The Animated Egg was a studio-only psychedelic rock group centered around Jerry Cole, a Los Angeles based session guitarist who had played with many bands from The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Them, and even Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Cole invited many other musicians to play on this instrumental album, though couldn’t necessarily remember exactly who when asked years later. Other possible musicians on the album include Edgar Lamar and Don Dexter on drums, Tommy Lee and Glenn Cass on the bass, BIlly Joe Hastings and Norm Cass on guitar, and Billy Preston on organ. This album was made in large part to capitalize on the growing psychedelic music trends of the time period, which definitely intrigues me a bit. There seem to be a lot talented musicians on the album, so I’m pretty stoked to hear what’s in store. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the album.
“A Love Build On Sand” starts out with a really groovy bopping bass line accompanied by light taps of swirls for the organ. Oh wow, this tune is pretty slick. The tone from the electric guitar has a really laid back feel, not unlike the rest of the instrumentation. This is definitely some really groovy music to put on and kind of zone out. It sounds like a pretty slick psychedelic jam that the band had some fun with in the studio. Definitely a really groovy tune.
“Inside Looking Out” has some super tasty guitar along with some really groovy drums that remind me in general of Grateful Dead circa 1966 and 1967. That bass guitar comes on gently from underneath but really adds to the song well. Oh wow, this one really evolves in its jamming quite nicely. Holy smokes, this organ solo is super slick. This would be a good tune to throw on in the background of some groovy 60s themed gathering. Really groovy tune.
“I Said, She Said, Ah Cid” has some super strong fuzz on the guitar that really take this one to the levels of acid rock. Oh wow, there’s such a patient feel in the playing while still giving the feeling of forward movement. I really dig the drums in this one, and especially the hollow sounding snare-like beat that comes on periodically. There’s a really nice soundscape in this one. Great tune.
“Tomorrow” takes on an almost psychedelic surf rock sort of vibe with the tone of the guitar and the band really coming together to make the lead guitar sound like it’s nearly riding a musical wave. The organs ripple throughout the soundscape while the reliably drums crash around said ripples. Really good jam tune with some great psychedelic flavors and groovy sounding music in general. I really dig the peeling guitar at the end.
“Sure Listic” has a super bright psychedelic pop feel with some baroque sounding influence with the harpsichord. Holy smokes, the guitar is almost like a psychedelic bluegrass jam for a moment – really awesome. There’s a lot of chaotic energy from each of the instruments that works in parallel with one another, really creating a high energy sound that has a fast-paced melodic structure. Really sweet tune.
“Sippin’ and Trippin'” has a really patient sound to the playing in this one, almost self-assured in a certain sense. I really dig the big sounding bass propping this one up while the drums seemingly snap the tune forward, while while the lead guitar brushes out some chordal lines mixed with some more bluegrass style playing on the left and a rollicking piano moves the tune about on the opposite side of the soundscape. Really groovy tune.
“Dark” has some really interesting tone to the guitar that almost makes it sounds like a psychedelic version of something from early classic rock and roll guitarists like Duane Eddy or Link Wray. Oh wow, now there’s another guitar taking a turn with a softer 60s sounding tone and creates a nearly conversational piece to accompany the other guitar. Really groovy tune.
“Down, Down and Gone” has some fast paced energy in this one complete with some clapping from the band to back up the lead by the electric guitar and the rhythm from the organ. Oh wow, the guitar and organ switched up so the organ has the lead now and the jam keeps on evolving more. Oh wow, there’s a new guitar with a completely different tone that almost sounds darker. The hectic moving up and down chordal lines with a really pleasant melody in between gives a really interesting contrast held within just this song. Oh wow, it fades it out in a really interesting fashion, like it’s taking you through to a different place altogether.
Oh wow, “Sock It My Way” starts out with some super dark, fuzzed out guitar with a really interesting tremelo effect to it, making it sound like it’s rotating around in space. There’s nearly a raga influence in this one the way the notes seem to gradually slide and bend into one another. Oh wow, there’s a second guitar that comes from the background that plays something equally as dark, but with a clean tone and very melodically. The organs come in and gently back up the second guitarist really subtly, but it adds a whole lot of dimension to the sound. The drums have been super sweet and perpetually drive the song forward as things get pretty far out as the song continues to play.
“That’s How It Is” has a really interesting sound that nearly resolves some tension built up in the previous one. This honestly sounds like some really groovy jazz with the punchy clean guitar and the accentuated notes on the piano while the organ gently taps some notes into the soundscape. Oh wow, the band hits some pretty bluesy notes while this song sort of gently wraps up the playing from throughout the album with a really nice groovy jam. I really dig the drums in this one – they’re giving the guitar and piano and organ a really nice platform to play on. The bass guitar is super groovy too as it helps prop up the soundscape and connects the rhythm to the melody really nicely. Really groovy track to end on.
This is a really groovy way to spend a half an hour. The album doesn’t necessarily venture out of this world very far or for very long, while still hitting a lot of great psychedelic notes and tropes. The playing from the band is definitely very nice as well, with each instrument serving each song very nicely. This might make for some really groovy background music while driving or at a gathering of sorts, especially if you dig psychedelic rock at all. If you do decide to give this one a listen, I do sincerely hope that you enjoy it at least as much as I did.
-A