breathe a while

Originally released in 1969. Arcadium's ominous, cathedral-like organ, distorted guitar and anguished vocals are clearly derivative of bands such as The Doors, Iron Butterfly and Vanilla Fudge - very much in the 'downer-heavy' school of the genre that was popular at the time. Their album is something of a bad-trip soundtrack that relies on minor-key melodies, ghostly harmonies and anguished vocals. What with all its flaws - bad production, sloppy vocals and doomsday atmospherics - its historical significance is immense. The music's intensity and sense of urgency, the blazing acid-drenched guitars, the tortured vocals and heavy nightmarish sounds all perfectly convey the late '60s atmosphere.

Track listing:

• A1 I'm On My Way 11:50
• A2 Poor Lady 4:00
• A3 Walk On The Bad Side 7:36
• A4 Sing My Song (Bonustrack) 4:18
• B1 Woman Of A Thousand Years 3:39
• B2 Change Me 4:47
• B3 It Takes A Woman 3:54
• B4 Birth Life And Death 10:19
• B6 Riding Alone (Bonustrack) 2:49