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Basic Rating
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Average Track Score (0 to 10 points)
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The ratings are primarily an average score for all of the tracks on the compilation. That is, every track is rated and these are averaged on a 10-point scale. I gave more weight to standout tracks because that's the main reason for listening to garage/psych compilations—to find those gems that were overlooked when they were first recorded. Then the ratings are adjusted with three additional scores described below: 1) quality of information, 2) sound quality, 3) obscurity, and 4) artwork.
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Adjustments to the Score
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Quality of Information (-.5 to +1.0 points)
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I'm a sucker for good liner notes, especially with compilations of obscure music. Where did this stuff come from? Who made these records? How did the compilers get the recordings? How did they decide what to include in the compilation? For all the effort it takes to put together a good compilation, it seems only natural to me to include a description of the content. A compilation without liner notes is such a disappointment because reading thorough, thoughtful liner notes enhances the listener's appreciation of the music. A compilation with excellent liner notes earns a whole point, while compilations lacking liner notes lose a half point.
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Sound Quality (-.5 to +.5 points)
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The source recordings for many compilations are 45s that have been around since the 1960s. Many of these are not in mint condition and surface noise on the records is often audible. That's understandable—less-than-perfect audio fidelity is not a big deal on garage/psych compilations. When the sound quality of a compilation is particularly good, however, it really stands out, and excellent sound quality increases the rating of a compilations by half a point. In those cases where the sound quality is poor and the same recordings are available with better audio fidelity, a compilation can lose up to half a point.
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Obscurity (0 to +.25 points)
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Garage/psych compilations are obscure by definition. These CDs collect records that made very little impact at the time they were released. Over time, however, compilers have raided record collections and scoured the archives of record labels, which has lead to a lot of duplication from compilation to compilation. Extra points are given for collections that include records that are not available elsewhere. Obscurity isn't necessarily a good thing, though—in many cases these records didn't sell well because they weren't particularly good—but it's always refreshing to find a compilation with unique material. A compilation with a high level of obscurity gets a bonus of a quarter of a point, but no points are deducted for a low rating in this category.
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Artwork (-.25 to +.5 points)
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Sure, you can't judge a book by the cover, but you can judge the cover! More than a few times I've been influenced to buy an album because it had a great cover. And resurrecting obscure garage/psych seems to bring out the creativity of the compilers.
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Question? Comment?
Join the discussion about
Garage/Psych Compilations
on the
"Turn Me On, Dead Man"
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