These are the first three albums of the deeply underrated psych/jam band The Third Mind. The group is built around legendary lead guitarist Dave Alvin, better known for The Blasters, who was 65 years old at the time of the self titled debut. The Third Mind is an interesting late career move from the roots rock OG. It’s the perfect vehicle to explore his incredible lead guitar playing and intimate understanding of the classic rock/blues cannon. It’s not every day that there’s a classic-songbook group that’s actually making records worth hearing.

Alvin is joined by an eclectic group of players- Victor Krummenacher (bass) and David Immerglück (guitar) from Camper Van Beethoven, prolific L.A. sideman Michael Jerome (drums,) and cult folk rock singer Jesse Sykes. On the live tours documented here as 2025s “Live Mind,” Immerglück stays home and instead Mark Karen (known for his decades of work with members of The Grateful Dead) takes second guitar.

The tracks are mostly covers from the 60s and 70s with a few excellent originals sprinkled in. They’re wonderfully recorded and performed with great skill. There’s a restraint to the jams and a feeling of calm, free flowing effortlessness that other jam bands are often lacking. Jesse Sykes has an excellent, bluesy voice, equal parts sweet and rough,that she uses to maximum effect. In a genre where a lot of the best work happens instrumentally and a lot of the best bands have terrible singers Third Mind uses Sykes to truly bring the best out of these timeless songs where other bands jammy covers offer only a meager tribute. Sure nothing too surprising happens on a Third Mind album but there’s also no weak moments. As befits a group with their collective experience they are unbelievably consistent in the studio and on stage. The records are packed with energy too and they deliver plenty of satisfying psychedelic freakouts- the live record in particular of course. Third Mind, 2 and Live Mind all three excellent records that fans (or fans-to-be) of classic American psychedelic rock will love.