Radiation Reissues / Italy / RE 2024 / LP, Green, Gatefold
The Fuzztones’ sophomore set Lysergic Emanations is often hailed as the best album that the garage rock band ever released. As with their debut album, the disc mixes cover versions of obscure 1960s garage rock tracks with some inspired original work, and this one benefitted from being cut in the studio, allowing us to hear the group in full-spectrum stereo, without the noisy distractions of a live setting. Keen covers of songs by the Sonics, the Yardbirds and Sonny Boy Williamson are rendered in their own image and the originals sound totally on form too. Lysergic Emanations is the Fuzztones’ pinnacle – totally superb!