Banchee, USA-Massachusetts

Banchee. 1969 Atlantic

Banchee were a band who formed in New York and moved up north to participate in the Bosstown scene. On their debut album, Banchee play a type of jangly West Coast psychedelic that’s as much Quicksilver as it is CSN&Y. The songwriting is excellent here, and it seems the band was mishandled, as some of these tracks should have been hits in their day. As for instrumental work, Banchee prove to be talented, though they never really let loose, choosing to stay close to the original theme and melody. One of the better hard rock / psych albums to have emerged out of Boston. 

Thinkin'. 1971 Polydor

As noted on the debut entry, that album was part of the Bosstown psychedelic scene. For their sophomore effort, they dropped the psych like everyone else, signed with a new label, and decided for a straightforward hard rock approach. And they absolutely nailed it - Thinkin' is one of the heaviest major label albums one can hear from the States at this early stage. Hard rocking dual guitars drive these compositions, and they're not that boneheaded either. They put some real thought into these tunes. Way, way ahead of its time. As such, this album has been a serious collector's item for many years.  

Priority: 1

10/12/10