Reviews (page 4 of 7)
It sounds fine in parts, I just have less than no interest in listening to proto-Tommy, I want good songs first and an overarching album story second, not the other way around And it feels too cheesy to take seriously but that's probably just a natural problem of its age It's not bad I just want to be as far away from it as possible
So I certainly have opinions on this one. This album is very akin to Revolver era Beatles, some songs especially really connect to that period for me, but with the expression of Sgt Pepper. Certainly the comparisons are easy to make but this album definitely lacks that certain something that made the Beatles so special... you know outside of the multiple album run up and pre-emptive critical acclaim. But I did anticipate that I would like this album a lot, based on all the comparisons but I really have to agree with the critics here. Also worth saying I've never really listened to the Who so the Tommy comparisons go over my head. I think I appreciate what the album tried to do more than like the album itself. The music is solid, but it's a step down from, as I said, Revolver and even Rubber Soul era Beatles, and is definitely not in league with Sgt Pepper levels of writing. The story it tells flows well, but it lacks the sort of timeless metaphors and catchy hooks retrospectively. At the time however? This should have certainly caused more buzz, it's a shame it was so overlooked. Really good ideas just a couple years too late to really ride the wave. Best songs: Loneliest Person Worst songs: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far: 36/45 (below Coat of my Colors, above Destroyer)
Not bad
Very interesting concept with some ideas that sound way ahead of their time. They're also somehow the first Beatles "soundalike" I've heard that actually manages to pull it off, all while adding their own unique twist. I'd be quite tempted to come back to it in the future, since I couldn't catch everything they were trying to do on one listen. For today, I was engaged the whole way through with a couple of fantastic songs standing out. It's almost a 4! Standouts: She Says Good Morning • Balloon Burning • Defecting Grey • Mr Evasion
Solid with a lot of super cool and interesting sounds and ideas. Since it's a rock opera I have to say the premise doesn't necessarily come across and it definitely requires some serious legwork to get it all. I also felt that it ended on an anticlimax. This may be taboo to say, but it really just made me want to listen to Tommy.
3 seems right.
Favorite Track: Bracelets Of Fingers
Psychedelic rock opera, eh?
Very 60s. Washed over me a bit but could have something to it.
A decent listen, and typical of British 60's psych rock, but little point in revisiting if you also like The Beatles and/or Floyd. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Psychedelic ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 182 Already owned : 40 Purchased : 6 Buy : 6 Nope : 130
This is the only album by this group in the 1,001. I suspect it’s in there only/mostly because it’s touted as the first “rock opera”. This album is OK, but a much better album is their next release, Parachute, which had low-medium rotation when we played cards in high school. That’s well worth a listen. Weirdly, both albums are listed on Apple Music under “Compilations” (with bonus tracks) but not in the regular album discography.
Before today, I’d never heard of The Pretty Things, so S.F. Sorrow was a complete discovery and a very enjoyable one. This is a seriously cool album. It has strong echoes of the late psychedelic era of The Beatles, but with a rougher, noisier edge. It’s an easy and fun listen, full of fuzz, experimentation, and swirling ideas. You can tell how ahead of its time this must have sounded when it was released. What really stands out is how creative and cohesive it feels. The songs flow naturally, and the band fully lean into the strange and experimental without losing the thread. It’s the kind of album that rewards repeat listens, and one I’ll definitely come back to. Favourite tracks: Bracelets of Fingers and She Says Good Morning, both capture the album’s psychedelic charm perfectly Least favourite tracks: None, everything here feels worth listening to Album artwork: A very cool cover that fits the trippy late 60s vibe perfectly Overall, S.F. Sorrow was a genuine surprise, creative, psychedelic, and far more enjoyable than I expected
Sounds like they were listening to all of the Beatles' psychedelic stuff from Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour before recording this one. Good album.
hello george john paul & ringo
Interesting really
Meh
i like the stereo. it’s giving me beatles vibes. otherwise average
It’s sort of like a band saying, hey, look at all the stuff these other bands are doing. We can do it! And they do. And it’s fine. And then no one remembers it at all
Beatles lite
Decent 80s rock with a Beatles vibe. Pretty good overall, but there were some weird synthy moments in some songs that I did not like.
Read about this record for years. Better than I thought. I'd listen again.
Felt like a Beatles record on their more psychedelic kicks. Songwriting wasn’t up to that same standard, but I’m into that sort of thing so it was an enjoyable listen.
😒
A couple bangers but mostly forgettable. In the running for best artwork so far
I started off less than impressed, but by the end I liked a few tracks. Not going to go down as one of the best/most interesting rock operas of all time, but an interesting timepiece. 2.5/5 -> 3/5
cool record. Psychedelic rock is a bit hit or miss for me. Sometimes it gets a bit much, but this was nice.
A psychedelic concept album from the 60s. While I enjoyed the album, the psych rock genre was definitely the “it” genre at the time that many rock bands were emulating, so sometimes these 60s albums can sound redundant, especially when accompanied by flat voices. But this one at least has a different take on the genre by making a psychedelic rock opera.
Decent early Brutus psych. Interesting attempt of a concept album. Can hear the influence to Tommy.
Can't say much about the concept part of the album, as the songs didn't really kept me listening. The music is pretty much standard late '60s psych rock. Didn't do much for me, but it wasn't bad.
The ducts at work are rattling extra hard this year making a lot of noise and sometimes while listening to this album I preferred the ducts.
Didn't do a lot for me. But still good if your into this kinda thing.
An average, boring slog.
Interesting concept album, not terrible but also I get why it's not as well remembered as Tommy or Quadrophenia. The main riff in "Balloon Burning" kinda sounds like the riff in Zeppelin's "Kashmir."
Really trying to be Revolver
It’s actually pretty damned good. Lots of sounds I don’t expect to hear in a 60s album. At some point a they sound like a Beatles rip-off, and some times they sound like a mid-2000s classic rock resurgence band in the vein of The Vines or The Strokes. It’s criminal we don’t have half stars for this project. This is a solid album, 3.5 stars.
Interesting. Obvious some inspiration for Tommy, but a good listen.
Gooi de Beatles, de Kinks en de Stones in de blender, druk op de aan-knop, en dit is wat je krijgt. Gaandeweg het album wordt het steeds belachelijker hoeveel clichés ze op een hoop weten te vegen. In die zin is het ook significant in welk jaar dit uitkwam: 1968. Een jaar nadat de groten de grenzen van wat popmuziek is hadden verlegd, kachelden deze gasten achter de trends aan. En o ja, het schijnt de eerste rock opera te wezen, althans, dat vonden de heren zelf. Ik heb er in ieder geval niks van gemerkt.
Typisch jaren '60 geluid. Het is speels en wisselt af. Helaas geldt die afwisseling ook voor het kwaliteitsniveau. Het is zeker niet altijd raak. Minpunten voor de overtreffende trap van de lange lettergrepen soms. She eee eee eee eee says good morning. Is dit nu serieus bedoeld? Of nemen ze de Beatles op de hak? 2,5 ster
Ik kan me voorstellen dat er in het verleden echt veel van dit soort muziek is gemaakt, waar we nu weinig weet meer van hebben. Of je moet een boomer zijn of een voorliefde voor muziek uit die periode hebben. Het is Beatlesque (we tellen gewoon door), maar ik hoor ook elementen van de Kinks of the Who. Het is met name folkloristisch en psychedelisch. Niet alle nummers zijn van dezelfde kwaliteit en ik kan me voorstellen dat het geluid niet altijd even lekker is om op een koptelefoon of oortjes te horen. Want het is nu soms al wel aan de schelle kant. Ik vind dit best geinig, ondanks dat het wel wat gedateerd klinkt. Mocht ik nog twijfelen tussen een 3 en een 4, dan bedenk ik me dat ik dit zeer waarschijnlijk nooit meer zelf zomaar op zal zetten. Ik had ook niet veel zin om de bonustracks nog uit te luisteren (die niet op de wiki-pagina staan?). Dus het zal moeten belanden in de grote vergaarbak met vergeetbare albums ben ik bang. En daar is maar 1 cijfer voor.
A lot of the reviews compared this to Tommy. As an album, I prefered S.F Sorrow. It doesn't have a song as good as Pinball Wizard on it, but it's a more consistently decent bit of work.
not bad. i enjoyed most of it, but i probably wouldn't come back to this other than a track or two. standout track: talking about the good times
Strong start, went off the rails as the album progressed. Still lots of fun.
297/1089 - Went in one ear then out the other. This is probably unfair since I listened to a lot of 60s music (without paying attention to dates) before listening to this album so I'm unsure what influenced what exactly but the album really sounds derivitive and generic.
Sounds like Queen, The Who, the Beatles, and a little Oasis all mashed up into one concept album. It even had a couple songs that sounded like proto-punk, which were the most interesting ones. All the songs were tied together in a rock opera style. It was fine, but nothing I'd want to revisit in the future. 3/5
At first I was like we have st.peppers lonely hearts club band at home but a few stand outs were ballon burning and o suppose death off the title alone but it wasn’t at ghoulish as you would believe but overall it wasn’t like bad…like a 7.5
Album 952 of 1089 Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow (1968) Rating : 3 / 5 This one takes the form of a rock opera, tracing the life of a single character “from rural birth to Prodigal’s Oliver Twist freakout.” I’ll admit, it’s hard to fully absorb a concept album like this on just one listen — there’s a lot happening lyrically and musically. Even so, it’s a solid listen. The music itself stands up well, with moments that reminded me of The Who, both in tone and structure. The vocals are strong and the musicianship is tight - you can tell they knew what they were doing. While I can’t say it immediately grabbed me the way some other albums have, it’s right there in that comfortable middle ground: enjoyable, well-made, and worthy of another spin down the road. I can easily see how this album might reveal more layers with time. It’s ambitious without being overblown, and there’s a real sense that they were pushing creative boundaries for their era.
Reminds me of the Beatles
Ok
***An ok album. Easy listening
Pretty interesting pysch!
It’s good music, but as far as rock operas it’s no tommy
Dug this album. California hippie sounding. Psychedelic sounds of the canyon. Will dig more into their discography.
The music is good, the format is weird for me.
Pretty good psychedelic rock album but nothing outstanding. It’s decently consistent through, so it was enjoyable all the way through. 7/10
Enjoyable 60’s psychedelic/prog rock
like a decent but leaving more to be desired sequel of magical mystery tour
Interesting I've never heard of this. Very similar to Sgt Peppers, Lola and Tommy, but came before the latter 2. Seems to be the first ever rock opera. No songs stood out as big hits and vocals were hard to understand to follow the story. But I still really like this gritty late-60's brit art rock.
Good music? Yes. Would I choose to listen again? No.
Never heard of this band before, and enjoyed this album, but Juuuuust short of a 4 for me (3.8)
Wish I had more time with this, may reassess
It was ok. Pretty ambitious concept but didnt quite come together. Standout songs: Death I see you
Alors, les Pretty Things, pour les plus jeunes (et même pour certains de ma génération, faut pas déconner), ce nom n’évoque peut-être pas grand-chose. On est loin des Stones, des Who ou des Kinks en termes de notoriété planétaire. Pourtant, ces mecs ont démarré comme des brutes, jouant un R&B plus crade et méchant que Jagger et sa bande à leurs débuts. Mais voilà, 1967/68, l’heure est au psychédélisme, aux fleurs dans les cheveux et aux acides qui font voir la vie en technicolor. Les Pretty Things, comme beaucoup d’autres, sentent le vent tourner et décident d’explorer de nouveaux territoires sonores après un album de transition un peu mou du genou, Emotions . Et là, paf ! Ils nous pondent « S.F. Sorrow » et attention, pas juste une collection de chansons psyché à la petite semaine. Non, monsieur ! On parle ici de ce qui est considéré par beaucoup (et surtout par les principaux intéressés et leurs fans) comme le tout premier « Opéra Rock » de l’histoire, oui et bien avant « Tommy » des Who. L’histoire (fictive, hein, on se calme) de Sebastian F. Sorrow, de sa naissance à sa mort en passant par la guerre, l’amour, la désillusion, bref, la totale. Un concept, une narration, le tout emballé dans des arrangements psychédéliques luxuriants, avec sitar, mellotron, effets sonores et tout le tintouin. Enregistré excusez du peu aux studios Abbey Road, juste après que les Beatles y aient mis en boîte leur fameux « Sgt. Pepper« , et produit en partie par Norman Smith, l’ingé son des Fab Four … Tu la vois venir, la comparaison, grosse comme le nez au milieu de la figure ? Musicalement, « S.F. Sorrow » est loin d’être dégueu. Il y a de vrais moments de bravoure psychédélique, des harmonies vocales soignées, des expérimentations sonores intéressantes pour l’époque. La production de Norman Smith, forcément influencée par son travail avec les Beatles, est riche, pleine d’effets. L’histoire de Sebastian est peut-être plus cohérente, plus sombre aussi, que le prétexte un peu fumeux du « Sgt. Pepper« . On sent une vraie tentative de construire quelque chose de narratif, avec des ambiances qui changent, des moments de tension, de tristesse. « Bracelets Of Fingers » ou « Death » sont des réussites du genre . Mais voilà… Comment ne pas penser à « Sgt. Pepper » ? Sorti un an plus tôt, l’album des Beatles a mis une claque monumentale au monde entier, redéfinissant les possibles en studio et devenant LA référence absolue du psychédélisme et de l’album concept (même si le concept est léger). « S.F. Sorrow », même s’il a été conçu en parallèle ou juste après, arrive forcément avec l’étiquette « le Sgt. Pepper du pauvre » ou « l’autre concept album d’Abbey Road ». C’est injuste, probablement, mais inévitable. Là où les Beatles explosaient de couleurs, d’innovations sonores révolutionnaires et de mélodies immédiatement iconiques, les Pretty Things semblent parfois un peu plus… appliqués. Moins flamboyants, plus sombres, certes, mais aussi peut-être moins universels. L’expérimentation est là, mais elle sonne parfois moins naturelle, moins « évidente » que chez les Scarabées. C’est bien foutu, mais ça n’a pas la magie, l’aura quasi-mystique de son illustre prédécesseur/concurrent. Pepper, c’est le feu d’artifice permanent ; Sorrow, c’est parfois un peu le pétard mouillé, même s’il y a de belles fusées . Et puis, il y a la suite de l’histoire. « S.F. Sorrow » fut un bide commercial retentissant. Ignoré aux States (où il est sorti trop tard, faisant croire à une copie de « Tommy« ), et accueilli poliment mais sans plus au Royaume-Uni. Cruel destin pour un disque aussi ambitieux. Pete Townshend, lui, a bien écouté et s’en est largement inspiré pour « Tommy » l’année suivante, raflant la mise et la gloire de « l’inventeur de l’opéra rock » aux yeux du grand public. Les Pretty Things, eux, retourneront à un rock plus basique par la suite. Alors, ce 3/5 ? Ça me paraît plutôt juste car « S.F. Sorrow » est un disque fascinant par son ambition, historiquement important comme jalon du rock progressif et conceptuel, et il contient de très bonnes choses. C’est une pièce maîtresse du psychédélisme britannique, bien plus aventureuse que beaucoup d’albums de l’époque. Mais il souffre indéniablement de la comparaison avec le monument « Sgt. Pepper« , sorti juste avant et enregistré au même endroit avec le même ingé son devenu producteur. Difficile de passer après ça sans se faire éclipser. Quand je bossais au magasin de disques dans les années 90, on avait parfois des rééditions de « S.F. Sorrow ». Ça partait, mais c’était clairement un truc de connaisseurs, de « ceux qui savent ». Pas le genre d’album que le client lambda venait chercher en sifflotant. C’est le destin des « albums maudits » : adorés par une niche, ignorés par la masse, mais indispensables pour comprendre toute une frange de l’histoire du rock. Il mérite clairement sa place dans les 1001 albums, ne serait-ce que pour son audace et son rôle de précurseur malchanceux. Mais un chef-d’œuvre intouchable ? Peut-être pas. Mais un très bon album, ambitieux et passionnant ? Assurément.
This album grew on me. Better second half
Ok for background
I actually got into this after initial scepticism. Some really gorgeous moments. Not ebough lanning though.
I do like parts of this. Other's less so. Lots of Sgt Peppers copying, but if you're going to it might as well be then I guess. Glad to have heard it. Doubt I will again. Feels like a 3.45.
Kinda sound like the beatles
Another "first-ever rock opera". (I thought Tommy was meant to be the first one? What gives?) It sounds very much like Tommy, complete with the weird chords that aren't quite where they're supposed to me. There's definitely influence from the Beatles and early Pink Floyd. (Completely different from Wall-era Floyd, though, despite what some reviewers seem to be saying.) The stereo mix is exactly what you'd expect from a 1967/68 recording. It's charming in its own dated way. The guitars are fun and vary quite a bit from track to track, so there isn't danger of monotonicity. (That's more than can be said of most pre-70s albums.) Other than the guitars, the musicianship is pretty unremarkable. I have to assume the lyrics are interesting, but since they're not spectacularly bad, I didn't pay them much of my attention. I'm not a big fan of the track titles, though: they feel clumsy and too literal with regard to the "plot". They may as well be the section headers on S.F.'s Wikipedia page. The group must realise that Well Of Destiny is a bunch of incongruous noises and sounds absolutely terrible. Right? (...Right?) It's the absolute low point of the album, though others come pretty close. Death, I See You, and Bracelets Of Fingers suffer from having very few actually interesting or memorable moments. The most distinctive part of Bracelets Of Fingers is that its melody refuses to resolve into the correct chord, and it ends up being a bit of an exhausting listen. It's not even four minutes long, but it feels like quite a bit longer. Many of the tracks on the album's tail end (from Old Man Going onward), despite actually sounding pretty good, kind of drag on as the record approaches the 1-hour mark. It's hard to explain why – after all, the individual songs are strong – but it marred my experience. 3/5 Key tracks: S.F. Sorrow Is Born, She Says Good Morning, Loneliest Person
I personally can never follow/ understand a rock opera or album that tells a full story. I enjoyed some of the songs but maybe deeper listening and paying closer attention is necessary. That said it was still enjoyable.
It's cool that this is an early concept album that I have never heard of. It's not as good as Tommy but I had never seen someone try to work the pure psychadelic sound into a concept album. I wanted to like it more than I ended up but there are some great moments.
I don't know about this one. I applaud the effort to write a rock opera, but I feel like if you have to read the liner notes to know what the hell is going on you've failed a bit in the whole premise. Even after reading the synopsis I could only pick out a couple of obvious points (Burning Balloons, Baron Saturday, Loneliest Person) where the songs matched what was going on. I don't think they were lyrically quite there, though musically the emotions match up to the themes. The good things about this album are the production tricks and the emotional range. Whoever did the mixing/mastering and production work on here did a stellar job. There's lots of tricks of the left/right stereo, great guitar and bass tones, and more than a few vocal edits and effects. The songs run across lots of different feelings from very joyful (Journey), to angry (Old Man Going), to everything in between. The band themselves have a nice range. Overall I think this is kind of a failure of a rock opera but an otherwise decent 60's psychadelic album. I guess without the whole concept it would be pretty unmemorable so the theme is probably what makes it stick out, and why the author of the book picked this. Others would do it way better later on.
Beatles songs with updated methods, fun and listenable
Kinda felt like the beatles, pink floyd and the who making an album together but all at their lowest (which is still enjoyable)
Dated but in a groovy way. I liked this.
Like all others have said, this is so similar in style to the Beatles it’s almost mistakable for them. Just doesn’t reach the same heights as their doppelgängers
Not terrible, but not amazing. There's definitely some substance to it, but a little bit of fluff along with it.
5/10 Slightly generous scoring, probably. It's all so dated and the songwriting doesn't hit any magic.
Most of the songs of lots of interesting layers of sound. Some decent melodies.
I dig this one. Bery good post-Beatles, pre-Queen rock n roll
Soort beach boys
British to its core - I hear the Beatles, the Kinks, Oasis, the Who all in a 60's rock opera that is kinda OK. Its no Tommy.....which I agree was absolutely influenced by this!
Meh. Didn't feel too strongly about this one way or the other. Not bad by any means.
*decent to listen to but nothing incredible *interesting concept
This is what I mean when I say I wanna listen to some 60s music. Perfectly weird.
3/5
It's pretty good, some songs are very silly. I like the wide variation in songs. Ultimately not memorable.
An interesting mix of psychedelica- reminded me a lot of Deep Purple with a splash of the Beach Boys. Overall- pretty good
It took me a while to get around to listening to this album; I thought it would be a completely dated release. Actually, some modern bands sound like this now, so it's a decent, solid release.
S.F Sorrow is Tommy's cousin
Pretty good I liked it, don’t think I would listen again tho
In a list chalk full of these late 60's dudes taking a shit ton of drugs and groovin out this one did nothing to really stand out from the rest. 5/10
The Pretty Things clearly spent some time experimenting in the studio, figuring out what gear was meant for recording and what was meant for rolling. I think some of the most ridiculous parts of Spinal Tap (Listen to the Flower People) were inspired by this. This was fun and yes, you should have heard this album before you die. However, once should do though
meh...
The 3-est album that ever 3-ed. It's fine!
This is a fun little classic. An early rock opera with a big Beatles vibe. They go a little too nuts with the extreme panning, but otherwise a nice listen.
Overall fine. Started out strong but a lot of ok tracks. Another album that's just too long for its own good
Started off like shit Beatles but actually by the end kind of mid Beatles
Never heard of this album but it's not bad
Bring the 60s fuzz, really enjoyed this listen
Not bad but I feel like this same album has been done better. Some nice guitar work.
Beatles clone nr 4. 3/5
surf rock
A bit of a Sgt. Pepper/Beatles knock-off without the charm. Not bad music though. A bit over-wrought, especially towards the end.
Correcto
+ nostalgisk, experimentellt , psykadeliskt 60/70 tal, fin sångröst, skön akustisk gitarr i vissa låtar - dålig ljudkvalitet sänker betyg, kaotisk/spretigt, inte bra för ADHD, repeterande ljud Lyssnade på hälften av albumet Bra låt: sf sorrow is born
This album walked so that Tommy could be an embarrassing mess of an album. This album is good, but not great. High 3.
Very interesting album, and one I might need to revisit later. At the moment probably too 60s psychedelic for me.
This was a pleasant surprise. I'm not a fan of rock operas. I struggle to keep up with the story. But I was rooting for S.F. Sorrow from the start. The music does well not to stray into Dungeons and Dragons territory.
Interesting album from Sidcup lads The Pretty Things. A rock opera that bridges British blues and psychedelia and makes an early bid for the prog space. Good mix of songs reminiscent of early Floyd and late Beatles. Enjoyed listening to this one as hadn't heard before.
Esta buenoo parece los Beatles, unas cuantas no m gustaron pq eran muy rsndom las demas buenas
Felt like listening to the Beatles! I liked it, but most of the songs were pretty forgettable.
There’s glimpses of something great here but it’s always just out of reach There’s a reason why you haven’t heard of this
I really enjoyed the experience. A nice concept album with a strong psychedelic twist, like The Beatles on LSD. Sometimes a bit chaotic and nonsensical, you have to embrace the crazyness to fully appreciate it (well, I guess I’m a hippie at heart...). Not a game-changer, but I will probably listen again one day. A solid 3* for me.
This was a cool psychedelic/experimental rock album. Most of the songs had a kind of abstract or avant garde sound to them but I guess that tracks for when it was released. I feel like I would have to be in the right mood to re-listen to this album.
I suppose if youre not well versed in 60s psychedelic rock, there would be more to say about this album. But as someone who's heard it already...theres a point where things start to sound repetitive!! If you've heard Sgt.Pepper, early Pink Floyd, the Who, etc. you'll hear it in this. Nothing "new" in my point of view, which doesnt make it bad. But it doesnt make it stand out unfortunately.
not badd!!!!
6/10…psychedelic rock
i can imagine how this hits if you're a huge fan of the beatles etc but as a begrudging respecter rather of the beatles, this feels like a needless detour. something to dig into for the real 60s psychedelic rock head, but not something that everyone should be listening to before they die (old man going does kind of rock though)
Det här skulle jag kunna lära mig gilla. Helt okej.
Definitely worth listening to and some good songs and music. As a so-called rock opera, it is a general failure in the sense that the overarching story is not that interesting and does not really come through via the album. (I have found this to be true of all the rock operas I've listened to -- the idea might work well for the writers to create a group of related songs but getting the songs themselves to all stick together and be good music and be interesting lyrically is asking for an awful lot). More interesting to me for this album is way it blends blues, rock, and various prog rock styles together.
This album was a mixed bag for me. Most of it wasn't bad. The song Balloon Burning might have been my favorite song except for the mixing; aside from the wild asymmetry in the stereo mix, the lead guitar was mixed so hot during the majority of the song that I had to turn it down. The next song Death was also very good. All in all I liked it and might come back to it again some time in the future. 3.4/5
Reminded me of something like Beatles White Album. I enjoyed it alright, but there was some interesting mixing decisions that weren't great. Still, I did enjoy this and wouldn't mind if it was playing again. 3/5
- sf sorrow
Very reminiscent of the Beatles
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Opera Rock
3.5/5
Remembered as the first 'rock opera,' S.F. Sorrow is the transition from The Kinks to Pink Floyd. Rock-n-roll gets caught up w/ the conceptual, refusing to 'roll' off the tongue anymore: 'Your sonnets of life / They are filling the place / High windows inside me / Look down on your face.' A mouthful, to say the least. They aren't necessarily too British, thankfully, but they are skittish: an excitable rush of half-baked ideas, lyrical programs they were all too eager to utter. Mostly, prog made rock a slog, but what saves this album from itself are the song structures and the instrumentation. Better than Tommy b/c it features sweeter vocals and more soulful riffs, it's still a pretentious barrage. The best tracks: 'Trust' and 'Loneliest Person.'
A bit too psychedelic for me… I kept thinking of other songs this album made me think of, and then I was wanting to play those songs instead. 3/5
Very nice. It gets the sound of the era. You could think it's the Beatles at times. I haven't tried to look or listen at the lyrics, but I read its the first rock opera, so kuddos to that. it redefind teh concept of an album from a list of songs to a whole story. A concept now forgotten with algorhytmes that make (often very well I must say) our playlists.
Glad we stopped stereo panning VOCALS TO THE RIGHT CHANNEL
Quite good.
Some lovely experimentation in here
Never heard of this before. Overall a pretty good album. Will I go back to it? I'm unsure, but it was a decent listen.
Psykedeelinen, Pink Floydmainen, rock ooppera. Ihan siisti ja erikoinen. Ihan en tarinasta saanut kiinni, joku sotilas? Joissakin kappaleissa tosi erikoisia efektejä, kuten jälleen Pink Floydillakin. Parhaat: S.F. Sorrow Is Born, Baron Saturday
Seemed decent. Need to give it a proper chance.
Concept album psych-outs were all the rage post-Sgt. Pepper, and these British R&B burnouts got there early enough to claim it as the first rock opera—though “opera” may be too generous for what’s basically Tommy in utero, minus the killer riffs. There’s some charming, Beatles-borrowed melodic ambition (“She Says Good Morning” could be a Pepper B-side), and the bookends—“S.F. Sorrow Is Born” and “Old Man Going”—hint at something heavier, with strummy acoustics and unhinged vocals that predict the metal excesses to come (not always in a good way). “Loneliest Person” ends things on a quietly folky note, which might be the most honest moment here. A curiosity worth hearing once, especially if you're tracing the evolutionary tree from mod blues to art rock, but more historical footnote than must-own.
This one raises an interesting question. Is paving the way and serving as an inspiration for some great rock operas that followed it enough of a reason to include an otherwise pretty pedestrian album like this on a list with the greatest albums of all time?
top songs: bracelets of fingers, talking about the good times, I see you, S.F sorrow is born, baron saturday
I don't know if I understand this, though it sounds nice-ish?
Kinda good, kinda weird. Very Beatles inspired
Meh pretty boring, and honestly I'll have forgotten this album by the time I've finished this review 3 ⭐️
This might not be the greatest album from the late sixties on this list, but it's certainly not the worst. It covers lots of experimental (for the time) styles and does most of them pretty well. Also if this is really the first rock opera then that alone probably justifies its place on the list. I haven't tried following the narrative closely to be honest (they tend to be pretty tenuous anyway) but, y'know, kudos for doing it. 3.5
Pretty cool
It’s like if Tommy was a little more grounded and less ambitious. Like Arthur if it wasn’t quite as musically tight. I liked it. This is one I probably would not have heard of otherwise. Favorites were Bracelets Of Fingers, She Says Good Morning, Baron Saturday, and Old Man Going.
Feels like a reaction to Sgt Pepper where they thought panning was a big thing. Song wise, it’s decent but not memorable.
nice
Thought this was fairly decent aside from a few baffling production choices that were possibly a little too distracting. That said in an era that resulted in albums that defined the decade, this maybe feels a little indistinct
A little slow for my taste, similar sound to the beatles, not bad though
Reminded me of another band, couldn't quite put my finger on it.
not enough pinball :/
Beatle-like and The Who-like, but not as good as either. 3.
Very much child of the 60' this. Though it has a quality that make me doubt that that was when it was actually born. I haven't looked it up and am not inspired enough to do so. But I did like it. Best we've had for a little while, but still only worth a 3
Pretty standard post-Beatles Brit rock pop. It does lean in to the more psychedelic sound, but I didn't hear anything that wow'd me.
I need to be tripping on WAY more acid to properly enjoy this.
Really good to hear these classics again. I played this a lot in the 60s but not in probably 50 years. Still quite enjoyable.
I suppose there are elements to this that I enjoy when I hear them in music I’m more familiar with. But this really didn’t grab me. Maybe I need more than a day to sit with this one.
Beatles influenced, psychedelic rock opera. Very creative from a band I hadn’t previously come across. Rock operas normally annoy me, but songs like Balloon Burning / Mr Evasion have a bit more edge to keep interest. Baron Saturday and a few others lose me a little bit with some of the lyrics. Low 3/5
I'm on the fence about this being a 2 or 3 star album. I've had a friend trying to turn me on to this band for years but it's never fully clicked, though there's something there I should be into based on my other tastes... I'll probably continue to explore their stuff periodically.
A very (very very) Beatles inspired album with some really interesting ideas, but suffers a lot from the recording and production. Some of the songs sound rusty, dusty and a bit muffled, which it is something that throws me out of the immersion. It is a pity I couldn't appreciate that much this album, because I did like some of the ideas and melodies it offers, such as the ones in 'Baron Saturday', 'Trust' or 'Balloon Burning'.
OK but nothing special
Fun psychedelic album!
This was very interesting, I think the idea of rock operas always appeal to me more than their actual execution, but I did enjoy this one pretty well.
Baron Saturday er mjög töff, annað kallar ekki á aðra hlustun eftir eitt rennsli.
Beatles rip off, meh Srsly, not a bad mix between trippy music and the Beatles.
Like wish.com version of the Beatles, it's not bad, but if I wanted to listen to this style I would choose the Beatles evertime
A fun romp through the end of the 60s with light beats and psychedelics.
Interesting.A concept album heavily influenced by Sgt Pepper. Kind of post war angst too
Great if you like the Beetles. Might be ok if you like the Stones.
Psycho rock
Solid psych rock, but nothing blew me away
Definitely fits the 60s psychedelic genre, but I’m not sure they do it as well as others did. Loneliest Person was my favorite because it sounds a bit like 21 Guns by Green Day, but I still didn’t love it, which kind of sums up how I felt about the whole album.
Sure, alright, semi-psychadelic 60s rock.
Sounds like a copy of The Beatles a year or two later. I didn’t catch that all the songs follow a theme.
Another weird album I never heard of, which is quite good.
Totally unknown band again. Run of the mill rock and roll. A good album overall.
6/10 Probably need to listen to this many more times to fully appreciate it. Unfortunately thats not likely to happen. Highlights: Trust
Not bad
Dificil destacar en Inglaterra en el año 1968. No llegan al nivel de los grandes.
You can't knock the ambition of the record. The production is a bit clunky at times especially the stereo panning but it's the sound of a band doing exactly what they want to do
Good album. Like the Who anyway but this more conceptual album is well worth alisten
Really enjoyable, particularly: Balloon Burning - great riff Death - eerie Trust - echoes of the Beatles Defecting Grey - love the different sounds in this, like three songs at once. Dreamy intro, echoes of the Rolling Stones in the middle, and the quintessential psychedelic rock album whimsy song interspersed throughout. Mr. Evasion - echoes of the Beatles again Walking Through My Dreams - "I never worry 'cause I never get the time" - so good. Great harmonies before and during the fade out. Great end to the album too, which has proven unusual for albums on this list!
I find it difficult to rate albums like this, when they are so clearly inspired by and/or emulating another band, in this case The Beatles. And while it’s not bad, I am more likely to just listen to the Beatles instead of this. Some of the songs do break from the Beatles mold a bit and have a generic classic rock sound, but there-in lies another problem, it’s just generic rock. All and all this isn’t a bad album, it’s just not good enough to stand on its own.
Day 26 Lovely sound but no real hook 3/5 #musicsky #albumsky
It's a pretty nice rock opera album, although thematically it doesn't feel all that unique and the production can be a bit messy at times. Still, there are a couple of tracks I really enjoyed and saved, like "SF Sorrow is born", "Balloon burning" or "The loneliest person". Overall, it is a record I would recommend. 3.5 stars
Hard to believe I once loved this kind of thing, though never this exact thing.
Never heard of them before, but it's pretty decent psychedelic rock. Evidently they invented the rock opera...which I'm not sure the world needed.
Wow, this is freaky--it's like I landed in an alternate universe where the Beatles, the Who, and Pink Floyd didn't exist. Maybe psychedelic rock operas are like lightbulbs or intermittent wipers--if one person hadn't invented them someone else would have, so you can't give anyone the patent. This one is fine, if you're in the mood.
This should be right up my street, but it doesn’t quite land. Reminded me in parts of a greatly inferior ‘Days of Future Passed’ which I think is a massive omission when this album is included.
This is a British psychedelic rock opera. Things I don’t particularly like include psychedelic music, rock operas and the British. That being said, S.F. Sorrow isn’t that bad, despite the fact that it would likely be much improved if it were not psychedelic and was not a rock opera and if the people who made it were from a real country.
Didn't really listen to this actively and I don't know if I will. so... 3 for you
Sometimes fun, and more varied than you'd maybe think from something as old.
The kind of music I like, but not enough for a 4…
2.7 Listen to this in passing. Some interesting guitar tones and song structures. Didnt pay enough attention to understand any inkling of the concept. May check out again at a later date. May Not
The music was pretty good, but for a rock opera, it wasn't all that interesting of a story really at all
I see and ditto all the other reviews referencing the Beatles. Very trippy Brit-rock. Meh.
They must have taken all of the drugs, I mean every single one wow
Non memorable late 60s rock. Terrible recording and/or mix.
Loved them, very 60s obviously. Can't have a soft without a sitar or heaving guitar riffs. Would class this as Dad Rock, specifically the ones who think they're still tough young men but would get their ass handed to them in a fight now.
Idk anything about this man but why did this feel like the soundtrack to a coming of age movie set in the 60s or the opening to a Crime Scene Investigations spin off?! Love an album that begins with capturing the vibe if what its going for. Pretty good at the start but then half way through I was like hm ... It was a bit too long I think. The more acid version of Black Sabbath. Fave Songs: S. F Sorrow Is Born She Says Good Morning Private Sorrow Balloon Burning I See You Defecting Gray Talkin About The Good Times
Very British invasion pilled
One track in I was like "oh great, another Beattles wannabe band from the UK no one even remembers." But I listened through and was pretty into it. Then I read their bio and discovered their earlier work even better. Hat tip to 1001 on this on.
2.5
Psychedelic, different sound and concept for the time. Ahead of their time, cool to listen to.
3+
So reminiscent of The Beatles
Album is full of surprises, a couple of bangers in there as well. At times the production feels very grainy (obv it’s old), but then suddenly there’ll be a switch up which comes out of nowhere, with production ahead of its time. The album is quite experimental and theres good variation within the album. I’m not sure if I’d listen to it much, but I can understand its value. I’ll give it a 3.
Standard Britpop that blended into the background.
Probably groundbreaking for its time. Kinda corny now
Sorrow Is Born S.F. 3.6 Bracelets of Fingers 3.4 She Says Good Morning 3.5 Private Sorrow 3.3 Balloon Burning 3.4 Death 3.5 Baron Saturday 3.3 The Journey 3.3 I See You 3.6 Well of Destiny 3.4 Trust 3.3 Old Man Going 3.5 Loneliest Person 3.2 Score: 3.407692308
Het klinkt behoorlijk Beatles-achtig. En met behoorlijk bedoel ik echt flink. De effecten, de samenzangetjes, de structuur van de liedjes, de helium-achtige stemmen. Maar dat vind ik eigenlijk helemaal niet zo'n probleem, liever huismerk Beatles dan een Zappa kloon, om maar iets te noemen. Balloon Burning is wel een schijtirritant nummer overigens en zo zijn er nog wat meer nummers die niet helemaal raak zijn. Het is een rock opera, dus als je er écht voor gaat zitten kun je er misschien nog iets meer uit halen dan ik nu, maar al met al vind ik dit een prima psychedelisch album. Tussen de 3 en de 4.
3.5/5
Definitely of its time, but I'm surprised I haven't heard more people talk about this. Personally I found it interesting but I'm not sure I'll listen to it again.
Okay. It’s kinda The Beatles and kinda The Who, and I probably would have loved this if I was alive and knew this album when it came out. Fine. Not sure about listening before I sleep eternal, but fine.
Never heard of these guys, but nice psychedelic 60's tunes. Bracelets Of Fingers was particularly interesting, as was Balloon Burning (My favorite). I dig this album, at least enough for a 3.5. I'm going to listen to more of them.
I didn't know what to expect with this, but really enjoyed it. I see where maybe MGMT, Temples and Empire of The Sun get some influence.
Very typical brit rock sound, but they did take a lot more creative risks and didn't stay on any one idea for too long. Some of the risks just became annoying but some paid off
Vibes 2.6. I need to listen again with the lyrics and maybe a flowchart
Boring album with some minor standouts
kiva
Feels very Sgt. Peppers. I enjoyed it and saved a few songs. Solid psych rock album. Pleasantly surprised. I likely won’t be back to the album but I might dabble with a song or two on some playlists.
pretty cool that this is considered the first rock opera. this reminded me a lot of Sgt. Peppers, which actually came out the year before. a lot of kudos to the first rock opera ever, and can definitely see why that would make the list. that being said, I liked the back half of the album a lot more than the first. I think after 'Well of Destiny', I enjoyed how the album progressed. The first part really had me on the fence if I was going to like this album or not, especially Balloon Burning (that song was absolutely grating to me). shout out to the section of 'Old Man Going' to 'Mr. Evasion'. Probably wouldn't throw this one on again, but definitely cool to listen to the roots of a rock opera and understand where it started.
This felt familiar, even though I had never heard of this band before.
i think i burned myself out on all the bad psychadelic rock in this book/series that i was elated at first listen because this album doesn't suck, but on second listen i came back down to earth
Someone else said this is pre-Beatles and Doors weirdness, but this album came out the year after Sgt Pepper and The Doors debut album? I don't know.. This was a fun romp of an album though. A creative arrangement and mix, intriguing songs, some very heavy Beatles influence throughout, but with a little more bite and edge at times. At the end of the day, it's fine to good, nothing ground breaking.
nice background prog rock listening. i especially enjoyed the riffs and the compositions of "Old Man Going" and "Lonliest Person"
sergeant pepper wanna be. honestly though, there were some enjoyable songs on this album - when i was ready to move on with my life, Walking Through My Dreams pulled me back in. 3.5 rounded down to 3.
Fairly unremarkable 60s era britpop. Looking this up, I guess it's "one of the first rock operas," which is neat. But the thing about rock operas is that I don't get them until listen several times, and it's unclear why I would do that here. Plenty of good riffs (balloon burning is fun musically) and some really nice transitions between songs (really cohesive album!), but the competition in this genre is intense, and this doesn't rise above.
3.2 2x
3.5
Very good 60’s rock. Like the Beatles but not famous? Enjoyed it!
I get it, but the stereo mix is so jarring. I feel like every late 60s group is like Jefferson Beatles.
This was a cool listen, totally unfamiliar with this album or this band for that matter
This is apparently the first rock opera. Psychedelic rock contributed more to metal than other rock subgenres. Just wanted to say that here (I don't have much to write about). The title track was a good opening. Most of the songs were ok. 3 stars for "S.F Sorrow".
Strange, psychedelic, creative, and colorful. I’m pretty into this despite its wonky sound.
I’m trying to think what it is that bothers me about 60s psychedelic music. I think I’m too far removed from that culture to understand it. Also, growing up in the 80s and 90s, this is the sound we were rebelling against. Also the sitar and pan flutes… not pleasant in any generation of pop music. However, this album is slightly better than most I’ve heard on this journey. Still incredibly British, and to me that is derogatory when it comes to 60s music.
Feels like an interesting bridge between the 1960s psychedelic era and prog rock of the 70's. No idea how influenced they are, but it's a nice little musical detour. Gotta say it was a bit dull, but makes me a bit more interested in the band which I've never heard of before..
Veel vette momenten, maar pakte me toch niet als geheel. Niet slecht, maar ook niet geweldig.
60s psychedelic rock opera - whimsical, fun, but not something I'll come back to
Fav: Balloon Burning Least Fav: I See You
17 tracks, many ideas, none grabbed me. I‘m sorry. 3 stars without rating.
60s pop - similar to a lot of other stuff. If you grow up with this particular band, you probably love it. Else it is simply sounds so similar to a lot of other bands.
Another early concept album that carried more influence than worth. It has intriguing similarities to both the Beatles and Stones, while also going in a third direction. Like a lot of early psychedelia, space reigns supreme where some bolder tones or more complex chords could take the lead.
The songs I liked, I loved, but most of them faded into the background for me. Enjoyable record for the most part. 3.5/5
Interesting. I'm glad I read the wiki on this one. It's a bit all over but seeing they were going for a rock opera makes sense for some of it being disjointed. I feel like this was done better by a lot of other bands but they must've been an influence on some of them. I'm glad to have listening to this but I doubt I'll be back much. Good to have on the list.
Interesting style. But not terribly interesting
enjoyable, just not memorable.
"S.F. Sorrow" is an interesting enough album. Psychedelic in a similar vein to many of the greats from the genre. Most notably, it's considered one of the first rock operas, very similar to "Tommy" though The Who deny any influence. Truthfully, I never would have picked up on the fact that it's a concept album if I hadn't read it or tried to listen very closely to the lyrics. It doesn't work as well as other attempts by more famous bands but Pretty Things get credit for trying out the concept first. It's not a bad album and maybe it deserves more of my attention. But it's not one that was destined for fame, apart from the historical footprint it gets. It's cool for what it is.
Enjoyed it!
60er.....
The first rock opera album, so now we know who's responsible for that genre.
Pretty nice sounding music. Standout tracks: Balloon Burning, I See You, Trust
концепт альбомы про жизнь я слушать и понимать не умею, поэтому просто мужики поют (но с саундом 60х я это не ассоциирую). смогла бы я отличить от зе ху? кто знает...
It was cool. Better than Tommy.
"S. F. Sorrow" has a consistent storytelling but unfortunately that doesn't make this album fresh enough to avoid comparisons. It could be an album by any other rock band of this time. I'm so done of these records sounding the same fuckin' thing all the time. I understand that it was something of the time, but at some point it ends up getting exhausting for those who listen and try to appreciate the work.
meh
So cool it left me cold
maybe a bit overblown
3 < x < 4
Minder utroligt meget om Beatles' mere eksperimenterende numre (white album?)
I can't recall a single song of these I heard yesterday. I know that I listened to it and I didn't hate it Standouts - 3/5
idk if this is normal, and I guess I dont read much anymore, but I am reading and I listened to this while reading... kinda tuned this out and I think that thats bc of the album and not bc im reading bc the next album started and im def noticing that more.
It’s just so mediocre. This dude doesn’t need to include every single 60s psych rock album that exists on this list. This really doesn’t need to be here
I liked some of this - the particular standout for me was Balloon Burning. But other aspects of it were a little too meanderingly psychedelic for my tastes. A mixed bag - low three.
Decent album, nothing hugely memorable other than Private Sorrow being a highlight, and Baron Saturday sounding a bit like former UK Chancellor George Osborne having an acid trip.
Not really standing out to me
Better than the Beatles
Some songs use stereo effects heavily and when listening on headphones and having hearing issues in one ear makes me switch my system to convert the audio to mono.
S : Had never heard of this group but I thoroughly enjoyed this one - 4 D : Found this a bit too quirky to properly enjoy. 2
I had not heard of this album until today. A blend of Sgt peppers, Early Who, Pink Floyd, the Kinks and many other bands. Definitely peak 60s psychedelia. It reminds of a less pretentious Tommy with a big focus on sound.
Interesting early psychedelic concept album with some interesting sonic experiments. Decent.
Psychedelic rock! What’s not to like! It’s not exceptional, but it’s definitely not bad either! A pleasant surprise!
It was a solid album, and when a remaster is available I would love to listen to it as I found my biggest issue with this album was that it was mixed so odd vs current mixing standards. I can see why the Wiki article mentioned ripping off The Who because I can see it's fingerprints all over Tommy. Overall, definitely glad I listened to it, will listen to it again with a future remaster. Favorite Song: Balloon Burning
Beatlesy! God, men kan måske godt forstå at den ikke er husket så meget. Har hørt det meste før
A bit too long, a lot of the songs mixes together. The style was pretty cool though
Quite dark this but a good album
S.F. Sorrow: The brooding, lesser-known older brother of Tommy who traded pinball for profound despair and avant-garde introspection.
New album for me. I understand it has some historic value due to the comparison with Tommy, the better known rock opera. The album on its own is OK, but I feel slightly indifferent.
Full appreciation probably requires digging into the story, which I didn't do. As far as the music is concerned: not that bad actually.
Decent album. Few tracks has a Beatles Sgt Peppers vibe
Not bad. Kirkland Beatles.
A lot of it reminded me of later Beatles stuff, maybe heading into a Hendrix kinda direction. Might need another listen.
Another St Pepper from 68.
Bien aimé, mais un autre album de vieux rock des années 60 qui sonne un peu comme les Beatles. Rien d'autre à dire. 6/10
Some of the songs were OK but boring, and the others were actively annoying.
Interesting combo of what seems the Beatles and the kinks
A hidden gem! Swaths of light psychedelia. Solid hooks. First time ever listening.
This grew on me after a slow start but I rather doubt it did so sufficiently to be played it. I didn't know the history or details & have no dog in that fight but it does sound awfully like 'Tommy' ripped it off, doesn't it? PS the panning is highly irritating, lol....!
You could tell me this was a lost Beatles album and I'd believe you. It's not as good as the Beatles, but an interesting listen. Some cool sitar and songs but nothing that really grips me. 6/10 (3/5)
no doubt better in mono
Great
Pretty good sounding psychedelic rock album but kinda drags in the middle. The audio panning gets kinda annoying but there is a good album there, just with 17 tracks it's a bit much. Very Sgt. Peppers Beatles like and has some good moments as well as some bad. Overall probably a 3.5
3.5 - I like the potential but def need to see more
Das Album ist eine faszinierende musikalische Reise durch die späten 60er Jahre. Es beginnt mit dem Track „Private Sorrow“, der durch seine Folk-Elemente einen sanften Einstieg bietet. Dieser ruhige Anfang wird bald durch experimentelle Klänge abgelöst, die das Album in eine neue Richtung lenken. Ein Höhepunkt ist der Song „Old Man Going“, der mit härteren Tönen und intensiver Energie überzeugt. Zum Ende hin taucht das Album in den Beatkeller-Sound der Doors ein, was einen interessanten Kontrast zu den vorherigen Tracks bildet. Insgesamt ist das Album konzeptionell gut arrangiert und zeigt die Vielseitigkeit der Band. Es ist eine spannende musikalische Reise, die die verschiedenen Einflüsse und Stile der späten 60er Jahre gekonnt miteinander verbindet.
Never heard of The Pretty Things, but this was some very solid British psychedelia. Listened to this in the background straight through twice -- no major standouts, but all was enjoyable to my ear. High 3 verging on low 4.
I would believe you if you told me this was a Beatles album, literally sounds the exact same. I wish they didn't use the crazy amount of headphone switching a volume changing that was kind of driving me insane at points. Wasn't fully listening to the lyrics but after reading the wiki this is apparently supposed to all be a connected story. If I liked this album more I would definitely go back and re-listen better to hear the story, but I don't care too much. Pretty average psych album.
Good enough.
Ganz schön. Konzeptuell und atmosphärisch.
Decent psych
Okay late 60s music, though didn't find it stands out from other music of the time. Hints of The Who, early Pink Floyd, The Beatles and other 60s psychedelia. 3/5