Description
Them – Time Out! Time In For Them – Vinyl Record
Them – Time Out! Time In for Them, released in 1968, is a bold and often overlooked gem that marked a radical reinvention of the band Them following the departure of their original frontman, Van Morrison. Far from the gritty, bluesy R&B sound of their early hits like “Gloria” and “Baby, Please Don’t Go”, this album is a deep dive into psychedelia, Eastern influence, and lyrical surrealism, reflecting the musical and cultural shifts of the late 1960s.
With new vocalist and guitarist Kenny McDowell taking over for Morrison, the band—still featuring original members Alan Henderson on bass and now led creatively by guitarist Jim Armstrong—leaned into a trippy, exploratory sound that drew inspiration from the likes of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper, The Moody Blues, and early Pink Floyd, but retained a distinctive identity of its own. The songwriting duo of Tommy Scott and Vivian Millie, brought in from the British pop scene, added lyrical abstraction and conceptual flair, making Time Out! Time In for Them a surprisingly cohesive and adventurous psychedelic rock album.
The album fuses jangling guitars, sitar-infused melodies, organ swells, and off-kilter rhythms with McDowell’s soulful and slightly raspy vocals, giving the record a feel that is at once moody, mystical, and rhythmically hypnotic. Standout tracks include:
“Time Out for Time In”, the title track that opens the album with buzzing guitars and cryptic lyrics, immediately setting a tone of dreamy dislocation.
“Black Widow Spider”, a dark and slightly sinister groove with swirling instrumentation that evokes paranoia and fascination.
“Waltz of the Flies”, a track that’s more than just a clever title—it’s a woozy, Eastern-tinged composition that plays with tempo and atmosphere in compelling ways.
“Market Place”, a standout with Middle Eastern scales and imagery, driven by tamboura and sitar textures, showing the band’s embrace of the era’s fascination with Indian music.
Unlike many British bands who awkwardly chased the psychedelic trend, Them’s transformation on Time Out! Time In for Them feels authentic and artistically driven, not merely fashionable. The album balances structured songwriting with sonic experimentation, never losing itself entirely in the haze but always staying slightly off-center, mysterious, and evocative.
Though not a commercial hit, the album has grown in stature over time, especially among psych collectors and fans of late-’60s acid rock. It’s frequently cited as one of the most interesting and unjustly overlooked psych albums of the era, particularly because of its unexpected origins—a band once known for gritty barroom R&B turning into something far more mystical and ambitious.
Time Out! Time In for Them stands as a fascinating footnote in the story of British psychedelia and a testament to the band’s willingness to evolve beyond the towering shadow of Van Morrison. It may not be as immediately accessible as their early work, but for listeners who enjoy lysergic textures, cryptic lyrics, and the darker corners of late-’60s psych rock, this album is a deeply rewarding discovery.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Time Out For Time In
She Put A Hex On You
Bent Over You
Waltz Of The Flies
Black Widow Spider
We’ve All Agreed To Help
Market Place
Just One Conception
Young Woman
The Moth
