Released just about a decade ago Pspyched! compiles various singles and album tracks from '80s bands that could, in a very broad sense, be figured to have been spawned from the acts represented on Nuggets. In reading about the disc, though, it seems that upon it's released, folks made a big deal about how cohesive the album was. But sporting a track listing that counts 14 bands as different as Polyphemus and Thee Hypnotics, that just seems like a good bit of lip service. Regardless, though, the compilation does present an interesting look at the Beggars label during the '80s when garage and psych got a weird working over.

That decade somehow gets a bad rap musically. And for some reason that I can't figure - although I was pooping myself for a few of those years - the tripe that rose up the charts is generally held up as an apt representation of what was going on musically. It wasn't. Hardcore, hip hop and electronic musics were all getting figured out. And even amongst the occasionally poorly figured punk groups, there were some gems - Reagan Youth for instance. In some ways, Pspyched! lends credence to the idea that, the '80s weren't all bad hair and dudes in tight pants.

"Young Man's Stride" from Mercury Rev might be the most well known offering and band from this list of bygone acts. Unfortunately, though, this doesn't really meet up with the high points represented herein. And oddly enough, "Birthday" from Radio Spangle, which follows this track, just seems like a lame continuation. I suppose that Mercury Rev, though, gave the disc one of its more shambolic and honest performances - I guess, I don't really get it apart from the squalling guitar parts. So, if this track reveals the mediocre portions of the disc, the most interesting tracks do deserve a proper second look.

Jim Jarmusch plays keys on the The Del-Byzantines' "Girl's Imagination." In addition to knowing of the band for the film maker's inclusion in its line up, I've crossed reviews of the band making them out as some sort of arty garage meets straight rock ensemble. Instead of that, though, Del-B comes off as an '80s version of the New York Dolls track "Runnin' Through the Jungle." So dependent upon your view of that track, this may or may not meet with your approval. The real reason for this disc even mattering at this point, though comes in the form of two extended tracks.

The lead off "Guitar Voodoo" from the Darkside is all laid back psych moving between Spacemen 3 the Dead with its endlessly serpentine guitar line. It's still ambient, to a certain extent and the drums reveal the time that it was recorded, but there's not denying the quality of the effort. A few tracks later, the eight minute "Justice in Freedom" from Thee Hypnotics comes off sounding like a left over '60s ragged ragger. Luckily, it found its home here. And now I'm off to find a full length by thee ensemble. Good listening.