Timo Pääkkö: They Never Made It Volume 2

 Psychotron Records (PR1015)

They Never Made It Volume 2 claims to be a compilation of lost early 70s psych tracks. Actually it's a tongue-in-cheek album by Finnish guitarist/singer/songwriter Timo Pääkkö, who the most educated music fans remember from his bands like Kinsky, Penniless People of Bulgaria, The Electric Crayon Set, Love Messengers etc. He also run a record label called Soundhawk Records, that released one Octopus Syng album, for example.

This is a vinyl-only release, and limited to just 100 copies (plus a few promo copies, I suspect, since I was lucky to get one). The album is releaaed on the UK label Psychotron like the Volume 1 in the series and comes in hand-painted cover with clued info sheet on back and on coloured vinyl with white labels.There's even an insert with fake histories for all the imaginery bands involved. A real private-press feel!

So how about the music? Well, I've been a fan of Timo's songs, vocals and especially guitar work (reminds me of Nick Saloman a bit...) since The Electric Crayon Set times, so of course I like it. Some of the songs COULD be written in the late 60s/early 70s, but of course the sound and especially the use of programmed drums reveal that this is actually a modern production. There are seven tracks on the album. "Don't Vent All Your Frustration On Me, Girl" by an imaginary artist Peter Timothy Willful opens the album in an energetic but melodic mod style. Nice! "Bearded Jack" (by Concentration Storage Five...) has a fuzzy guitars, organ and a cool 60s psych vibe and is one of my favourites. Based on a poem by Wilfred Owen, "Strange Meeting" is another highlight with a spacey and hypnotic, Amon Düül II-like atmosphere. I'm impressed! I only wish that The Bavarian Illuminati would have been a real band somewhere in time and space... The side A is finished with an instrumental called "Chase Around Sirius" by Intergalactic Guitars Unlimited (!). This one has a groovy late 70s/early 80s space funk rock vibe and Timo plays some killer lead guitar.

The B side is started with "UAP" by The Devilment (how did he come up with these band names?). Again Timo's love for UK mod music shows clearly. Next, The N-Sults offer a cool cosmic piece called "Magic Is Found Within", I really like this one. The album is then finished with the 12-plus-minute guitar/mellotron freak-out "All My Bullies". The "artist" name probably is the best: Thymothys Yn Unig! This track has a groovy, folky and bluesy, almost Led Zeppelin styled groove and also some vocals. All in all a very enjoyable album and the vinyl sounds great. Timo even went to UK to play a solo album release gig at the Psychotron Records's store and I heard it was a success! It seems the only way to hear this whole album is to buy a copy so please be fast. Timo might have one of two left but at least Psychotron seems to still stock it.

www.timopaakko.com/ 

psychotronrecords.co.uk/product/they-never-made-it-volume-2/