★★★☆
Like so many surf films, Paul Witzig’s 1969 flickEvolutionbarely had a plot: it was simply a group of surfers travelling around the world catching waves and indulging in the secular spiritualism of surfing.
The soundtrack to Evolution was provided by Australian psychedelic prog band Tamam Shud. Finally rereleased, the record captures the zeitgeist of the era: it’s full of wandering psychedelic melodies, pseudo-mystical lyrics, indulgent tempo explorations.
The tracks flick through various styles and tones – ‘Jesus Guide Me’ foretells the Christian rock opera era that would soon give the world Jesus Christ Superstar, while the waltzing ‘Rock On Top’ is Count Five conducted by Count Basie. ‘The Slow One And The Fast One’ is a seven-minute acid rock track from Hell: early on it’s a glistening folk track but blink your eyes and it’s a dirty R&B track. ‘Too Many Life’ takes you out on a cascading wave, replete with lyrics ready to unravel the secrets of the world. There’s screams at the end of the record, and then the dream is over.
Tamam Shud fizzled out, just as the misty-eyed idealism of the late ’60s was snuffed out. But for a brief moment, Tamam Shud showed a glimpse of a better world.
Tamam Shud’sEvolutionis out via Rocket.
