The Crystal Teardrop: Modern day psychedelia
“By The River” / “Nine Times Nine” (Popclaw 003) May 2024
Crystal Teardrop By The River: This group are relatively new to the scene, if in fact any ‘scenes’ exist nowadays. But I’ve followed their progress since the early months of 2023. They released a download FLAC / MP3 of “Nine Times Nine” in April of that year.
Guitarist, Leon Adrian (Jones) and keyboard player Stuart Gray were band members in Gabriel’s Dawn. The latter were a very interesting band to me, merging the best bits of the paisley underground with good old mid-eighties indie jangle.
Gabriel’s Dawn
It’s such a shame that they didn’t really progress beyond releasing a few promo videos on YouTube and a severely low pressing of 200 copies of a self-financed album on Loose Canyon Records during May 2022. Fortunately I discovered them just at the right time and managed to secure a copy of the LP before they were sold out.
For whatever reason Gabriel’s Dawn appeared to split up around the same time that they were selling copies of the album on their Bandcamp page. Who knows, they may have already disbanded months earlier but still had to flog a few hundred records.
Anyway, there are a handful of copies on Discogs if anyone is interested enough to invest in a highly recommended release.
Crystal Teardrop: “By The River”
So, Leon and Stuart reconvened in a new band called The Crystal Teardrop with guitarist / singer / song-writer Alexandra Mason (or surname Rose?). However they decided to tap into a new genre, full-blown psychedelia but with a modern twist.
The modern twist being high-tempo garage rockin’ during gigs. I’ve never been to one of their gigs but have been impressed by their sheer enthusiasm and vibrancy that they bring to the stage. (there are numerous clips on YouTube to enjoy).
Singer, Alexandra has that star quality, especially the way she flings her long blond hair around, reminiscent of when Charlie’s Angels star Farrah Fawcett-Majors was running around the streets of Los Angeles after wrong-un’s in the late 70s.
But not only that, she can kick her white go go booted leg very high into the sky while teasing the right notes from her Vox guitar. This psychedelic Ninja lass has amazing talent and agility!
Crystal Teardrop: “By The River”
But what about the music?
“By The River” and “Nine Times Nine” are perfect demonstrations of modern day psych, similar in drive and positive energy to those early Kula Shaker records in the mid-nineties.
The self-produced recordings are of a very high standard. The hypnotic drums are loud, possibly too loud for some, there is an abundance of reverb, backwards guitar and treated vocals.
There is also an utterly great sounding sitar throughout “By The River” that adds a certain Eastern element and charm. I can imagine dear old George Harrison clapping his hands with glee as he sits above our heads on his mystical cloud listening to this.
Both numbers are mid-tempo, short and snappy, never indulgent and boring. There is enough edginess to please the 60s garage psych freak and masses of commercial appeal to step up to a higher level than the small pubs and clubs they’re currently playing.
Back in ancient times The Crystal Teardrop would have been a hit group on a major label.
Line-up:
Alexandra Rose (guitar / vocals)
Leon Adrian (guitar)
Stuart Gray (keyboards)
Connor Wells (drums)
Ed Quigley (bass)
The single has been pressed on blue and pink vinyl, but it’s very limited. Only 260 copies exist. You may already be too late to secure your copy but there’s no harm in checking with Rise Above Records.
Leave a Reply