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Paravion View Drop Down
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: progressive/psychedelic/acid-folk top 10
    Posted: May 03 2010 at 17:54
In the epic thread I claimed that this was my top ten favourite progressive/psychedelic/acid-folk albums. 

clive's original band - spirit of love (1971)
simon finn - pass the distance (1970)
comus - first utterance (1971)
trader horne - morning way (1970)
isb - hangman's beautiful daughter (1968)
bread love and dreams - amaryllis (1971)
panama limited jug band - s/t (1969)
famous jug band - sunshine possibilities (1969)
dr. strangely strange - kip of the serenes (1969)
forest - s/t (1969)

What I exactly mean by progressive/psychedelic/acid-folk is rather unclear and the referential range is rather big. 

Applying non-music attributes, such as 'year', 'country', 'record-label', 'producer' etc. normally narrows it down a bit and I normally use the term to refer to folk-music produced in england/scotland/ireland in the years 1966 (isb's debut) to 197? (let's just say 1975 for convenience sake). 

Of the three parts in the label "progressive/psychedelic/acid" I can say the following:

Progressive (here) means that the music has to be non-mainstream (not likely to be played on national radio)

Psychedelic has to do with drugs or a 'druggy-sound'. (Isb sounds very druggy fairport convention doesn't*)

Acid has to do with an 'beyond-category-out-there-weirdness' that is usually also druggy but a bit more than that.

These are not necessary and sufficient conditions for the lists that you want to post. Just vague guidelines.. I hope you see where I'm going.. The only strict rules are: the British iles, years 1966-75, folk of some strange sort (this means that jethro tull is also included). And not too many albums by same bands plz. Looking forward to see some lists.. 

By the way - runner ups for my list:
vashti bunyan - just another diamod day (1970) (bordeline case)
fresh maggots - s/t (1971) (that's fuzzy)
farport convention -  liege and lief (1969) (another borderline case)
 
*fairport's debut with judy dyble is quite psychedelic, I admit - but in their prime they toned that aspect down a bit.  


Edited by Paravion - May 03 2010 at 17:55
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Triceratopsoil View Drop Down
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Points: 18016 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2010 at 18:18
What about Incredible String Band - The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion
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Paravion View Drop Down
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2010 at 18:21
Sure, but in making lists I normally list one lp per band. I like hangman better..
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Points: 18016 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2010 at 18:27
Woop somehow missed that on your list

Carry on.

I agree that it's hard to define what falls under this category. A lot of similar music is either not folky enough, or not psychedelic enough, to quite fit on such a list
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Paravion View Drop Down
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2010 at 18:31
Don't worry too much about that - if you know and like albums that are folky and strange (or in another sense deviant) just post it... 
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ClemofNazareth View Drop Down
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Points: 4659 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2010 at 19:11

Here's a few more:

Nya Ljudbolaget - Nya Ljudbolaget
Carol of Harvest - Carol of Harvest
Espers - Espers I & II
Faun Fables - Family Album
Justine - Justine
Midwinter - The Waters of Sweet Sorrow
Pearls Before Swine - The Use of Ashes
Katalena - Babje Leto
Ramases - Space Hymns
Smell of Incense - Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber
The Third Estate - Years Before the Wine
Voice of the Seven Woods - Voice of the Seven Woods
"Peace is the only battle worth waging."

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Points: 18016 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2010 at 19:15
Yeah, Espers I and II are great

Tomorrow - Tomorrow (1968) - not as folky, but fantastic
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Points: 8716 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2010 at 21:16
Andromeda-Andromeda (the UK one with John du Cann)- the record is totally awesome!
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Paravion View Drop Down
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 06:51
Originally posted by ClemofNazareth ClemofNazareth wrote:

Here's a few more:

Nya Ljudbolaget - Nya Ljudbolaget
Carol of Harvest - Carol of Harvest
Espers - Espers I & II
Faun Fables - Family Album
Justine - Justine
Midwinter - The Waters of Sweet Sorrow
Pearls Before Swine - The Use of Ashes
Katalena - Babje Leto
Ramases - Space Hymns
Smell of Incense - Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber
The Third Estate - Years Before the Wine
Voice of the Seven Woods - Voice of the Seven Woods. 




I know little of these. A bit more info (year, country..) would be nice.  I would say, though, that pearls before swine's best album is one nation underground (1967). A clear favourite of mine. 
< ="-" ="text/; =utf-8">But americans play folk differently from the brits - not saying that they don't do it properly, just different. Two quite different roots.  I wasn't really considering american folk music in my list - but why not..
Also, I must admit that titles like 'voice of seven woods' 'the waters of sweet sorrow' and 'through the gates of deeper slumber' are a bit of a turn-off. I mean, browsing through piles of LPs - they wouldn't catch my attention at all. (the cover art could make up for that though - any naked women?) 'nya ljudbolaget' sounds cool and brings to mind my favourite swedish acid-folk record - it's really gentle and haunting. 
Turid - vittars visor (1971)
She sings ''I'll sing you a ring of flowers/to put in hair/so you'll be fair/for the ladies" in a very fragile voice. That's nice.

(what about Kebnerkaise? I don't like what I've heard (kebnerkaise III))

Songs about putting/having stuff in the hair usually indicates a good acid-folk lp.

This brings me to another fave in the category:
Tyrannosaurus rex - my people were fair and had sky in their hair... (1968)



Edited by Paravion - May 04 2010 at 06:53
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Rocktopus View Drop Down
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Points: 4202 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 07:32
Originally posted by Paravion Paravion wrote:


  I would say, though, that pearls before swine's best album is one nation underground (1967). A clear favourite of mine.


Not many PBS-fans will agree with you. Use of Ashes is one of my favorite albums. Have you actually heard it? After having purchased that and Balaklava, One Nation Undergroud was a little disappointing to me. Tom Rapp hadn't found his own voice or approach yet, on his debut. Too Dylan-sounding.

Originally posted by Paravion Paravion wrote:


(the cover art could make up for that though - any naked women?) 'nya ljudbolaget' sounds cool and brings to mind my favourite swedish acid-folk record - it's really gentle and haunting. 



Then, how could you fail to mention Turid's far superiour Bilder? With a drawing of her naked and all?
(And Nya Ljudbolaget is beautiful folk/worldfolk)


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Originally posted by Paravion Paravion wrote:


Turid - vittars visor (1971)
She sings ''I'll sing you a ring of flowers/to put in hair/so you'll be fair/for the ladies" in a very fragile voice. That's nice.



Sorry for all that. Here's ten of my absolute faves:

Turid - Bilder
Catherine Ribeiro +2Biz
Pearls Before Swine - Use of Ashes
Incredible String Band - Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
Spirogyra - St. Radigunds
Nya Ljudbolaget - st
Extradition - Hush
Zeit - Un giorno in una piazza del mediterraneo (Wyrd folk?)
Daughters of Albion - st
Perry Leopold - Christian Lucifer

Just google the names, and you'll find the info you need.

Btw: I'm tired of mentioning Comus, but its at no. 1 forever.


Edited by M@X - October 08 2013 at 19:46
Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
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Paravion View Drop Down
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 08:22
Originally posted by Rocktopus Rocktopus wrote:

Not many PBS-fans will agree with you. Use of Ashes is one of my favorite albums. Have you actually heard it? After having purchased that and Balaklava, One Nation Undergroud was a little disappointing to me. Tom Rapp hadn't found his own voice or approach yet, on his debut. Too Dylan-sounding. 
No I haven't heard it.  I only have ONU, balaklawa and these things too. Of those three ONU is a clear fave, not a huge fan though. My experience is though that ONU is the most celebrated and name-dropped.Confused
Originally posted by Rocktopus Rocktopus wrote:


Then, how could you fail to mention Turid's far superiour Bilder? With a drawing of her naked and all? 
(And Nya Ljudbolaget is beautiful folk/worldfolk)



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Wow! Thank you! I was only little aware of it's existence - most certainly a future investment! I stumbled across vittras visor by accident and enjoyed it very much immediately. 

Originally posted by Rocktopus Rocktopus wrote:

Sorry for all that. Here's ten of my absolute faves:

Turid - Bilder
Catherine Ribeiro +2Biz 
Pearls Before Swine - Use of Ashes
Incredible String Band - Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
Spirogyra - St. Radigunds
Nya Ljudbolaget - st
Extradition - Hush
Zeit - Un giorno in una piazza del mediterraneo (Wyrd folk?)
Daughters of Albion - st
Perry Leopold - Christian Lucifer

Just google the names, and you'll find the info you need. 

Btw: I'm tired of mentioning Comus, but its at no. 1 forever. 
thanks..


Edited by M@X - October 08 2013 at 19:46
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Points: 4659 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 11:42
Originally posted by Paravion Paravion wrote:

Originally posted by ClemofNazareth ClemofNazareth wrote:

Here's a few more:

Nya Ljudbolaget - Nya Ljudbolaget
Carol of Harvest - Carol of Harvest
Espers - Espers I & II
Faun Fables - Family Album
Justine - Justine
Midwinter - The Waters of Sweet Sorrow
Pearls Before Swine - The Use of Ashes
Katalena - Babje Leto
Ramases - Space Hymns
Smell of Incense - Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber
The Third Estate - Years Before the Wine
Voice of the Seven Woods - Voice of the Seven Woods. 




I know little of these. A bit more info (year, country..) would be nice.  I would say, though, that pearls before swine's best album is one nation underground (1967). A clear favourite of mine. 
 
But americans play folk differently from the brits - not saying that they don't do it properly, just different. Two quite different roots.  I wasn't really considering american folk music in my list - but why not..
Also, I must admit that titles like 'voice of seven woods' 'the waters of sweet sorrow' and 'through the gates of deeper slumber' are a bit of a turn-off. I mean, browsing through piles of LPs - they wouldn't catch my attention at all. (the cover art could make up for that though - any naked women?) 'nya ljudbolaget' sounds cool and brings to mind my favourite swedish acid-folk record - it's really gentle and haunting. 
 
You can look them all up here, but since I know most of the info anyway -
 
Nya Ljudbolaget - Nya Ljudbolaget (Sweden, 1980 - but I suspect recorded earlier)
Carol of Harvest - Carol of Harvest (Germany, 1978 - probably the best example of acid folk ever)
Espers - Espers I & II (U.S., 2003, 2006)
Faun Fables - Family Album (U.S., 2004)
Justine - Justine (UK/U.S., 1970)
Midwinter - The Waters of Sweet Sorrow (UK, 1993 - but recorded much earlier)
Pearls Before Swine - The Use of Ashes (U.S., 1970)
Katalena - Babje Leto (Slovenia, 2004)
Ramases - Space Hymns (UK, 1971)
Smell of Incense - Through the Gates of Deeper Slumber (Norway, 1997 - a 'must-have' IMHO)
The Third Estate - Years Before the Wine (U.S., 1976 - but recorded earlier)
Voice of the Seven Woods - Voice of the Seven Woods (UK, 2007)
 
I wouldn't dismiss The Use of Ashes without listening to it.  Like someone said above, this is probably Tom Rapp's finest work ever - original as opposed to his earlier Dylanesque sound, and outstanding lyrics.
 
I suppose U.S. prog acts may sound different than those of other countries (so do the Brits for that matter), but you can certainly hear an awful lot of European folk influence in groups like Faun Fables and Espers as well.  Tom Rapp spent quite a bit of time in Norway before recording his early seventies albums and there is a lot of Flemish and French influence in that music.  And there were several UK bands back in the 70s with embedded Americans who brought Appalachian and delta blues with them as well (Baby Whale, Justine).   Many of the UK folk rock acts of the 60s and 70s were produced and/or managed by the American Joe Boyd (ISB, Dr Strangely Strange, Fairport Convention, Nick Drake), and those bands drew heavily from both the Boston-area folk scene (Muldaurs, Dylan) as well as West Coast acts like the Byrds, Jefferson Airplane and Mamas & the Papas.  For me it all gets kind of muddled together after a while....
 
Originally posted by Paravion Paravion wrote:

This brings me to another fave in the category:
Tyrannosaurus rex - my people were fair and had sky in their hair... (1968)
 
 
I'm  not a huge fan of Tyrannosaurus Rex (although to be fair I'm the one who added them to the Archives); but I agree this is probably the best of the four albums they recorded before Bolan went glam.
 
"Peace is the only battle worth waging."

Albert Camus
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Paravion View Drop Down
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 12:03
Originally posted by ClemofNazareth ClemofNazareth wrote:


I wouldn't dismiss The Use of Ashes without listenig to it.
Confused I never did write one word about the use of ashes. I'll track it down and maybe reconsider which pearls before swine lp I like the most..
 
Originally posted by ClemofNazareth ClemofNazareth wrote:

< ="-" ="text/; =utf-8">
I suppose U.S. prog acts may sound different than those of other countries (so do the Brits for that matter)...  And there were several UK bands back in the 70s with embedded Americans who brought Appalachian and delta blues with them as well (Baby Whale, Justine).   Many of the UK folk rock acts of the 60s and 70s were produced and/or managed by the American Joe Boyd (ISB, Dr Strangely Strange, Fairport Convention, Nick Drake), and those bands drew heavily from both the Boston-area folk scene (Muldaurs, Dylan) as well as West Coast acts like the Byrds, Jefferson Airplane and Mamas & the Papas.  For me it all gets kind of muddled together after a while....
I agree.. 
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Points: 4675 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 12:22
What a superb thread! There are so many albums listed here I haven't heard of before but will have to look into them a.s.a.p.

Some of my faves:
Mellow Candle - Swaddling Songs
Tudor Lodge - s/t
Trees - In the Garden of Jane Delawney
Tir Na Nog - A Tear and a Smile
Spirogyra - Bells, Boots and Shambles
The Pentangle - Basket of Light
Property of Queen Productions...
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Points: 4202 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 15:20
Originally posted by Paravion Paravion wrote:


thanks..


You're welcome. Just like Vittras Visor, Turid's Bildar has never been reissued. Let me know if you can't find it anywhere.

Originally posted by Lizzy Lizzy wrote:



Spirogyra - Bells, Boots and Shambles
Pentangle - Basket of Light


Could easily have included Bells, Boots.... myself, I love that and their debut equally. But St. Radigunds got more acid.
I've got a slight preference for Pentangle's Cruel Sister. Left them out maily because they have very little to do with acid/psych (same with Trees).

John Renbourn soloalbum The Enchanted Garden (the Richard Dadd painting underneath is the cover), might just be the the ultimate Pentangle album. Its got  Jacqui McShee on vocals, so it really sounds like their lost masterpiece. Its got a more medieval feel, but so does my most of my favorite Pentangle tracks.



New Progfolkers Faun Fables are brilliant. Love their latest EP, A Table Forgotten:



Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
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Points: 8138 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 16:57
Red Chair Fadeaway is an excellent psychedelic folk band
"Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood)
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Points: 8138 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 17:00
espers and faun fables sound more neo folk (read : melancholic folk) than prog folk
"Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood)
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Points: 470 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 17:22
I searched captaincrawl.com and found bildar, use of ashes and carol of harvest. Based on one sit-trough I don't find bildar as good as vittras visor - but certainly enjoyable.
Use of ashes didn't impress me, it was okay, but nothing special. It was too heavy on words..

Carol of harvest did catch my attention. 
The first  and the last track strike me as very proggy, they are long, have changes in mood and tempo and a slightly theatrical singing style. The instrumental sections are lovely weird - I enjoy the oscillator sound. The album, generally, is dominated by low frequencies in the bass and drum sound. That's obvious - but what I mean is that I miss a more 'airy' sound and I would have loved some more strings, flutes, percussion of various sorts and generally more acoustic instruments to complement the music in some parts.

< ="-" ="text/; =utf-8">The lyrics didn't interest me and I did't pay much attention to them. They seemed too unearthbound to be authentic in an earthbound folk sense. Mostly, I like concrete lyrical content in folk music. The lyrics here seemed vague, general and way too metaphorical.  

But I never pay attention to lyrics in prog music. And I don't mind.

To me, it sounded like a very good and folky prog album but not the best example of acid-folk. 
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Points: 18016 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 04 2010 at 17:54
not sure if it's been mentioned yet but Nick Drake's Pink Moon
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Points: 4202 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 05 2010 at 08:47
Originally posted by Paravion Paravion wrote:

I searched captaincrawl.com and found bildar, use of ashes and carol of harvest. Based on one sit-trough I don't find bildar as good as vittras visor - but certainly enjoyable.
Use of ashes didn't impress me, it was okay, but nothing special. It was too heavy on words..



What's with the hurry with deciding what's best? The best stuff don't reveal itself through one impatient listen. Get over you desire to make hasty desicions and listen properly. 

Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
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