NOAH – Brain Suck (Expanded Edition)

Description

Fabulous US hard-psychedelic album by NOAH, recorded in 1972 but never released at the time. Expanded to a double set including the SOUND BARRIER (pre-Noah) sought-after garage-psych 45s plus unreleased demos, ’67-71. Master tape sound and insert with rare photos and liner notes by Plastic Crimewave.

RIYL: BLUE CHEER, SIR LORD BALTIMORE, FRACTION, IRON BUTTERFLY, STEPPENWOLF…

Formed in the late 60s in Salem, Ohio, out of the ashes of two garage bands, the Markees and the Sound Barrier (of the legendary “Hey, Hey” 45 on Zounds), Noah consisted of Mark Scheuring (guitar & lead vocals), Larry Davis (drums), Paul Hess (bass & backup vocals) and Danny Hall (keyboards & backup vocals). In 1972 the band recorded in just two days a concept album titled “Brain Suck” at Cleveland Recording studios with engineer/producer Ken Hamann (of Grand Funk Railroad and James Gang fame).

Noah’s music was dark and heavy, dominated by killer Hammond organ, hard guitar and powerful vocals. This is truly a major find for anyone into hard psychedelia. In the words of Steve Krakow (Plastic Crimewave): “it conjures the heavy, doomy vibe of Blue Cheer’s “Fruit and Icebergs” suite; the bluster of Sir Lord Baltimore (but maybe with Keith Emerson on keys); and a biker ferocity found on the Fraction Moonblood Lp. I’m also imagining Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, or Vanilla Fudge on some bad drugs with a Mothers-like malignance”.

The LP sessions were never released properly (in fact a truncated vinyl edition with some songs missing and late Sound Barrier demos added was released in 1995 by Al Simones on his Head Records label, without the band’s knowledge) so this is the first time that the “Brain Suck” album is released as originally intended by the band.
*Double LP edition in gatefold sleeve.
*Disc 1 features the original “Brain Suck” album by Noah, as originally recorded in 1972.
*Disc 2 features late Sound Barrier (pre-Noah) demos from 1968 (which are KILLER, prime cut garage-psych with ripping fuzz and organ) plus the two Sound Barrier 45s from 1967/68 on Zounds / United Audio and a couple of cool previously unreleased Noah home demos from 1971.