The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

A Very Cellular Song //

Album #96 The Incredible String Band: The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter Wow, so this is easily the lowest average I have seen for an album yet. It appears to be some sort of hippy psychedelic folk album from the 60s, reminiscent of another album from this list that also had a very low score, Gris Gris by Dr. John. Safe to say I didn’t like Gris Gris, and I was very worried about this album. However, after listening, I am genuinely stumped as to why this is the album which has upset so many people. Have ye no whimsy? Do people genuinely love their monotonous concrete jungles so much that the very thought of people expressing joy in pastoral community living enrages them, and they can’t see it as anything other than bullshit? I am not going to defend every element of this album, but really there is no need to; this album does not attempt to be anything other than what it is, which people embracing the land with music. As far as albums go this is as close to fantasy that I have heard, the instruments make you feel as though you have just woke up in the middle of the woods and were discovered by a tribe of fairies; the vocals are raw and imperfect which is exactly what is needed to support such a mysterious atmosphere; it doesn’t feel like this was a group of professional musicians, rather just a community expressing themselves through art. To be honest, I don’t exactly yearn for this lifestyle myself, but I have never held resentment towards those who do, and I can certainly feel the urge to return to nature when listening to an album like this. Maybe my enjoyment stems from the fact that I am still chasing my child-like sense of adventure and this kind of gives me Zelda vibes, and maybe I’m rating it a touch higher than I would normally because it’s average led me to believe that it would be horrible, but I really can’t see how getting this album would ruin ones day. This album feels like finding a dusty old book in the back of the library and being transported into it. Best Songs: Koeeoaddi There, Waltz of the New Moon, Swift as the Win Worst Song: Three Is a Green Crown Score out of 10: 7

I would say the love children of the Mansons and Hobbits conceived in a great lake of LSD; Indian gods looked down upon this and gifted a sitar. Goat horns so Satan had a hoof in this cackling with delight. Greek my mistake. Dionysus poured his wacky wine therein. Bansuri flute? The pantheon of India smiles thusly. I think I saw Spock frolicking by singing about Baggins. Kirk cancelled his Heavy Metal endeavour. Christopher Lee came back from the grave as his last wish to the universe to hear this one more time. Yes, not his first rodeo. Dear god very cellular song sounds like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Paul Simon from Graceland. Could this merry band be time travellers, or celestial influencers posing as African deities? As a folk album it's decent. Lots of eastern influence you can hear the workings in of microtones. A credit to the variety of music on this journey for opening me up to the possibility of liking something I never would have sought out on my own. This is a 3 for me. I'm likely never to listen to its like again, but will fondly recall going from abject abhorrence to enjoyment for what it is.

Simplesmente uma das coisas mais esquisitas que já ouvi e isso fez a experiência sem bem divertida, ainda que o disco tenha semelhanças com Fantasy Metal (em temática e não em sonoridade) que não é um gênero que curto. Gostei mais do que eu imaginava! As músicas mais longas ajudam a construir a narrativa e manter o disco coeso, "Waltz of the new moon" é uma faixa que merece atenção

I personally liked this I really had no problem with it, it wasn’t amazing and it wasn’t horrible, I freak with the weirdoness

Interesting folky psychedelic tunes

Really enjoyed the arrangements on this album, a spectacular, atmospheric kalaidescope of traditional folk melodies, medievalism, world music and madcap invention, including the kazoo. The intensely irritating vocals, however, spoil it, tunelessly delivering childish doggrel as though it's profound wisdom, and ignoring folk's long tradition of narrative songwriting.

Not my thang per se but I did rather enjoy it.

I think this is perfect example of the hippie aesthetic, fundamentally talentless musicians guided by misunderstood eastern spiritualties skipping around a maypole that somehow comes together to be vastly more than the sum of its parts. Sometimes you just get an 83 win world series team, it makes no sense.

This is some hippy Wicker Man shit, and I am here for it. 3.5

I'm not too averse to a bit of freak-folk. There's a line of sight from bits of this record right through to more modern stuff like Devendra Banhart, or even The Beta Band (in a certain light, to my mind anyway). That said, it's a bit too willfully eccentric to be a relaxing listen for much of the time. Inventive and interesting though.

Definition of far out

Very boring. I'm guessing it was very popular with hippies that keep on living in off grid communes even now at age 80. The psychadelic elements I like, but the country influences I don't. 2.5/5

I didn't understand it, but I didn't hate it.

Gather ye fairy folk around this campfire — there's a peculiar witches' brew warmin in the cauldron 'ere. If we're gunna hippie, let's answer this riddle right and hippie out like no others might. Careful now! Lest these idiosyncratic Scots take you to another la la la la la — la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la, la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la, la la la, la la la la la, la la la la la, la la la, la la la la la land. And there they'll do what's wrong as long as they can — but with a sense of humor, man.

There were good moments and not so good moments - moments that I’d put on again and some I wouldn’t

If this comes out at the function it's probably time to call it a night. Hated it less than I should.

the not so incredible string band

I can totally understand how a Psychedelic Folk album is one of the worst rated releases out of the entire 1001 albums to hear before you die list, but after listening to this album in full I have to say I feel the hate is a bit unjustified and there are far bigger stinkers on the list that have much better general receptions. I found this project to be quite a mystifying and really fun project even if it isn't lyrically the strongest thing in the world. The production really makes your mind bend and stretch out to some new uncharted territory without ever being super extreme. I am not usually a fan of very whimsical or "Fantasy-like" projects but this album really immersed me in a world full of travel and culture that ranges from your typical renaissance era European sounds and even more diverse noises showcased with a Sitar and more aquatic water noises to add depth to the psychedelic elements. I can totally understand why most wouldn't enjoy this a lot or feel pretty lukewarm to the project, but I found it a very interesting exploration into the European Folk scene and some of its' more Psychedelic branches that showed a lot of promise if I ever choose to dive deeper into this band.

听起来有点原生态有点神秘有点民谣

- I don't hate or love this as much as others on this site, lol. - It's obviously experimental and folkloric - in terms of the instrumentation and the dark fairy-tale lyrics. And feral. - The winds area nice touch, and the instruments have nice tone and precision to them. The squeaky instruments like the sitar/recorder thing can be a lot, but they're used pretty sparingly and for effect. I really like the use of percussion and organ, throughout. The instrumentation actually feels restrained (except the weird water sounds on The Water Sounds, lol), which is unexpected since this all is very psychedelic. - The tone of the lead singer's voice also generally is melodic and in tune. I also liked the back up singing/choir feel -- they weren't overwhelming like that kind of thing can often be. The harmonies were often out of tune - I think that was supposed to be for effect, too, but it could be annoying in its dissonance. I got a Neutral Milk Hotel/Decemberists feel at times. - Those couple long songs are definitely too long, and the album could be a lot shorter, for sure. - This was an interesting listen (way more interesting than the Adele album I got yesterday). I'd say it's a 2.5... I was going to say that it's not something that I'm going to add to my collection or listen to again, but it's been growing on me, lol, so maybe I'll round up because it's unique. - I think my cat likes it.

Una mezcla entre Donovan, Syd Barrett, y luego le meten fumadas indias rollo George Harrison. Sin más, pero no es malo.

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter - The Incredible String Band (1967) 3,2* Nao sabia qm eram ent fui pesquisar. Resultado: é uma banda de psychedelic folk, q pelos vistos é um genero de musica que surgiu de uma cultura onde as pessoas usam droga, ou "substancias psicadelicas" cm diz a wikipedia, para experienciar sinestesia e estados de consciência alterada 😍🥰 Mt interessante Am i a ouvir um kazoo? 😭😭😭 Demasiados instrumentos, interessante mas mt atoa A very cellular song são tp 5 musicas numa lol Estas harmonias tds fodidas q eles fzm... Nao gostei mt. Eu a ouvir isto numa altura foi tp: isto é oq flauta? De bisel? Piccolo? UM COMBOIO A APITAR? 😭 Na mercy i cry city, na frase "sometimes i think u keep forgetting that u dont know me" aquele "me" ta bue crazy harmonia mm atoa a subir meEeEEEeeE mas eu amei mt agahahahaha Amei a harmonica nesta música, tp genuinamente, nnc pensei dzr isto (acho q era uma harmonica no caso) Isto é tp uma junção de música indiana com música medieval Este album foi bue estranho de ouvir, no entanto acho q se ouvir mais vezes começo a gostar mais Conclusão final: ya efetivamente parece um album de gente q anda nas drogas Melhor ainda: ouvir isto estando drogado eq deve ser do caralho

malo mystical vajb, gotivim kad dobijem neki ovakav album, al isk mid

Pretty good.

This album is not bad at all. It has character and that is not something that you can say about a lot of albums on this list. Sure, it's not exactly what I listen to usually, but it's fun and is respectable.

high highs en low lows. psychedelische folk met de nadruk op psychedelisch lol

It was fine and then I got sick of the sounds. It was too repetitive

Wild. A little too many mentions of Jesus for me to rate it higher.

Be class at dalby forrest after a smoke or in the hippy tent at glasto. I.was young when I got into them. Still got a soft spot for them, but music for witches, wizards and gnomes doesn't do it for me as much these days.

Too long and an awful mix, but I like some of these songs. I think Scottish folk singing makes 60s psychedelic music more interesting to me. The low rating on here is surprising, like yes they're not hitting notes all the time but it's nothing like The Shaggs, and their singing is *way* more pitch-accurate (and comprehensible) than bob dylan on his royal albert hall bootleg.

Very creative. Scottish but with a lot of eastern influence.

Me senti em uma comunidade alternativa dos anos 1960. O álbum é bem rico em elementos musicais. CVJ Vivian.

Find it interesting that there's no real song structure or choruses. It's a stream of thought writing style. Can see how it would pair very well with drugs. Very Alice in Wonderland, nonsensical, random lyrics. Favorite song: A Very Cellular Song

This was as Swift As the Wind.

People seem to really hate this one. I’m not sure where the hostility is coming from. It’s unusual, sure, but I didn’t think it was unlistenable or grating. It’s Celtic folk meets 1960s rock with some ambient sounds in there. Wandering but inspired. I kind of had a hoot and a holler listening to this.

It was fading heavily into the background for me, but I was certainly attentive starting from the Water Song. The rest of the album started feeling more beautiful from here, especially Swift as the Wind.

not a big fan of folk music but this was alright

More like the solid at best string band

How wonderfully weird.

Other reviews had me thinking it was going to be a complete stinker, but it wasn't all that bad for a 60s psychedelic album. 2.5/5

2.5 Definitely music for people who are high. There are some sounds and some very discordant singing, but there were a couple songs I actually liked, including The Minotaur’s Song, which starts exactly the same as Pink Pony Club weirdly. Weird but kinda fun

I like acid as much as the next guy. And I liked this record well enough but really not seeing what separates this from all the other hippie/stoner/folk rock out there.

"Koeeoaddi There" is amazing, but by the end of the album I was already fed up with the same thing.

3 piosenki na albumie Bonus za drumle i sitar Średnia jakość audio Koncept fajny, ale nie mój vibe

Alternativ folk fra 60 tallet? Jah, det funker jo, litt teatralsk og mye humor!

Green party tunes

Interesting folk music but not my favorite. I heard some banjo in there.As well as maybe acoustic guitars.

Interesting psychedelic folk album. I like how mysterious it is and the connections to mythology. The Minotaur’s Song and Nightfall are my favorite songs from it.

I like the premise more than the execution. It is essentially a field recording of a commune of Scottish Scientologist hippies which makes their acid folk sound more authentic than another record in the genre that might sound better. Some of the songs near the end I liked on this initial listen and think it’ll take some more time to really understand this one. Rating: 3.2

Interesting listen, but really didn't do much for me. The songs were a little slow and lacked any hook to draw me in.

Idk I liked it. 3.5/5

I didn't know psychedelic folk was a genre. Sounds like Rennaisance Festival music. I half expect them to start singing about brave brave Sir Robin. And then at times they pick up Indian or other world folky sounds. It's not bothersome to listen to, but it's just "meh".

weird psychedelic medieval thing

If Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 was an album, it would be this. It's not.... great, and it's so close to not even making it to good that I'm hesistant to call it good, but..... I think it's good. It made me feel something, that has to count for something! The instrumentation had some interesting choices and brought in some chord progressions I want to say I've never heard at any point prior, and the vocals. Well. The vocals. Anyway. This was alright, I don't think I'd listen to it again, it was excruciating at times but at others there was something of a simple beauty to the way I was processing the music? Maybe? THREE STARS!

Koeeoaddi There 3.4 The Minotaur's Song 3.5 Witches Hat 3.3 A Very Cellular Song 3.4 Mercy I Cry City 3.2 Waltz of the New Moon 3 The Water Song 2.7 Three Is a Green Crown 3 Swift As the Wind 2.6 Nightfall 3 Score: 3.11

08/11/2025 Average at best. Nothing stood out for me. Spotify listeners: 41.4k

Day 117 First listen- I've been meaning to listen to this band since I love psych folk. This album didn't really click for me and I always instantly love 60s psych/ folk. I did enjoy the songs but not as much as I'd hoped. Few more listens might change that. (3/5)

I remember buying this on second hand vinyl, back in the eighties. I viewed myself as a musical maverick, and this seemed like an obvious left field like. The band names, the album title, the cover, the psychedelic folk pop... it seemed like I'd obviously like it. But I didn't. I'd presumed that it'd be part of the west coast American hippy free-for-all, but it turned out it was Scottish nutters, trying to make new music from obscure influences from history. It worked for Capt Beefheart, but these guys... Nah. So relistening now, 30 years on, ... yeah. Still a case of trying and failing. I appreciate the intent and effort, but the results make it a dubious listen.

Ok, pass the acid and sit down for a listen ... a decent album, would probably have listened to this on those Friday nights we hung out at Roger's house.

Okay you know, there's not really anything here I'd listen to much outside of this challenge/the album, but I kinda liked it! It's about as neat as this genre gets for me I think. They're doing some cool stuff.

I'm glad the band from the Wicker man (1973) got their big break!

Solid

A different vibe than I have heard in awhile.

Psychedelic folk! This is a thing?! What a trip. It's giving Ren Faire. I feel like this is speaking to me from a much older place than 1968, and it's speaking to my scottish roots. Cool, bizarre album. It's wild stuff like this that makes me love the 1001 album project.

опять психодел и недостаточно красиво

As someone who quite likes early Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett’s solo work, I can stand this more than most apparently. I get the overall consensus though because I have roasted MANY albums on this site. This sounds like 3 or 4 Syds jammed with Brian Jones and some Renaissance fare minstrels and no one bothered to question if the songs were any good. Was tape rolling? We got it. Ok. The more coherent songs show some decent playing but the lyrics are just weird nonsense and some of the songs are so discordant that they are hard to listen to. Not a complete fail for me but far from essential. I won’t be seeking out a copy. 3/5 Still better than Yoko Ono.

Always enjoy the late 60s psychedelic folk.

Moments of beauty crossed with Monthy Python esq moments of cod medieval silliness. Fav track A Very Cellular Song

Listening to this one sometimes thought "an interesting/trippy/odd madrigal – pretty cool." But more often one thought, "Wait, is this a Monty Python skit?" So enjoyed it but found it a bit too outre and silly to take too seriously.

these guys are crazy lol…i’m glad somebody was having fun! i started out enjoying it but i will admit it gave me a bit of a headache by the end. i think i would have appreciated it more if the songs had been cut up into more individual tracks, because there were ‘movements’ of certain songs that i liked a lot but then they veered off into bizarre territory. however that’s a natural consequence of the LP format so i can’t really fault them for that. fav track: witches’ song

this felt like the audio representation of someone reading an old storybook full of folk tales or something. i was kind of indifferent to it being on and wouldn’t say that I was necessarily “enjoying” it that much but i wasn’t mad at it. i can’t say i’d return to it but they were certainly doing something interesting.

This gets a hugely bad rep, in fact I think it gets one of the lowest global ratings. But you know what? I thought it was OK to be honest. Quite hard going at times, and very weird, but give me this over any of the trillions of country albums on here any day. I think this record is at its best when it's not veering into trad folk. The trad folk stuff makes me think of Morris dancing and cider festivals, which is to say - bad hat.

I think I may have seen ISB live once (when I was quite young and they were presumably quite old / replaced), but haven't ever listened to them properly on record. Still, once I put this album on, it didn't take long to understand what sort of music we're dealing with here. There's plenty of this sort of witchy / childlike / old-timey British village fete / pagan wicker man ritual stuff scattered around the 60s psychedelic landscape. The main difference here is that while most other instances felt like rock bands trying on a bit of musical whimsy as a fancy dress costume, these guys seem like they lived and breathed this stuff 24/7. Maybe this apparent authenticity comes from the fact they're a folk band? Or because they're Scottish...? It could all be pretentious, tuneless rubbish, of course… but on the whole I think I kinda like it - even if some tracks are more successful (/listenable) than others.

Not bad.

Not my cup of tea.

The Good: At least the Hangman’s got something positive… The Bad: What’s the use of having such a daughter if you’re hanging people? The Ugly: Realizing that there’s nothing incredible about the strings, or the band… Weirdest thing happened: when originally this album was presented to me, I did not know what to think of it. So I listened, and then I listened again, and I believe that I gave it a third spin after that… Yet still I was uncertain if this album is just one of those sleeper things, or my taste in music is getting worse and worse. Fast forward a couple of months, and I decided to give the album one more spin prior to rating it… and I was not able to find anything special about it. More so, I was starting to really not like it… So now what do I do? Do I rate it low, like so many people have done? Or do I shoot down the middle?… Gonna give it 3*… Might listen to it again in the future, if I recall of the album...

psychedelic folk, scottish old school, jaw Minotaur's song

review after two listens and a bit more research: think we've got a grower on our hands. goddamn if these strings aren't incredible. i'll take freaky over twee. there's a lot going on here, and it's wonderfully recorded. unorthodox song structures that employ repetition to cover linear ground. was able to take in more of the chants, and the whole thing washes over you nicely if you lie back and let it. the playing is beautiful.

Super weird the amount of instruments on this album is kind of mind-boggling never really heard a sitar and a jaw harp together before

Late 60s folk rock. The strings was not incredible.

Saw some of the reviews and the global rating and assumed the worst. People are being way too harsh here. It's experimental sure but it's not as bad as some of the generic crap that made the list. It would be a very boring list if experimental and innovative albums like this were excluded. 2.5/5. Raising to a 3.

uneasy for the ear

Acid Folk? And why am I not surprised Richard Thompson played in this album? One & done.

An experimental and bizarre album, with sections of crooning and whining strings that succeeds in creating an atmosphere that feels like a rip off of world music. While it is clear to see the influence of the album, that does not mean it is an enjoyable listen, but some tracks like Minotaurs Song do standout

Overall I liked it. Lots of different sounds and textures. Their song craft is pretty awesome, they seem to flow between instruments and vocal melodies often leading to an engaging listen to me.

I saw the global rating for this one and strapped myself in for something special. The people are wrong. This is not that bad. Lotta drugs were used here. Very experimental and it keeps me interested for the whole duration. Would I listen again? Probably not, but I’m glad I did. Favorites were The Minotaur’s Song, Mercy I Cry City, and Three Is. A Green Crown.

Ok

Ok

*inhales deeply* hippie kelpies maaan *exhales deeply*

Honestly I liked this more than I thought. Just weird enough, but still wasn’t fully sold.

Ah, never heard of the Incredible String Band before, but I can tell you that they're part of the flower power, psych folk, hippie music era. It's... a lot :) I typically like any folk and this is... hard for me. I don't know what it is about this album, I feel like it has lots of elements that I usually love but I'm just not into it at all! Okay, I started listening to the album with both headphones and it helped IMMENSELY. This is one that you need both headphones to hear all the layers. I still don't love it. I think it just feels like a bad church band or something. Like a parody band almost? I don't know, it gives the sensation of being stuck in a basement somewhere where a family band just won't. stop. performing. It gives fundamentalist Christian vibes to me. But like.... it's doing things to me???? I can't help but enjoy the rollercoaster of going from hating a song to loving it over and over. I have a sneaking suspicion that Psychedelic music is not supposed to make you comfortable. It's supposed to push and pull. This album truly does give the sensation of being on drugs hahaha. You have to let go, you have to let the album happen and accept it with open arms otherwise you'll have a bad trip. A 13 minute song in the middle of the album??? Sure. Out of tune violin? Totally. A freaking kazoo. Give it to me. I don't even think you have to be snobby to like this, you just have to be open to an experience, much like a variety show instead of the polished albums we experience today. Does this mean I'm enjoying it? No? I don't think so at least??? But it has grown on me the way a wool sweater stops being less itchy as you wear it. This album makes me more brave in creating music myself. Incredible is the best possible word they could have picked for their name. We take it to mean fantastic or amazing but it actually means impossible to believe. And that's exactly how they make me feel. But I feel more free listening to them than I did before! You know one man bands? Or court bards? Or children's puppets shows? Yes. Exactly. You understand then. I am changed by listening to this.

Seems to be very similar to most of what we heard from this particular era, still quality, nothing to distinguish this particular material from the rest. I was hoping that I'd find it, the concept seemed unique. Oh well, will revisit with much more well defined notes...

Man what did I just listen to? I love the creativity but the performance and production were painful at points. I’m glad I listened to this. I considered stopping after the first two tracks, which frankly reeked. But this album is one of one. A few stars for being unique and compelling art. Far from an actually good album of music, though. Favorite tracks: cellular song, swift as the wind.

Man, would I have played the hell out of this one on my college radio show. I appreciate the ambition but am not sure whether I'd ever listen to it again.

Genre: Psychedelic Folk Had never heard word of this album, or this band, but after a nice couple of listens I can safely say the first 4 tracks are great, and side B is so-so, a lot more sitar noodling and instrumental work. Loved the 12-min A Very Cellular Song, very prog folk. 3/5

Ganske udmærket på anden gennemlytning. Første var lidt mere wtf.

I started to listen and all I could think about was Monty Python. While the music is interesting(?) ah...make that jarring, some of the lyrics are a stretch for my brain. Not something I would return too.

Their third album. Scottish Psychedelic Folk Rock. This album is wildly bizarre. A lot of acid was consumed here. I don't know if they're sincere, fucked up on acid or delivering genius level parody. Maybe a bit of all three. I do get some Monty Python vibes at times. To say this is experimental is an understatement. It makes me want to go live in the forest with pixies. It is somehow whimsically beautiful. Only the UK music scene could serve this up !

Very odd lyrics with a wide range of predominantly folk instruments...can appreciate how it was influential

Never heard of them so now idea what to expect. It's a strange one. I listened to this, sat in my garden on a beautiful sunny day, relaxed. It sounds ok. 3* I think it could have been different on a cold, wet, miserable day in January, it would have made it worse so only 2* on that occasion.

Honestly this was fun, y’all just don’t have enough whimsy in your lives!

The strings are indeed incredible. Very psychedelic.

Bra, men lite kämpigt att ta sig igenom

Eh, I get it, sure, but it's not my preference of music.

I'll preface this by saying that this is much better than most of the lesser known 60s psychedelia that I've gotten in this generator. However, I don't think I really in the right state of mind to judge it properly, if you know what I mean. It's not really a "Monday morning in the home office" kind of album. I did enjoy a lot of the instrumentation though, and especially liked "The Minotaur's Song" and "Walz of the New Moon". Maybe I'll come back to it again some night after a few jars.

I can’t name one instrument used but I think it’s alright.

Good record.

Oké, zelf zou ik nooit keltische hippiemuziek opleggen, maar ik ben hier om mijn horizon te verbreden. Op zich klinkt het niet slecht. Bij elk nummer dacht ik: "Oké, cool, weer een nieuw instrument". Bij het eerste nummer was dat dan een sitar, bij het tweede een klavecimbel, dan weer een orgel etc... Dat maakte het wat interessanter, want mijn moed zakte al in mijn schoenen toen ik een sitar hoorde. Op zich niks tegen dat instrument, maar na één nummer heb je het ook wel gehad. Al bij al dus geen slecht album, al is het maar om één keer te beluisteren. 2.8

Todella hippimäistä menoa. Intian hippimäistä, ei tätä modernia hippimäisyyttä jota ei katsele pirukaan. Jousia, puhaltimia ja muita hippimäisiä soittimia.

Curious and interesting. The lead vocalist was annoying, though, esp. when he tried to sing below his range.

I have some familiarity with this band. It was psychedelic sample fodder for me when I was younger. I owned a beat up copy of Wee Tam at one point. The palette is drone-y strings and background vocals, hand drums and off-key flutes and it is pretty consistent throughout. Vocals are a little dramatice and over the top. The moments I liked are the end of A Very Cellular Song, and Three Is a Green Crown. The song I I recognized and listen to the most is Mercy I Cry City, which I connect to things like Love, Tim Buckley, and Animal Collective in my mind. I think I prefer the Mike Heron songs. Closer to a 3.5.

What a trip!

Interesting!

Man white guys looooved their sitars in the 60s huh?

I wouldn't say that I liked this, but I'm happy it exists. They sound like they were having so much fun making it. It reminds me of sitting in friend's basements and jamming on acoustic guitars. Just making up lyrics as we went, often veering into fairy tales and monsters. What we created is mostly unlistenable but it was so fun!

Reminded me of Fairport Convention that I had today. Also just gave me Wicker Man vibes. Weird mix (given 60s) with lyrics in left speaker only.

À la première écoute, je trouvais que ça se fondait quand même dans la masse des albums «folk psychédélique» des années 1960. Mais l'imaginaire influencé par la mythologie et le mariage des influences celtiques et orientales créent quand même des ambiances intrigantes, même si parfois irritantes.

This album is ok - I am glad I listened to it again 3/5 #musicsky #albumsky

I fucking hate Renaissance Fairs. 2.5/5

normally, i really enjoy music from this time period. the late 60s were a great period of experimentation, especially musically, and i love a lot of the general output from then. this is an album i've always heard of but never got around to listen to until now. and i can safely say, this is not really my thing. it's kind of interesting but really rough to listen to at points. it's a bit "experimental" in the sense that it feels very free form. a lot of the songs only have a handful of instruments and a vocal. it is interesting, but i don't know if it's one i really care to listen to again.

Lite halvhemligt album men den får godkänt trots allt.

Very mellow

One hell of an opener song. Love the tempo and texture changes. Though I hate the "boing oing" sounds that are so ubiquitous in this era of psych rock. Sitar is one thing but the boings are just so corny. I also found the Minotaur Song beautifully arranged, but the lyrics and the main vocals are so corny I can't keep from rolling my eyes. The wiki article also doesn't seem to really situate The Incredible String Band in the cultural context, so I don't have a point of reference that isn't "corny 60s psychedelia". They did mention that Led Zeppelin was directly inspired by TISB, which shows up pretty clearly in Zep music (though imo Zep did the sound way better, less corny). Overall, interesting and unique songwriting structure and arrangements that was clearly avant-garde in its time. I feel meh about hearing this before I die though so for that reason giving it a three star.

What if Bob Dylan was really into the RenFaire scene? There are a couple of good tracks on here, such as “Three is a Green Crown,” but much of it is just self indulgent noodling.

Did I hear a kazoo in one of those songs?

hát ez káprázatosan rossz, de azt senki nem mondhatja, hogy unalmas. 😆 annyira nem unalmas, hogy adok neki egy hármast, actually.

Realistically this is a 1 or 2 star but it was actually an enjoyable enough album to be 3 stars

This is a terrible/brilliant album and I'm really glad I listened to it. I'd love to hear it sung by someone who can hit and hold the right notes though

It’s 3+. Fun listen. Not into it but still worth hearing. Love the renaissance vibe

Now we know what the music would have sounded like if psychedelic drugs were introduced in medieval times.

It’s awful and I love it. Weirdly good.

Psychedelic folk, never thought I'd see the day.

Nice, too many things

Trippy and fun. Very dated, wandering vocals.

Not as bad as I feared from the low rating on this site. I liked the outdated vaudeville of 'The Minotaur's Song'. Also 'Three Is A Green Crown', brooding and strange, good use of sitar. I try to listen to these things a second time before rating them. This time I just skipped around the songs I like. Or in the case of 'A Very Cellular Song', just the first three minutes. I mostly kept coming back to 'Swift As The Wind', maybe the best thing on here, messianic and apocalyptic. 'Hangman's Beautiful Daughter' is weird and excessive and yes probably drugs. I don't see it as a 1 or a 5, and sometimes this stuff just averages out. It's an inconsistent 3, not a forgettable 3.

sarcastic air quotes "incredible"

Folk taking full advantage of state of the art recording techniques. Its fun to hear Williamson go wild on different instruments in the arrangements but the whole thing is let down by hippy dippy psych lyrics... like.... its cool and all, and there's some mind-bending stereo tricks and all but you can tell these guys really _believed it_ The album is the best when its restrained. The Very Cellular Song demonstrates this when it changes tack halfway from polyphonic nonsense from the first half of the album to a limited set of voices and some beautiful melancholy harmonies. Unfortunately its 13 minutes long (!) and the first half really says nothing (literally and metaphorically) that hasn't already been said in the first 15 minutes of the album. Three is a Green Crown is the highlight and almost elevates the album to something great with that kind of pulsating tension that makes Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit such a hit. The exotic instruments are out in full and my face is melting by the seventh minute. Swift is the Wind serves as a lovely coda to the song. Unfortunately most of the rest of the album is tonally at odds with it. Any album of essentially two players and this much instrumentation is a technical achievement, but their virtuosity lacks the discipline and erudition of the Mothers. There's a good single here but you have to wade through a lot of self-indulgence to get to the gem.

About what I expected. Boring. Not for me. Giving this a three is kind of disrespectful to the other threes out there but it’s not terrible enough for a 2. I need to rethink my rating system.

Okay now, there's no reason why this album is rated so low on this site! Yes, it's shite at times. And yes it meanders a lot and really relies on the sitar as a gimmick. But it's still pretty cool, you know? And I guess without this, then Led Zeppelin would have nothing to electrify on their debut.

Better than i expected.

Fav: Waltz Of The New Moon Least Fav: The Water Song This is nowhere near as bad as some are suggesting

Funky, interesting, not sure I’ll listen to it again

Moments of beauty crossed with Monthy Python esq moments of cod medieval silliness. Fav track A Very Cellular Song

There previous album is way better at incorporating Folk with Psychedelic sounds. However this does have some good sounds (maybe though it doesn’t translate into songs) it’s experimental and definitely another you’d have to be in a mood to listen too. This is a light 3/5. Definitely think people should check this band out.

Good addition

I enjoyed it 3.5

wtf did I just listen to okay, that was pretty weird and totally goofy in places, but you know, I can’t say I hated it The wackiness became strangely endearing. I listened while taking a walk on my lunch break, and found myself grinning out of bafflement - I just can’t penalize it too harshly for that (though I don’t know how to begin rating it) Favorite track: Three Is A Green Crown 3* not for being boring, but a truly mixed bag. Honestly, I may round it up to 4

weird sound with sitar and flutes. Not bad, just an odd combo. Probably won't listen again.

Some old hippy at work told me to buy this album and I did. It definitely requires a certain time, place and headspace to appreciate, but there's a part of me that secretly enjoys a bunch of wigged out heads out in rural Scotland dicking about with various instruments they can't really play and calling it an album. Weren't Incredible String Band the favourite artist of beardy former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams?

Meandering. Could use an artistic director. Without a potluck and general sense of community, feels selfish

i really wanted to like this more than i did. maybe if i listen to it. much more

Didn't think I would like it at first but this 60's dark folk album wasn't too bad after all.

good vibes but a little too long

If you are familiar with Amy Sedaris' character, "The Lady Who Lives in the Woods"...this is the kind of music she would be listening to. In fact, I reckon Amy listened to THBD for inspo. Hard to get beyond the kitsch on this listen. But hey, I like kitsch and hippies so I'll go straight down the middle here.

This is an album I'd expect to hear at the Renaissance Festival. Definitely had it's moments with the harp. Paired nicely with a walk in the woods.

That may have been the kookiest album I have ever listened to. I don't know how you even come up with music like that. Multiple times I just found myself staring out of my window listening to some of the strangest lyrics I have ever heard. The water song was really cool though.

Incredibly hippy album lol. It's fun, but hard to listen to for long. It's sooo slooow. I think this is what people think Simon & Garfunkel is. There's a lot of fun influences. Rock, Appalachian, Hindustani, Singer Songwriter, Folk Since of the songs are whacky long lol

experimental and eccentric psychedelic folk music. with sitars, foreign vocal runs and an almost medieval sound, this album is peculiar among anything else. this is an album that almost feels like a portal into the renaissance era, with all the stringed instruments, posh sounding keys, pipes... despite the usual psychedelic trends that happened around this time, this album does it in a way that's a little different from the others. this is music that a family of gnomes would listen to, sitting in a quaint little cottage in the cold autumn.

It has its moments but it's a bit overindulgent and airy fairy. Could have done with a bit more editing. Still good though.

This album has a loose, wandering feel, like it’s figuring itself out as it goes. The folk elements mix with a strange, almost psychedelic vibe, kind of like early Pink Floyd but more acoustic and raw. There are some nice moments where everything clicks, but other parts feel a bit scattered. It’s an interesting listen, though not the most focused.

good instrumental sounds, lots of interesting twists and turns in songs, just not my style

This record was a trip. Psychedelic in all senses. I felt like I should be on acid and attending Hårga in Midsommar. By the looks of the cover, I thought perhaps this was going to be a ln all family oriented album like the Osmonds. Or something of that nature. I was not expecting the weird lyrics, and odd timing psychedelic folk rock. It's definitely not my style of music but I would be lying if I said it didn't pique my interest. In fact I was always wondering what will happen next. Again, it's not that great of a record. But I didn't mind it. I have no need to revisit this record though.

Incredibly fun, don't think I'd listen again but I'm glad I've heard it now

A bit low fi for me today

Definitely stringy. Sounds like a band (of bearded hippy types I'd wager). Perhaps not incredible, maybe more average.

It's definitely not as bad as some other reviews lead me to believe. It is experimental and a product of its time. These were musically uncharted waters in the '60s and they would have an impact on future music. It's not always good or not always bad, but always quirky and eclectic. It was an interesting listen.

Sounds like these scallywags had one too many goblets of mead. Honestly, sounds like somehow some medieval musicians found a mixtape of The Beatles. Baby, you can drive my ox cart.

I'm going to do what no one has ever done before. I get this album is love it or hate it but I'll rate it right down the middle anyway. There's some really refreshing and good ideas here; at the same time some of the ideas are just a tad over the top. At some points the execution is flawless; at some points it is a bit sloppy.

Haha WTF is this. Honestly not as bad as some of the reviews suggest. This has to be satire, right? +1 for uniqueness

SO first off when I glanced at the musician I thought it said string cheese incident. Needless to say I was going to quit this list if that was true, so anything is a relief. That being said, this album is UN-listenable. It's just a group of people drugged out of their mind making noise. But that being said, I'm happy this album exists and is definitely of an era. I'll give it a 3.

A weird album, but honestly not bad. It's on the edge of being weird in an obnoxious way, but doesnt quite push enough to be so.

Når det rammer noget skots folk lyden, særligt lyrikken, så kan det noget.

Listen to again

Very mystical sounding and pretty cool... Kind of a bizarre mix of mystical/dramatic with some pretty silly/nonsensical lyrics. All in all I really liked it but it did get a bit old after a while, and the opening song was my favourite perhaps for that reason

This is a hard one to judge. I recognise it as quite groundbreaking and original/experimental. At the same time it's not really enjoyable.

Album cover is so captivating, but the sound is too psychodelic and messy for me.

I don't think anything I can hear from this album will make sense with the cover art. It's such a hodgepodge of hats, outfits, a mask? So weird. Apparently a different version is just two guys. Musically, this kind of starts off as a ren fair and as much as I'd think I like that style, it definitely has to be the right time. I do like having an artist to look towards when that time is right. During a couple of tracks there is a barrage of what sounds like recorders, so that part kind of makes sense with the cover of it's a classroom of kids just blowing away. Later on it gets a bit more folksy so a little more variety than I anticipated after the start. There was one track I just had to skip mid way through."Swift as the Wind" I think it was.... The moaning or whatever you call it was just obnoxious. I am interested in using this band and album as a start of a ren fair playlist, and was generally an interesting listen. Favorite track "The water song" 3/5

3 man what a doozy. This album is both amazing and borderline unlistenable at the same time. Each song had points of genius and ten seconds later it would switch to the most comically bad song I’ve ever heard. But I still kinda enjoyed it.

Погружение в некий транс, психодел. Очень необычный набор музыкальных инструментов. Но во время прослушивания было ощущение, что это сильная троечка.

Super weird - this is the archetypal psychedelic rock band imo. Not super my thing but a very fun listen nonetheless

I love folk like this but this is not it dawg Okay actually by the end of it i was pretty intrigued. Its not gonna be for everyone but i do think its art and appreciate it exists. Torn between a 1 and a 5 so im gonna average it out to a very memorable 3

I love that albums like this one are included on the list. They capture the atmosphere of a particular scene. Each track offers a distinct journey, blending traditional instruments with unexpected sounds and vocals that evoke a sense of mystical exploration. It's a testament to the band’s influence on the genre and remains a pivotal listening experience for anyone interested in the roots and evolution of psychedelic folk music.

For a band called "The incredible string band" their flute/bag pipe players do alot of work. It was a good, old, folk album. But I won't come back to it.

Not as exciting as it sounded the first time I heard it

A simultaneously bewildering yet simple album. With perplexing scenes and imagery throughout the lyrics here, you can't help but feel like you've wandered into some strange ritual in the middle of the woods. What this album lacks in consistency (I can't say I enjoyed the abrupt transitions of the medley 'A Very Cellular Song'), it makes up for in sheer charm through its eclecticism. As instrumentally it ranges from more traditional folk instrumentals, like on the call-and-response track 'The Minotaur's Song' to something more brooding and Eastern-influenced with the inclusion of sitar and oud on 'Three is a Green Crown'. Again, I'm very confused about my feelings on this album - but I do appreciate how unabashedly strange it is compared to many other folk records of its time.

Non capisco tutte queste recensioni piene d’odio per me è un tranquillissimo album da 3

Cool ass hippy music.

Flips between being laughable and beautiful and sometimes both at the same time. Was not always sure what they were singing about, but the album held my attention and I found it entertaining nonetheless. Quite an array of instruments and sounds. "Porridge for my porridge bowl" are lyrics I can get behind.

I think I'm figuring out that folk isn't quite my thing.

Better than expected. I can probably grow to like it. 3.5

Challenging listen as I'm not acquainted with the Celtic genre

This starts out like a simple folk album but rapidly mutates into something stranger bringing in multi-tracking, sound effects, weird instruments, psychedelic lyrics and a 13 minute concept piece about an amoeba. Very 60s but it makes you wonder what was in that mushroom stew they were eating.

Went from Celtic to Indian vibes and all around. A bit like he was singing hymns or prayers at times? Pleasant to listen to at least

Helt ok

Not bad. But not really for me either.

That was different. Dug Minotaur & Cellular.

such 60s, much folk

pretty good, but kinda samey throughout

It wasnt bad as much as annoying. I would have liked it when I was 13

Peculiar, unique, and bizarre psychedelic/experimental folk music. Love it or hate it - it’s undeniably an intriguing listen. I’m somewhere in the middle, it’s not going to be a favorite album of mine but I certainly didn’t dislike it and overall enjoyed the experience. Unconventional song structures a a variety of worldly string instruments makes this album sound like no other. Worth a listen and wouldn’t mind coming across it in the future, but probably not seeking it out often.

This is like Fleet Fox's weirdo cousin that lives out in the woods and is obsessed with D&D and probably smells a little. It's quirky and kind of bizarre but the music is really pretty and there's a lot of talent at work here.

Soft southern acoustic pop

Creative stuff, definitely can see how this influenced a bunch of artists over the years. Weird story but interesting, felt almost like a play/musical in structure

Well this is interesting and weird, and kind of fun. Made me feel like I chased a white rabbit down a Scottish rabbit hole. Not necessarily an album I’d ever come back to unless I was tripping on acid, but it gets an extra star for being unapologetically bizarre.

Really quite odd, not in a bad way but yes very odd

Weird

- Noch nie von The Incredible String Band gehört - war aber überrascht, wie gut mir das gefallen hat - diese mittelalter-folkigen elemente aus flöten, hackbrett und Spinnett etc. haben fand ich echt cool, weils auch einfach komplett ungewohnt ist. - die 70er sind auch definitv rauszuhören. Ich habe das Gefühl, dass es sich hier um The Mamas & The Papas handelt, die eine Zeitreise ins Mittelalter gemacht haben - Insgesamt ist nicht viel hängengeblieben außer des overall Styles, den ich aber wie gesagt sehr interessant fand - kann auch verstehen, wenn man das komplett scheiße findet Rating 3/5

- Fand ich streckenweise richtig cool. Leider sehr schwankend - A Cellular Song: Tolle Idee mit dem wiederkehrenden Thema so Kapitel abzuschließen - Manche Tracks und Melodien haben mich total abgeholt (Koeeoaddi Theme, Water Song z.B.) - Andere wiederum sind komplett unregistriert an mir vorbei gegangen. - Alles in allem aber gute Platte, so eine richtige 3/5 3/5

An oddity this. Hard to get into, and clearly of it’s time. But ok

Psychedelia mixed with Celtic folk melodies Medieval and Middle Eastern arrangements plus quite some Asian instruments. It's a landmark in psychedelic folk music and influential for years to come. It might not be the best album of all time, but it's intriguing and I'm glad to have listened to it.

This did not entertain my ears all that much, nor did it speak to my soul. But it was something a bit different, so okay.

It's not particularly pretty and I don't think I want to hear it again but points for being different.

Holy hippie heaven, this is a bit much for me but I appreciate it and glad I listened to it.

"The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" by The Incredible String Band, released in 1968, is a pioneering work in the psychedelic folk genre. The album showcases the band's penchant for experimentation, blending traditional folk elements with Eastern influences and avant-garde sensibilities. Tracks like "A Very Cellular Song" and "Koeeoaddi There" demonstrate the band's musical virtuosity and penchant for intricate arrangements. However, the album's sprawling and occasionally disjointed nature may prove challenging for some listeners to fully engage with. While "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" is undoubtedly a significant and influential album in the folk revival movement, its experimental nature may limit its accessibility to a wider audience. Therefore, it earns a respectable 3/5 rating, acknowledging its historical importance while recognizing its potential to polarize listeners.

so insane that I can't help like it a little bit

There's a certain mystifying esotericism and musical eclecticism here that keeps me thinking about and returning to this album, even though it's not something I'd say I particularly enjoy.

So recently I've gotten a few of the lowest rated albums on this list. Just two days ago I got that piece of trash that is Throbbing Gristle. Looking at the lowest rated albums I was expecting something truly trash with this and.. wtf is wrong with y'all. Compared with the other stuff at the bottom, this isn't comparable. It's not amazing but it is super more listenable than the other stuff. Again at least it's not another generic 90s Britpop.

Best Songs: Not that kind of album Listen Again: Yes

Totally talented!!! Not my sound though.... very irishy but... like renaissance times.... story-telling.... but senseless (i.e. poetry)

Some great guitar players in here. It's the music that is really hard to assign to any genre. Pretty unique.

This was fine, but nothing special.

3.5/5

This one was really challenging for me. The music was almost atonal at times and then the would be this gorgeous melody. It felt like experimental jazz got mixed in there or something.

OK, so it’s nowhere near as bad as reviewers on here will have you believe but I can see why people hate this. It probably drags a bit towards the end and has a touch of the Monty Pythons about it, but personally I generally liked it and I think if nothing else it’s worth listening to for ‘A Very Cellular Song’ which is the centrepiece of the record.

I think this is a horrible album. I played it several times and it just set my teeth on edge. I just dislike folk rock. Taking advantage of the new edit facility, I have upped the score to 3 as it grew on me!

Hippien metkuja saatana 3/5

Tulee mieleen Wicker Manin soundtrack. Kolmosen ja nelosan välillä keikun.

One word: Bizarre. It’s like if a fever dream and LSD had a child, this would be it.

so so album very whimsical not my favorite

Twee eccentric stuff. You gotta be in the mood for it. Acoustic sitar with thingy noise and odd song structure.

This albums surely influenced the World Music Genre and is really soothing to listen but, being of Psychedelic era sounds experimental. Music wise it's solid but, vocal and song keys sound off.

"I think drugs have done some good things for us, I really do. And if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor. Go home tonight and take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CD's and burn them. Because, you know what? The musicians who made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years... rrrrrrrreal fucking high on drugs. Man, the Beatles were so high, they let Ringo sing a couple of tunes. Tell me they weren't partying. (singing) "We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine." We all live in a-do you know how fucking high they were when they wrote that? They had to pull Ringo off the ceiling with a rake to sing that fucking song. (Beatle voices) John, get Ringo, he's in the corner. Ooh, look at him scoot, grab him! Hook his bellbottom, hook his bellbottom! He's got a song he wants to sing us. Something about living in a yellow tambourine or something. Ringo, Yoko's gone, come down, we can party again! They were real high, they wrote great music, drugs did have a positive effect." -- Bill Hicks

Really pretty noot my style sounded like a cult in the woods in the UK somewhere... strong narratives in the songs... pretty but ignorable and forgettable.

Psychedelic sitar, cheesy vocals.

Not my style of music but it was interesting.

I'm no stranger to art for art's sake, and as someone who appreciates post-modern classical and avant garde jazz, the difficulty of this album shouldn't be too off-putting for me. The problem is, I'm just not sure the Art is actually there. Much of the post-modern classical revolution was about challenging the rules and expectations of the prior history of theory and technique. Were they doing that with this album or were they just too fucking high? I simultaneously feel like I need more time with the album to digest and think, but also really don't want to subject myself to more of this. My brain says this might be genius and important; my gut says it's utter garbage.

Old folk music. I quite liked it until the final three songs, which sucked, frankly. Stand-out: Mercy I Cry City

A very curious album, but a bit creepy at times, and not something I would actually listen to. The musical style varies from regular folk/prog to medieval-inspired, with some world music touches. The lyrics are the usual '60s mix of ironic and just plain weird.

Wow. That was a ride and a half. A well earned 3.5 stars.

very weird. 3 sitars.

This is a tough one. I really like the onslaught of avant garde sounds and the wide assortment of instruments especially given that it was recorded in 1967. The downside is the songs - they really aren't doing it for me.

The lyrics (we are the tablecloth, also the table, also the fable of the dancing leaves) and lead vocals are hilarious and stoned out. This sounds like it could have been pulled from the Holy Grail soundtrack. It’s totally late 60s with the combination of folk, Indian, psychedelic and prog. It says alot about UK mainstream radio (or at least John Peel) that this LP would have cracked the top 10 in ‘68. I’m surprised the 1001 score is at low as it is: the instrumentation is nice and it’s the best, IMO, of the worst 10 LPs.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 1968 automatically sets off red flags in my head. I hope this is interesting & not more homogenous folk/psych from this era. What in the Medieval Times is this? This feels weird for the sake of being weird. But I feel like this band is supposed to be Important so here we go... AFTER LISTENING: well the first couple of songs were a good indicator of the rest of the album. I'll remember this as an Important band to Avoid in my personal listening. AFTER LEARNING MORE: Important due to weirdness/originality. Can't argue with that, I guess. RECCOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: ren faires, bob dylan, acid, the idea of watching a busker in san francisco during ~a certain era~, bands adapting a vaguely ethnic sound to be edgy [#338 generated / #487 reviewed]

I liked this one

the incredible string band sounds familiar. close but no cigar -excited to listen tho! album cover is cool -very folky which i always really enjoy -loving this minotaur song and all the voices in the back -this is Totally mystical fairy music and i dig it -not loving the loving jesus song especially because its like ten minutes long -water sounds in the water song. everything i could have wanted -some of these songs are really good and some are not hitting the mark for me -overall i’m giving it a 3, because i didn’t love it but did enjoy listening to it -first two songs drew me in and then the rest were eh

I don’t know. I get why this would be hugely influential but it’s tough to listen to. Gotta be in the mood for it.

very very folk-y folk music, in the style of most 60s folk bands who thought that a vague attempt at harmony and some plucked banjo makes a good song. it's not BAD, but it is ... a lot.

It was decent. Not sure why they call themselves a string band though.

Not completely unlistenable, but something about it just doesn’t mesh well. I wouldn’t listen to it again.

I appreciate the free spirit of this album, though at times it gets off kilter and out of tune to the point where it's hard to listen to.

This one took me several listens to fully digest. This is one strange beast of an album. It almost sounds like incredibly articulate outsider music. I vacillated between being charmed and annoyed by it. The one thing that stood out head and shoulders above everything else was "A Very Cellular Song." I love the way they weaved that one together. A real musical journey. Almost makes me wish they'd stretched it out to a full side of an album and then did the same thing with a medley of their stronger material on the other side. Although I wouldn't put this album on for my own enjoyment, this is exactly the sort of musical challenge I signed up for.

Yea not bad

Very much of its time. Interesting but not particularly enjoyable.

I didn’t want to listen but I’m glad I did. What a fantastic box of frogs. Could do with a little less tin whistle and sitar, but that’s just a general rule for life.

For a long time I’ve wanted to like this band much more than I actually do. They’re a couple songs on their album before this one that I like. Wasn’t getting into this one all that much.

Some great trippy melodies on this one.

Based on the reviews on here, I'd expected a very polarising album. However, that's not my experience. It was silly and sloppy at times, but it was endearing and had its own charm. I'm not going to say it was a transcendental experience or anything, but there were enough moments of interest to keep me hooked. It is silly, though.

I surprisingly liked this

A mess of psychedelic folk experiments, but it's oddly endearing. I can see why this would be a love it or hate it kind of record. I can't imagine being in the mood for it often, but it was interesting to listen to.

me recordó a los beattles salvando las distancias

Feels like one massive joke on the listener and maybe that’s the intention. If they act like this in real life they’d be insufferable. On record? Also insufferable.

Witches Hat sounds cool so far. Some of it reminds me a little of Bob Dylan vocals (not all of them).

2.5

3/5

It's a hot mess tbh, but so is a lot of stuff I like. Not boring at least! Also don't feel like I'll ever really want to come back to it (if the lyrics were a little less silly then I honestly might). I guess that's a 3?

Fascinating record. It's weird and objectively bad sometimes, but it seems intentional. I bet they had a good laugh making this. Favorite song: Waltz of the New Moon

3.75

I totally missed ISB back in the 60’s. I just don’t think I ever heard them. I picked up Mike Heron’s first solo album (1971) in a bargain bin in a Charlestown record bar in 1975, but it did nothing for me & I offloaded it. But I was lucky enough to see a Q&A at The Basement in Sydney in 2011, with Joe Boyd, who signed the band to Elektra, produced this album & was their manager for a while. He was accompanied by Robyn Hitchcock, who would alternate with Joe’s reminiscences by playing a tune, and did take a crack at an ISB song. Boyd only spoke lovingly of the band, but I have to say I was more interested that night with his memories of Dylan & Hendrix. Look, I find this to be totally weird shit. At first listen, it started sounding like music for kiddies. But by Waltz Of the New Moon & Three Is A Green Crown, I was starting to embrace the whacky instrumentation & vocals. I’ve always been a sucker for a sitar. I can certainly see how drugs would have helped. Weirdsville.

Unique, there were a few songs that caught my attention.

Ja det var väl ganska mysigt

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter is the third album by the Scottish psychedelic folk group, The Incredible String Band (ISB). This psychedelic/acid folk album was the most ambitious project from the band to date and had a large impact on the genre, featuring exotic instruments while using multiple tracks and overdubbing. It was also the band's most successful album, charting in both the UK and US, and receiving a Grammy nomination. Critics loved this album for its fusion of world music elements with the backbone of psychedelic folk that would soothe listeners' ears. Although the album remained underground in the US, it was a major commercial success in the UK. This album was a surreal experience. It is definitely the music I imagine one would listen to when they are tripping, as it is relaxing and thought-invoking. The mind is allowed to wander while listening, but you are always brought back to the main point/element on each track. Overall it's a beautiful album that paints a picture of a more peaceful world where our differences are celebrated instead of demonized and the primary goal is to be happy and have fun. Stay energetic and youthful at all times, fellow 1000 albums journeyers!

Super psychedelic

Interesting, but some of that was hard to get through.

Everything about this music irritates me yet I can't take my ears off it. I'm so confused.

They had their heart in the right place. Sadly they didn't have the raw talent to back it up.

Imagine Belle and Sebastian on *more* drugs.

Interesting folk songs, Celtic and middle eastern. Pretty good but not something I would listen to again

I understand why this album is ever on the list of worst albums at the Global stats of this site, but I think this is very unfair. Yes, the songs are not great, but in 1001 (and some extras) albums, we have soundtracks and many Live albums, so why not an RPG soundtrack directly from a Playstation One game from the 90s? And they influenced Led Zepellin (according to Wikipedia), which should count as some points for them. I'll rate it with 3* because having this strange stuff around is fair and sometimes necessary.

Very distinct as late 60's psychedelic folk. A lot of renaissance themes to it, combined with their Scottish accents, makes it sound like it would fit in the Fox Robinhood universe. Theatrical and silly yet oddly satisfying.

Another “influence” album. Overall too british for me. I guess I could see myself listening to it again on a walk in the woods or something. A very cellular song was my fave.

Fun concept and the execution was good. Felt like I should have been watching some sort of religious lord of the rings movie to enjoy the album more

je sais vraiment pas quoi penser mais je peux pas dire que j'ai pas aimé non plus ?¿

Some of it was odd, but I'm a sucker for a bit of jews harp.

Går knappt att föreställa sig vilka KOPIÖSA mängder syra detta gäng konsumerat. Många textrader är vad man 2012 skulle kunna beskriva som "random". En upplevelse, med mängder av olika, obskyra instrument och väldigt mycket som pågår samtidigt. Det är verkligen inte avslappnande, men inte heller dåligt! Det är som att åka på ett äventyr till rymden och till underjorden på samma gång, mystiskt och magiskt. Kan fatta vilka pionjärer de var i genren, psykedelisk folk. Tanken att Beatles och många andra hörde Incredible String Band innan den stora psykedeliska vågen är inte långt borta. Säkert även Monty Python, då vissa låtar låter precis som en av deras medeltids-soundiga skämtlåtar. 'A Very Cellular Song' är bitvis bra, speciellt slutet. 'Waltz of the New Moon' också rätt fin. Bäst är nog antingen 'Three Is a Green Crown', med tydligt sydasiatiska influenser där den gråtande sitaren (tror jag?) framträder tydligast, eller 'Swift as the Wind', som är riktigt weird, om ett barn som fantiserar om hemska saker i verserna för att bli tröstad i refrängerna. 'Nightfall' också fin avslutning, så generellt blev albumet bättre och bättre ju längre jag kom i det. Som sagt, spretigt, eggande, vad som vissa skulle kalla oljud, men ändå på något sätt tilltalande. Bästa låt: 'Three Is a Green Crown' eller 'Swift as the Wind'.

Apparently, to make folk "fun", one has to put a lot of drugs in it. It was indeed fun.

Pretty nice, almost a four. It's not quite as interesting as some of the early folk we've had on the list

Weird, but in a good way. Did they really make a relia-bull joke in a song about a minotaur?

Not as bad as everyone here makes it seem but that's about the best you can say about it. They seem like they had a good time making it and if that isn't what music is all about then I don't know what is.

I think I need to absolutely spaced out of my mind to enjoy this record. But yeah, I don't think I can really appreciate it in a regular state of mind. The music is very free flowing, it has some interesting developments, but most of the times just sound like a clusterfuck. And the lyrics are really out there. The band blends a lot of different genres and some songs get interesting. Maybe this record just needs more listens though, I don't know. Key tracks: Koeeoaddi There, The Minotaur's Song, Witches Hat, A Very Cellular Song. 6,5 out of 10

It was a weird ride for sure but sounded pretty much how I expected based on the cover. The Minotaur’s Song had a real sea shanty vibe to it. A Very Cellular Song was a bizarre jam session peppered with strange lyrics, Slithering and Squelching, eating misbehaving kids, etc. I’m not even sure the flautist was aware what they were doing. The vocals were breezy and and cluster of instruments did sound quite good, they did an excellent job sounding structured in the chaos. Mercy I Cry City was my favourite track. Thought this was cool. 3 stars

Apparently this was a big inspiration for Led Zeppelin’s early sound, but we’ve yet to actually have one of their albums on here. Kind of fucked up, right? Solid stuff, though. C

I loved the first halfish of this album, it lost its groove and felt a little generic after that. But the first half of the album was great and made me want to transport myself to the 60s

Freak folk. Far out!

I do like folk music and so I didn't hate this, but the songs mostly sounded the same to me, which got boring. Also, can we please not with 12 minute songs?

I feel like I don't understand pure psychedelic folk to get the bit but I understand the Influence

You can definitely tell that some 70s-80s rock and pop drew influence from this record. Sure, the world music aspects lead up to Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel, but the folk aspects and the way the songs are constructed remind me a lot of Led Zeppelin I. Others sound like repurposed drinking songs ala The Pogues (this is not a bad thing). Some of the vocals and harmonies remind me of Belle and Sebastian. Now that all being said, there are still some tracks I had a hard time getting through. "The Minotaur's Song" sounds like they got high and had a laugh or two - I have no idea why it's held up by critics as a highlight of the album.

This album could benefit from some tighter focus. The medieval or renaissance-sounding instrumentation is really cool but there is some folky Dylan-esque guitar as well. The lyrics also switch time and place with references to Christian themes as well as pagan and Hinduism. It's an interesting melange and it kept my interest throughout but nothing stood out as amazing. Other artists have taken influences from early music and done more with it. The Wicker Man album art is 5/5. For the tunes, it's a solid 3/5.

Interesting and full of ideas but slightly mortal

Well, I guess this is the kind of crazy shit I signed up for here. Although it made my beautiful sunny October walk in the park slightly less pleasant, I still feel it has its rightful place in the world. Maybe not in my world, but somewhere. A part of me also feels like I'm not qualified to give this a proper rating, so just going with a good ol' 3 to not mess with the average too much. Kind of hated this, but also kind of want to get drunk and give it another listen.