As an enthusiastic record collector, I often find myself searching through stacks of records at thrift stores and yard sales, always hoping to come across the ìHoly Grailî, some amazing psychedelic record from the late 1960ís by some long forgotten obscure artist. Over the years, this ìHoly Grailî had eluded me, until one day in 1999, while on a cross-country trip, I was rummaging through a box of records in a thrift store in Missoula, Montana and came across a record cover featuring a beautiful and strange drawing of a knight kneeling beside a maiden on her deathbed, with a dragon watching over her. The title simply said ìElyseî, and the price was one dollar. I felt compelled to buy it, and when I got home and gave it a listen, I knew I had finally found my ìHoly Grailî.

The album was a mixture of pastoral folk/rock, tripped out psychedelia, and orchestrated strings and horns in the style of the Beatlesí ìSgt. PepperísÖî album. What really blew me away was the singing. Elyseís voice manages to be very pretty and melodic, while also sounding very desperate and ragged, quivering and shaking through songs brimming with a sense of impending doom. Scary and magical stuff. Highlights include ìJohn Velveteenî, an incredibly moving and tragic narrative about a knight watching his lovely maiden die (this is the song portrayed by the cover art), a heart wrenching cover of Bert Janschís ìDeed I Doî, and the acid drenched, sound effects laden freak out of ìIron Worksî.

Released in 1968, ìElyseî actually received much critical acclaim, and while not a commercial hit, sold fairly well, even prompting an appearance on Johnny Carsonís ìTonight Showî. Two more albums were recorded but never released. Included on this CD reissue are two songs from this era, one of which, ìHousesî, features Neil Young wielding his distinctively ripping guitar sound.

Elyse grew up and got her start performing in Toronto alongside friends like Young and Joni Mitchell. She later moved to Los Angeles where she recorded ìElyseî, and has since lived in London, New Mexico, and Ashland, Oregon where she currently lives. She still writes and plans to record an album of new material in the near future. I hope you all enjoy this magical and wonderful album, a true lost classic, and one of the best albums of the 1960ís or any other time!

- Andrew Rieger December 2000

Orange Twin Records is a record label and web site run by members of Elf Power and Nana Grizol which is raising funds for land preservation and sustainable development. We are currently working on an 150 acre eco-village in Athens, Ga. We support artists by providing an affordable place for them to display and sell artwork and music at www.orangetwin.com.