Part One

Editors’ Notes

The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band was a '60s psychedelic rock group that approached the era's music with an ear for trendiness, but it was also an unpredictable outfit that would just as likely play a modest ballad as an outlandish piece of zany expressionism. This album for Reprise Records is considered its official debut, though it had earlier issued an album of primarily covers on a smaller independent label. These songs reflect the sounds of the '60s, which—considering the quality of the analog equipment available—means there's an immediate charm to even the most basic of tunes. "Shifting Sands" starts as an elemental guitar piece with vocals; it's simple yet alluring. "I Won't Hurt You" is a work of muted perfection, achieving an eerie, unsettled vibe despite being a mellow two-and-a-half-minute ditty. Similar results haunts the bucolic "Will You Walk with Me" and the garage pop of the Zombies-like "If You Want This Love of Mine." "1906" features compelling harmonies along with bizarre narration, which is further explored with the band's cover of Frank Zappa's "Help, I'm a Rock."