The Magic Mixture was a British psychedelic rock band from the late 1960s. The band only made a single album, This Is The Magic Mixture (1968), which is comprised only of originals and is today regarded as a good example of the psychedelic genre, according to what I’ve seen online, at least. There’s not a whole bunch of information online about the group, but I’ve been meaning to listen to a psychedelic rock album from the 1960s lately. I’m pretty excited to give this album a listen, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“(I’m So) Sad” starts out with some bright, stuttering organs that sets the tone for the tune, which is soon joined by some groovy electric guitar that has a bit of garage rock to them. Oh wow, I really dig the drums and bass in this tune, as the snappy snares accompanied by the chromatic bass line gets the rhythm section of the tune moving nicely. The tune seems to have a bit of a dark undertone at times, which seems to fit with the style of the tune well. Oh wow, this electric guitar solo in the second movement of the track is super tasty. I’m reminded a bit of Music Emporium, another psychedelic rock group from the time period with only one album. Oh wow, the tune keeps building on itself, leading to some chirping swirls from the organs, with the bass having a relaxing stirring sound from the background. Great track, and I’m excited to hear more.
Oh wow, “Urge to Leave” starts out with a sound that has a bit of a Blues Magoos meets Santana sort of sound with the groovy psychedelic bluesish sort of sound produced by the congas/bongos and the gradual bluesy swishes of the guitar, accompanied by a flavorful swing from the drums. Oh wow, the lead guitar that comes in for a moment even has a bit of a mild Santana-esque tone. Great tune.
Holy smokes, “You” starts out with some classic psychedelic blues rock licks that remind me a fair deal of Eric Clapton and Cream. I’m really digging this album a ton so far. Oh wow, the tune really has a feel again like the music is constantly building upon itself. The rhythm section of the track almost reminds me a bit of The Jimi Hendrix Experience with a bass line reminiscent of Noel Fieldings and a tone that reminds me of Mitch Mitchell on the drums. Great track.
Oh wow, “Slowly the Day” starts out with a slow psychedelic groove that sounds like the tune is gradually building on itself, with the electric guitar producing a bit of a churning sound with the strums of the chords, while the organs bring back a bit of that chirping swirl. Holy smokes, the guitar solo is super flavorful when it comes on, seemingly resolving tension possibly built up in the tune while playing off of the other instruments very nicely. Wow, I’m really digging this track at the moment. Oh wow, the tune sort of reminds me a little bit of the Grateful Dead’s “New Potato Caboose” in a very roundabout way as the tune comes to a finish. Great tune.
“New Man” sets a really groovy tone at the beginning, as if at any moment the drums and guitar will break through and get rockin’, but the tune always seems to relax itself in a manner that seems to delay gratification while putting the listener at ease. Oh wow, this laid back guitar solo has a feel that reminds me a fair deal of Eric Clapton’s style. The vocals nearly sound as though they’re singing into a void during the chorus, and I’m really digging the sound. Great track.
Oh wow, “Living on a Hill” has a bit of strange sound, which sounds like a soundtrack to a sunbaked drugged-out trip of sorts, and sort of reminds me a bit of a combination of a combination of Spacemen 3/The Darksiders with The Wizards of Kansas, and maybe a hint of The Doors. Great tune.
“It’s Alright by Me” seemingly takes the listener back to some semblance of reality with a groovy psychedelic rock sound that seems to have a combination of blues and pop elements of the time period with the chorus vocal sound and the upbeat groove from the band. Oh wow, as the tune sounds like it’s getting wrapped up there’s a descending vocal line that really catches my ear and gets me pulled further into the tune. Great track.
Oh wow, “When I Was Young” starts out with some groovy sounds that nearly have a bit of a psychedelic cowboy gallop to the drums and guitar work, while the organs almost sound like they’re reversed and building tension. Oh wow, the tune seems to break on through for a massive conglomeration of sound that combines the slamming of some organs, big vocals, and flavorful drums, which seems to release the tension built up by the galloping drums and reversed organs at the beginning of the track. Great tune.
“Hey Little Girl” has a very pleasant and serene sound at the beginning with the flowing sounds from the clean electric guitar, with a slow building shimmer from the organs in the background. Oh wow, the tune seems to break through a bit to a new sound, which seems to push the momentum that’s been built up in the album even further. Super sweet track.
Oh wow, “Tomorrow’s Sun” has a sound as though the band is creating a sweet flowing river of sound for the listener to get washed in with the sweetness of the shimmering organs, the pleasant vocals, and the relaxed, assured sound of the churning from the garage-rock-sounding electric guitar chords. The drums and bass both add to the sweetness of this tune as well with the flavorful, easy-going combination of sound from the rhythm section. Super sweet tune.
Oh wow, “Motor Bike Song” starts out in an almost jarring, yet whimsical fashion with the in-your-face quality of the guitars, while the carnivalesque quality of the organs bringing a playfulness to the track. The vocals make clear that the band is definitely British, as they are ripe with an accent that sounds like Johnny Rotten/John Lydon of the Sex Pistols. Super sweet track.
“Moon Beams” sounds like the band is coming to a finish that seems to have a sound as though the music is skimming across the horizon over an ocean of a night sky with the shimmering organs in the background alongside the churning and flowing sounds of the electric guitar, while the bass guitar seems to give the rest of the instrumentation a sturdy and dynamic surface to play off of. The drums provide an extra driving force behind the music, making the beats even more flavorful as the tune continues. Super sweet tune and a really sweet way to finish the album.
Wow, I really enjoyed this album, as I always seem to fall back in love with 1960s psychedelic rock any time I take a bit of a hiatus from listening to it. The songwriting and performing on this album is super sweet, and gives the band a fair amount of range, as they can sound like a groovy mixture of psychedelic blues, garage rock, and psychedelic pop from the era. If you enjoy psychedelic rock and garage rock from the late 1960s, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A