Mandrake Memorial

The Profile

Mandrake Memorial were an American psychedelic/psych-prog group from Philadelphia active in the late 1960s. The core studio albums are The Mandrake Memorial (1968), Medium (1969), and Puzzle (1970). Members included Randy Monaco, Michael Kac, Craig Anderton, and Kevin Lally.

American psychedelic/progressive rock group from Philadelphia; active 1967–1970. Principal members: Randy Monaco (bass, vocals), Michael Kac (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Craig Anderton (guitar, keyboards), Kevin Lally (drums). Albums: The Mandrake Memorial (1968), Medium (1969), Puzzle (1970). Reviews highlight Puzzle’s complex arrangements, choral textures, and a blend of psychedelia, folk, and dark progressive elements.

Both reviews spotlight Puzzle (1970) as a pinnacle of Mandrake Memorial’s Philadelphia-rooted psychedelia, shading into folk and dark progressive tones. One leans poetic and evocative, the other analytical, praising complex arrangements, choral textures, and a distinctive, hypnotic atmosphere. The band’s third album is framed as mature, ambitious psych-prog that closes an era with style.