BIG STIR RECORDS closes the 2025 release year with a brand new single from psychedelic rock legends STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK that's much more a sign of things to come than a blast from the past. The single features not one but two never-before-heard tracks from the band: “Blow Your Mind” and “Live Water,” both bristling with fresh energy and previewing a brand new SAC album on the way in 2026. It's out December 19 and up for pre-order and pre-save now:
https://orcd.co/strawberryalarmclock-bym
One of 2025's greatest and most delightful musical surprises came along with the scares of the Halloween season as genuine psych-rock pioneers STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK returned with the superb new single “Monsters,” in truth a song for all seasons, and its trippy B-side “White Light”. Now they're back again, readily proving that those tracks were no one-off fluke with two more tunes pointing the way to a new full-length album on the way in 2026. The new single pairs the ultra-catchy and irresistibly boisterous “Blow Your Mind” with the lushly beautiful “Live Water,” both crafted by the near-complete 1967 lineup of the band: MARK STEPHEN WEITZ (keyboards), RANDY SEOL (drums), GEORGE BUNNELL (bass), GENE GUNNELS (drums/percussion), multi-instrumentalist (and Oingo Boingo co-founder) STEVE BARTEK and guitarist HOWIE ANDERSON who's been a full member since 1987. Taken together, the two tracks give every member time to shine, and they display an inventiveness and energy that goes far beyond nostalgia: STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK is most definitely in top form, with much to offer the modern world.
Our A-side “Blow Your Mind” easily lives up to its name: an intoxicating sonic brew blending catchy guitar hooks with harmonica, sax, sitar, and of course the vintage Italian Vox Continental of its lead singer MARK STEPHEN WEITZ, the architect of the iconic STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK keyboard sound since the beginning. In a modern touch, there's even a dusting of electronic loops mingling with Gene Gunnel's driving drums, Randy Seol's percussion and George Bunnell's instantly memorable bassline. The overwhelmingly positive (and positively youthful) vibes carry the song through twists and turns mirroring the lyrics: it's all about travel and adventure with the one you love.
“I gravitate toward writing upbeat, fun and happy songs, so the lyrics came pretty naturally,” says Weitz. “The line 'It's a matter of time 'til I blow your mind' stems from past relationship interactions I've experienced in life where the outcome was surprising in a 'blow your mind' kind of way.” The spontaneous joie-de-vivre of those words is reflected in the arrangement, although it was developed over a ten-year period and three separate sessions, finally reaching its present perfection this year. “I thought, who knows this band better than anyone and would be capable of getting the song finally completed to our liking? The answer was Steve Bartek!” says Weitz. Indeed, Bartek's deft production captures the '60s spirit while also sounding as modern as the work of the best indie bands of today.
Equally timeless in sound is the B-side, “Live Water,” fronted by the band's RANDY SEOL and also produced by Bartek. Sunshine harmonies frame the rainy-day lyrics, and the soundscape centers on a groove that stands with the best of '70s soul or '90s trip hop. The song effortlessly toggles to double time and back, with layers of psychedelic slide guitar, delicate piano and fluttering flute floating above the beats, and the instrumental break is wonderfully otherworldly. “It's a celebration of water being the life-giving element that loves to be positive,” says Seol of his lyrics. “I've learned water has a memory and is telepathic, just like my wife Beverly.”
It's clear from the four tracks issued this year that STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK is not only back, but enjoying a true creative renaissance. And that's what the psychedelic rock revolution was all about: new sounds, deep connections, and restless inventiveness. While all the vibes are intact and the melodies are stronger than ever, this is no nostalgia trip. When the new album WHERE'S ONE finally hits record stores and streaming services in 2026, it'll be the dawning of a new era for the band, and one that will connect with fans old and young – including the new generation showing up in force at the band's celebrated live shows! – in wonderful and surprising ways. Big Stir Records is proud to be a part of one of the most welcome comebacks we can imagine, and we invite you to listen in as it all unfolds.