Week of March 30, 2008
Personnel:
Gordon Caxon - Drums
Glen Goring - Guitar, Vocals
Andy Hellaby - Bass
Colin Pearson - Violin
Bobbie Watson - Vocals, Percussion
Roger Wootton - Guitar, Vocals
Rob Young - Percussion, Oboe, Flute
Album:
First Utterance (Dawn DNLS 3019) 1971
CD: Beat Goes On BGOCD 275, 1995
To Keep From Crying (Virgin V 2018) 1974
CD (Both albums): Song To Comus - The Complete Collection, Castle/Sanctuary
CMEDD 1121, 2005
45:
Diana/In The Lost Queen's Eyes/Winter Is A Coloured Bird (PS) (Dawn DNX
2506) 1971
The first LP is rock music only by association. Taking British folk as point
of departure, the music twists and oozes as a vile bunch of snakes, pairing
gorgeous melodies and expert playing to ecstatically altered vocals and vicious
lyrics:
'You stand before me defenceless
your stare unchanging silent, cold, intense sears my brain
drip drip from your sagging lip
liquid red down your body spreads.'
(from 'Drip Drip')
Rape, murder, witchcraft and abuse are main ingredients to the menu, which is
cooked with raging madness, but still manages to taste delicately composed. One
of the very few British folk LPs that creates a totally new, dangerous and
utterly unique atmosphere. Obligatory music! By comparison, the second album
cannot but disappoint. More common both in sound and content, this still is nice
folk LP with some very good tracks. Studio musicians on woodwinds and 'normal'
rock on bass and drums sound fine enough, but nothing superb. There also is a
rare EP in existence with outtakes from the first album (Dawn 1006) with a
slightly more subdued atmosphere.
Their very rare and adventurous debut album 'First Utterance' is now
available on CD. The opening cut 'Diana' is very strange and very
appealing (to these ears), 'The Herald' is a beautifully fragile
instrumental with strings and woodwind, 'Drip Drip' is a decidedly weird
series of rantings and ramblings. The four tracks on side two essentially
continue the challenging tapestry of beautiful woodwind, strings and unorthodox
vocals which at times recall a folky version of early
Curved Air. This dark,
haunting and at times bizarre psychedelic folk rock masterpiece is recommended.
For more information check this
website.
(Marcel Koopman / Vernon Joynson)
Discography and personnel data taken from The Tapestry of Delights - The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and Progressive Eras 1963-1976, Vernon Joynson ISBN 1 899855 04 1