SEA SHANTIES

Here comes one of my favourite of all times. When I bought and first listened to it, I got struck by the intensity of every single track on this album. It's incredible how they turned psychedelia (if I can remember properly, Tony Hill was American) into something completely different. You can really face the open ocean on board of the apochaliptic "Death warmed up", with extremely violent riffs both by guitar and violin, as well as epic duets between the two instruments. "Futilist's Lament" is astounding, its ever changing, complex riffs, Hill's baritone voice and anarchic solos really drive you into another dimension. "Pushed but not forgotten" is among the best stuff you can find in underground rock, beginning like a calm ballad, then evolving into furious riffs and a violin driven refrain. Among the highlights of this album, "Missing Out" is a very fine piece: it gives you the impression to embark with pirates to the open sea, then it pushes you into open outer space, with a central improvisation worth the best Hawkwind. A real masterpiece from 1969, which, with the right promotion, would have faced even KC's debut "Into the Court of the Crimson King".