Red Krayola - God Bless The Red Krayola... (1968)

Far gentler than, though equally quirky as, their maiden effort, the Red Krayola's second album was a series of odd miniatures that, though far more restrained than Parable of Arable Land, was a much more solid indication of the direction Mayo Thompson would explore over the next few decades. These are less "songs" than stream-of-consciousness fragments. Thompson's wavering, quizzical voice intones disjointed but evocative lyrics that may appear to be non sequiturs. Odd time meters and musical shifts do their best to defy conventional rock song structures. It's not very poppy, no, but if the description sounds foreboding, be assured that as experimental rock goes, it's far warmer and friendlier than the norm