From 2007-2013, Magic Hero vs. Rock People released six albums of their own unique brand of “Thrift-Shop Psych-Pop”. Upon conclusion of this first golden era, a compilation of highlights, Mystery of Revival, was released. Troun Records is pleased to announce a reissue of that original compilation, along with a new album: Elder Dimensions.

Elder Dimensions is a “Best of the B-Sides” collection of highlights & rarities that were not included on the Mystery of Revival compilation. 

These recordings date from this original Magic Hero era and were transferred from the stereo & mono 1/4” masters. As most of these releases are now out of circulation, this two-fer reissue effort aims to take the tracks out of the deep underground and into the current music listening paradigm.

If Mystery of Revival contains the “hits”, then Elder Dimensions is surely comprised of the B-sides. Considering the lead-off tracks of each collection, it’s quite literally the case: the first song on Side 2 of the 2012 Secret Enemies EP, “Time to Crawl in My Hole”, begins Elder Dimensions, and makes its first leap out of vinyl here (along with “Heroes for Sale”).

Other previously unreleased tracks include three instrumental “movements”: “The World Unknown” (released in full form on the group’s 2008 self-titled debut), along with “In My House” & “Piece by Piece, Magic by Magic”- originally recorded as segues for Oak of the Golden Dream (2013), but left in the can.

“Ripple & Wind” appeared on 2011’s Odd Zen Ends album in its original mono mix; here it is presented in stereo via an experimental remix done in 2013. Rounding out the rarities is an edit of the Sky Saxon / Magic Hero jam “Acid Greets YaHoWha”, a trimmed-down version of the ambitious original recorded in May-June 2009.

… So turn on, tune in, and STAY tuned in by going forward into the past with Magic Hero vs. Rock People:

Elder Dimensions at Bandcamp

Elder Dimensions on Spotify

Mystery of Revival at Bandcamp

Mystery of Revival on Spotify

Dandelions tapes are now shipping, and can be purchased HERE.

Promo clips for "Asphalt Sherwood Forest" and "Helena Sunshine":

It’s 1968. Cold humid air in the window. A candle glowing. A time that will quickly pass. From a castle by the lake in Oakland, California- a thin fingered hand from the arm of a man strums a guitar. And we go where we go. Any place we don’t know. And we must take comfort in survival. And we must take comfort in arrival.

And so it arrives: Troun Records is pleased to announce a new solo record from Magic Hero vs. Rock People frontman Donny Lang, Dandelions.

And we do mean solo. These recordings were made with a single microphone into a 1960s Ampex suitcase recorder. Shure, a little echo was added- courtesy of an old friend called the Vocal Master. That’s the castle.

The Guild guitar Mr Lang settled on came with a story too. The seller said he’d had it since ‘69- the Jesus guitar. A former truck driver, he picked up a hitchhiker near the Mojave desert and gave him a ride to L.A. Upon letting him off, the hitchhiker insisted the truck driver keep the guitar: “I don’t need anything but Jesus now …” The guitar returned to California just in time.

The record’s subject matter varies from the intangibility of nostalgia, to mysterious and failing relationships, Charles Manson as a CIA asset, California from San Francisco to L.A., women as flowers, and spirit guides- among other threads. When asked to describe the new record, Mr Lang simply stated, “I’m presenting an alternate history of the ‘60s from where I sit.”

While it’s challenging to define exactly where he sits, we’re interested in hearing all about it. And we hope you will be too.

- David Vaughn

Dandelions can be purchased HERE (limited edition vintage-style cassette).

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We have decided to join the Rock People in creation of a Bandcamp page:

https://magichero.bandcamp.com/

Here, you can listen to/download our latest release, Mystery of Revival.

If you've checked out our music in the past, stop by and say hello, and thanks for your support!

MYSTERY OF REVIVAL -- Now shipping

Troun Records is pleased to announce a new cassette-only release from Magic Hero vs. Rock People, Mystery of Revival.

Donny Lang has been making vintage-sounding 'Thrift Shop Psych-Pop' since 2007 with his group of revolving minstrels, Magic Hero vs. Rock People. The Magic Hero sound relies heavily on a unique sort of lo-fi vision -- through the soundscape of late '60s-early '70s soft-psych, calling to mind long-lost would-be outsider classics.

Mystery of Revival is a compilation featuring songs culled from all of the group's albums: Oak of the Golden Dream, Secret Enemies, Magic Hero vs. Rock People, Begin Thee Again, Odd Zen Ends, and Great Gondolas Calling, along with previously unreleased outtakes.

These recordings were made in an old-fashioned manner: tapes, tubes, transformers, and transistors. The original 1/4" 2-track and mono masters were used for this collection.

Side One: 1 I Live in a World / 2 Treat It Like Your First / 3 Black Magic / 4 Astro-Turf / 5 Letters in the Sun / 6 A Grand Stop in the Best Direction / 7 Only Road You're Gonna Find / 8 He's Gone / 9 Begin Thee Again (Movements) / 10 Oklahoma Rain -- Side Two: 1 It All Depends On Everything / 2 Hole in Time / 3 You Must Stand On Your Own / 4 1978 / 5 Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood? / 6 Contraband / 7 Pretty As Can Be / 8 Beware the Young / 9 A Season in Time / 10 You Must Stand On Your Own (Reprise)

Order HERE.

Troun Records is pleased to announce a new release from Magic Hero vs. Rock People, OAK OF THE GOLDEN DREAM.

"I had a really great time last night. I don't know if it was the booze or the overdose of human contact, but something emphasized the impact of suddenly realizing that another drone who lives in the factory as a human cog was, in reality, a great showman.

He lives in the same world that I do, 'where schools try to fool me and fools try to school me,' but he's managed to find a place to create a possibility ... the thing that happens with the perfect combination of substance, will and innocence.

Who is this magic hero who sees Charles Manson as the one president of the U.S. that can really end the war? It is necessary to go to a live performance by this craftsman to understand the complete dimension of his work. Don 'hates to perform', so it's a great night when you get to see him play live in front of, well, the other bands that will play after him that night, and a few other aliens, like me. It's all so … kind of ridiculously spontaneous.

'I live in a world where love is dying' ... the world we are all stuck in. He invites us to take that statement, if anything, home from this evening. We do. We realize we live there too as we play it in our heads, and wonder how we ever got here, as the he throws clues at us, in hope that someone is listening: 'Mister Rogers.' 'Charles Manson.' Perhaps there is hope. We also hear the Sesame Street theme and get a recommendation to watch Mr. Wizard: 'He might teach you something'.

For the few there, the trip has been a memorable one, which we'll talk about with our trusted peers. Or maybe not. Maybe it will remain a secret. An undocumented rarity from the music underworld.

So now there is a new refinement of the Magic Hero sound, a California album: 'Oak of the Golden Dream' … 12-string & fuzzed-out guitars. Harpsichords, flutes ... Mellotron. A dizzying array of tripped-out pop music,  a distant orchestra … recorded on ancient Ampex tape recorders. With old tape. And old ways … but it's all new really."

- Pablo M., San Francisco, Calif.

Order HERE.

"Treat It Like Your First" Promo Clip

"Summer Is a Place in My Mind" Promo Clip

"It All Depends On Everything" Promo Clip