Pink Stainless Tail

Alongside Thirteen Floor Elevators, Red Krayola were one of the most influential psychedelic acts coming out of Texas in the 1960s. Their debut album Parable of Arable Land, released in 1967, stands out as one of the most psychedelic albums ever released. From the trippy cover art to the avant garde "Free Form Freakouts" that appear between each song, Parable of Arable Land defines psychedelia.

Today's track, culled from Parable of Arable Land, is "Pink Stainless Tail." The song is bookended by, what is referred to on the tracklisting, as "Free Form Freakouts." These 'freakouts' consisted of Red Krayola and fifty of their closest friends performing with everything from typical musical instruments to bottles, rocks, motorcycles, and buzzsaws. These jams may not be for the average music listener, but fans of psychedelic rock are sure to enjoy it.

Although nearly overshadowed by the 'freakouts,' the actual song "Pink Stainless Tail" is quite an enjoyable piece of music. The song goes at a driving pace, with an onslaught of guitars and some very powerful drumming. A listener can get lost in song, especially during the guitar solo. And before you know, the song segues seamlessly into another free form freakout.

Parable of Arable Land is a must for any fan of psychedelic or avant garde rock, and, while I am posting one song from the album, one can't really do the album justice by judging it only on one song. Listening to "Pink Stainless Tail" will give you a taste, but only a full, uninterrupted listening of the album will allow the listener to truly appreciate what Red Krayola achieved with this album.

Red Krayola
"Pink Stainless Tail"
1967