Odyssey - "Setting Forth" 1969

Originally "released" in a plain white cardboard jacket, came one of less than 100 copies of a quintessential dose of New York psychedelia loaded with heavy, swirling organ, ferocious fuzzed out guitar, and powerhouse vocals.
The band was Odyssey, and their album, "Setting Forth", did not take them from support slots in their native Long Island to the major label heights of other locals like Vanilla Fudge. It is, however, one of the rarest and most sought after U.S. psychedelic albums, and therefor commands an impressive price to those lucky enough to actually find one for sale.
It has, however, been remastered and repackaged on L.P. and CD.

Recorded in 1969, I found it to be universally considered one of the cornerstones of underground psychedelic music. (a description that I alone can't simply reserve for one band in itself) It is, without a doubt, fairly wicked, garage driven, hard rock with loads of wah and organ psych and prog moves which are well balanced. The weakest track being the 2nd track, "Sally" which isn't all that bad, but most all of the material is strong as hell and makes it easy to recommend it to every fan of hard psych out there.
In my research, which led me to a large number of reviews that seemed to all agree on the merit of the guitar and organs performance, I also found most of the complaints focused on the vocals, and the singer's ability overall.
And since I'm a workin' man, I'll opt for the re-issue.

Original

Lion Productions re-issue

Trip Records version