Reviews (page 2 of 7)
I love this
Never heard of this, but it's right up my alley. Very creative, sometimes even kind of progressive and one of those records that keeps getting better with every run. Love it!
There was a film that came out a few years ago about a songwriter bloke who had a road accident. When he woke up nobody knew who the Beatles were, and so he ripped off all their songs. A pretty lame chick flick notable only because Lily James was in it playing a rather hot girl-next-door type. Anyway in another universe substitute The Beatles for The Pretty Things. Nobody knows who the Pretty Things are, and after the accident they are as big as the Fab Four or the Stones. That is the universe we re living in. Why weren't they huge? Their paths even crossed with Mick and Keef at Art College, but they seemed to go unnoticed and unpromoted by their record company. They were 'difficult' and did their own thing. So of course I didn’t know anything about them and don’t recall ever hearing any of their stuff. But this is an amazing album. I’m currently on my third listen and it will stay on my playlist (and I thought I hated the 60s - I’ve rated both this and the zombies as 5*). Oh what might have been.
It's easy to dismiss this record as a Beatles rip off, but in an era when everyone was cashing in on this brand of pop-psych, Pretty Things out of almost nowhere produces an acid-dripping terrorizer of a record, on par with Piper and Peppers, and an antidote to the blues/britpop coming from the Stones and Kinks
S. F. Sorrow is why you do this challenge. It's a great and revolutionary album, and I would have never found it myself. I love the concept, but wish the second half had a little more to it, like the first. Best Songs: S. F. Sorrow Is Born, Loneliest Person, Defecting Grey Worst Songs: Baron Saturday
Look, this album is hitting two of my sweet spots: 1960s, Beatles-esque Britpop and rock opera concept albums. I would give this 4.5 stars if that was an option. But since it is not an option, I'm rounding up. Loneliest Person is an emotional standout. Baron Saturday is just fantastic.
Kind of a great mix of early Pink Floyd and Queen. Really digging it.
I came into this one with 0 expectations. Never heard of the band had no knowledge of the album. This was a great experience. What a great band. My hot take. This album is a far better psychedelic experience than Sgt. Peppers. This record has everything and is amazing for the 4 track era. Sonically a superior album. The songs and arrangements are fantastically surreal and the playing is great. So heavy and light in the same song.
Gives me John Lennon vibes. Love it.
Good one
Cool that they were the first to do it. So points for that. Also some really good playing on this album, cool rhythm section, and fuzzed out guitar solos being my favorites. Each song has a defined beginning and ending but all still flows together as one in telling the story. Very cool how you can tell the mood of the story throughout even if you are not paying attention to the lyrics, album starts pretty joyous and sounds like Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. As it works its way trough the protagonists life, darker moments in his life the music is close to 80s punk and Stoner Metal from the 90s in my opinion, which I like on its own and really like how they were able to incorporate it side by side with the more joyous, almost nursery rhyme style. The cover of the album tricks me into believing it has penises all over it until I take the time to look better, like an ink blot test to determine if I am gay or not. Like I am not gay but is that a giant penis flying out of a black kamikaze sun? Nope, just a blimp, but that is a crucifix penis on the shadow right? Wait am I gay? My Wife is not gonna be happy.
heh... "In Rolling Stone, Lester Bangs termed it "an ultra-pretentious concept album, complete with a strained 'story'" I'm all for ultra-pretentious ;) The 'rock opera' concept was not at all apparent to me. I have no idea what he's singing about, but I really dig this album. A lot of this sounds like the band White Rabbits (love, love, love), especially the track Baron Saturday. Also worth mentioning Defecting Grey ... Whoa! Great stuff here and very surprised this cacophonous mess amongst falsettos and British harmonizing is something that resonated.
I knew nothing about this before listening. It took maybe 2 or 3 tracks before I was thinking that it was some kind of journey. I have to admit, I absolutely really enjoyed this, with all of its diversions across styles, noodling little sidetracks and even the bonkers bongo bonanza that is "Baron Saturday".Until we get to "I see you". This is just grim, and yes - I know it's meant to be dissonant and disconnected, but it forays into the worst, most pretentious affectations of what (several years later) would become prog rock, leaping between refrains, extreme-stage-right-vocals and sonic effects that seem to have been layered over simply to be annoying. Yes - I know that this is deliberate - the last 20 or so seconds that lead into "Well of Destiny" are absolutely to highlight the descent into madness aspect of the story - but it is really not nice to listen to, and Well of Destiny just carries this on a way that would make Throbbing Gristle take note. Other commentators have pointed out the quality of the recording - I've heard worse quality recordings from more recently than 60 years ago - and I believe that the most egregious examples of the sonic ear-buggery are genuinely deliberate. It's the Tracy Emin's bed approach. It's hideous, you don't want anything to do with it. But it sure is a statement, deliberate in its selections with everything done for a reason. After this actively unpleasant interlude, the album carries on being really genuinely a very interesting listen. I can see why many would find it difficult - but I like it, quite a lot. A remaster where most of the extreme stereo pan was mellowed a bit wouldn't be amiss - but round about nobody had done this before, so we're applying refinement based on 60 years of experience now, and that has to mean something.
COMPLETELY underrated. This was a fun ride. Loved it.
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.
Magnificent. I expected nothing and that was greatly exceeded.
I love this album. A mix of Beatles, Floyd, the Who with a dash of eastern and punk influence.
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.
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.
Me encanto el pixel que le hicieron a este album, lo he tenido en repeat por 3 dias. strong 9/10.
La manera en la que usan el audio mono es muy creativa y divertida, lo disfruté mucho.
Yeah, okay, I can vibe with this.
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.
Weird and wonderful. You can hear the Norman Smith influence. Really enjoyed the journey.
I was very pleasantly surprised to find this
Great whimsical British psych rock.
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.
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.
In my opinion, the only band that gets close to the psychedelic masterpiece the Beatles were.
Geiler Psy Rock
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
Great stuff! Obviously influenced everyone in British music.
Cool and interesting!
so amazing
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
I'm always a sucker for a rock opera, and not only was this the first, it was an excellent one at that!
Pretty awesome for 68; lots of depth and experimentation without sacrificing good musicality
10/10 fantastic psych-pop for 1968 very fun and creative
Pretty fun, matched my taste well and would honestly listen again
One of my favorite psychedelic rock albums ever, and beat The Who to the punch in the rock opera field , so in my opinion this should only be more praised. Not to mention the varying genres that blow my mind for 1968. I mean, these dudes sounded like Black Sabbath for one track two years before Sabbath had an album out, and no one seems to care. Why?
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
Exceptional, revelatory, excellent. How had I never heard of this?
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.
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
Brilliant psychedelic concept album - totally inspired Tommy and The Wall.
Nice 5/5
an unexpected gem. Sounds like the Beatles.
this is good the segues are immaculate balance is a little weird though sometimes I can’t hear what the lyrics are
Weird and good!! Beatles vibes. Low 9
obra maestra
Love this album, and relish the excuse to listen to it this evening.
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.
Fun diverse album
Great Album and Band.
really good rock opera, comparable to the beatles
Holy hell! If this thing is anywhere near as good as the album art, I'm in for a treat here. It turns out this is psych, which I honestly probably could have figured out from the art admittedly. And I'm finding out the list has a *lot* of psych, and I could probably do to go a little harder on it, but not today I guess. This is honestly towards the top as far as the genre goes honestly. *And* it's one of the first rock operas to boot. The sound here has some familiar psych components, and a few very unfamiliar psych components, but I'll firmly say that this isn't too closely tethered to the genre's tropes. And in fact, the hard garage rock edge of S.F. Sorrow in particular gives it a little more definition and identity than the average psych pop album. But honestly, the staying power here is mostly from the songs themselves. The writing is really creative across the board, as well as suitably colorful. It's writing like this that separates an album apart in a genre as defined by aesthetic as psych is, if that makes sense. Although I can't think of a ton to say; just very solid, creative psych, that I'm willing to call "underappreciated" on record. It's cool stuff!
Was debating between 3 and 4; Loneliest Person was a strong finish that gave me goosebumps on the first listen
I was unsure of this one at first. It absolutely sounds like a Beatles imitation at times. But as it went on, I found myself really enjoying the experimentation with that sound. The production and recording is not great, and I think having a better sonic quality would improve the experience. But I do think this is noteworthy. And I did like it in the end.
This encapsulated the parts of The Rolling Stones I enjoy most!
Really great. Psychedelic rock is usually a bit hit or miss for me, but this sounds a lot like early Pink Floyd, filtered through the Kinks’ more experimental stuff, and that’s a recipe for success
Somehow like the Beatles and Tame Impala (with a single sprinkle of Black Sabbath) - and somehow manages to sound both very 1960s and timeless...sometimes in the same song. The rock opera element kind of washed over me, and I mostly keyed into the harmonies, experimental song structure, different instrumentation, and vibes. I mostly enjoyed it, despite it often reminding me of other things - and am not sorry to get exposed to it.
По мне слишком явная попытка повторить битловские револьвер и сержант пеппер Но при этом не такая плохая, не прям восторг, но что-то есть
Прикольный сторителлинг, классный звук. Нормик.
Ощущение, что миллиард раз подобный психодел рок слушал, но все равно прикольненько
звучит интересно, как я люблю, удивлен, что раньше не прослушал
A pure British rock opera in true form
de ahfang tönt schomal reecht cool coole hindergrundgsang! erinneret mich chli ah the who sell out (was na sinn macht) LONELIEST PERSON ISCH JA MEGAAA SCHÖN han jz nöd vill ufgschriebe aber hans megaa cool gfunde. muss es denn wieder emal lose zum die einzelne lieder schätze aber hans toll gfunde
Experimental 60s sounds, definitely had their moments.
8/10 - Really surprised by this album. How have I not heard of them? How do they only have 86k listeners on Spotify?
So psychedelic and fun, kind of crazy to me that this isn't a staple of the genre. This deserves many more listens than it has. Strong 8/10
Definitely hear the 60s sound. Don’t HATE it, but it’s not going on any playlist
# Album Name: S.F. Sorrow # Artist: The Pretty Things # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Enjoyable album. Very 60s psychedelic. Cross between love and st peppers. # Top Tunes: SF sorrow / BoF / Private Sorrow / Baron Sat / old man going # Would I listen to it again? yes
This was pretty fun, actually. The Wiki page is a wild ride of bitterness as dudes nobody remembers rant about label marketing bullshit and this album actually being the first rock opera. A couple of good tracks here. I'd grab a copy on vinyl, but it sold about a dozen copies.
Det va en slags rockeopera, men æ fikk ikke helt med mæ ka den handla om, så æ hørte nok ikke godt nok etter, men det va ikke egentlig interessant nok til at æ orka å høre veldig godt etter, så da får det være som det vil.
A pretty cool psychedelic rock album. I was barely familiar with these guys, and even then, it was only because I own a solo album by their drummer (Twink's Think Pink, also a pretty cool psych rock album). This isn't the kind of album that I'd put on all the time, but it'd be very enjoyable when scratching that psych rock itch.
S'okay. Some interesting experiments with sound effects. Reminds me of some Beatles works only without the scouse accents
Great album
Si on me disait que c'était une IA à qui on a demandé de mixer les Beatles les Kinks et Pink Floyd j'y croirais à 1000%
"turning my thoughts into shadows playing on the walls of me" Never heard of this album or band before, and to be honest I hadn't ever listened to Tommy all the way through before doing this list. I think this is a fascinating representation of a moment in time and the story, musicality, vocals, and straight vibes all play into that. I really enjoyed this.
1001 albums to hear before you sorrow the pretty things 89# another band who likes to play with the stereo lol love it
I dug this. Some good psychedelic rock.
The Beatles if they were good
I was ready to dislike this as soon as I saw it was a rock opera, but it really pleasantly suprised me. There's a ton of musical diversity on this record, and the production was very interesting for an album from the 60s. Sure, it was a bit self-indulgent and full of itself, but overall it landed pretty well with me. Easily one of the more interesting records from this time period I've come across on this list. 4/5.
I can't even recall a particular song other than I enjoyed all of the songs to some degree. Psychedelia can suffer from sounding too crazy to be enjoyed without drugs but I listened to this stone cold sober and had a good time. SF Borrow Is Born is one hell of an opening track with some of the more compelling lyricism of that era, period. Baron Saturday is quirky but playful. Trust is strangely poetic in a way that only psychedelic rock can be. Honestly, I was surprised by how much I liked this.
From the onslaught of 60s 70s psychedelic rock this list insists upon, this one is not half bad.
круто! не знал что есть что-то настолько похожее на битз! пару песен сохранил.
Rockoper
Yep. This is great. Right up my street.
Psychedelia that never trips over the edge. Flavors of all that is going on in 1968. A moments it feels a harder charging Beatles. At other turns you feel the blues and folk - all through a fracture but not broken lens. Even the bongos sound right and not indulgent. Took a few listens but this one legit grew on me.
Late-60s rock opera reminiscent of early Pink Floyd that I somehow managed to never have heard of. I was intrigued by the track list, as one would be with songs named "Bracelet of Fingers" and "Death." I'm more into this than I thought it was going to be when the generator served it to me this morning. The live performances of this at the time must have been quite... memorable, with the band pretending to be playing the music while tripping. I'm tempted to give this a 4, I really am. It's a bit of a mess, but it's an interesting mess.
I enjoyed this a lot I love how silly it is at times will be listening to it again
Great psychedelic rock reminiscent to early Floyd and late Beatles.
Given the fact I had not idea who these guys were, and my general dislike so far for psychedelic records on this, I was not expecting to like this album as much as I did. Interesting, and original, it's worth a listen both for its qualities as an album, and place as maybe the first rock opera in history.
it's 3.75
it's nice fav song: Bracelets Of Fingers
Kind of like the Beetles if they weren’t famous and full of themselves, and if they really loved left/right localization
Loved this album a few years ago when I first learned about it and how it was a heavily influence on the psychedelic rock scene and rock operas... But I can't give it the 5 stars I want to give it because it sounds weak in comparison to what the production could be.
Really enjoyed
I was raised in the 80s on the Beatles, as my mon had been a huge fan in the 60s. Reading that Pretty Things had Beatle-esque and Who-like vibes was intriguing, but before I listened, I thought there was no way I'd like this because I'd never heard of them. Now that I have listened, I have no idea why more people haven't heard of them! This is great!! It's a strong concept album that unfortunately happens to be the victim of poor recording, but the harmonies - much like the Beatles- are tight and there are many bright spots in the overall album. Listen to the beginning few notes of "The Journey" , "Old Man Going" , and "Mr. Evasion" and try to tell me that The Who didn't "borrow" this when writing Tommy. Bet ya' can't .... Favorite songs are "Trust" and "Loneliest Person", but there's a lot to celebrate here. Just a shame this group wasn't more well-known.
Never heard of these guys, like The Beatles
Good
Psychedelia meets British folk meets pop meets rock and roll and it all sounds really good. Not a bad song on this album. These guys should have been much bigger in the states than they were
Overall: 8/10 This was a strange little album! It felt Beatles-esque at times. It's also a rock opera, I didn't have time to look up It's story or anything but it seemed interesting enough. Fav Song: Trust
Liked this one a lot - Drifts from 60s psychedelia to proto-Sabbath, to proto-Krautrock.
the lads done good, i like it
Did not like the beginning but it improved a lot as it went on. 4 stars or B-.
Favorite track(s): Bracelets of Fingers, Balloon Burning, Trust, Old Man Going A most honorable mention to the non-album single Defecting Grey
Pink Floyd: “hey dude can I copy your homework?” Pretty Things: “yeah sure, just make sure to change it a little” This was easily my favorite album I’ve discovered on this journey so far, how the hell does no one talk about this one? Literally the first ever rock opera album, which laid the blueprint for so many other top albums of all time. But it’s more than just a blueprint, it’s actually a good collection of music! I feel like the problem I have with the rock operas I’ve listened to is that half the songs just kinda sound unexciting (which is ok if you’re telling a story), but I genuinely enjoyed every song except for 2 on here. Yeah it’s a little unpolished, yeah it’s not the most technical, yeah it doesn’t have a true standout, but that was a damn good album. This was exactly what I was hoping for with this exercise and I’ll definitely listen to this one later this week
Its like if Tommy wasn't cringe I must admit I was listening to this while working so while I didn't get the full picture of the story, I can say that there were some good rocking tracks in there. The guitar had this energy to it that I feel like I've been missing for a while. And the tracks had a good variety between them where it never got too boring.
Plenty of variety in this one, a few songs are weird though. Well of Destiny made me question what I was listening to and it might have lowered by a point for me. Overall, good vibes and I like the instrumentation.
When I saw the cover of the album I was given today, I had no idea what I was in for and admittedly, I was a little nervous. The cover art looks like something thrown together by a 4 year old, and the band name wasn't ringing any bells. This is a concept album in that it follows some dude named S.F. Sorrow right through life, with the album starting with his birth, moving into his adolescence, he gets drafted into the war, a bunch of his friends die in the war, he makes it home as a shell of a man, slowly slips into madness, falls in love, and on and on, ending with his death. As the record proceeds, it ends with Sorrow's slip into madness with the track Well of Destiny. The way they record and play their instruments during this song really hits that fact home. Overall, this is a phenomenal album! It is one that you really have sit down with the liner notes and just listen to. All of the metaphors that the singer uses makes this album into a truly beautiful masterpiece. It is every bit as good as Tommy or The Wall, just perhaps a little bit less refined. I will 100% listen again. This is a weird album in the best way possible. Did I need to hear this before I die? Absolutely
A really enjoyable album. It mixes quintessential sounds of the 60s with a Beatles undercurrent, but throws in some tonal and tempo shifts with rock and some vocals that feels much more 70s. Having never heard the music before, glad to have this brought to my attention on 1001.
This album was immediately intriguing. It sort of sounds like the Beatles, but perhaps a bit more interesting. It soon had me thinking of Sgt. Pepper (which at least purported to be a concept album) and I see that they are fairly close contemporaries. Discovering the album's links to Pipers at the Gates of Dawn didn't surprise me, in fact the sound could be characterised as a cross between Beatles and early Floyd. As the album progresses, there is some real musical variety. It seems to start you off in the mundane, but swiftly transports you into psychedelia. Listening to 'Private Sorrow', I pictured being plucked from a dreary British Terraced street and whisked into the world of a fantasy novel. On a closer inspection of the lyrics I see that this is, in fact, tinged with tragedy. Pretentious? Maybe, but this is an intriguing album that seems to sit bang in the middle of sixties British, psychedelic experimentalism. You can hear sparks throughout it that will later develop into bigger and brighter things. They really achieved a lot in the sixties, didn't they?
Great album. Really surprised how much I enjoyed it.
This was pretty elite. Super curious about the lore for this one, if I could I’d give this 4.5. Super psychedelic but not annoyingly so, very well done
I did a little reading on this before listening and was very excited to really lean into this album. I first tried listening to this with headphones but found with the extreme stereo left-right mix it made it really difficult to listen to. I switched to speakers but got too preoccupied with other things to be able to focus in on the lyrics and hear the story of this album. So, background music wise this sounded great, a diverse psychedelic album full of different sounds, poppy bits, experimental bits and all sorts of dynamics but nothing stood out as revolutionary. I do feel like I missed out on the lyrical journey this is known for, I will try this out again and see if this changes my initial impression.
Where has this album been all this time? Fantastic psych rock! 8/10
Overlooked 60s psychedelia from the pretty things, bracelets of fingers and the title track are great as well as baron Saturday.
Pretty good. I wasn't aware of this band before. Shane they didn't get the acclaim they deserved.
Stereo on headphones is rough but after listening to a mono recording it was pretty charming. Really cool songs and enough variety to keep me interested throughout the entire album
Alors je m'attendais à rien, je me suis même dit ça va être compliqué, mais au final j'ai beaucoup aimé notamment Loneliest Person très très cool
Very enjoyable! ★★★★
Amazing actually, psych at its peak. A little more involved than what the beatles did to be honest. Nice production as well. “Death” has some great fitting vibes!
A delightful, psychadelic rock opera.
Suppose these folks listened to the Beatles? Wish I’d known of them in ‘68 - Jr. High me would have given them 5 stars
Good 60's rock. A bit dated, but if your in the mood or an old hippie...
That rocked
Such a fun and enchanting album. Pretty incredible that these guys did not get more popular.
REALLY interesting. I feel like there's so much average 60s music, but I think this is far from that. It says this is one of the first rock operas, which I guess could be true, but it doesn't really sound like what you would call one, maybe that's just the name people used for concept albums before they were called that. The tremolo thing in the second song (and in general) is really interesting, not sure I've ever heard something that well done and modern sounding. I guess there's a lot of comparisons in some of the interesting production choices between this and the Mothers of Invention album. There's loads of extra instruments, which are great, like sitars and extra percussion. I feel like parts are quite like the Beatles (as most 60s music was), but I think these guys expand upon it a bit. I suppose some parts are a bit like 60s Pink Floyd, like the defecting grey song, which is incredible. There's also loads of catchy melodies and stuff. Favourite songs: all but: she says good morning and old man going. Overall around 8/10
Alright, I was not expecting this. Pretty solid psychedelic jam with a very weird story.
This is bonkers and I love it! Again another album I can’t believe I’ve never heard of before. I will listen to this again that’s for sure.
Cross between the Beatles and the Byrds with a pinch of the Dead in there too
4.0 - Very Good
This was a thoroughly pleasant listen! Even with the hard stereo panning typical of late 60s music, the songwriting and sound design had me hooked. There's lots here to love. I will need to relisten next week though, cause I could barely hear any of the vocals since my right ear is currently blocked </3
4/5 + I am a sucker for rock operas and psychadelic rock, so sonically i felt right at home + It can get really experimental, noisy and rhythmically complex, but still maintains a very easy listening experience + Really high highs... - ... and pretty low lows - im listening with headphones and i really hated the overabundance of stereo effects, sometimes it was very cool but a lot of times i was just annoyed - the songs constantly change drastically, which enhances the album experience, but i wish i could have some parts of some songs for a playlist Fav: S.F. Sorrow Is Born, Balloon Burning, Death, Baron Saturday, Trust, Loneliest Person Least Fav: Private Sorrow, Well of Destiny
3.6 At first I thought it was just going to be another Beatles rip-off, but there are some interesting ideas in here. Rock Operas really not my thing, but fair play for giving it a go, and luckily it doesn't actually feel like one - wouldn't be immediately obvious. Some good tracks in here also - Old Man Going seems a lot more metallic than songs such as Helter Skelter which were said to give birth to the genre. Some weak points in here, and the fidelity isn't superb which isn't unexpected given the age. 4 bonus tracks I cut completely as quality just too bad. Still, after about 50 albums from 60s rock groups of very similar substance this stands up as one of the better ones.
It’s interesting that there are still bands from the 60s that I haven’t heard of. This was a fun listen.
That guitar riff in "Balloon Burning" really drove me crazy, and not in a good way. The rest of the song is great, with really strong harmonies in the chorus, but that AWWOOOOWOOOO thing is just too much and kind of takes over the track. The guitar work across the album is still the main strength. It is a great mix of Psychedelic rock and Rock Opera and it still feels strong today. The album cover is amazing too, full of detail, faces, bombs, and things you keep noticing the longer you look at it. The best song by far is "S.F. Sorrow Is Born." It has a bigger Rock Opera feeling than the others and it really sets the tone. In general, the songs that lean more into the Rock Opera side feel more creative than the ones that go fully Psychedelic. "Old Man Going" gave me Black Sabbath mixed with Led Zepplin vibes and I loved it! Overall, it is a great album with powerful guitar work, great atmosphere, and real personality. 8/10.
Hot take- The Who are just okay, and Tommy isn’t their best album. Whew, now that that’s off my chest, I guess I’ll repeat what every review here says about S.F. Sorrow. This is the missing link between Sgt. Peppers and Tommy. So much of Peppers is here, including a song where everyone says good morning. The timbre of the vocals seem to intentionally imitate Lennon’s. But for how much The Pretty Things ripped off the Beatles, The Who ripped off The Pretty Things. I’m not just talking in structure either. One of these tracks begins with an acoustic chord assault which tossed me right into Pinball Wizard. The Who even ripped off having a song about children at Christmas time. So, with the influences and influenced discussed, what else does S.F Sorrow offer? Does it stand alone enough to be worthy of this 1001 list? In my opinion, I’d say absolutely. I’m all here for this! Under the current albums like S.F. Sorrow are why I’m here. I can’t wait to put this on again and again. It’s like a missing Beatles album, in quality and style. Hard to believe I’d never heard of The Pretty Things before.
You can’t convince me this isn’t the B side of Sgt Pepper by the Beatles. Seriously though, very good album and enjoyable to listen too, but yeah, VERY Beatles-ish
This album walked so Tommy and The Wall could run! It’s a shame that it isn’t as well known and respected as those later works. Psychedelic and catchy and the first rock opera. That’s my jam. The stereo panning is a bit much but that's my only real complaint. 4⭐️
Basically Sgt Pepper if it was a little less exciting. Still a solid psychedelic rock album, felt like an alternate universe Beatles. Fav: The Journey Least fav: Baron Saturday
Tragic story, strong psychedelic feel - pretty good listen
Very modern sounding for 1968. Obvious influences of the time, but what musicians didn't experience that.
conceptual!
Really good, and not heard it before. Heavy Beatles vibes, but there’s some other stuff going on here that’s pretty unique
Like discovering a secret Beatles/Zombies/early Floyd album. Really liked this one.
Nice funky background music
A genuine welcome surprise as I have missed this in my musical explorations.
One of the first concept albums. A great album, better than Tommy by The Who
This is a fantastic psychedelic trip. Liked Songs Added: She Says Good Morning Balloon Burning Baron Saturday Walking Through My Dreams
7/10
This was goos. Good concept, and well executed, and should have been far bigger.
Têm seus momentos. Achei mais interessante o bate boca por trás desse disco do que o conteúdo do álbum em si. A briga entre ele e Tommy para saber quem foi o primeiro álbum de Rock Ópera. Não tenho cavalos nessa corrida porque honestamente nem curto tanto o conceito de Rock Óperas. Enfim, não me importo com a história nem com os personagens do disco, apenas com a música, e como mencionei no começo da review, ele tem seus momentos. Algumas canções são verdadeiramente boas, e outras passam sem causar nenhuma impressão particular. Parece que partes desse disco simplesmente acontecem e você fica parado em indiferença. Mas poderia ser bem pior. O álbum tem um ótimo ritmo e não perde tempo. A história é compacta. Não achei ele tão experimental assim, parece bem básico quando o assunto é Rock psicodélico dos anos 60. Mas apesar da falta de inovação, a banda toca bem. Todos cumprem seus respectivos papéis. Nada aqui vai te marcar profundamente, mas não é sinal que o disco seja ruim. Às vezes acho que sou bonzinho demais com minhas notas. Mas tudo bem. Tenho um viés forte pra Rock dos anos 60. 4/5
Pretty good psychedelic rock album. Both whimsical and heavy at times. It definitely sounds dated, but is an interesting addition from a band I hadn't hear of before.
Often cited as the first true rock opera, S. F. Sorrow isn’t just historically interesting—it’s a fascinating document of a band punching well above their commercial weight. Knowing they brought in Norman Smith (fresh off work with both The Beatles and early Pink Floyd) explains a lot: the production has that unmistakable late-’60s studio bloom—layered vocals, LSD-like guitar textures, and a kind of optimistic melancholy that sits right between Piper at the Gates of Dawn and Sgt. Pepper. Stylistically, it’s very much a product of its era, but in the best way: kaleidoscopic, imaginative, occasionally bizarre, and always melodic. The narrative is loose and strange in that late-’60s “concept album as literature” way, but the record works even if you ignore the storyline entirely. It’s just a deeply listenable psychedelic rock album with more ambition than most bands of the time dared to attempt. Not every moment is towering, but it’s absolutely worth throwing on, letting it wash over you, and appreciating how much future “rock opera” DNA starts right here.
so much sicker than i was expecting, would like to listen again but every time i tuned in frfr i was hearing different and really interesting sounds, like a mega early olivia tremor control Fav song: Balloon Burning
I'm a sucker for Psych rock and this is very much that. Deflecting Grey is one of the greatest songs of the 60's and the rest of the album is pretty nice too. Not really a memorable listen, there aren't many memorable songs outside of Deflecting Grey, which wasn't even on the original album. Cool that it's a concept album, but I have no idea what it's about.
Never heard of these guys and really enjoyed it. Refreshing to hear 60s rock lyrics that aren't about gooning on girls.
I quite liked this album. They reminded me of the Beatles a bit.
Good album 💿 d not heard before
Innovative at the time supposedly for being the first rock opera. Some very solid psychedelic songs on here.
Die erste Rock-Oper mit durchgängigem Thema. Die Musik ist typisch für Ende 60er. Lässt sich gut hören. 4/5
Need a second listen to be sure
4.5
Have this one on vinyl! Loved it in high school.
Better than I thought it would be
La verdad es que es un excelente disco de psicodelia que no me esperaba. Conocía otros discos suyos menos experimentales. Es muy bueno.
Good!
Wow! Great psychedelic rock album. I can hear some musical elements here that wouldn't be popular until 20 years later. 1968 was a truly magical year.
Yeah, I liked this. Not a fan of concept albums usually but I’ll take this over The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway any day. 3.5
This is way better than Tommy, you stupid nerds.
Fun!
I was getting a bit sick of late 60's psychedelia - but really liked this . Bits of Kinks/ Who/Black Sabbath/ Beatles with some really good tunes - Private Sorrow/ Baron Saturday in particular. Its a shame the recording/mix is a bit shonky - would like a louder/harder version. Tried listening to the resurrection live version hoping that it would address this - but sadly not. A surprising high 4.
Thankfully, it leans more into rock and not overblown psychedelic affectation, and the psychedelic touches are generally congruent with the songs. The singer is pretty unhistrionic - fundamentally a rock singer, which means the album is not capsized by light-footed whimsy. Inexplicably the last several songs feel completely banal by comparison, and the album just runs out of steam. I don't think the album narrative works that well, and think the album would benefit from a wee chopsy. But an album that feels genuinely underrated, especially when compared to much of the mid to late 60s psychedelia put forward.
Really cool concept and some pretty enjoyable tunes, but like some critics (who were quoted in the Wikipedia article) mentioned, just because they did it first doesn’t mean they did it best.
First time hearing any Pretty Things I think and I was pretty floored with this record. The bones of the album are a story of a soldier's life journey, fairly cliche 'concept album' fodder but it takes unexpected twists and jags in sounds and feel. I was surprised to see it got panned by some critics. I guess when White Album, Village Green, Tommy, Beggars Banquet etc. are coming out of the UK at the same time, there is not a lot of room at the top. Both groovy 60s psychedelic and morose British blues, they cover a good amount of ground with their sounds and textures for 1968 - including some Sabbath-esque stuff and instrumental soundscapes. Sounds great in the car, no doubt thanks to Beatles engineer and Pink Floyd producer Norman Smith.
3.75 nice surprise! Much more experimental for the time than I expected. Hints of Radiohead later in the album.
Je ne connaissais pas, c’est sympa. Un peu l’impression d’écouter les Beatles quand même..
Super fun goofy late 60s concept psychedelic pop album. Total Beatles and I think this had an influence on Tommy. Big fan
I like this one
I have never heard this album before. Never heard of this band. This was a great piece of psychedelic rock. I will listen to this again.
Muito bom, um rock meio ópera, conceitual e com certeza escutaria novamente
Sounded a lot like the Beatles. Did enjoy it.
The story is a bit muddled and confusing in the back half, but otherwise this is an interesting early stab at the “rock opera” before that term was coined.
First time listening and quite liked it. Would listen again.
A psychedelic amalgamation of Syd Barrett-era Floyd and King Gizzard... too bad this album never gained a ton of traction, there's some cool stuff in here, despite its flaws.
so much better than Tommy
I thought I’d heard this before. I was wrong. I liked it. Slightly too psychedelic for my tastes these days but it was a nice discovery
A strange and weird and wonderful journey through an alternative universe where the Who shouldn't exist and these guys are more popular. That cover is pretty bad though..
Never heard of this band before and they are really good!
Generally onto a winner with late-60s psych, add to that a bit of a concept and lesser-known discovery and it's one of those days I love about this challenge. At times they sound more like The Beatles than The Beatles, and supposedly inspired The Who's Tommy. I listened to it a number of times throughout the week and enjoyed it on repeated listens. Another one to look out for when record shopping but I would admit it's a shame nobody stepped in and stopped Phil May's drawings from becoming the cover art; if this had a really psychedelic and cool iconic front cover, I guarantee it would be more highly regarded.
Never heard of this before but I wish I would have. Great psychedelic rock album. Will go back to this. 8/10
I enjoyed this a lot. Stand out track might have been 'Trust.'
4 - very good psychedelic album. Only complaints were that it was too long, a few songs could have easily been cut, and the lead guitar tone sometimes was very hard on the ears
Didnt have high expectations but enjoyed the album. Nice find, didnt love it but would listen to it again.
Interesting album.
It’s pretty much the birthplace of the rock opera. Some of the wild ideas might not have worked as well as they do if it wasn’t for the story behind it all - so if you’re not buying into that sort of stuff, this might not be for you.
My best surprise in a while! Never heard of this album, never heard of this band, but this album is GREAT!! Suuuuper tuneful and catchy. Very unified soundscapes while track to track being experimental, but never letting go of the melodies and hooks. Some of these songs could fit perfectly on Sgt. Pepper. I know it’s a “rock opera” but honestly, other than some names being repeated, I didn’t really get a story at all. That’s fine, but the songs are good enough on their own. In addition to the Beatles, I hear The Who, early Pink Floyd…so many bands musta been stealing from this album! Honestly really impressed.
This is a great album with a lot of melodic sounds that edges on what Pink Floyd would do on their first two albums. It also inspired Tommy. Is it as good as both? I'm not sure. I need to listen to this album some more. For now, call me impressed.
It’s been a very long time since I last listened to this album. I remember initially thinking of the band and the album as B-tier when compared to legends like Pink Floyd, The Who, or The Beatles. While this band doesn’t quite define themselves as distinctly as the aforementioned icons, this particular album is much better than I originally thought.
Having never heard of this band or the record, I didn't know what to expect. Are they a Beatles copycat band? Is that a Pete Townsend acoustic strum? Are rock operas/concept records ever a good idea? Ultimately I actually enjoyed most of this and upon reading the Wikipedia summary understand the connections (actual, or denied).
I liked this. An interesting experimental 60s sound to it.
Completely unknown to me but I liked it. There's no doubt about when it was made, but it works and I look forward to listening to it again.
Ok
This one really flies under the radar, can't remember ever hearing of this band or this record, but I'm certainly here for it!
Big fan. It was consistently interesting, I'm actually quite glad it was a full hour. I'm surprised I never heard of this
Could drop this whole album into the middle of Sgt Peppers and everyone would be none the wiser. Really good if you like that sound, but it’s not my favorite kind of psych rock personally with the sitars and everything. Crazy panning going on tho, definitely listen with headphones for the full effect.
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
If you ever wondered what the Beatles would've sounded like if they kept their psychedelic experimentation of Sgt Peppers going you'd get this, but weirder and better. 4/5
Loved this. Felt very fresh and not at all like it was from 1968.
Ну че, спиздили наш альбом, а, хуесосы? © The Pretty Things в переписке с The Who 8/10
Gonna listen to this when on mushrooms
Cool, trippy - sounds Beatles-esque but more punk sound.
I had never heard of S.F. Sorrow before. This was definitely an interesting listen. Extremely psychedelic, very cool and raw-sounding and a really unique sound. There were elements of Jefferson Airplane, The Kinks, and even a little Beatles sound I though in places. It's really all over the place sonically, but I kinda liked it on the first listen. I had to listen to it a second time to really solidify my opinion, and I think it was improved on the second listen. Overall a cool, revolutionary sound, and I did enjoy it, but I probably won't listen again. Four stars.
My first introduction and I had to give it a second run. This one's got a bad hook that got buried deep in my flesh. Thanks for sending it over!
Psychedelic version of the Beatles
The Pretty Things make music that is rougher, tougher and more robust than the more psychedelic elements of The Beatles or early Pink Floyd. Balloon Burning has a little bit of proto-punk bubbling away inside it. I actually had to check that this album was from 1968 on hearing Baron Saturday based on how ahead of its time it is. And (to keep the annoying comparisons going) it's the first time I’ve heard an artist who I’m pretty sure inspired The Fall. Very cool!
- Ikke ofte jeg er så glad i 60-talls, men denne schmalt hardt - elsker track 2, Bracelets Of Fingers - Baron Saturday var fengende
Sadly had to listen to this over two sittings, but that told me enough to know that this requires repeated listens and could become a favourite. Lost gem? Exactly why I’m doing this project!
Thoughts before listening: Not really sure...60s psychedelic pop band maybe? Review: I was on the right track with my guess although this is a little more hard edged than I was expecting. I like it quite a bit as well. Apparently these guys were contemporaries of the Rolling Stones and influenced both Bowie and the Who. The sound here reminds me somewhat of something that would have been labeled college rock or indie in the 80s or 90s. I'd consider this a hidden gem. 4-stars
Wow!!! I didn't think I was going to like this but once again I am pleasantly surprised. Listened to this thrice.
Actually pretty dope! Goes from sounding like the Beatles a la Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds to more of the driving psychedelic rock that grew out of it. Great vintage sound, tight vocals, good artistry. A band I was born in the wrong decade to appreciate.
Pretty good psychedelic rock, but not much else to state that hasn't been said already. Solid 4 Stars.
Surprisingly diverse album with a lot of interesting sounds. Ran a little long for my taste.
These guys don't look very pretty to me
Well that was fun and interesting. It was doing some strange things in the beginning with the music and lyrics split between my two earbuds, but overall I thought it was a cool concept and would love to come back to it sometime.
Psychedelic.
another pleasant surprise. psychedelic is the wordier the album. Enjoyable and unique.
More interesting than it sounds initially
A concept, rock opera album that predates all the famous ones. I must admit reading that before listening I thought there must be a reason this isn't talked about, and went in expecting something terrible. However the songs are pretty good and I like the concept used for the album. The production really is terrible though.
High quality album. Can’t believe they didn’t get popular in the States.
If you took The Beatles and gave them The Who's penchant for rock operas? Half the songs on this album I expected the chorus of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds to break out. It's very Sgt. Peppers. Great album. Balloon Burning weirdly sounds a bit like a late 2000's, early 2010's indie rock song. Don't think I'll ever go back to it or playlist anything on it, but its very good.
Honestly this was pretty cool. Surprisingly ambitious for the time it came out.
I've never heard of these guys or this album, but I enjoyed listening to it. Sonically it felt experimental and ahead of its time, and there were some really cool moments and effects throughout. It was a trip with taking, and I'd definitely listen again.
Never heard an artist utilize the left/right channels like they did here. This was so unique and I feel like there’s so much to gain with relistens.
Actually really enjoyed this, basically a mixture of Beatles and the stones. Decent tracks and sounds really clean. Mid 4.
Ja best wel een wijs album. Precies een onontdekte artiest uit die tijd. Beatle-esque, Pink Floyd-achtige experimentele rock. 3.7
This rocks. Pretty Things are awesome.
I wasn't familiar with The Pretty Things, but this was a very enjoyable albm.
The Beatles on crack (I mean that as a compliment)
Pleasantly surprised.
I really enjoyed this album. It was musically and lyrically ambitious, strange, and fun, which is basically my ideal combination.
Interesting. I'd only vaguely heard of these guys and thought they were part of the San Francisco psychedelic scene. (I thought S.F. was gonna be something different!)Far from it apparently. Anyway wildly ambitious, cool ideas, nice songs hampered a little bit by them not being the greatest singers or musicians. They may have heard the beatles a few times. But respect for a pre Tommy work of such ambition. Listening I am reminded a bit of my attempts to see what people get out of king gizzard, but all I can hear is these guys actually innovate, write good songs, and cover an enormous breadth of genres 60 years prior and just so much better. You kids'll never understand.
#481. What if, a band that is actually as good as people pretend the Beatles are, but as a consequence, no one has ever heard of them. Because that's what this is, it seems. 4/5: better than the Beatles, therefore better than Jesus.
I love my psychedelic rock! And it doesn't get much better than incorporating some Beatles, Moody Blues, Pink Floyd and hints of the Beach Boys into the music. Each song is different and takes you on a magical ride, will listen again, as this could make my all time list!! Probably my highest ranked album, of one I haven't listened to till now. 4.5/5
Enjoyable listen!
Beatles-like, similarly creative but a notch lower on production. Like it a lot! 4.2
Dziwne, fantasmagoryczne, pełne przesytu i eksperymentu. Przypomina Sierżanta Peppera, chociaż to raczej kapral. Przy kilku kawałkach bawiłam się przednio, inne nieco męczyły. Ale myślę że mogę z czystym sumieniem dać 7/10
4/5
Was a 3 until Defecting Grey, bumped it a 4. Varied and interesting album
A great surprise, it was so funny listening with headphones... Chaotic and unexpected
- Ich wusste, dass The Pretty Things eine der Bands ist, die unheimlich großen Einfluss auf viele Musiker hatte (u.a. Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Who) aber selber nie so richtig big geworden sind. - Passenderweise habe ich bewusst nie einen Song von den Männern gehört - Insgesamt klingt das alles seehr Beatleesque, besonders nach dem, was die Beatles in der zweiten Häfte ihrer Karriere gemacht haben. Und trotzdem ist es irgendwie noch ein kleines bisschen düsterer. Das mochte ich echt gerne! - Das Album gilt als die erste Rockoper - Hat insgesamt Bock gemacht, war super kreativ, habe gespannt gehört und mich auf jeden weiteren Track gefreut! Rating: 4,25
A truly unique collection of music. Big emphasis on the word “Psychedelic”.
honest sixties rock
Never even heard of this but its actually quite good.
Really good, I’d listen to it again
This was a surprise for me - I was not expecting much, considering how much I disliked Tommy, but the psychedelia was turned up to max at key points, the songs were different enough to stay interesting, and overall I thoroughly enjoyed this! I can definitely see what other reviews are talking about with "Beatles meets King Gizzard" in places, and that is absolutely a recommendation from me :) Faves: Balloon Burning, Old Man Going
Kinda Beatles, kinda Moody Blues. Cool hard psychedelic rock
This is a band that probably influenced — directly or indirectly — a lot of the music that I love from the prog rock-era. For that I applaud it, but like most things it should not be a double album. Or it might just be that I am currently not in the mood for druggy psychedelia.
Great/first rock opera
Most of this is really really good. A couple songs away and this could be a ez 5 stars.
Chad 4.5
More proof that the war on drugs was a bad idea
I quite enjoyed that.
Arguably the first rock opera ever pressed to vinyl, aiming to tell a full, sweeping story that captured the dramatic highs and lows of the character S.F. Sorrow. Unfortunately for me and everyone else, there is no mono mix immediately available on streaming services. Ambitious bands of the late '60s took notes from the Beatles at the time and invested mixing resources into hard panning many of the instruments, leading to a less-than-pleasant listening experience for headphone users (most people today). Once you get into it, though, it's an incredible experience. It's wonderfully full, fleshed out, and it rocks.
Bit of a strange one. I quite like the instrumentals, but the vocals weren't quite there for me. I may give this one another chance on some different equipment. 'Old Man Going' was my fave.
Loved this! Never heard of them. But this sounded remarkably like The Who (which is one of my favorites of all time). Interesting to read a bit more about them and find out that The Who may (or may not depending on who you ask) took inspiration from this album. A true pleasant surprise.
Really interesting. And you can definitely get a Who/Beatles vibe from this.
Now this was definitely something. It's a concept album, but manages not to be totally up itself at the same time. There are some really heavily worn influences, from The Beatles and The Kinks to early Floyd, but it hangs together pretty nicely. It's a touch much in places, but generally pretty good fun.
Fed discovery, super fed varieret produktion og gode sange! Tror måske der var et "plot", men jeg fulgte ikke med nok til at fange hvad det handlede om
A great piece of psychedelic rock music. I only knew some of their earlier songs and Berber listened to this record. What a mistake! This is really great.
Me gustó mucho. No tenía ni idea de su existencia y que tantas cosas que me gustan suenen influenciadas por esta banda me vuela un poco la cabeza. Volveré a ellos, me urge escucharles más cosas.
I can in no way argue that this is a good album, but despite this I found I enjoyed it. Weird.
Great album, really enjoyed it. Great 60s vibe 4 stars
I don’t need to waste any more energy talking about why I haven’t enjoyed a good 80 percent of the albums that I’ve heard from the 60s than I already have. I feel like I’ve made that pretty clear. But that doesn’t mean that I still don’t cringe a little when I see a release date between the years of 1960 and 1969. The records generally tend to get better in quality towards the end of the decade though. Some of the best albums from Bob Dylan, The Beatles and The Doors came out during those years. Today’s group seems to be one that has unfortunately been lost to time. I’ve certainly never heard of them. But they seem to have been relatively successful in their time. This album in particular is largely considered to be their strongest work. And it is also considered one of, if not the first rock opera ever made. Which makes it influential for a ton of bands. Rock operas too often suffer from a lot of bloat though. I don’t know why every band felt compelled to make their rock opera some massive double album. I’m looking at you Roger Waters. Double albums definitely have to justify the length. Thankfully this record is not a double LP. It’s actually a really well paced 40 minutes. And it’s consistently interesting for those 40 minutes. I didn’t really dive into the actual theming very much. But I enjoyed what I was hearing. A few of these songs contain some of the roughest and most early punk sounding psychedelic rock I’ve ever heard. And the sort of weird, experimental sounding stuff isn’t too obtrusive. It doesn’t feel like the band sought out to make the craziest thing ever. They just happened to know what they were doing and made a sick record in doing so. It’s one of the only albums in recent memory where it finished and I went “Man, that was really cool”. I always love that feeling. Rating: 7/10
Good album. Loved the directional audio. Very classic rock good music. Some songs were a bit harsh on the ears though. Did feel very Beetles for most songs though but I may just be attributing the whole era to that band as it is the most popular band of that era.
This album goes hard. Somewhere between the Kinks and The Beatles.
I like these guys!
mix van The Who, The Beatles en Pink Floyd... dat kon slechter
Some cool songs, and noteworthy for being one of the first "rock operas". It's undermined by some god awful mixing, which isn't the fault of the band for what is currently available on streaming services. It would be great to get a decent remix/remaster.
Baron Saturday reminds me of Mr. Kite by the Beatles. Old classic rock psychedelic vibe. I liked this album a decent amount. I give it a soft 4
Fairly raw sounding. Love the psychedelia and the singers voice. Got a bit gritty at times. Big props for this being done in the 60s. This one hits the 3.5 star range, but I'm rounding up for the sheer fact that I feel like I have been giving out way too many 3s lol.
Was pretty blown seeing another rock opera on here. This one was better than the ones we've heard so far no doubt. I can hear a lot of Beatles and some early Floyd/Doors on here. Some tracks hit more than others but it is all completely psychedelic.
Smiling Phases meets Sergeant Pepper’s. Can’t believe I never heard of them!
Very good British psychedelic rock from 1968. It's the first rock opera-rock concept album since The Who's Tommy was made a year later in 1969. Lot of Beatles and early Pink Floyd influences. I have always liked this album and I think it is up there among the great British rock albums from the late 1960s.
Wow, what a discovery. I’d never heard of this band or album before. It’s so good, like the Beatles’ psych era but rougher and darker.
very English psychedelic with a strong undercurrent of menace
3.5
Very good psychedelic classic rock from a band I’ve never heard of before. There have been a few bands on this list that emulate and imitate The Beatles and The Kinks and I think The Pretty Things are one of the best I’ve heard so far. There’s a pretty clear influence from The Who here too. The guitar part on “Old Man Going” feels lifted off a Who album. But Pretty Things actually match their drama and momentum and push the sound even further into hard rock territory! “She Says Good Morning” is a highlight. I love this drum solo in the middle of “Baron Saturday.” The hook is cool too. It’s the kind of hard rock flair John Lennon might add to a Beatles album. The backing vocals are interesting on “Trust.” There’s a voice that echoes the lines after the lead singer and it almost turns the song into a round, looping back as the lead vocals start a new line.
I listened to this album broken up over time, so I'm doing my best to review fairly. Overall a super solid album, a lot of the sounds they were utilizing would take off in the decades that follow. Felt like this album would be more well known if the Beattles had released it. Definitely one I would come back to.
psychedelic is always gonna be at a disadvantage but the sheer inventiveness of S.F. Sorrow won me over...a smorgasbord of sonic experimentation and surprisingly heavy in places 8/10
pretty cool historically as (probably) the first rock opera. musically it’s nothing super special except for Baron Saturday which gets it over the hump to 4
Sounds so very Beatles adjacent to me. Enjoyable.
I sort of felt like I was listening to the Beatles but then also Led Zeppelin? Pretty rad overall
This was a fun album. It all blended into one song as I did my work, but I did like the sound. I didn't get bored of it, which is impressive over an hour. I didn't clock any specific song as a favorite. The whole sound was very Sgt Peppers. This came out a year later so that isn't too surprising! 8/10.
Uh, that's not a good album to have today as my right ear is acting up and not only is listening to anything less fun that way, the stereo mix here is freaking me out. OH WELL. What I can say is: an AYMHBYD. And if only for how they somehow manage to transcend sounding like The Beatles. Interesting stuff.
I dig the psychadelic sounds here. Sounds the most like early Pink Floyd of any band I have listened to, although a bit more grounded, less fantastic and trippy. But some great experimental noises. One of my favourite albums so far.
So I got turned on to this very album by my brother from another mother a few weeks ago. It's a good one. Lesser known rock opera. But a cool disc of psychedelic 60's. Well worth the time.
Will listen again