Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Seemed like some Monty Python scenes. ———————————— My non-musician scoring system. 5 - Love it. Would play anytime, buy, see live… 4 - Good music. 3 - Average playlist. Depends on time and setting. 2 - I can’t listen to whole songs. 1 - No.
wait i was really surprised at the global reviews for this nice, peaceful listen i didn't care it was a little weird!
A lesser The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
I’m not sure the strings I heard would classify as incredible.
One of the weirdest albums I’ve ever heard. It’s like a Monty python skit about how pretentious folk music is. To each their own.
I started off with 'oh no, not another hippiefest' but it actually grew on me in the second half with more of the world instrumentation. Of its time, no doubt, but certainly an influence. High 2s.
Awful nonsense
Eclectic, psychedelic folk music using a variety of weird instruments. On paper, this should be right up my alley. In reality, I don't think I'm quite high enough to fully appreciate this album. Overall, there were some good moments on it, but it was just a bit too out there and I don't think I'll be seeking this one out again. Favourite track: Nightfall As an aside, Rain by Dando Shaft started auto playing after this album finished. I had never heard of them before, but I'm checking out their debut album, An Evening with Dando Shaft, and it absolutely deserves to be on this list. This is the psychedelic folk music I signed up for! I'd give it a 5/5 so far.
I doubt there is enough weed in the land to make this enjoyable for me. But it's not the worst on here by a long way. 1.5.
I could have lived my life without listening to this album
It's absolutely dreadful, but also kind of funny with it. They at least seem self-aware. If this were more earnest then it'd be intolerable. 1.5 rounded up.
Шаманская какая-то движуха, но не Я РУССКИЙ
This one I have to review focused on A Very Cellular Song. This feels like maybe the world ended and you're a traveler. You come upon an old castle that probably meant something but now is inhabitanted by a strange group that have clearly lost their mind. They tell you how fortunate you are because today the boy king is unveiling his musical masterpiece. An epic of song and string the likes the world has ever known. Then they ramble on into madness and there's also a song about a minotaur where they're really excited that they keep finding words with bull in it. Not bad to listen to. It's like The Beatles and Moody Blues were brothers and they also had a third brother who didn't really do anything the other two hadn't done better.
So much jaw harp. Sounds like a disorganized family closet. Like some hippy wizards are trying to cast a low consequence spell on me. A spell to make me eat at least a spoon full of granola every year. Or a spell compelling me to wear patchwork clothes from this day forward, but not strongly.
Oli loitsua ja noitaa ja salaisuuksia ja keskiaikaa. Hyvä larppi. Jäispä joku melodia mieleenkin.
Music for 19th century Scottish peat farmers to take acid to. Add a half-star, as ISB was allegedly an influence on the early works of Led Zeppelin. Remove that half-star for their influence on Mumford and Sons.
I ironically love this. I already know of The Incredible String Band, and can never tell if it's intentionally or accidentally hilarious. It's so bad it's good, especially when the kazoo comes out. I haven't taken shrooms or acid for years, and this reminds me why.
Dad- 2 Mom- 3.5 Mike- 3 Lori- 3 Michael- 3.5 Miles- 2 Cole- 6 Avg- 3.29
Yeah too weird
This felt kind of rambling and meandering to me. Psychedelic folk seems like something I'd be into, but this one didn't work well for me.
Kinda just folksy nonsense. Sounds like people tripping on acid and just strumming chords randomly. Pleasant sound pallette, limited substance. 2.4/5
An okay album, I only really liked The Minotaur's Song.
Skyrim soundtrack unlocked
I did find merit in the mixture of genres including Indian, folk, psychedlic, Baroque, and medieval(?) music, but overall, I didn’t really enjoy the listening experience. I kind of just tumbled through it. It felt like a combination between early Pink Floyd music with the electric guitars removed and the lofi production of Smiley Smile. Very odd album, and definitely made that way. Just felt like a novel oddity of the times.
Mystical, whimsical ass album
Weird, trippy and authentically psychedelic. Also, not very good (vocals are particularly suspect) and it seems impossible that this could ever have been a hit, but maybe that's 1968 for you. The lesson seems to be that, If you're going to give your band such a name, really you should make better records.
Woof. I did not like this at all.
Who paid for this. Lol. I bet they all have rich parents. Incredible!
Nah. Too slow and plucky.
Delicious audio engineering. Too bad the music just isn't for me.
2/5, only because I've heard worse. They'll really let anybody put out an album, won't they?
Not really my thing style wise. I did enjoy the playing though.
no jaw harps on my playlists, sry
è tipo ironico? non mi piace.
These posers can take a hike
So bad it's good. I think The Minotaur's Song is the inspiration for Monty Pythons Lumberjack Song.
1. there - 1.5 2. zong - 1 3. uuithez - 1.5 4. cellular - 1.5 5. mercy - 1 6. moon - 1 7. uuater - 2 8. green - 1.5 9. uuind - 1 10. nightfall - 1.5
Not a fan
Borderline unlistenable at the beginning - Celtic hippie bullshit
At least it was original
2,5
there’s WAY too much psychedelia on this list, and this is middling at best
Fine! Just fine. Won't listen again
Witches Hat was an unpleasant listen. The cover picture for this album looks like a straight up cult living in a commune. Such a hippy look lol Overall decent album for the nostalgia. There were some good songs.
По мнению А: 2/5 По мнению С: 2/5 ИТОГОВАЯ ОЦЕНКА: 2/5 (05.02.2025)
Het is niet slecht, maar ik voel hem gewoon niet
I really wanted to like this, but I really couldn't.
I should have liked this record but found it mostly tedious. Only highlight: A Very Cellular Song.
Ok
too esoteric for me
2.5
This is what Neutral Milk Hotel sounds like to me
Welp, I heard that, so strange
Fascinating aesthetic but I would never put this on to actually listen to it though. I am confident I've tried listening to this before and couldn't get through it. I did this time, and I don't think I ever will again. I thought I liked 70's folk psychedelic, but this being a classic of the genre makes me reconsider. Truly unique sounding though and maybe it's more foundational than enjoyable. (5 known / 6 new)
Psychedelic folk - there's a new term. This sounds like a folk bad took a tonne of acid in the 60s and went to work. Not bad in any sense, but seems quite aimless. Mind you, that might be the point. Not really much to go back for though.
Meh
Never heard of this band...based upon the reviews I expected the worst album ever...but in fairness, I thougt it wasn't that bad at all...some songs could actually be a Beatles songs with some small rearrangements...decent vocals...sometimes the overload of sitar/other strings were too much for me...but what do you expect of a band calles The Incredible String Band...the name says it all...
Maybe you had to be there? Sounds terribly dated, and I didn’t find much here to my liking. But if the likes of Robert Plant, Paul Mccartney, and the Rolling Stones admire something, then it is surely something wonderful and can’t be all that bad. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-the-hangmans-beautiful?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
This album is a real weird one. I genuinely don’t know if this is earnestly made psychedelia, or if it is actually a parody of it. A band being called The Incredible String Band is a pretty funny name, but then again The Amazing Bongo Band are a genuine band, so who knows? Anyway, as far as the listening experience is concerned, I don’t think I’m much a fan of this. It was too zany and just left me feeling confused rather than anything else is I’m honest. Fair enough if you like this, but it isn’t my cup of tea.
Not for me
Best Song: A Very Cellular Song. If you're going to go hippie-experimental, at least go whole hog like this track. Worst Song: Witches' Hat. Ahh, I see we've dipped in the subgenre of psychedelia that can be best described as "being annoying, but musically". Overall: This would be an excellent album to listen to with a group of like-minded individuals, having just smoked any- and everything that grows in a square kilometer around us as we wait for the aliens to land. Your tummy starts to hurt but the Grand Poobah insists he sees something in the stars.
This was fine I guess! I won’t listen to it again but I wasn’t mad about it.
It is a 2 with mercy. The album has no arch. Three is a Green Crown saving this album from be a miserable earshit.
2.5
No, just no. Too weird
It’s not good, but it’s not the worst thing I’ve heard either
Unlistenable. Vocalist struggling with the range and generally unpleasant. Mad music.
Clearly a very influential album. I want to be around the kind of people that love it but I'm not one of them. The content all felt cliché and predictable once you realise you are listening to a Tolkein druid album
Couldn’t get into this. Too slow for me
Terrible, but mundane enough that it didn’t become a pain to listen to.
Not my cup of tea. Clickbait
Is it incredible tho?
Silly
If only I was into renaissance fairs...
I don't think I'm on enough drugs to enjoy this in its full capacity... Lyrics from 'A Very Cellular Song' (which is THIRTEEN MINUTES LONG, by the way): "Nebulous nearnesses cry to me at this timeless moment someone dear to me | Wants me near, makes me high, I can hear vibrations fly | through mangoes, pomegranates, and planes all the same | When it reaches me and teaches me to sigh" ............ wtf?? Is that a harpsichord??? A kazoo?? A recorder?? it does seem like everyone on the cover of this album is participating in the music here.
Definitely a piece of late 1960's psychedelia. Thankfully I will never have to listen to it again.
3.5/10
There's a vision, I don't know if I like it or if they fulfilled it, but it's definitely there. I don't know, it feels like a parody or smth When I finally feel like I'm vibing the fucking kazoo comes back; and those boings wtf are they! I feel like a wood nymph, or a fairy, or an elf idk.
I'm sure it's great. Many, many people say so. I don't like it.
Strange psychedelic folk music. I liked it but not sure I would go to it again
We krijgen weer een stevig stukje CKV voor de kiezen. Ik kan niet zeggen dat ik er op deze manier heel erg op zit te wachten. Twee violen, en een klavecimbel en een luit, als je dit album krijgt ben je nog niet jarig en de vlag die gaat niet uit. De grap is na een nummer of 2 wel gemaakt en dan heb je nog een heel eindje te gaan. 10 keer grofweg hetzelfde nummer. Een hele dikke meh van mijn kant.
Revolutionary hippie music for its time… Does not hold up sixty years later
Listened to before. Highlights: a very cellular song
That was a pleasant bike ride to work album
I found it uninteresting until A Very Cellular Song piqued my interest. To be honest, though, it was hard to maintain. Did the collective energies of the late 60s inspire a lot of this to the point of tedium? Others may find the psychiness profound, the experimentation daring, the spirituality inspiring, but it didn't work for this pedestrian. Perhaps on another day, but not this day.
I tried. The relevance of this one is totally lost on me. There was a Monty Python element to "The Minotaur's Song," which goes a long way to describe my reaction to the bulk of this material.
Weird, psychedelic hippie music.
All the markings of folk-psychedelia on display here: sitar - check, harpsichord - check, recorder/flute - check, kazoo - obviously. There is some complicated layering and the songs themselves are fine, but I really didn't find myself hooked in at any point other than the run from Three is a Gold Crown to the end of the album. I appreciate that someone appreciates this style of music, but it isn't really for me.
Was really hoping for some better shit for acid folk. I enjoyed the sitar in songs but rest was so meh. Not the worst but def a low 2.
This is some tripped out hippie shit.
For a person who's not into folk (e.g. me) this is not bad. I like the psychedelic style. It's almost like if a high on LSD John Lennon met Bob Dylan. Bad thing is, I despise Bob Dylan. Overall, not bad, but not for me.
A slightly awkward bit of 60s psychedelica. Reminded me a bit of Pink Floyd's first offering without the "this will end up being one of the greatest bands" aspect. Releived when it ended.
Folk rock, 60’er, lidt eksperimenterende
This record seems so lacking in self-awareness of its camp, it is practically gagging for parody. In fact, I'm quite sure it has been skewered someplace mercilessly, probably in something Christopher Guest wrote — it's giving "listen (shh!) to what the flower people say" in a major way. "Mercy I Cry City" and "Waltz of the New Moon" swooped in to rescue this from the lowest of the low.
Step 1: get sitar Step 2: take plenty of mushrooms and acid Step 3: walk into forest Step 4: cosplay as a joke band from the 14th century and/or skyrim Only gets a 2 because it was relatively pleasant in parts if you didn't actually pay attention 32/100
This album gives big Renaissance Fair energy.
oh that was all over the place, a real mess. I found little to enjoy in it. Everytime the guitar sounded nice or it had a good melody it would go off in some mega hippy way and I struggled. This being said it's a real time capsule of music though which I guess is nice.
I don’t know where to start. I’ve never listened to an album that’s made me want to collect a group of lads, slip on a few jazzy caftans and head to the woods to sacrifice a maiden. It actually almost made me excited about the idea. I mean, that had never even crossed my mind before this album. Powerful stuff! It also made me sing a made up song about Robert California for 4 hours. Really highs and lows and if I’m honest, quite confusing. 2.0
The musical embodiment of NPR taking too much LSD. Extremely experimental, equal parts folk, sea shanty, Sitar, psychedelic, and strongly Scottish vocals. Very of its time. Not for me.
What
Un poco rollo este folk.
This album reminds me of ending up at an after party full of pretentious drugged up wankers with acoustic guitars playing weird music that I just don’t understand. I’m glad when it’s time to leave.
I was born a generation after ISB’s glory days, but in my twenties I went through a hippie phase. I steeped myself in ISB for a few years, and even preformed some of their songs for friends on occasion (Chinese White at Christmas is a perfect song). Revisiting this album now though, from a sober, critical point of view, I find the first half a little grating. I hate to say it, but I was irritated. Even on the Minotaur’s Song, which I used to think was so fun and interesting, I’m just kind of over it. A Very Cellular Song takes the tactic of those before it on the album of having zero repeating structure, exploring and rambling to the point of incomprehension. My interest simply has nothing to grasp except for a poetic line here or there. I’m left wondering, what’s the point? The second half delves into very eastern-inspired sessions which reach for spiritual places, so I do feel some redemption there. But overall, I see this album as more of a snapshot of an era than an album I’d turn to for enjoyment. Maybe my opinion will change ten years on, but right now, I feel a bit curmudgeonly, like a parent forced to watch their child’s hour long self-produced play. I will say that the case of Licorice McKechnie’s disappearance is fascinating, and I’m surprised Netflix hasn’t run a deep-dive investigation documentary on her yet. I hope she’s alive out there, living a very normal life as someone’s very normal grandmother.
This was almost as weird as JD Vance
This is so 60s, and not in a good way. There were some parts where I thought that the vocalists might be tone deaf. But the instrumental arrangements were kinda cool I guess.
mmmmm I can't deny that the fall vibes were strong, but it was not for me. 1.5
one album. two questions. 1) why are so many "folk/americana" albums on this list from non-US musicians? this is a constraint of my music streaming app's set genres, sure, but it's curious 2) why are so many "folk/americana" albums on this list "trippy renn faire" folk and so few "phil ochs, barter economy, workers rights"
This is such a strange album. It sounds like complete nonsense most of the time. I think I'd need to take A LOT of drugs to enjoy this. I didn't completely hate it but I can't imagine a scenario which I would listen to it again.
I like weird. I like rough. This just felt unfinished. Recorders and kazoos and made up on the top of your head vocals don’t go well with unfinished.
I didn't really enjoy it, found it a bit repetitive and difficult to listen to. However, I think this is a case of it not being for me. I prefer the poppier end of the psychedlic folk spectrum. 2.5
Medieval
This album is weird and way too long
1.7/5 listened 1x while driving to Nashville with Ashley
Fader Folk mit experimentellen Einschüben, langweilig. **
Jeg tog pauser i det her lårt... Det er heldigvis et semi kort album. Dog stadig ret kedeligt.. Ikke det værste jeg har hørt, men jeg vil aldrig høre det her igen..
Not for me - stopped listening 2 tracks in
Thought I would like this more, but nope.
This was weird and not that fun to listen to.
Soooo weird but I like it.
An enjoyable listen but not something I will return to often
Always had a weak spot for "A very cellular song" but cannot stand the rest of the album.
I had strong associations with In an aeroplane over the sea by Neutral milk hotel. However, that is a fantastic album whereas this is ... well ... nearly unlistenable, especially toward the end. A very cellular song is ok so 2 stars.
Monty Python but not funny and dull
2/5 - suddenly the Arrested Development joke makes sense.
What is this? Prog folk?
Enjoyed the style at first but did become repetitive
It’s so fucking insane I was worried a South African was going to put a gravy boat up my anus. But far more interesting than half the stuff on this list. Obviously bad, and hard to listen to, but interesting.
oh god no
Hippie shit
Somehow the album is funny. The music fits the cover very well. A confused extended family crawls out of the forest and plays at a medieval festival. The vocals are not bad at all. The whole arrangement seems very amateurish and sounds thin. In fact, some of the harmonies remind me of the psychedelic passages and experimentation of some of the real greats of the time. Nevertheless, after playing a few tracks, I had had enough of the bumbling. 2/5
Wtf
there was some cool stuff but generally i didn’t love this. it gave me some Selling England by the Pound vibes but never as good
Super woodsy folk music, not all great. The rougher parts really pulled it down as a whole
Mjög spes. Hittir ekkert sérstaklega í mark hjá mér.
Over when the pawn?
J'ai l'impression d'écouter de la musique qui jouerait à un GN. Ça fait beaucoup trop troubadour médiéval. C'est monotone et je ne comprends pas ce qu'il y a de mémorable à cet album. 4/10
un ascolto innegabilmente difficile, ma non come altre volte. e se non altro è particolare. e immagino che la quantità di droghe pesanti consumate durante la creazione di questo album sia sufficiente a mandare in overdose l'intera popolazione di un piccolo stato. yolo, i guess?
too folky for me, bad lyrics, bad vocals
Was this a joke? It isn't funny
Now I truly understand why folks hated hippies in the 60's. If there was a good singer amongst this merrily annoying band of Scots, I might have given this 3*s. But nope! 2 it is. Fight me.
a whole album that sounds like the cast of monty python after smoking a serious amount of grass. don't get it.
"A fish on a dish is that what you wish". OK, I think I really needed to listen this album to find at last my most profound need. Or perhaps it just shows how good 'shrooms were back in the day. There are also deep universal truths as "amoebas are very small". OK, enough laugh. The album is really dated, the usage of middle-eastern or asian instruments is really typical of this period. It has a characteristic folk sound, and that's not my favourite flavor of folk. The way the singer sings is also pretty annoying. It may have been influencial, but I found it pretty difficult to listen to.
Sounds like 60s weed. Kind of like Donovan but not good. Swift as the Wind was a standout song that the end of was okay.
Incredible no. Average yes. Today it be hard for them to find work anywhere but the local ren fair.
I'm not familiar with this band or album, but a psychedelic folk album with a user score of 2.14 and a song that's over 13 minutes? This is going to be an adventure! This album turned out to be about what I expected based on what I knew heading into it. I can't think of anything painful I'd rather have inflicted on my anus than listening to this album, but I'd definitely say I didn't enjoy this. I can appreciate the ambition that went into dreaming up this album, and the work that went into crafting these uniquely strange folk songs. I think the songwriting here is a little above average when it comes to the lyrics; sure, some of it is pretty goofy, but I imagine that Robin Williamson intended it to be goofy in parts. Musically though, I thought this album was a mess. With lyrics like this, I would have imagined that the sound would have been a bit more dream-like and softer, but this album really didn't have any good melodies that matched the feeling of the lyrics. I think the sitar was used way too much, and that this album would have benefited from some softer string sounds, like a harp or a lute, or just an acoustic guitar. I really hated the usage of the jaw harp too; it felt completely out of place to have its twang peppered throughout this album. The only parts of this album that I enjoyed musically were the first and last movements of "A Very Cellular Song." While this album wasn't to my liking, I'm still glad that I can say I got to experience it and form my own opinion. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a few things that this album made me think of as I was listening to it: -You could have told me that this album was made as part of a Christopher Guest movie, and I would have believed you without even looking it up. -This album sounds like something Bob Belcher of Bob's Burgers would have in his collection, and there'd be an episode where he somehow finds himself trying to mend relationships in the band so they can put on a reunion show. -I half expected this album to feature the Tom Bombadil song from Portlandia.
One star for music, an additional star for band name (a bit of a stretch!) and album name (very creative!)
Not my favourite. The first half of the record I was kinda with them - the pseudo-medieval lute-poet vibe was 'a thing' for a while and I was trying to catch their drift. But they lost me on the second half of the record and overall it's about 2-3 times longer than it should be. I don't know why this would be considered an 'essential listen' really...? but FWIW I'm glad I had the one listen. I'm sure I'll never put this on again though.
2 - Okay, at first, I didn't really get why this was so low rated on here. I thought people were just being dramatic. I had even listened to snippets and thought, "well, that's not too bad. I kinda like it, even." But, uh, this sort of annoyed me at points, and I actively listen to annoying music, so I can't imagine how the average person would react to this. It's not all bad, but any moments I care about drowned out by the moments I don't like. There's just not enough here to hook me and help me get past the oddities of this album. If I only listened to one song off of this record, it'd probably be more forgiving towards it, but having to listen to the whole album wore me down and left me dying for it to finally finish.
I gotta say, this was week with the listen. So fucking bizarre. I really enjoyed this, but alas never again.
Its both awesome and terrible. Few can do that. I couldn't help but sing along to The Minotaur. If more of the album was like that it would have been better. Apparently if you had access to a Sitar in 1968 it was required to be put on the record whether you're any good playing it or not. They're not. This really dragged on making me look forward to it finally ending
#tooktoomuch
Nuts And not in a great way
Did not care for this. Maybe I was in the wrong mood or something.
Hilarious... Pretty sure they weren't trying to be funny as they were too busy kidnapping drifters and forcing them to watch while they pranced around wearing the masks and silly hats on the album cover and singing these songs. Hope that dog's okay. The drifters surely aren't.
a very cellular song
The Incredible String Band is a Celtic folk band that would pair well with early Pink Floyd. This is a folksy side of early psychedelia: a string band with pan flutes, a harpsichord, a sitar, and lyrics with a noticeable Irish brogue. The songs are amusing, but quirky - interesting, but not an album that I will be drawn to listen to again.
2 1/2 stars
Hmm iwie hani ned ganz soo chöne vibe demit
Day67 - that was weird
If you're finding this album profound and deep, your immediate future will involve having your stomach pumped and that little wooden box you keep your stash in hidden by a loved one. Odd enough I can't give it an egg, but very much a far more effective warning about the dangers of drugs than any group of jobbing actors touring schools could ever give
bro I'm having a bad day this is NOT helping. weird shit but bonus for trying okay 2/5
I'm not really sure what this album was. In the 60s with some recreational substance this may have made sense but I was just confused!
left it halfway sorry
not doing this for 50 minutes
C'était bof.
3/10
Very traditional folk, not with any rock leanings like Fairport Convention. A bit too traditional and old fashioned for me.
Thinks so bad
Ich bin aktuell irgendwie nicht offen dafür, "neue" Musik kennenzulernen und mich drauf einzulassen. Dadurch verliere ich nach wenigen Songs total die Motivation und bin das Album dann nach 4 Tracks nur im Snippet durchgerauscht. Hat mich leider trotzdem nicht abgeholt..
One point for creativity
Oh, my head, this was a bit of a slog to get through. This album is a colorful, strange exploration of psychedelic folk, not without a certain sweetness and humor. But I honestly can't pick out a song I would want to hear again. Probably won't listen again (and I really can't see giving this better than a 2), but I give ISB credit for doing something unique. Fave Songs: Witches Hat, Koeeoaddi There, A Very Cellular Song, The Water Song
Meh, not my cup of tea. Going for baroque
2/5. The 13 minute long song is the best one on here but everything else is definitely boring or just bad music. Like, I do understand that it was definitely interesting to listen to but I will need several drugs to “get it.” Trying the George Harrison treatment, just not working exactly. Wish this was better, enjoy the vibe just not good, nothing more to say, but I do really like the cellular song.
Nonsense music.
ig: @musicwithnessa
The Pretty Mediocre and Sometimes Sleepy String Band. I can appreciate what this album is attempting, and in a lot of ways, I actually enjoy the idea of it. But in execution, it just falls kind of flat. The use of experimental instrumentation (especially for '68) sounds like something that would've inspired the Elephant 6 Collective, and the odyssey of songwriting on tracks like A Very Cellular Song is ambitious as hell. I just could've used a little more pizzazz, a little more pop.
Playful psych folk with lush orchestral backings where everyone's doing their own thing. It's not very enjoyable while sober, fairly exhausting and messy, but I'll try paying attention the lyrics when I'm high. His voice does get tiring but I do like the style. Favorites: Koeeoaddi Theme, Three is a Green Crown
I wonder what the weather was like on their planet... I'm sure it was quite enjoyable if you'd smoked ALL of the weed... But I hadn't...
Un poco rollo este folk.
Wow, this was pretty irritating. Whenever I want to give something a 1 though I have to think, is it as bad as Aerosmith pump?
😩
Cosa ci può essere di meglio di un gruppo folk scozzese che fa psichedelia?!? Non sono arrivata al secondo ascolto 😵💫
Not my bag. Just sounds like a day walking around with me saying random words and thought, but now someone put weird music behind it.
Creepy folky. Variety of middle east instruments with vocals
Canciones con aspiración espiritual y experimentales en las que The Incredible String Band utilizan instrumentos como el sitar, la mandolina, el calvicordio o la flauta de pan entre otros. En sus letras incorpora elementos culturales orientales procedente de la India. Podría decirse que todo el disco es un florido ejercicio de "hippismo" orientalizante mezclado con elementos clasicistas que sorprende pero, al menos en mi caso, no apasiona.
Acid folk. Se me ha hecho muy pesado. Un 2.
Un poco rollo este folk.
I see why this Album is included in this list. In '68, it was surely a groundbreaking mix of folk, psych, and world music that inspired many many acts. That said, it sounded dated to me, and I did not enjoy it.
Echt alsof mijn koortsdroom op muziek is gezet
Vast heel leuk met de boys van de cult naast het kampvuur maar nu echt vreselijk
Lijkt wel op die meme muziek. Klinkt een beetje bij elkaar geraapte muziek. Weet niet wie dit in de 1001 albums die je gehoord MOET hebben heeft gegooid, was veel beter af geweest zonder dit gehoord te hebben.
Just want my scene. Whimsical, silly songs set to jaunty tunes.
Rather too earnest and certainly too much kazoo, let alone the other weirdnesses contained within.
Started out surprisingly strong, but gradually became unlistenable. 2⭐️
Didn't do it for me. Too much random 60s psychadelia. There are definitely some highlights, but they don't last anywhere near long enough.
Not great. Should be much better
Jännä tapaus, välillä kiehtovaa ja odottamatonta menoa ja välillä taas menettää otteensa kokonaan. Ehkä näitä jälkimmäisiä hetkiä oli vähän liikaa, että voisin väittää levystä tykkääväni. Mahdollisesti arvostan iän karttuessa enemmän.
go away
I wasn’t really feeling this until the segment from 0:45-2:40 on “A Very Cellular Song.” It’s a 13-minute suite but that little stretch there sounds like something I might hear on a Paul Simon or Vampire Weekend album. The rest of the track is more in line with the other songs — heavy on British folk and old medieval-sounding melodies. (There’s gotta be a better word than medieval for this sound but that’s always what it makes me think of.) “Mercy I Cry City” has a little touch of that Paul Simon sound again. A little Bob Dylan too (especially with the harmonica). Those flashes of modern style drew me in but the emphasis on older styles and structures kept the music at a distance. A lot of songs incorporate psychedelia into the music and I guess that's the modern edge here. But when the base song is still rooted in older, baroque genres, I can find the music grating.
It's kind of experimental and interesting at times but at the core of it's sound is a sound that doesn't really jive with me. I don't love the singer's tone or delivery at all. I'm really finding this to be a pretty annoying record to listen to. I feel like I tend to find most if not all music valuable to some extent and I can find some kind of beauty in it but I just find this to be erratic, directionless, and at times a chore to listen to.
Weird
Sometimes hippies make great music. Not this time. They're just being hippies.
Ok
Acid folk. Se me ha hecho muy pesado. Un 2.
I had heard good things about this album before, but upon listening, I was pretty disappointed. They have some interesting things going on, but overall I found the album to be a bit annoying.
Weird but not bad. Some ok songs or song but some weird trippy medieval folk stuff.
Find this a decent folksy and psychedelic album. Something you would hear at a Renaissance Festival. I think this album would be best served with a few edibles and a glass of mead.
If you ever wondered what Bob Dylan would sound like if he was a bard in the Middle Ages, here’s your chance. I think you have to be a certain kind of high to really enjoy this album. 2/5 Won’t listen again
awdoawd
A long, long time ago, and in a galaxy far far away psychedelic folk may have been a popular genre. This music seems very quaint and very very out there today. Perhaps if I grew up listening to Scottish Folk music it would have given me more reference points to get a toe hold. But when you hear unfamiliar stuff like this you it makes you think and it gives you a bit of discomfort but that’s a healthy reaction and it’s helped me discover many new music genres. Nevertheless, it was very difficult to get into this. In particular Swift as the wind was pretty unsettling.
Wasn’t sure if the band was a parody band or not. I had to look it up on song 2 because it sounded like a joke.
Eh. Very 60's hippy-dippy. Lots of flowing vocals and Indian instrumentals. Couldn't really distinguished from other albums of similar musical styles, but that might just be because it's not my scene.
I can see how this was revolutionary at the time, and how it influenced music, but it sounded dated to me.
Es una especie de folk extraño.
Too campy for me
Celtic folk tunes. It's cool in its own way, but I can't listen to an entire hour of it.
Didn’t really get it. I’m sure from some perspectives it is amazing. I’m just not sure what perspective that is.
yeah no
interesting listen with a lot of irish influence! nothing i listen in the regular but i respect it
Mouth organ playing alongside a sitar to underlying celtric folk tunes makes for a bizarre listening experience. Perhaps an influence on Comus although less demented. The eclectic mix of instruments seems to get in its own way sometimes, with the occasional fife coming in to play what sounds like a different song. Three is A Green Crown is probably my favorite track on the album.
First impression: it sounds like if John Lennon grew up in a small town. Yeah, I can understand why this was really popular in the late 60s. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I love the combination of psychedelic and folk. Kind of wish the singer wouldn't push the bottom of his range so much. He sounds much better in the mid and upper ranges of his voice. The low stuff ends up losing a lot of his nice tonality. And as soon as I typed that out, he hit that really beautiful low note on Nightfall.
I wanted to like this, but all the pitchy tones and excessive jangle just wore on me
Nope
Psychedelic folk is not my thing. Listened once and didn't enjoy it. Mythological trippy folk just wasn't what my ear was looking for.
This was a struggle to get through for 49 minutes. At times felt like a joke.
I was distracted a lot while listening but mostly I was like “this is a lot” and was okay being distracted
Stop trying to kill me!
Mad. Mixtures of prog folk and psych.
I appreciate the sentiment of experimentation and psychedelia, although it did not pan out so pleasingly here. I liked more tracks, but they felt a little stale. Better luck next time. 2/5
L'acid folk és un d'aquells géneres necessàriament minoritaris. No he pogut penetrar ni en un sol dels discos etiquetats sota aquest paraigües. No només són imprenetrables, sinó que a més et deixen amb un maldecap intens, per més breu que sigui la seva escolta. Conglomerat d'influencies que abarquen rock, psicodèlia, jazz i, obviament, el folk més tradicional, la suma de tot plegat és un batiburret que sona a tot i a la vegada no sona a res. El disc que ens ocupa és un perfecte exemple de tot l'anterior. Hippie en tota la seva extensió, rural i pretesament bucòlic, deu ser un fill molt propi del seu lloc i moment, perquè escoltat en ple 2023, no pot sonar més desfasat i obviable
Es un embole. Musica antigua con sitares y eso. Tiene alguna safadita.
Ikkje for meg. Kan setta pris på de psykedeliske elementene, men blir for masse erketypisk britisk sånn ellers
I think when you put the word Incredible in your band name, you’d better bring it. And I don’t think “use a lot of sitar” really gets you there. Also this is our second day of use of flute and let me just say, as a former flute player, no thank you.
60s hippies playing weird, but not always bad, folksy/medieval/psych music
Couldn't listen this one to the end. Pretty boring for me and nothing especial
Not for me
Each song is in an 'ok' world of its own. But as a collective on an album devoid of talent and creativity.
Not a fan of this one.
Bit too hippy for me.
You know, it's rare that I encounter an album that I instantly dislike as much as this album. I'm generally not a folk person, and I'm especially not a this-kind-of-folk person. A lot of these songs sound like Monty Python songs that were cut when they realized they forgot to put jokes in. I will say that the album starts to pick up around A Very Cellular Song, though that only lasts for a few tracks, and then we're back in the doldrums Reading about it, I guess I can understand why this album is significant, but listening to it, I just don't understand at all. Looking at the other reviews of this album, it seems like lots of other people felt the same. It's either 5 stars or 1. 2/5 There were moments that I thought this was okay, but otherwise this is the type of album that we should probably destroy every copy of for the advancement of the human species
The most psychedelic album so far on this list, for better or worse. Erratic sounds, every instrument you could have think of was used, many types of vocal. It wasn't really something that I was enjoying, or I would be enjoying in the future. Let's just forget about this album and move on.
I owned this on vinyl back in the day. They were supposed to be part of the new English folk movement. But where Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Pentangle and others were doing great memorable music, these guys were doing hippy wanking. Embarrassing - I could only stand to listen to the first 6 or 7 tracks.
conceptually interesting, but mostly annoying
Wow, full-on folk psychedelia! I wouldn’t have made it past the first couple of tracks, except that I was preparing a D&D encounter with pixies & faeries so now I have a complete soundtrack and extracts of lyrics…for a band of pixies who have been exiled for their lack of tunefulness!
Not as bad as the review make it out to be but also just not that interesting or remarkable
Some songs were pretty good
dude....
Uh, some shrooms and D&D going on while this was written.
It's not nearly as tight as Beefheart, and the choice of instruments is based on earl-blind admiration, but the album has to be received in the same way. Technically, it is just performance art after all. Never really pleasant or funny or beautiful, but there are those ghosts and more flying around. The mind deserves a fair shot at this, or else will be damaged beyond repair. Too late now.
Imagine if Pete Seeger had taken acid and decided to emulate Renaissance music with sitars instead of being an activist.
I've never encountered music in which the sound is in such tight alignment with what the band members look like. If Chat GPT had to come up with hippy music, I think it would be this. It's folksy and light-hearted - I'm not sure I could see myself ever voluntarily listening to this album again. HOWEVER, during summer mornings and afternoons, my family sometimes sits out on our porch and we let the kids run amok for about an hour while my wife and I try to relax. I feel like this music would reflect that vibe perfectly. 2.5 stars.
Disco un tanto conceptual con reminiscencias étnicas, que no me ha aportado nada y que considero muy experimental
I'm sure this was probably influential on future artists, but it honestly sounds like a bunch of hippies with string instruments got super high in the 60s because that was exactly what it was. That being said, props for the experimentalism.
Rating: 5/10
lol
A Cellular Song is good... Everything else is either ignorable or of it's own time and place.
Psychedelic folk music just doesn’t work for me. It’s not bad but I don’t want these genres combined.
Probably too ambitious for its own good. Unless so little thought was put into this that it became a sound collage. I can't tell which scenario is more likely. I like the section with "And We Bid You Goodnight" because the Grateful Dead do this song too and it was nice to latch on to something familiar while listening to this album. Would not listen again.
Weird… but not in a good way. Some songs were ok, but overall pretty bad.
Uuuuh
Well, this is annoying as hell. Some parts here and there are interesting, like some parts of "A Very Cellular Song" or the song "Witches Hat". Most of it sound like hippie minstrels that took too much drugs and decided to play multiple instruments that they don't really master. It reminded me a little bit of the annoying pirate that nobody likes at the beginning of Spongebob Squarepants. bling bling bling 3/10
Not very good at all.It’s all just bad or mediocre tbh.Not a single good riff,vocals range from mediocre to bad.Nothings super interesting.Just boring “world music” which I guess means bad folk.the only reason I’m not giving it a 1 is because it was never horrible to my ears.Just really boring and bad.there was an 11 minute song but I didn’t notice when it ended or began because the album is so monotonous.Not good.Dull.
Drone folk music with unusual instrumental choices - sitars and harpsichord with pan flutes. It really wasn’t my jam. It reminded me of torturous open mics I’ve sat through in the past
I can see this album has received a lot of shade. I went into listening to it with an open mind, and it's not terrible. But equally it begins to get a bit nauseating and is not really my thing.
Grappige folk muziek. Klinkt wel echt beetje als die ierse dronken bar nummer gemixt met elven muziek. Klonk ook wel wijs met zinnen als ‘water is the wizard of change’. Ga dit alleen nooit meer luisteren
Het is slecht… maar niet slecht slecht. Dit album klinkt als een parodie op jaren 60 psych. Ik kan niet beoordelen of het serieus of, of oprecht een grap. Bij A very cellular song kreeg ik toch een glimlach op m’n gezicht omdat het zo absurd is, maar ik moet zeggen dat ik het niet af geluisterd heb
Lots of great music came out of the late 60s British psychedelic/folk scene (notably Fairport Convention that gave us Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny and Ian Matthews, as well as Pentangle and others). Sadly, this band doesn't fit into that description. Terrible stuff - just because you're following an older folk tradition doesn't make your music interesting.
Not really.
Trippy, hippie, all the way. Somewhere between a nice tab of orange sunshine and the brown acid from Woodstock. Some of the songs were pleasantly minstrelesque and others made me think that voracious worms were crawling under my skin. Ultimately, I think the worms won.
Jeetje. Dus zo klinkt psychedelische folk.
1.5 if I could. Seriously considered a 1.
"Hogwash" - Boomer "Dogwater" - Zoomer
Kind of rough as individual tracks, if they were seperate, they would almost all be 1s. As a unit, the overall experience becomes more enjoyable, closer to 3. So let's meet in the middle.
Like a very very bad Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. They must’ve been smoking some strong heather in the highlands whilst they record this…!
Some parts were enjoyable - some parts completely unlistenable. 'Incredible' might be over-egging it somewhat
1.5/5 weird psychedelic folk. interesting concept but not enjoyable to listen to
Hippie nonsense.
You can tell that there is some good musicianship here, but this album is basically psychedelic nonsense - and there are other works contemporary to this that are more musical/convincing. I think this has its place, but it is mostly going to be a 60s novelty.
lol
Absolutely bonkers, sounds a bit like when kids make up words to annoying songs they have to sing. But it is so gloriously ridiculous I'm glad it exists
Parece fortemente ser importante e bem desenvolvido.
4/10. This is like alternate universe Bob Dylan where he kinda sucks
Hahaha fuck this. 3/10
Not incredible. I don’t recall hearing a many strings, either.
I’ve seen too many horror cult movies where someone ends up as the sacrifice, burnt or slaughtered with this type of folk music gently playing over the top…..so as you can imagine not an easy listen for me.
6/20/2022 - ALBUM #144 https://open.spotify.com/album/168tPkaBJZKYxSrWDo4n1h?si=kUR1gj6pSEyS-6XqmlrZNg&utm_source=copy-link Today's Album: "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" by The Incredible String Band - At first, this album seems very bad. The way each idea is presented makes it have this really disjointed feel to it, despite the pretty consistent medieval tone the whole project has. I think however, there are a few things to like about this album. The vocals to start, have a really nice and down-to-earth tone to them that give the whole thing a really solid folky foundation. The strings, like I said, usually stick to this sound that makes me feel like I'm in some sort of Renaissance stage show and although it can be pretty obnoxious at times with a twangy sitar and deep chorus vocals, there are a lot of moments per track that start to sound fairly decent before things are switched up. These kinds of switch up are very abrupt, with not only the instrumentals, but also the vocasl taking almost 180 degree turns from one tempo or feel to another and it has to be one of the weakest aspect to this record. The tracks that have a decent tune at first are usually ruined pretty quickly by a burst of random experimentation and it just makes this very difficult to have as a casual listen. However, this album isn't much better on a closer inspection as it is very difficult to follow to overall flow of each song. I think this album can kind of be summed up as a collection of string-oriented tracks that were constructed and most likely performed under a heavy dose of psychedelics. I'm all for acts that take inspiration from drug usage, but wow this really just gets too in the weeds and masturbatory for me to ever really find it enjoyable for more than a few minutes. Overall, this is a pretty impressive psychedelic renaissance-folk album, but it's flaws make it pretty difficult to enjoy in any capacity. Give this one a listen if you want to hear something unlike anything you've heard before and I'm sure you'll come out of the experience either hating this album or loving it. Highlights: A Very Cellular Song Score: 5/10 Very compelling, but pretty unlistenable, psychedelic-folk
Psychedelic ... folk?!? I gues this must have been quite the rage in the late 60s, and I have to admit I was strangely fascinated upon hearing it. Still, I'm probably not going to listen to this again, it doesn't speak to me as much as to the generation it was intended for. 2/5
First listen made me want to tear my ears off. Folk is not my favorite genre of music from the 60s. Second listen... Didn't get any better. It isnt' bad, but not anything I'd probably ever enjoy. 2/5
the album as a whole minus A very cellular song isn't very good 2.5
Another wild one. I feel like I’m at a medieval musical theater show. Some of the songs were alright, some were barely listenable due to the vocals being kind of awful. Interrelating to say the least, but overall wasn’t really feeling it. 4/10
Didn't enjoy it that much
well boring
That was a tough listen. Seems like they went out of their way trying to incorporate new instruments and timing throughout each of the songs.
I used to think our cultural distaste for the hippie movement was an overreaction. Then I listened to this album.
Strewth. Kill me now.
A bit downtempo and acoustic for my tastes - there are several interesting vocal touches on choruses, but not enough to keep things from getting stale across the 40-minute runtime. That being said, this hardly deserves to be one of the lowest globally rated albums in the project given some other LPs I’ve heard…
The individual components of vocals and instruments I enjoy, but the collective was so unorganized and sounded very annoying. It was hard to listen to despite being in its components all the things I enjoy.
I’m starting to question the individual who has decided so many albums must’ve heard before I die 😂
This album came out right around when Genesis was forming. You can tell there are storytelling elements in here shared by both bands, but this band is a little more eclectic. Did I think there'd be an album in here with jawbone? Nope.
Not sure about this at all. Not quite awful but pretty fucking close. Mad as a bag of fridges.