Is it the seventh or third song of an LP that is supposed to define the brilliance, or otherwise, of the recording? You don’t have to wait that long with this one. What a stunning opening track. I thought ‘Chinese White’ was something you bought for a tenner down the local pub but in this case, it’s as good an opening track as you are likely to get.
Which sets the tone for the LP in many ways albeit in a more stripped back way than you could ever imagine. The juxtaposition of folk and psychedelia was to be their strength. If you consider the main ingredients of a smoky folk club and put it together with the main chemical ingredients of the psych era, dress it up with colour and spirituality, throw in the odd sitar, it was inevitable the success would be forthcoming. Who needs a team of marketing executives when that blend drops on your doorstep? What could go wrong? And as an aside, when will that revival take place?
The blend of vocals and instrumentation on this second LP took ISB (there you go) to a new level. Just sit back and not only enjoy each track, but wonder at the creation of each of them. 3 chord wonders they weren’t. Each song was beautifully crafted and took you to different corners twisting and turning along the way. The value here is both in quality and quantity. Give it the time and appreciation it deserves. Whatever you do, don’t download.
