MERCATOR PROJECTED

An amazing album from an amazing year ? 1969. The year where music crossed that invisible line into higher progressive arenas. This album was one of the first to successfully do just that but unfortunately remains rather obscure.

It is still rooted in the hard-psych of the late 60s but really jumps into new territory with the crazy different instruments used (electric violin, flute, bagpipe, recorders, saxophones, organs, harmonica, Indian thumb piano in addition to standard rock instruments), the wild jazz improvisation inserted where they see fit (especially the wild instrumental outburst on "Centaur Woman") and the sheer innovative and daring experimentation that they employ. It is very playful and it's apparent that good times were being had by all involved in its creation. It has many of the elements of progressive music that would be expanded upon and refined in the 70s.

Although I prefer the following album to this one, this is definitely an incredible album that I will be revisiting. It's a wild ride that has the best of what the late 60s psychedelic experience was all about with the added bonus of zany creativeness that makes it oh so fun.