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Old 12-16-2008, 03:25 PM   #3 (permalink)
TheCellarTapes
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Join Date: Dec 2008
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The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow
(1968)




Tracks


1 S.F. Sorrow Is Born 3:12
2 Bracelets of Fingers 3:41
3 She Says Good Morning 3:23
4 Private Sorrow 3:51
5 Balloon Burning 3:51
6 Death 3:05
7 Baron Saturday 4:01
8 The Journey 2:46
9 I See You 3:56
10 Well of Destiny 1:46
11 Trust May, Taylor, Waller 2:49
12 Old Man Going 3:09
13 Loneliest Person 1:29
14 Defecting Grey 4:30
15 Mr. Evasion 3:31
16 Talkin' About the Good Times 3:45
17 Walking Through My Dreams 3:46



The beginnings of The Pretty Things is quite interesting, initially formed by Richard Taylor, Phil May, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, they were really an early version of The Rolling Stones. After going their separate ways and with a more stable line-up, The Pretty Things released their first two albums in 1965; "The Pretty Things" and the follow up "Get The Picture", were nothing short of being high octane R&B, making them sound a lot rawer, and some would say more pleasurable, then their counterparts The Rolling Stones.

Whilst The Rolling Stones had conquered America and successfully back filled for the now touring retired Beatles, The Pretty Things were marginalised to a more niche European audience. With that in mind, in 1968 the band released an album which was far removed from their initial first two freakishly R&B albums; "S.F. Sorrow" was a first class example of the Psychedelic concept album which littered the 67-68 music scene within the UK.

Recorded at Abbey Road and produced by Norman "Hurricane" Smith (producer of Piper at The Gates at Dawn), the album tells the story of a British man named Sebastian F Sorrow, from his birth right through to his eventual death, morbid stuff I grant you. But The Pretty Things with this release have successfully combined their raw bluesy roots with a new found need for experimentation with some quite marvellous results.



It's also worth mentioning, that with the CD reissue of this album, we have the delights of some cracking singles and B-Sides which the band released in 1967-68 also, making this album nothing short of an essential purchase.

This release in my view is on par with any concept album created during the period. Maybe it is not as polished as Sgt Pepper and maybe it is not as well structured as Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, but with all things considered with the inclusion of the singles and with the initial album itself, SF Sorrow is a beautiful thing. From gorgeous songs such as "Trust" and "I See You", through to the highly addictive "Talkin' About The Good Times" and "Mr Evasion", to the marvellously experimental "Defecting Grey".

SF Sorrow stands shoulder to shoulder with the heavy weights of the period, but remains a very much forgotten masterpiece which I reckon deserves your attention today.
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