Masters of Reality have conjured a fantasy land for Sixties-bred acid eaters and their tie-dyed progeny. Sunrise on the Sufferbus takes its name from the chronic insomnia that left singer-guitarist Chris Goss and drummer Ginger Baker greeting the sun through bus windows on the band's 1989 tour. But more than sleep deprivation induced the Masters' refreshing hallucinosis. Their sound is also a matter of refinement and a determination to fuse melodies with the psychedelic power blues of Cream and other heavy-mannered trip-rock antecedents.

Baker, who signed on for that tour and stayed, is an obvious reason this trio sounds Creamier than on its debut, Masters of Reality, which due to label complications was released in 1988 and again in 1990. His playing elevates these songs beyond the appealing, bestial blues rock of the Masters' first college-radio hit "Doraldina's Prophecies." On the new single "She Got Me (When She Got Her Red Dress On)" and other cuts, Baker's sticks tap out impeccable time-keeping, cross-stitched with counterrhythms and brilliant fills. And Goss's singing has sweetened enough that he's often a ringer for Baker's old band mate Jack Bruce.

Baker's elegant command gives Goss and bassist Googe limitless freedom, which they wisely refuse. Discipline makes this an ideal soundtrack for spin-dancing in grassy fields (and may explain why the Mellotron textures recall early King Crimson). Googe plays it supportive, laying rich-toned lines deep at the bottom of the sonic well. Goss is a ripping guitarist, yet his riffs and solos, including the cock-rock screamer he uncorks in "She Got Me," always thrive on a few hummable notes.

Even lyrics surrender meaning to melody. Many, like those of "V.H.V." and "She Got Me," are little more than mantras. Others are goofy surrealist doggerel, like the line "Stuck in Indiana with a bug in my banana" from "Ants in the Kitchen," a song that's already captivated David Lynch. There's also a cheeky acoustic ode to Madonna, with Goss wondering aloud if she's lonely, asking, "Do you really want to be a bad girl, after all?"

Regardless of the Masters' aspirations, they'll probably never be media stars. They are an ugly lot – but a great rock & roll band. (RS 652)

TED DROZDOWSKI