After the recent excursion into new releases, it about time for the second of four volumes of Bitter Bells – a series collecting moody/jangly 60s garage from other compilations, which usually mainly favor fuzz guitar breaks, howls, and pounding beats. The 23 tracks on each volume were already compiled back at the start of the year, so I’ve heard plently of new favourite tales of woe since then. Maybe enough for a 5th volume?
This second volume is perhaps slightly more eclectic than the first, with the Legends track reaching back to the beat era of ’64. There’s the obligatory Dutch beat ballad, this time from The Cavaliers. The Insane with their maniacal take on Byrds, and The Different Parts’ fuzzed up put-down song “Why”. Most notably, #2 features classic moody garage songs from The Illusions, Brym-Stonz Ltd., The Mojos (not the same Mojos who are in the cover photo!) and The Dovers. Personally though, my oldest and dearest acquaintances are Chris Morgan & the Togas, The Insane and an American group called The Missing Links. Tracklist is below, and check out #1 here. The Mojos in the picture were from Hurricane, WV, and recorded the the great two-sider “Go” b/w “What She’s Done to Me” – not included in this series, but check it out at Flower Bomb Songs.
1. Chris Morgan & the Togas – Would You Believe Challange 593330, 1966
2. The Dovers – I Could Be Happy Miramar 121, 1965
3. The Interns – Hard to Get Uptown 730, 1966
4. The Mojos – Love Does Its Harm Mojo 106725, 1965
5. The Members – I’ll Get By Without You Label 121, 1966
6. The Barons – Time and Time Again SRO 122427, 1966
7. The Foggy Notions – Need a Little Lovin’ Ginny 904, 1966
8. The Wildflower – Wind Dream Mainstream 659, 1966
9. The Indifferents – She’ll Be Back Valor 110, 1965
10. The Impacts – Don’t You Dare Lavender 2005, 1966
11. The Illusions – Wait Till the Summer Michelle 001, 1966
12. The King’s Ransom – Shame Integra 101, 1966
13. The Six Deep – Girl It’s Over De’Lynn 101, 1967
14. The Mid-Knights – Why Style 2001, 1966
15. The Legends – Here Comes the Pain Warner 5457, 1964
16. The Rockers – There’s a Pain IGL 102, 1965
17. The Chessmen – No More BRS 1014, 1965
18. The Different Parts – Why AMS 001, 1967
19. The Malcontents – (I’m a) Roustabout Gems 18347, 1966
20. The Insane – Someone Like You Allen Association 201348, 1967
21. The Missing Links – You Hypnotize Me Signet 6460, 1966
22. The Cavaliers – You Can Not Make Me Cry Imperial 673, 1965
23. Brym-Stonz LTD. – Times Gone By Custom 143, 1967
