FIRST UTTERANCE

However you enjoy or not the quality of this album, I think it can come downright as a very important expression of progressive rock; perhaps only as bare, nude, evolving progressive rock, perhaps within significance of early, fresh and constantly impressive moments from it. Of course each special or differently achieved progressive identity brings its own mastering effort and its relentless subjectiveness. But somehow, as it resembles a lot of obscurity (and the art is perfect in its obscurity), it brings to attention a short but entirely memorable act of composition, plus a lot of angle into accomplished sensation, feeling their music as part of a special kind liveness, this 1971 provocative (though perhaps it comes more enjoyable than heart-grabbing, at best) release can definitely be a recommended (perhaps just not perused too much) progressive rock reference.

The biggest "various ideas" for First Utterance (combining the practice of impression with the subjectiveness of intense conversation) are actually not varied enough, as far as the music's delight goes, bringing in mind (like an awareness of the album's kind) that the album is very dark, but also very screwed (isn't the "cover", whether folded in two or opened in full, terrifyingly?!?). The depth of the expression often reaches the loss of expression itself, something more hard to believe, but which sounds, at least, very different than any true or steady rock connection. A lot of influences and old manners of rock and art (from the 60s down to Jethro Tull and so alike its contemporary prog rock) can really douse down the fact that the album is instable and insensible, without loosing bewilderment.

With heavy surprises and difficulties, Comus comes by its best marauding album as a band of a slow avant-garde, promising themselves (again, solely by obscurity giving more chance to eclectic intelligent details, instead of mis-happening moments of weak music) to reach a value of virtuosity, total eccentricity or to even combine the music of splendid sound-work with its asymmetrical distorted and hard to compare tough, acute and freak sample movements, experiments, chants and unleashes. Sinister? Not as much as artistic, dramatic in its context, hallowing by any free ideas and satisfyingly impressive, for an album of intermingles. Dark-down impossible? Not as much as pretentious by its imagination and deep-grouching by its hard style. The rest is progressive artistry, a sum of wicked and tweaks music intuitions, plus a passion that, finally, does stop the heart and the entire ration of the composition.

Down the musical artifact of composition, this album sounds fine as folk rock, utter greasy unrecognizable psychedelism (huff-rock?), a flawless gathering of influences (read alike the great attractions of unknown music flavors), plus some rock extravagance that can't shake down to a steady rhythm and fruitful reason. The only disturbance can be towards the fearful and needling vocals, which always in a rush to almost face a sound glutenous style. The lyrics have the demonic touch, mainly however some serrations push the entire unresting sharpness of this album down a cold or hard-impressive contact.

To finally admit that some ideas are personal, I find First Utterance, first of all, a very creative work of progressive folk, composition, strung instrumentality and powerful (however gloomy) fantasy. The bits of exaggeration (through which, mainly the vocals and the rock impetuosity can't help being dark, plagued and carnal) can be avoided if the art impulse is big enough or the rest of the music flows (with a paradox?) gently. Pieces like Diana and The Prisoner are good dances and feasting rhythms; Song To Comus and Drip Drip strike perfectly, while The Herald is only flawed by the intentional eery and ghastly violin flows. The Bite and Bitten in a state of down-right exhausting rawness. Interesting, exponential, progressive, awakening, this album isn't flawless, but most of its difficultly different art gives pleasure and worthiness.

This album is pretty much a progressive rock virtue, a striking creation of likeness beauty and distinguished shock, plus a striving effort of musical ambition and precise solitary expression. Four stars on my account, I like it much.