Various Can't Seen To Come Down - American Sounds Of '68 (3-CD)

Although many bands persisted in garage punk and psychedelic pop, a growing number of heavily amplified, blues-based hard rock bands such as Blue Cheer, Steppenwolf and Iron Butterfly - all of whom had notable hit singles in 1968 - paved the way for what would evolve into heavy metal.

Artificial pop in the form of bubblegum dominated the singles charts, The Byrds and others developed a country-rock hybrid, a phalanx of singer/songwriters with folk leanings came to the fore, while Bob Dylan and his occasional playmates The Band developed a more organic, rustic sound that later became known as Americana. Over four hours and 3 discs, ‘Can't Seem To Come Down: The American Sounds Of 1968’ weaves these disparate strands together and offers a fascinating overview of the year. The set includes national and regional hit singles, unexpected flops (The Grateful Dead, The Left Banke), later influential outsiders (Velvet Underground, Beefheart, Silver Apples) and key cuts from many of the year's most eagerly anticipated albums (Dylan, The Band, Mothers of Invention, The Byrds, Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, etc.).

There are also a number of highly sought-after single singles by young bands from the provinces who took to the local studios to preserve their sound for posterity before the real world - and possibly the growing conflict in Vietnam - intervened. Includes a 48-page booklet filled with biographical details, rare photos and quotes.