Various artists – “The Boss Instrumentals EP” – Romulan Records [Lucky 7-inch #37]

Romulan Records’ mission statement: “Your trash, our treasure since 1987!”

Amazingly, 1987 doesn’t seem that long ago to me. I sorta remember it. Football strike, Reagan, hot dogs and ketchup; that kinda thing. It was also, apparently, the year of Romulan Records’ trekky beginnings. The Boss Instrumentals EP, the label’s 22nd release, collects four “bitchin’ B sides” from the mid-to-late ’60s by Move Over, Deceased, Fireball and U.F.O.

Ventures-style apes these “instrumentals” ain’t; this is fairly vibrant rock that demands interest not because it’s technically virtuosic or deserves to have “blown the fuck-up” (in the parlance of our times) but because it represents its time so well. There are bushel-fulls of compilations curating material from the ’60s, but few provide such a short, thrifty ride through some bumpy terrain.

My vote, by far, goes to U.F.O.’s “Edgin’ Inds.” It’s more raga than rawk hard-on, indulging in neither quietude nor blustery climaxes, instead nurturing a tension-filled, fiery instrumental in the vein of Amon Duul II, Fugs and even Sylvester Anfang II‘s latest post-psych excursions. Tracks like this are the reason I always listen to the last few tracks a few extra times; you always find hidden gold if you dig deep enough.

From Winter Park, Fla., U.F.O. present one of the most original approaches to the fabled “psych buttressed by farfisa” strain, practically a genre unto itself thanks to ? and The Mysterians and those “Wooly Booly” motherfuckers. My only complaint with “Edgin’ Inds” is that is ends too soon … one wonders if this band has any other captivating adventures just waiting to be discovered in a studio/attic/latrine.

Fireball, the other b-side band, do their part to outfox the dingos on Side A, too. Purely a guitar-bass-drums combo, ‘Ball’s “Mercy” is strictly a collection of swooping guitar runs on a slightly fuzz-ified electric. It pales in comparison to that alien U.F.O. shit, but ‘s not bad.

The cuts bled by Move Over and Deceased are cordial enough but not quite worthy of extensive mention, delving into more traditional climes I don’t care for much, so I will depart at this point. Suffice to say, if you do see this 7-incher sitting around somewhere snatch it up; I have a feeling it’s super-limited.