English vocals
International relevance: ***
”Mixed
Up Lydia's
Pickin' Up Painted Ping Pong Balls” (say that fast) is to me what people say Tropicalia spearheads Os Mutantes are to them. It's a
flowering mix of everything available – psych, easy listening,
bossa nova, jazz, baroque pop and then some. All tossed into the air
and then put back together again in kaleidoscopic patterns with the healthy craziness of mavericks and wild curiosity, all for the love of music and all
for the fun of possibilities.
Before
and after ”Mixed Up Lydia”, The Gimmicks were a pretty
straight-forward Latin loving lot à la Sergio Mendes & Brasil
66, but everything exploded in 1970. It actually exploded twice,
because also in 1970, they released the equally whimsical ”Make
Feel Good” 45 with ”Bermuda Inn” on the flip – two tracks
that would have blended in perfectly with the others on the album.
”Mixed
Up Lydia” is so vivid and vital and effervescent and playful and
bright there's no way I couldn't love it. It's so beautifully void of
dead serious pretentions; intricate yes, and acheiving, but always
inviting and never exclusive. I can honestly say there's no other
Swedish album sounding like this, not before and not after. A lovely little gem! (Great cover by Swedish horror painter Hans Arnold too.)
Full album playlist
7":
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