S.F. Sorrow

What if the Beatles were from Kent? But they still wrote Sgt. Peppers? But nobody cared and they never got famous?

Imagine if the Beatles, Syd Barret-era Floyd, Wall-era Floyd, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard got together to drop acid and make a concept album. Loved it.

"Through dark forrrests of my myyyind" sings Phil May on I See You, attempting to enter a higher plane via excruciating vocal affect. Truly bottom of the barrel stuff and another flabbergasting inclusion on the list. I feel like I'm being deliberately tested.

Absolutely blown away by this phenomenal album I had not heard of until today. A blend of Sgt peppers, Early Who, Pink Floyd, the Kinks and many other bands I can't think of right now. Definitely peak 60s psychedelia. It reminds of a less pretentious Tommy with a big focus on sound.

Who could ever have thought, going back to the Pretty Things' first recording session in 1965 -- which started out so disastrously that their original producer quit in frustration -- that it would come to this? The Pretty Things' early history in the studio featured the band with its amps seemingly turned up to 11, but for much of S.F. Sorrow the band is turned down to seven or four, or even two, or not amplified at all (except for Wally Allen's bass -- natch), and they're doing all kinds of folkish things here that are still bluesy enough so you never forget who they are, amid weird little digressions on percussion and chorus; harmony vocals that are spooky, trippy, strange, and delightful; sitars included in the array of stringed instruments; and an organ trying hard to sound like a Mellotron. Sometimes one gets an echo of Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn or A Saucerful of Secrets, and it all straddles the worlds of British blues and British psychedelia better than almost any record you can name. The album, for those unfamiliar, tells the story of \"S.F. Sorrow,\" a sort of British Everyman -- think of a working-class, luckless equivalent to the Kinks' Arthur, from cradle to grave. The tale and the songs are a bit downbeat and no amount of scrutiny can disguise the fact that the rock opera S.F. Sorrow is ultimately a bit of a confusing effort -- these boys were musicians, not authors or dramatists. Although it may have helped inspire Tommy, it is, simply, not nearly as good. That said, it was first and has quite a few nifty ideas and production touches. And it does show a pathway between blues and psychedelia that the Rolling Stones, somewhere between Satanic Majesties, \"We Love You,\" \"Child of the Moon,\" and Beggars Banquet, missed entirely. [This CD reissue on Snapper adds four valuable songs from their 1967-1968 singles (\"Defecting Grey,\" \"Mr. Evasion,\" \"Talkin' About the Good Times,\" and \"Walking Through My Dreams\"). This version of \"Defecting Grey\" is the original, long, uncut five-minute rendition, and not of trivial importance; it's superior to the shorter one used on the official single.]

"Mom can we get some Tommy?" "We have Tommy at home." Tommy at home: [Yes I know this came out first, I still prefer Tommy]

Beat and easy psych vibes. This feels like pre-Beatles and doors weirdness. Very good stuff here

I wrote a very in depth review of this and forgot to save it. Psychedelic rock opera with a wild stereo mix

On paper, “S. F. Sorrow” should have been an easy win for me. Some years ago, 1960’s psychedelia became my gateway into alternative music: I devoured Beatles, Floyd, Hendrix, and a collection of more esoteric singles (“Pictures of Matchstick Men”, “Incense and Peppermints”, “The American Metaphysical Circus”…) There are echoes of all of those in this confounding album by The Pretty Things, but ultimately, they fail to crystallise into a successful, cohesive album. “S. F. Sorrow” is lauded by some as an early concept album, ahead of its time in presenting a full narrative within the rock album format. Great! So, what’s its story? Well, as far as I can make out (with a lot of help from Google), a young idealist is born in the early 20th century, idly dreams for days that will never come, endures heartbreak, the horror of the First World War, and alienation in New York, and ends up giving up on all his dreams. …I know. Jeez. The idea isn’t bad. The songs aren’t terrible. But in truth, never have I heard such a promising concept dragged through the mud by shambolic execution. Namely, the production here is among the worst I’ve heard in the 1001 canon, rendering the whole thing essentially unlistenable. Drums are all too often reduced to a single snare, cymbal or dry handclap. Hard and hammy stereo panning frequently places vocals on one side and all instruments on the other, separating everything into different galaxies without a shred of cohesion. Occasionally, hooks rise up through the fog to signify an album worthy of further listens. The propulsive beat of “Balloon Burning”; the jagged noise of “Old Man Going”; the full-throated chorus of “Baron Saturday”. Most of all, the melodies of “Trust” curl by in dreamy wisps of cloud, rendering it the standout track and the only one I consider worth revisiting. And there’s a surprising moment at the very end: the sweet and melancholy “Loneliest Person”, sounding like a direct forerunner of Green Day’s “21 Guns”. Ambition is always commendable, and I appreciate The Pretty Things for stepping up to the plate here. But while they echo the British psychedelic boom, with definite shades of Barrett-era Floyd (chorus of “I See You”) or the more out-there work by the Kinks, it just never materialises into anything convincing, exciting or moving.

Cooler than I expected. Very fun listen. Lots of noises. Very sensory. Definitely one of the most creative albums I’ve listened to thus far. They really go all over the place with instrumentation

Pete Townsend states that this album did not influence Tommy, but I’m very skeptical. Not only that, but the storyline here shares a lot with Pink Floyd’s the Wall which came out 12 years after SF Sorrow. This album seems right place right time but doesn’t seem to have the influence that Sgt. Pepper or Tommy have. After listening to it, I really am not sure why. This album is musically very interesting and combines psychedelia with proto punk, possibly proto metal, and various experimental soundscapes. Sonically, this album pushes the limits to the point where the Pretty Things had to mime the album during a live performance because it was too complex to recreate live. I’ll keep thinking about this album for a while.

they discovered audio panning and by god they're gonna use it 1.5

Initial thoughts: This is some poorly recorded psychedelia. The pans between left and right are so harsh and the instrumentation filling those hard pans is so reedy and light that it actually induces nausea. Getting everything hard left with a single snare on the right with vocals dead centre is an abomination. These are not enjoyable songs, at all.

The best. By which I mean, I consider SF Sorrow the pinnacle of British psychedelia and comfortably in my top ten albums of all time. Sure, parts of it are in thrall to the Beatles, but the range, invention, ambition and imagination on display mitigates against the odd bit of borrowing. Highlights? The entire thing. It operates as an undivided whole. Sadness, madness, poignancy, absurdity - it's all here.

Produced by a guy who worked on Sgt Pepper and cited as the main influence for Tommy? That alone would interest me, but this album is just fantastic on its own. Psychedelic and catchy AND a rock opera. I love it. The stereo panning is a bit much at many points so I definitely prefer mono but that's my only real complaint.

This is the great album! The best one I never listen before for the time being! Tommy's (by The Who) structure (and sound) is really similar to this album. So, influence is obvious.

This record triggers a Pavlovian response to turn on, tune in and drop out. All-World Tier One psychedelic rock opera. When I discovered this record, 30 years after its initial release, it made the world feel a little bit bigger in a very exciting way that something this awesome could escape my attention for that long. The Pretty Things are perhaps the best 60s British band that never really made it in America. Maybe the very first concept album, and it's a bummer of a concept, which is impressive in its own way and may be why it never reached broader acclaim. I will take it over The Who's Tommy seven days a week. So many great tunes on here I don't know where to begin, except at the beginning and playing through to the end. SF Sorrow is Born!

Excellent, classic.

I AM LOVING THIS. So-so start. But She says good morning, private sorrow, absolute bops! Guitar riffs are superb.

Psychedelic rock opera that sounds like it was recorded at Abbey Road Studios during the Summer of Love (because it was). Some of the distortion-based experiments didn't work, but this is a great album that was a joy for me to discover. Best track: Bracelets of Fingers

I’m not sure quite how to rate this. It has a lot going for it that I enjoy. But I listened to it in headphones, and the stereo was shockingly bad. I almost quit on that alone. I think if I’d listened to it in mono I would have probably loved it. So, I’m not sure how to rate it: High because of the potential, or low because of the actual? This is already one of my longest reviews and I’ve said actually nothing. Fine. I’ll go with a four and call it good.

A Beatlesque psychedelic album that reminded me of Tame Impala at times. Good listen. 3.5 stars.

FINALLY IT GIVES ME ONE I KNOW yeah this is good

Once you get past the far too blatant influences—there's an unfathomable amount of irony knowing their lead singer accused the Who of ripping off their record when they LITERALLY recorded "Baron Saturday" at Abbey Road—S.F. Sorrow has his moments. It wasn't gripping enough for me to really follow the overarching narrative beyond the inevitable "he's sad about a girl," and the stereo mix of the album is so distractingly terrible with its excessive panning and artifacts that the band themselves prefer the mono mix (there are parts in "I See You" that made me think my headphones were being jostled loose), but there were a handful of energetic tracks that made me take notice. Another one for the "more historically relevant than entertaining" file, but at least the Key Tracks are especially key this time. Just make sure you go out of your way and find the mono version. Key Tracks: Bracelets of Fingers, Balloon Burning, Old Man Going

Nr. 25/1001 S.F. Sorrow Is Born 4/5 Bracelets Of Fingers 4/5 She Says Good Morning 4/5 Private Sorrow 4/5 Ballon Burning 2/5 Death 2/5 Baron Saturday 3/5 The Journey 3/5 I See You 3/5 Well of Destiny 1/5 Trust 4/5 Old Man Going 3/5 Lonliest Person 3/5 Defecting Grey 2/5 Mr. Evasion 1/5 Talkin' About The Good Times 2/5 Walking Through My Dreams 3/5 Average: 2,82 Beatles - esque sound. Just lacks the elaborate songwriting you would find in an actual Beatles album

Beatles ripoff (complimentary)

We have beatles at home

1968 Rock, eine der ersten Rockopern, nicht ganz mein geschmack

You probably need to be on acid to really enjoy this album. It's got a few decent tracks, the others are too far out there for my taste.

sounds vaguely like lsd era beatles but not as good.

- 60s Britpop - to be fair I never really enjoy this sound - but this album did nothing to change my mind

I'm happy to have listened to what's considered the first concept album, but this is some lesser 60's pop rock and this list is chock full of lots of the same. My burnout of more of the same from this era is definitely affecting my rating here.

really good rock opera, comparable to the beatles

Great Album and Band.

Fun diverse album

How quickly we forget our influences, dammed to a corner, walled off from the universal march toward rapture. How wonderful it must be to experience it all at all, just for a little while.

Love this album, and relish the excuse to listen to it this evening.

obra maestra

Weird and good!! Beatles vibes. Low 9

this is good the segues are immaculate balance is a little weird though sometimes I can’t hear what the lyrics are

an unexpected gem. Sounds like the Beatles.

Nice 5/5

Brilliant psychedelic concept album - totally inspired Tommy and The Wall.

For ten weeks now, number three stood empty Nobody thought there would be Family laughter behind the windows Or a Christmas tree Then a couple from up north Sorrow and his wife arrived Before the sun had left the streets They were living inside

I really enjoyed listening to this album; the only comment I have is that the songs don't have a common style. I've been definitely missing out on The Pretty Things and many other 60s bands, which I am finding out about thanks to this list. The bands that an average person like me knows about are the ones that made hit songs still recognized today, like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. But when it comes to albums, these guys are way better than the Beatles.

Exceptional, revelatory, excellent. How had I never heard of this?

Unpopular opinion, but I liked this more than Tommy. Whoops. I think it's more daring in the way that it's arranged and I like the psych rock feel more. There! Saved tracks: Bracelets of Fingers, Balloon Burning, Death, Baron Saturday, Old Man Going, Mr. Evasion, Walking Through My Dreams

Pretty fun, matched my taste well and would honestly listen again

10/10 fantastic psych-pop for 1968 very fun and creative

I'm always a sucker for a rock opera, and not only was this the first, it was an excellent one at that!

In de categorie ‘vergeten psych bangers’ is dit er absoluut één. Nog nooit van de band of het album gehoord, maar Jezus wat is dit leuk. Beatles/Pink Floyd achtig maar toch uniek. Het wordt een 5

so amazing

Cool and interesting!

Great stuff! Obviously influenced everyone in British music.

I like it. I'm a sucker for a rock opera, but that's not why I like it. I find the music compelling, the lyrics not so much. It comes off kind of pretentious, but I enjoyed it enough musically to overcome that. Burning Balloon is annoyingly good, and Baron Saturday is good as well, especially the percussion section. 4.5

Geiler Psy Rock

In my opinion, the only band that gets close to the psychedelic masterpiece the Beatles were.

How have I been living so long without this album in my life? Some of the most intricate songwriting I have heard on a psychedelic rock album. It's all twists and turns, mind bending.

Felt very familiar, reminiscent of the Beatles. I have to admit I was distracted by the weird stereo sound with earbuds in. Much better via a speaker. I will definitely listen again.

Great whimsical British psych rock.

Day 27 - S.F. Sorrow (1968) Disclaimer: This is coming from somebody whose project is called "Defecting Grey: Sorrow's Project" in honour of S.F. Sorrow. S.F. Sorrow is my favourite album of all time. It is also the first rock opera, and profoundly influenced The Who's Tommy. S.F. Sorrow incorporates a variety of influences, including the Beatles' superfluous chanting in "Bracelets of Fingers," Syd Barrett's psychedelia in "Defecting Grey," proto-punk in the grisly "Old Man Going," and even a hint of R&B in heavier songs like "She Says Good Morning," which dates back to the Pretty Things' early days. The triptych "I See You -> Well Of Destiny -> Trust" is probably my favourite three-song-run from any album. S.F. Sorrow chronicles the story of a single protagonist named "Sebastian F. Sorrow" and his journey towards trust to ultimate delusion. The record was originally titled "Sergeant Sorrow," after one of Phil May's short pieces about a WWII veteran, but it was subsequently changed to "S.F. Sorrow." For those who have not had a chance to read the narrative, here is a brief explanation; Sebastian F. Sorrow was born in Number 3 of a nameless town to ordinary parents. Nobody knew what the "F" in his name stood for but nobody really cared- which is how his miserable life will go. Young Sorrow uses his childlike imaginations to battle against the ugly truths and revelations of the real world. He is determined to create a magical universe for himself to hide away. "Fly to the Moon and I’ll get there quite soon if I wait awhile. Daylight arrives with a turn of the skies I must wait awhile." However he is obliged to give up his imaginations as he grows older as he takes the responsibility to support his family. As Sorrow continues to search for a distraction- he falls in love with the girl next door. The two dream of escaping the miserable town and establishing a new life elsewhere. Just then, World War I rolls in and Sorrow is drafted into the army. Once again, he tries to escape the ugliness of war via his imaginations. Unfortunately, it isn't quite as easy as it once was. "See shells whistle Let your mind drift away See shells whistle Let your mind hide away" When the war was finally over, Sorrow takes refuge in a new land called "Amerik." He sends a balloon ticket for his beloved wife to join him. Upon arrival, Sorrow watches as the balloon bursts into flames, which consume the love of his life. The narrator makes a brief remark, "In sadness, she was buried by the spade of his grief." Sorrow grows lonely as he wanders the streets of New York City. Once more, he allows his imaginations to take flight, trying to block out his grief. He dreams of being visited by the mysterious Baron Saturday, a tall man cloaked in black. Baron Saturday magically lifts Sorrow into the sky and heads towards what Sorrow believes to be the Moon (which is symbolized in the rock opera as beauty). But the true destination was Sorrow's core personality. Sorrow reexaminines himself and sights his dead fiance for the last time. This experience leads him down to depression. Instead of continuing to fight against the world with his imagination, Sorrow resigns. Sorrow is resigned to a world where people have given up all emotional attachment to a belief that it would be better. Sorrow takes a last glance at his imaginative possibility before letting it go. "Finding that their minds are grey And there’s no sorrow in the world that’s left to trust." As he grows older, bitter Sorrow descends into insanity, blocking out light until all is dark. The album ends with the melancholy "Loneliest Person," where Sorrow sings "You might be the loneliest person in the world. Your name it would have to be me," realizing his destiny was implied by his name, and accepts his tragic fate. The CD reissue also includes a few more tracks, most notably "Defecting Grey" and "Walking Through My Dreams." "Defecting Grey" is particularly noteworthy since it addresses the notion that S.F. Sorrow is bisexual, which would make sense given that composer Phil May was a bisexual himself. The idea, however, was abandoned, and the track did not appear on the original S.F. Sorrow. However, it is up to the audience to decide whether 1) S.F. Sorrow concludes with a disillusioned Sorrow or 2) on a better note, with Sorrow self-actualizing and learning to love again. TL;DR, S.F. Sorrow was well ahead of its time and remains under appreciated even today. If you enjoyed the album, I highly recommend that you listen to "Emotions" and "Parachute," both by the same artist.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find this

Weird and wonderful. You can hear the Norman Smith influence. Really enjoyed the journey.

This album was like saying hey Mom I'd like some of the Beatles and your mom saying we have the Beatles at home. The thing is the Beatles that you were referring to were Chef Boyardee canned ravioli and the Beatles at home that she was referring to was the old Italian nanas homemade ones with her custom blend of ground beef and pork and spices and herbs that she grew in her backyard with the pasta made with wheat grown from grains that she brought over from the old country after the war. It was like experiencing a Beatles album if the Beatles had stuck around long enough to get a bit of a metal Edge.

Yeah, okay, I can vibe with this.

La manera en la que usan el audio mono es muy creativa y divertida, lo disfruté mucho.

Me encanto el pixel que le hicieron a este album, lo he tenido en repeat por 3 dias. strong 9/10.

It comes from a time and a place (sixties London) that is almost alien these days: the clothes, the music, the fashion etc etc. It doesn't have the immediate impact of anything like punk or indie or rap or hip hop. But there is magic in the grooves of this well crafted record that become apparent after a few spins. The clever musical interludes, creamy vocal harmonies, groovy prominent bass lines, euphoric strings, strident guitars and sympathetic arrangements featuring plenty of sitar n spice add plenty of colour. It's obviously heavily indebted to contemporary bands like the Beatles and even The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but it does have a more theatrical approach. I would add I'm not bothered about the story/concept, I just kick back and dig those sounds. Stand out tracks include 'SF Sorrow Is Born', 'She Says Good Morning', 'Balloon Burning', 'Baron Saturday'. Anyway it's a corker of an album that still sounds fresh and is one of my favourites.

Pete Townsend and his management apparently conceived of the term "Rock Opera" as a bit of culture jamming. Tommy stands as the towering achievement, the gold standard for expansive concepts. Townsend's idea is the story of transcendence, of spiritual evolution; with a few adjustments, Tommy is essentially Plato's Cave filtered through the cosmic nonsense of Maher Baba. The adventure takes Tommy to various places, both strange wonder and harrowing, horrific shit, toward full consciousness. It is, ultimately, a positive bildungsroman, a joyous thing. And Tommy becomes Jesus or something. The Pretty Thing's SF Sorrow was Born, in contention for the first "rock opera" isn't like Tommy in sound or attitude; there is no "rebirth". The bildungsroman here is straight to the grave. To borrow from The Godfathers, it's straight Birth School Work Death. An Existentialist concept record. If that ring a dings your fancy, be warned: This ain't The Cure. Not mopey in usual teenage way. Mopey in living one's whole life with something major being wrong. Powering through life, as it were. No, there is nothing epic like a blind deaf-mute becoming God; naw, the Pretty Things approach the epicness of life in the Joycean sense—the mystery and grandeur of the banal that is everyone's birthright, the connections we make from overheard conversation, our wild minds plugged in linguistically and semiotically, the daily micro and macro horrors we witness, our hearts heavy with powerlessness and regret. Our context: Like Tommy, the discombobulation of war babies making meaning out of the atrocities of capitalism and the Vig it will take in blood. I honestly will leave the play by play to you. Know that we have wild swings from left field overture, English Folk-ballads, straight up rockers (and the Things love it gnarly and aggressive, like their antagonists The Who, but a lot more "fuck you"), navel gazing meditations and legit scary psychedelic explorations. Poetic lyrically without being self-consciousness or twee, the instruments and production frame the words. Know that there is a world within these forty minutes, and you will need to be here for the duration. Know that this world, like our own, is a mixture of shit and sunshine, and know that there is no transcendence offered, save for meanings that are made therein.

I love this album. A mix of Beatles, Floyd, the Who with a dash of eastern and punk influence.

Magnificent. I expected nothing and that was greatly exceeded.

This was a very good discovery. “S.F. Sorrow” is a psychedelic concept album about a character named Sebastian F. Sorrow, and it’s known as one of the first rock operas. There’s some controversy surrounding Pete Townshend of The Who, as some say he was influenced by this album when writing “Tommy,” although Pete denies this. This album is also considered proto-prog rock, being one of the first concept albums, a staple in the genre as it evolved. The album reminds me of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles. It has a similar sound but isn’t a direct rip-off. When it comes to studio production experimentation, this album is on par with Sgt. Pepper’s. It makes extensive use of effects like phasing, echo, and reverb, creating a surreal and immersive sound. For albums known for their experimental approach, this one is always at the top of my list.

COMPLETELY underrated. This was a fun ride. Loved it.

Ambitious, you can definitely tell how influential this album was

Some small twinges of late stage Beatles in here

5/5

Very enjoyable. A bit different but I like it

Beatles vibes

4

Un mix entre les Beatles et les Who. Parfois inégal sur le long de l'album.

Yeah, ok, the first rock opera! Pretty psychedelic sounding, some obvious proggy elements - I enjoyed it, especially on a second listen. Would like to hear a version with Arthur Brown reciting the chunks of text between tracks - that'd be great! Fave track - "Death", I think? "Private Sorrow" was great too...

really dig this group, some nice classic rock sounds with some beatles-like psychedelic nature

Has the grandiose story of all rock operas along with all the quirks in production and music that tends to follow with it. There were certainly compelling musical moments on this album but overall the production was too inconsistent and the vocals were too dubious to keep me from wanting to return to this. 7

8/10. I can see why people think this inspired Tommy. Certainly the albums start similarly enough, but this one manages to be even more depressing, which is an achievement in itself. I'm never as much a fan of Rock Operas that can't tell their stories too well with lyrics alone, but that doesn't entirely apply here because I am pretty sure the story is more just a series of unfortunate events with no strong connective tissue.

Mooie rock! Misschien zelfs 5 sterren waard.

Enjoyed it. Not normally a fan of the ‘concept’ album per se but this works for me, I guess because the songs stand out in their own right. A Beatlesy vibe to it too which is fine by me

Surprised I haven't heard of the band before, great album. Better than a lot of more popular rock/pysch rock from the 60s that's more famous imo

Very enjoyable psych rock album! Had not heard of this before so it was a great discovery.

Have to keep forgetting that it sounds so much like a slightly more murderous Beatles.

lots of beatles vibes but still stands on its own. classic late 60s psych vibes

Very cool, similar to The Wall. Need another listen

How have I never heard of them? Wonderful.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: She says good morning, Balloon burning, Baron Saturday,

To me, this is the definition of an album "you must hear before you die". This album was just fun... And, although I'm going to pre-empt the significant number of people who will mention the similarities and idea taken from The Beatles, once you delve into the history of the members the album takes on a life of its own. One of the more interesting links being the members' connections to The Rolling Stones for example. I just had heaps of fun listening to this album and managed a good 3 listens over the past 24 hours with each listen becoming more and more enjoyable. Added to my ever-growing high rotation playlist!

Nice rock opera. Reminds me of the late Beatles and even Pink Floyd sometimes. Will definitely listen to it again!

pretty decent.

Very Beatles-y, but not in a bad mimicking way. They tip strength in the psychedelic rock better than the fab 4, albeit not as catchy

Sounds like The Beatles and Beach Boys Like the psyadelic stuff V.good

Amazingly, this is the first time I've listened to this album. It sounds like so many other late 60s albums - but I suspect this was the album that invented that sound.

Muy interesante disco y aunque The Who lo niegue, muy interesante influencia a sus Rock Operas. También innegable que esta se queda corta en comparación a Tommy en cuanto a la calidad de la música. Me gustaron las voces y los temas extraños y hasta oscuros de las canciones; quizá lo que le falta es un tanto de variedad que haga mantener la atención a lo largo de todo el disco.