It goes without saying that 1968 doesn't have the same kind of cachet as 1967 - ayear that, in musical terms, will always be indelibly associated with the Summerof Love, Sgt Pepper and the emergence of psychedelia.
But although the major players turned away from the excesses of the previousyear in favour of a back-to-basics musical approach, there were arguably agreater number of psychedelic records made in 1968 than during the precedingtwelve months.
Vital, lysergically-inclined 45s emerged from a whole host of younger groups,with The Factory, Mike Stuart Span, Fleur de Lys, The Fire, The Barrier, BoeingDuveen, Rupert's People and numerous others all releasing singles that havelong been widely regarded by psychedelic collectors as genre classics.
All these and more are gathered on Looking At The Pictures In The Sky, whichprovide a fascinating overview of the group scene in Britain (and Ireland!) in1968, shining a light on unreleased gems, cult classics, choice album cuts,neglected B-sides and alternative versions.
As with its 1967 equivalent Let's Go Down And Blow Our Minds, the four-hour,78-track, 3CD anthology Looking At The Pictures In The Sky is housed in astriking clambox that contains a 44 page booklet crammed with biographicalinformation and rare photographs of the featured acts.
