Information/Write-up
The Brazda Brothers – Psychedelic Folk Visionaries from Slovakia to Canada
Bystrik “Gin” and Andy Brazda, born and raised in Slovakia, embarked on a transatlantic journey in the early 1970s, seeking creative freedom and new beginnings in Canada. Settling in Ontario, the brothers brought with them not only their guitars but also a deep well of Eastern European musical sensibilities, poetic introspection, and a passion for songwriting that reflected their migration, identity, and longing for nature.
The first spark came on a hot summer afternoon in 1970, as the brothers walked down Elgin Street in Galt, Ontario. Andy hummed an unfamiliar tune. “Who is that?” Bystrik asked. Andy paused, slightly bemused, and replied, “It just came to me.” That moment rekindled their early love of composition and became the starting point for a musical journey that would culminate in their sole release, The Brazda Brothers—a now-cult 1974 album issued by Dominion Records.
Legendary among collectors, the album was recorded in a whirlwind six-hour session at Toronto’s RCA Studios, reportedly shocking engineers with the speed, cohesion, and clarity of their performance. Released in limited quantities and with little promotion, the LP quickly slipped into obscurity—only to reemerge decades later as a rare gem of psychedelic folk, with original vinyl copies fetching high prices on the collectors' market.
The LP opens with “Walking in the Sun,” a warm, pastoral number that sets the tone for the album’s sun-soaked psych-folk atmosphere. From the delicate shimmer of acoustic strums to the distinctive tones of the Cordovox keyboard and bursts of fuzz-drenched guitar, each track feels like a handcrafted vignette of emotion and exploration. The record’s instrumentation, including conga drums, Farfisa organ, and fuzz guitar, lends it a dreamy, kaleidoscopic texture that aligns it with the great acid-folk albums of the early '70s.
Standout songs like “Gemini” and “Soldier in a Battleground” showcase a grittier, garage-psych edge, while others like “Nature” and “Lonely Time” reveal a longing for peace and pastoral simplicity. Their lyrics speak often of brotherhood, harmony, and a deep yearning for spiritual clarity—a clear reflection of their immigrant experience and the search for belonging.
Despite its underground release, the album received airplay in the U.S., Canada, Austria, Japan, and Slovakia, and the Brazda Brothers performed on several television shows and special events. In 1977, they self-released a rare follow-up single, Time Is Only a Setting Sun backed with You Can Take Me Real High, now equally coveted among collectors.
Critics and fans have likened The Brazda Brothers to obscure classics by artists like Relatively Clean Rivers, Rodriguez, and Jim Sullivan. Yet it remains a singular achievement—celebrated for its authenticity, melodic charm, and haunting harmonies. Fortunately, it has seen limited reissues on both CD and vinyl, allowing a new generation of listeners to discover its magic.
More than just an album, The Brazda Brothers is a deeply personal document—an artistic lens through which two brothers interpreted their new world through the memory of their old one. Their blend of Eastern European nostalgia with Canadian idealism and West Coast psychedelia makes it an essential, though often overlooked, gem of the acid folk era.
-Robert Williston
Andy Brazda: lead & acoustic guitar
B. Gin Brazda: acoustic guitar
Fred O'Quinn: rhythm guitar
Jim Skriboleit: drums
Mac Babb: bass
Vinston Dookie: conga drums
Vince Romano: cordovox
Liner notes:
Our new home is not so different, Andy said enthusiastically when for the first time he took a glimpse at the shiny chain of scattered lakes and picturesque hills.
Old Europe with her crowded streets and ancient houses turns into a faded picture. The various towns begin to flow into our minds, when we are ready to discover the new corners of the land; colourful meadows, endless forests which look like a necklace of pure gems around a woman's neck.
The first undistinguished humming changes into a set of chords, we can't keep it inside any more. We sit down and start playing, modifying harmony, improvising in order to get to its abyss, to understand. The music gushes out touching man's ear making his soul vibrate. It tells people how much we are concerned about them, and our attitude towards many things.
Canada has given us something of very high value – inspiration. Here is our first album as a result of the maximum devotion and struggle.
We thank many people who made it possible for us and helped. A modest praise from the mouth of an ordinary man saying: This album isn’t too bad, I like it.
-Gin and Andy
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