Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Dave Bixby - Ode To Quetzalcoatl (us 1969 Christian-folk psych)

Dave Bixby - Ode to Quetzalcoatl (us 1969) (D-24 700320)

Moody drug damage reflections loner xian folk psych.
This is one excellent obscure acid psychedelic record. This is a story of a man trying to overcome his drug addiction through faith. It is a lonely, moody record. I have no idea why this isn't a widely known record. The emotion on this acid folky record is huge, not to mention the simple pureness of the songs. Do yourself a favor and listen to this, you're missing out if you don't.

Tracks:
01. Drug Song
02. Free Indeed
03. I Have Seen Him
04. Mother
05. Morning Sun
06. Prayer
07. Loneny Faces
08. Open Doors
09. 666
10. Waiting For the Rains
11. Secret Forest
12. Peace

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Strange enchanting dreamy acoustic custom of slow melodic tunes sleepily adrift in a hazy stereo-echoed blur of ethereal guitar work and sedated vocals, heavy on the lost loner “real people” vibes. Bixby’s story is detailed on the back cover – how he destroyed his life with substance abuse (recounted in ‘Drug Song’), cried out to God for his sanity, and eventually received a testimony of Jesus Christ. Ode To Quetzalcoatl contains twelve of his post-conversion songs, featuring titles like ‘Free Indeed’, ‘I Have Seen Him’, ‘Morning Sun’, ‘Open Doors’, ‘666’ and ‘Waiting For The Rains’. Occasional cosmic weirdity in the lyrics, as on ‘Prayer’ (“pick out a cloud, and speak very loud, and that cloud will be yours forever”). Sometimes joined by a second guitar, plus onetime appearances of harmonica (‘Secret Forest’) and spacey flute (‘Peace’). The mysterious album title reference to the ancient Mexican serpent god isn’t explained anywhere, nor is it mentioned in any of the songs. Some highly unusual yet very captivating stuff here, guaranteed to make yourself ask “where is this guy coming from?”.
~ Ken Scott, Archivist .
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"Highly rated by the few who have heard it, this tormented religious loner/downer folk LP has to rank as one of the ultimate incarnations of the genre. The opening "Drug Song" sets the tone perfectly as a supremely world-weary, echo-laden guy laments on how he screwed himself up with dope; "I'm no longer a person, I can't even feel". The resolution is (of course) Christ, who is serenaded in the following tracks, although the despairing, suicidal mood is strangely unchanged. Salvation or none, it seems most things are still a mess for Bixby. Numbers such as "Mother" and the Grudzien-level "666" confirm such suspicions. Musically it's a wellwritten lo-fi recording of steelstringed acoustic and a single voice, much like Christopher Montgomery, but undoubtedly more tortured and intense. Frantic guitar strumming is used to tighten up the tension in an effective way a la Perry Leopold, while more lyrical moods are supported by swift fingerpicking. The vocals are amateurish and somewhat uneven, and in fact work best when most charged with emotion. The organic correspondence between lyrics, playing and arrangements is impressive and makes the LP seem more alive and artistically aware than most in this often disappointing genre. Must be heard by any fringe fan. [PL]"
~ Acid Archives.

Download link is:
http://sharebee.com/8f8d1846

Filename: Dave Bixby - Ode To Quetzalcoatl (us 1969 Christian-f...rar Size: 53.56 MB
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really a rare folk record. Thankx for posting.

Anonymous said...

I am a website designer in Northern Arizona and I was contacted by a man named David Bixby about a month ago. Yes it was the David Bixby who created the Album "Ode to Quetzalcoatl" as well as "Second Coming", "Time", "Sea Side", and "Trail Tunes".

pixigirl said...

I knew Dave Bixby when we were both in a cult called The Group in Grand Rapids, MI. My sister, Kris Lantz, and myself joined in 1968 or 1969 and left a year and a half later - traumatized. Kris has since committed suicide. I would love to connect with Bixby, so if anyone knows how to reach him, let me know.
Patti Lantz Ryan

David said...

June 24 2011, It was good for bixby to perfoorm A concert tour again. The first in 40 years. Peoria Il,. Grand Rapids Michigan,Kalamazoo and Detroit.
Thank to the touring booking skills of Derrick Hart