“Vacuum Cleaner” by Tintern Abbey

​Those of you who know me know that I have a soft spot for psychedelic music, and it’s not because of the various drugs associated with it. I’ve actually never done any. For me, it’s always been the genre’s ability to take you somewhere else, often on a magical journey, wrapped in velvet or fancifully frilly Victorian clothes. It’s the escapist-ness of the music I adore, the almost magical quality, and this week’s song is one of my favorites.

Tintern Abbey (the band) was formed in 1967, recorded about nine tracks, and released a 45’ single on Decca’s sub label Deram. They were making waves in the London music scene under the same management of the Spencer Davis Group, but soon disbanded. That 45’ single has gone on to become one of the genre’s most sought after, taking on cult status.
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I adore the soft knee compression on the cymbals, the rounded bassline and slightly vibrating vocals. It’s swirly enough and fits in perfectly with the period. If you enjoy this song, former members Paul Brett and John Dalton self-released the remaining tracks with demos, but this pressing is also hard to find.