The Tiffany Shade was a psychedelic rock band from Cleveland, Ohio, that was formed in 1966 and disbanded just two years later in 1968 after the release of their only album. They belonged to the Mainstream record label, which was also home to other psychedelic rock bands like The Tangerine Zoo and Big Brother and the Holding Company. I quite like The Tangerine Zoo and Big Brother and the Holding Company, so I’m quite excited to listen to this album. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Would You Take My Mind Out for a Walk” has a really great tone to that guitar right off the start. Oh wow, I’m really into this one. I’m sort of vaguely reminded of some early stuff of the Grateful Dead with the vocals. I’m super stoked for the rest of this album at this point. The guitar has some super slick riffs in this one.
“An Older Man” has an incredibly interesting into with the counterpoint between the electric guitar and the bass is really awesome. I’m absolutely hooked on this band right now, and I’m so disappointed this is their only album. The energy is so high, though so rounded and gentle – very up. The vocals are perhaps the most interesting part to me though, with the intricate layerings and rapid movements at times. The parts that the bass has been playing have evolved so much throughout the song too – really awesome.
Oh wow, “Sam” starts out like some super tasty psychedelic blues rock song, but after the guitar joins the keyboards it starts leaning more positively psychedelic than it is blues. The jams in this one are really awesome. The distinct interplay between all the instruments really reminds me of early ~1966-1967 Grateful Dead – absolutely awesome. I can’t really properly say how much I’m digging this song right now. This psychedelic jam is so interesting, I’m really getting lost in all of the playing. Nothing in the song feels predictable – it’s all so fresh; I’m really digging it.
“Jaguar City Blues” has a super mellow psychedelic keyboard in the intro. The drums are super high energy but never make the song feel on edge, and really meld together the changing aspects of the song really well. This electric guitar playing is really awesome too; I can’t get enough of it.
“A Very Grand Love” has a very slow start before it drops into the main part of the song, and sounds like some sort of psyched out version of a song you might hear in a cantina down along the border. Wow, the vocals really make the whole song so digestible as they ease you into each jam. This song is so dynamic in the style that’s being played – I’m super digging this album right now – I’ll probably say that a few more times before the end of the album because this is sweet.
“Softly to Me” has a very interesting, close feel, that everything is sort of gradually crashing together based on the intro, but is sort of kept apart at the last second as the drums drop into the main rhythm and the guitar and keyboard change up a bit. The vocals are so energetic, yet so smooth at the same time – getting near to whispers at some points. The song almost unwinds on itself as it comes to a close – really awesome song.
“No Reality” has probably the most delicate feel of any song so far. This song feels like it’s longing for something, and is very sweet in sound. It feels very direct in nature, as if it were written about someone in particular. I love the interplay between all the instruments. The bass and guitar seem to meet in the middle of certain lines they’re playing, with the piano/keyboard further emphasizing what’s being played. The drums are absolutely superb as well – never overplaying anything at all and really filling the space in the song well.
“One Good Reason” starts out with a bit of feedback from the guitar, but then drops into an absolutely sick guitar part. I really love the counterpoint between the lead and background vocals. Oh wow, the electric guitar is so dynamic in this song. It makes me want to try and play mine, but I’m so stunned I can’t help but continue listening. Awesome song.
“A Quiet Revolution” has a feeling like the song is swirling around itself with what’s being played. There’s so much music packed into each song – I’m absolutely bewildered that the band didn’t release more music. Wow, that piano is awesome. These songs are so fast-paced, and filled to the brim with music, that it’s hard to process and write simultaneously. Really neat outro, too.
“Not Worth the Pain” is probably the loosest feeling song, though it’s more likely that it’s just a bit more spaced-out between notes than it really is loose – because the band is still quite tight. This is a wonderful outro to the album. Wow, the song picks up the pace a little bit for a moment, before slowing down a bit again. I really dig the simplicity of the drums versus what the bass is playing – really tasty combination. Once again, the vocals really smooth the song over, making it that much easier to digest. Awesome tune.
Wow. I was really into this album. If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock at all, I think checking this out is absolutely worth it. There’s so much energy in the music, and it always stays fresh. I’m looking into getting it on vinyl as I type this. It’s an absolute shame the band broke up and didn’t make any more music, but maybe it was meant to be. Regardless, this is a great listen for 60s rock and psychedelic rock fans. If you do decide to give it a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy it at least as much as I did.
-A