Various Artists - Searching In The Wilderness (1964-67 multinational, astonishing garage freak beat)

While this compilation might prove mighty hard to track down, it's one of the better anthologies of raw, rare mid-'60s rock, concentrating exclusively on bands from the U.K. and Europe (i.e., this is not a "garage" compilation in the classic sense). Some of these groups enjoy a cult reputation, especially the Dutch ones (the Outsiders, Q65, Cuby & the Blizzards, the Motions); most will draw blanks even on the faces of specialist record store owners. Still, if you like the R&B/mod of the Pretty Things or the Who and are looking for stuff in that mode that's less polished, this is a good place to land. 

The Red Squares' "You Can Be My Baby" is as good as the best London 1966 mod; the Buzz's "You're Holding Me Down" is one of British producer Joe Meek's hardest-rocking sessions; Jimmy Page plays a raunchy session guitar lead on Sean Buckley's "Everybody Knows"; and the Outsiders' "Won't You Listen" is one of the wildest, most unhinged beat/punk performances of all time. There's also a rare and basic unreleased mid-'60s song by the Kinks (who are identified as the "Muswell Ravens" on the cover), "All Aboard." 

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks
1. Namelosers - But I'm So Blue - 1:43
2. The Red Squares - You Can Be My Baby - 2:17
3. The Motions - For Another Man - 1:48
4. Sean Buckley And Breadcrumbs - Everybody Knows - 2:08
5. The Boys Blue, The You Got What I Want - 2:06
6. The In Crowd - Things She Says - 1:46
7. The Cherokees - Little Lover - 1:59
8. The Outsiders - Won't You Listen - 2:48
9. The Kinks - All Aboard - 2:48
10.A Passing Fancy - I'm Losing Tonight - 2:32
11.The Outlaws - Keep A Knockin' - 2:32
12.Q-65 - It Came To Me - 2:24
13.The Golden Earrings - Chunk Of Steel - 2:27
14.Cuby And The Blizzards - I'm So Restless - 2:00
15.The Snobs - Heartbreak Hotel - 2:44
16.The Buzz - You're Holding Me Down - 3:16  
17.Alan Pounds Get Rich - Searching In The Wilderness - 2:18

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