Marvelous Heavy Psychedelia - Folk Rock/Pop From Canada; The Jarvis Street Revue - Mr. Oil Man 1970 (2000 Pacemaker)

“Back in 1970, up in the cold North of Ontario, Canada hailed a group that had already had prophetic visions of the corporate, strictly-business, profit-driven, polluting, oil addicted, don’t let the environment-get-in-the-way-of-a-buck bullshit world that we currently live in. Their epic title track “Mr. Oil Man” spoke of 'oil being slick in the Gulf Of Mexico' and 'Mr. Oil Man, you’re killing all the fish again, you ruin all that water again,' fully equipped with sounds of splashing water and trippy effects. I could go on and on about how great the record is..." —Helios Chrome

Poised between Toronto and Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Ontario became the refuge for every touring band in Canada; a mandatory break while crossing the perilously vast Canadian Shield. No doubt, Canada’s vastness can be heard in much of the Northernly musical output. There is perhaps no better example of this than Thunder Bay’s Jarvis Street Revue. Their lone LP, leased to Columbia for release in 1971, leaves no one untouched by the band’s sheer avalanche of psychedelic heaviness, wasted acid leads and harrowing vocals. Every song is laced with a conviction born from the physical landscape they called home. Jarvis Street Revue spent (literally) a month of Sundays recording the album and bouncing tracks to create effects. “Chuck Williams was so freaked out, he used to leave the room,” Jarvis leader and Neil Young running mate Tom Horricks said. “It was so anti-establishment.” Creative and far-seeing... and not without some chemical support. The albums's (and band's) concern with the environmental—including bold statements on the use and abuse of the oil reserves, rapacious business men, and the depletion of Earth’s natural resources—were truly visionary.(lionproductions.org)

 The band played their very own kind of psychedelic rock/pop. And they did that damn well. The songs never come along ''ordinary'' and in the song 'Sally's Hymn' you can feel a real deep mysticism. The original album with ''only'' six songs already offers a wide range. But this one gets a bit bigger with seven additional tracks. The band had the ability to enhance their songs wonderful with small ideas.
 
I really like the album. The bonus tracks go more in a folk rock/pop direction. Sweet Eyed Satin Lady'' and ''Better Things To Do'' i.e. are very nice pop songs and you can't believe it's the same band like on the first six tracks. But this shows the abilities of the band. Enjoy.(Frank)

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