The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

One of the earliest LPs to earn the psychedelic label—almost certainly the first to include the word itself in the title—the Elevators' 1966 debut can be seen as a concept album about drug use as a path to higher consciousness. Although electric-jug player Tommy Hall pushes that message in his lyrics, what sets this collection apart is the punk-like intensity of Roky Erickson's howling lead vocals and the hard-edged garage stomp of experiments like "You're Gonna Miss Me" and "Fire Engine".