Morly Grey

The Only Truth, 1972, Starshine, USA. £700+

Responsible for one of the better locally released US heavypsych LPs of the early 70s, Morly Grey formed in Alliance, Ohio by brothers Tim Roller (guitars) and Mark Roller (bass, lead vocals). Initially a fourpiece, they released a single on their own label in 1969, before stripping down to a power trio, with two different drummers on each side. Limited to 1,000 copies, it has rightly become a sought-after rarity.

Opening with Peace Officer, you’re given a good indication of what the rest of the album has to offer; essentially heavy but not all-out bludgeon, featuring West Coast vibes morphing into folk-rock and progressive blues, with a vast array of acid guitar motifs. There appears to be an element of Christianity in their general message, though it’s hard to ascertain.

But it’s the 17 minute title-track, The Only Truth, which is the standout here. It features some truly in your face hard-rock action, with atmospheric moves and mesmerising guitar dream sequences.

Not long after this release, Morly Grey changed their name to The Roller Bros band, releasing a more commercial sounding album the next year.

The brothers continued to play locally up until recent times, recording another Morly Grey album during the mid-90s, yet to see the light of day.

The Only Truth is a very accomplished musical work, which should have had a bigger audience. A proclamation on the back sleeve states: “This record was specifically recorded to be played at a high volume”. Amen to that. LD

‘Limited to 1,000 copies, it has rightly become sought-after.’