The Albums of 1966: The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

Release Date: October 17, 1966

Produced by Lelan Rogers

Side One: You're Gonna Miss Me; Roller Coaster; Splash 1 (Now I'm Home); Reverberation (Doubt); Don't Fall Down

Side Two: Fire Engine; Thru the Rhythm; You Don't Know; Kingdom of Heaven (Is Within You); Monkey Island; Tried to Hide

Led by Texas rocker Roky Erickson, the 13th Floor Elevators created some mad alchemy on their debut record. Their distinct sound blended the blues with many other influences, crafting a surreal sonic landscape. "You're Gonne Miss Me" sounds like some lost unhinged Yardbirds track, Erickson's croaky vocals and the heavy guitars. The "electric jug" gives the record an otherworldly sound, especially on the frenzied jam of "Roller Coaster." "Splash 1" is a haunting folk rock with mystical undertones. "Reverberation" describes a cosmic trip, "Don't Fall Down" offers some advice when on the skyway locomotive.

"Fire Engine" is all bacchanalia set to sirens, "Through the Rhythm" builds to a glorious cacophony. "You Don't Know" turns a Kinks song inside out. "Kingdom of Heaven" offers a tripped-out sermon, "Monkey Island" is all surreal imagery and slashing guitars. "Tried to Hide" encapsulates the tension between chaos and coherence running through the record.

The 13th Floor Elevators achieved something times on their all too few records, a unique sound occupying a space between the rebelliousness of early rock and roll and the experimentation of the era that followed.