Various Artists The Rough Guide to Psychedelic India

While much has been made of Indian music's influence on Western psychedelia, it seems the reverse was also true. Paralleling George Harrison's introduction of the sitar into Western pop culture via the Beatles' Rubber Soul, a grassroots garage rock scene had begun to establish itself in India and the adventurous musical spirit that overtook late-'60s pop music was felt all over the subcontinent. This collection from the Rough Guide series spans psychedelia's influence in Indian music from the '60s onward, with classic cuts like Ananda Shankar's groovy "Dancing Drums" and the trippy Bollywood vibes of the R.D. Burman-penned "Dum Maro Dum," as well as contemporary songs like "Satyam Shivam Sundaram" by the British/Indian fusion group Sunday Driver. Perhaps a little too light on the Nuggets-style deep cuts, the Rough Guide series has always been true to its name, and this volume is a solid enough representation of an admittedly wide swath of music. ~ Timothy Monger

• Format: Vinyl
• Genre: Rock and Pop