FIRST UTTERANCE

This album rose from its early seventies obscurity to become the essential album of the acid-folk subgenre. Take your average acoustically performed baroque folk, add a fair doses of psychedelica, demonic vocals and above all a great ear for beauty and you sum up what this album is about. Its a concept album as well. The album features acoustic guitar, violin, electric bass, flute and percussion. And of course the off the map psyched out vocals of Wootton. The opening track 'Diana' is a dark folk song with hellish female vocals. 'The Herald' is musical journey through the most rewarding moody progressive folk. The spacious acoustic guitar of Wootton and the violin of Colin Pearson are its most melodic in this track. 'Drip Drip' is arguably the most psychedelic song, featuring lyrics on creature 'Comus' lusting for a fair maiden in the forest. On side two 'Song to Comus' serves as a sort of summery of the story and it has one the catchiest main riffs in history. Like on a good King Crimson tune the band reworks the arrangements as the song progresses. A song you must have listened to at least once before you die. Then the album takes a turn towards some bleaker songs in which the listeners empathy towards the fallen creature 'Comus' is evoked. This album is totally unique when it comes to sound, artistic vision and lyrical content. Some of the album's most outstanding moments are memorable. That the second side of the LP is perhaps a bit less consistent quality-wise is a common critique on the record; and I think I must agree. Still sort of a must-have vinyl for your early prog collection.