Travel With Your Mind

Album Review

In garage rock, a little often goes a long way, especially when it comes to the rehearsal tapes, demos, and alternate versions so beloved by trainspotting collectors. Those who memorize matrix numbers and session lists will absolutely adore this 1965-1967 collection of odds and sods by L.A.'s psychedelic-garage heroes the Seeds: 66 minutes' worth of ephemera, ready to be pored over. More casual listeners might find it rather slow going; despite the inclusion of several great songs, like the phenomenally powerful "Satisfy You" and a weirdly stripped-down alternate take of the trippy "March of the Flower Children," there's much here that's only of interest to die-hard fans, like the plodding ten-minute-plus jam "900 Million People Daily" and a chaotic rehearsal take of "Pushin' Too Hard." Complete novices in particular should avoid this album because it presents too skewed a picture of the group; better to start with one of the more traditional compilations and work up to this should you get hooked.