, and early electronic music.

• Columbia CS 9614 • 360 Sound Stereo • 1968 First Pressing • Experimental Rock • Psychedelic Rock • Electronic Rock • Avant Garde Pop • Cult Classic LP • Original Manila Envelope • Partial Original Shrink • Joseph Byrd • Dorothy Moskowitz • Gordon Marron • Rare Complete Copy • Counterculture Era • Studio Experimentation • Collector Grade Example