The Dorians - Rock Concerto (1970/2024)

Trading Places present reissue of The Dorians's Rock Concerto, originally released in 1970. Obscure Canadian psychedelic rock band The Dorians was formed in 1968 in the town of Kingsville, Ontario, by singer John Unger and bassist Bob Nixon, formerly of The Doomsday Machine; guitarist/chief songwriter Bill Loop drafted esteemed drummer Mike Betts, who joined in September 1967 after playing with Loop in Living Ends. Since Kingsville lies less than an hour away from Detroit by road, the band began recording at noted soul spot, GM Studios, in 1969, working with the songwriter, trumpeter, and arranger, Floyd Jones. Early singles such as the catchy "Psychedelic Lipstick" were licensed to European labels, including Giacomo Mazzini's Swiss-based PDU, which issued their sole long player, Rock Concerto, in 1970. Although "Means And Ways" and "Good Love" are framed as easy-going psych driven by strong vocal harmony, "Torch Song" drifted into spaced-out territory via extended instrumental jamming, led by the parallel playing of bass, violin, and keyboards.