3 Essential Albums for Fans of Neo-Psychedelia

Neo-psychedelia is so much more than just a “reimagining” of the psychedelic rock movement of the 1960s. This genre of music certainly draws inspiration from that era. However, it also applies a touch of modern or totally out-there sounds that often involve noise, alt-rock stylings, and even new wave elements. And if you’re just now getting into neo-psychedelia, the following three albums are essential listening.

‘Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request’ by The Brian Jonestown Massacre (1996)

A play on The Rolling Stones’ Their Satanic Majesties Request, this album from The Brian Jonestown Massacre is about as far away from a cheap Stones imitation as it could be. This band remains sorely underrated, in my opinion. And this album definitely does not get as much love as it should. It is neo-psychedelia at its core, but it also featured genre-influencing drone and shoegaze elements that would be emulated for years to come, particularly in the 2000s. The eclectic use of instruments also makes Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request stand out. I clocked a didgeridoo, sitar, and Mellotron, but there are probably more “unusual” instruments on this record.

‘Screamadelica’ by Primal Scream (1991)

I’ve written about this album several times before. It’s worth noting yet again for anyone who is getting into neo-psychedelia. Screamadelica by Primal Scream might be well over three decades old, but it remains a fascinating and strange reimagining of classic psychedelic music. Producer Andrew Weatherall was the perfect person to work on this album. However, the whole thing is really the sum of its parts.

‘Transmissions From The Satellite Heart’ by The Flaming Lips (1993)

This is definitely a neo-psychedelia record, but it’s also, at its core, an alt-rock noise record. But, like many of The Flaming Lips’ albums, Transmissions From The Satellite Heart just can’t be defined with rigid terms. The post-punk jam “She Don’t Use Jelly” might be familiar to anyone who was a young adult in the 90s, as it was the band’s first big radio hit and scored a mention on Beavis And Butt-Head. That song’s great, but the entirety of the album really deserves to be enjoyed in its entirety. Ronald Jones is totally killer on the guitar, and drummer Steven Drozd was a fine addition to this record. Perhaps a rare feat for a neo-psychedelia record, Transmissions From The Satellite Heart made it all the way to No. 108 on the Billboard 200 after it was released.

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