Δευτέρα 19 Νοεμβρίου 2007

The Incredible String Band - Live In Canada1972

(From the Album The Circle Is Unbroken Studio & Live67-72, & Also Released At the Chelsea Sessions)

The second disc here is from a Canadian gig in 1972 that featured Mike Heron and Williamson with four (then) new-ish members, including the band's equipment manager on drums and their soundman on bass. It was previously issued on CD as The First Girl I Loved in 1998 on Mooncrest. There is some debate here as well about the material being taken form various shows instead of a single concert. The original issue contained at least one cut, "Ithkos," that was from 1974. That song has been replaced by other bonus tracks from the same gig, or series of gigs: "Oh Did I Love a Dream," and "The Hag with the Money." The sound on this set is a bit more marginal, but the material and performances are lively and savvy.



Essentially, this two-disc compilation pairs the Incredible String Band's previously issued Chelsea Sessions 1967 (with one bonus track — a medley), with a live set from Canada in 1972. Therefore, it's not material recorded between the years, as the title would suggest, so much as from those years. (It should be said, for the sake of accountability, that perhaps "God Dog" may date later than the other cuts; no one seems to know.) The 1967 material is wonderful, coming as it does from the sessions that resulted in the band's second album 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion. Six tracks made the LP. Many of these tunes feature Robin Williamson debuting his material solo, accompanied only by his guitar. The sound on the first disc is great throughout.



Biography
by Jim Powers
One of the most engaging groups to emerge from the esoteric '60s was the Incredible String Band. Basically the duo of Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, its sound was comprised of haunting Celtic folk melodies augmented by a variety of Middle Eastern and Asian instruments. Heron was a member of several rock bands in England in the early '60s, while Williamson and Clive Palmer played as a bluegrass and Scottish folk duo. Heron was asked to join as rhythm guitarist, and the trio named itself the Incredible String Band. The band was spotted at a club by Joe Boyd, who was opening a British wing of Elektra Records. The trio gave Boyd a demo tape of mostly American bluegrass standards with a few original songs, which impressed him more than the standards. The Incredible String Band, released in 1966, featured mostly original numbers enthusiastically played in American and Celtic folk styles. Following the album's release, Williamson spent several months studying music in Morocco, and Palmer left the group to travel to Afghanistan. For the String Band's second album, The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion, exotic touches such as the Middle Eastern oud, Indian sitars, and tambouras began to permeate the group's sound. The band's lyrics also became more whimsical; highlights include Williamson's tale of insomnia "No Sleep Blues" and Heron's amorous "Painting Box."The press raved about the Incredible String Band, and their next album, The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, was the band's brief flirtation with stardom. Although the music was less commercial than its predecessor, the LP reached the Top Ten in the British album charts and was also the group's highest Billboard chart placing in America, reaching number 161. The songs became less structured, as on the opening, "Koeeoaddi There," which changed tempo frequently as it cascaded joyously with sitars and jaw harp. The album's centerpiece, "A Very Cellular Song," was a suite of short pieces sewn together with the folk song "Bid You Goodnight." For Wee Tam and the Big Huge, the Incredible String Band was augmented by Williamson and Heron's girlfriends, Licorice McKechnie and Rose Simpson. The group also began to electrically amplify its instruments. This expanded lineup performed at the Woodstock festival in 1969, but due to circumstances it was not one of the band's most memorable performances. The Incredibles' slot was originally to be Friday night after Joan Baez; however, due to heavy rain, the band opted not to perform. Folksinger Melanie took the Incredibles' place and went down extremely well, writing her big hit "Candles in the Rain" about that moment. The Incredible String Band got a lukewarm reception the next afternoon between Creedence Clearwater Revival and Canned Heat.At the turn of the '70s, the Incredible String Band began to lose some of their momentum. The album Changing Horses was not as engaging as the band's previous collections, and the group's eclecticism became a liability rather than an asset. Bassist and pantomimist Malcolm LeMaistre joined in 1971 for U, a well-received stage show that did not translate as easily to record. The band made the transition to electric rock & roll in 1972.In 1974, following the album Hard Rope & Silken Twine, the Incredible String Band disbanded. Both founding members had prolific solo careers; Heron's took him in a rock direction, while Williamson explored his Celtic roots. For several years the band was seen as a dated anachronism. Recently, with the resurgence in interest in the psychedelic '60s as well as world music, the Incredible String Band's music has been rediscovered by new audiences won over by its mystical charm.

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3 σχόλια:

tomasblack είπε...

καμιά ανανέωση πότε θα γίνει ?

Standin'AtTheCrossroads είπε...

μην φειδεσαι των σκεψεων...
τι εννοεις?

Ανώνυμος είπε...

Thank you thank you Thank you