S.F. Sorrow

3.5

Man, that was pretentious. Perilously close to one-star territory. Why do I care about this protagonist?

It was fine.

Was not overly compelled by the story of Mr. Sorrow

The Beatles didn't influence everyone artistically. This group missed the mark. Pretty awful.

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.

Didn't do much for me. It's like a blend of 60s Brit rock and Beatles worship but with all of the wrong elements, I couldn't help listening thinking that this is a subpar effort at emulating another band. I just went back and re-listened to the highest play count songs to see if I missed something. "Baron Saturday" is the highest so I went there first, and my opinion hasn't really changed. The vocal parts start to get cool in the middle with that rough and raw chorus at 00:45 and again at 1:21 and then it almost suddenly drops into an unexpected and unwanted? bongo jam. 2/5; I think I'd like it more if it wasn't presented to me as an album I must hear in my lifetime.

S.F. Sorrow: A Psychedelic Stumble The Pretty Things’ S.F. Sorrow is a bold attempt at a psychedelic rock opera, but it ultimately falls short of its ambitions. While the album’s concept is intriguing, the execution often feels muddled and uneven. The band's experimentation with sound and structure is commendable, but the songs lack memorable hooks or choruses. While there are moments of psychedelic brilliance, they are too few and far between. The narrative, delivered primarily through liner notes rather than the music itself, is confusing and difficult to follow. Ultimately, S.F. Sorrow is a fascinating historical document rather than a truly enjoyable listening experience. It’s a record that rewards patience and multiple listens, but casual fans will likely find themselves drifting off.

Pretty run-of-the-mill late 60s psychedelic stuff. A little darker than the rest, but not very remarkable to me.

Unfortunately for these guys the who, the Beatles, mc5 and a lot of others where contemporaries of theirs, they were never going to out do them. The white album was released the month before as an example! Solid all the same 3.5*

This probably would have seemed awesome to a UK teenager in 1968. I didn't think it was that unique or interesting, though.

Psychedelic rock hardly ever sounds good and, spoiler alert: this didn't either. It's actually kind of incredible how music from this era was either incredible or downright terrible - no in-between. 4/10.

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.

Passable, but not much more I can add

Fairly uninteresting, alright as background music but even then didn't really grab me all that much

It was cool, it was interesting. It hit the marks for the early classic styles, but AFTER hearing all of them, it's hard for this one to have the same impact. I'll listen again to really get the story.

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

sounds like weird era beatles and the who combined

Favorite Song: Walking Through My Dreams

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

Very mediocre.

Ok

We have beatles at home

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.

It’s OK

I can't properly rate this one. When it started, I was like "Oh, this is a Beatles imitation band" but then it got weirder as the album went on, so that no longer fits. I know it's not something I ever want to listen to again, but while "listening" to it I was fairly engrossed in my work so this mostly just washed over me as slightly annoying background music. Points for doing some weird shit, and maybe I would have appreciated it more if I paid more attention to it. Rounding up to a 3 here, partly because in retrospect I feel bad about giving the recent jazz albums a 2--it's not a genre that I enjoy, but the musicianship was objectively good enough to get those to a 3 even if I didn't enjoy them that much. Sorry, jazz guys. 2.5

Magnificent. I expected nothing and that was greatly exceeded.

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.

This album was fun and interesting enough and I get why it's on the list being one of the first rock operas. It's got enough 60s British weirdness in it to keep me engaged. Fun enough for sure.

Reminiscent of The Who. If you like rock operas this is one for you

Psychedelic, rock opera feel

A mix of good psychedelia with mediocre proto punk/metal and Sometimes enjoyable soundscapes making this Experimental Rock.

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.

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

Will listen again

Rock operas usually need several listens, and so does this most likely

This album didn’t leave a huge impression on me. I was really into it after the first few songs, but as the album went on, it became more psychedelic, and I got bored. That said, I do appreciate the wide variety of sounds and genres encompassed in this one album. It’s as if all the different eras of The Beatles got condensed into one project.

No

It was ok! Not that memorable but i enjoyed it

Thoroughly enjoyed their sound. Like an early The Who

Some great moments. Possibly a 4.

Points for creativity but a lot of this was tough to listen to. Reminds me of something I might’ve made in high school before learning that less is more. A few of the tracks are very interesting and cool, though. A very tough album to rate. And one I’ll likely revisit.

Would I listen to it again: yes Is it a no-skip album: no Do I like it: yes

FUN

I always have a little bit of an itch to play these albums through one headphone and pump up the volume so I can do other things while listening. Definitely do not do that here. There were a lot of cool little parts in here, but overall I was bored to a little annoyed by the end of almost every track. Not much more to say than that.

Prety decent prog rock album, not as good as pink floyd but not bad

I enjoyed the sound of this one. Felt very on par with a Beatles record. I read this was the first rock opera, though I couldn't really follow the story line if so. But it sounded good

5th rate Beatles

60’s

It's like if the Beatles made a rock opera. Works some of the time.

On RYM i gave this a 5. This app trally needs decimals. Great album and the best example of 60's psychadelia I can think off. Piper at the gates of dawn done right. Exciting stuff.

Sounds like your basic oldies album. Good but not memorable.

Sure, groundbreaking and whatever. Slightly weird and wonderful in places. But overall, zzzzzz. Which goes for the album art too.

Sounds like the Beatles

A couple of decent songs buried under a tonne of garbage

What a load of shit that was, thank God it's over.

It was ok but probably won't listen again

Surprised how much I liked this. Good stuff

I've heard this several times during the last decade, but never does it remain in my mind.

Never heard of them. Never heard any of these songs. Interesting sounds of the 60s.

A remarkable album. If The Who claim that Tommy was created uninfluenced and completely independently, they must have been living under a rock and unaware of their scene. I didn't know the album until today. The sound reminds me of the early songs by Pink Floyd, perhaps not quite as wacky. A great album. 4/5

7.5/10

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.

Me fait beaucoup penser aux Beatles, dans les harmonies et les arrangements orientalisants, mais prend une tangente plus affirmée, un rock plus lourd vers la fin.

Interesting listen.

First two tracks got me curious and smiling a little. It's like they just discovered the LR function and took full advantage. It quickly became self absorbed, repetitive and fucking annoying. If I could go back in a time machine I'd go to their concert only to take his guitar and hit him over the head with it.

At first i thought this was gonna be another rolling stones-esque slog, but the psychadelic boat ride it became meant i actually enjoyed parts of it. Don't think id listen again so it gets a 2 but very close to 3 stars

I prefer the Bowie version

great rock opera, i’d listen to this again

Not a band I’ve listened to previously. Really enjoyed it.

For no one

Sounds like an assortment of Who, Beach Boys, the Beatles, and Pink Floyd psychedelic period songs rolled into S.F. Sorrow's rock opera, which is both rewarding and self-indulgent. A lot to wade through, but there are a lot of standout tracks, some really good rockers that keep it interesting despite the "concept" and thin story-line. A bit overlong and probably underrated and worth a listen, even if it's just once, but it's a good idea to explore this more to get the most out of this interesting record.

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.

Heavy influence from the beatles here. Still alright i suppose.

I drifted off and lost interest in the narrative. Without it, as a collection of songs it's ok but nothing special.

Back at the dawn of L.S.D. when the "electric" guitar was young, this was novel and exciting. Burroughs was busy creating at the shredder and Waterman had yet to perform a rock opera. Heady days that anyone who was REALLY there cannot remember.

With most of the albums in the 1001, giving it just one listen is probably not enough. This album was pretty good, but I didn't feel invested enough to think of it much higher than a 3, though I reckon with several more listens I'd probably warm to it more.

I listened to this with noise canceling headphones while walking and it made me dizzy. I didn’t realize it was a concept album when I listened, so it probably warrants another listen with that in mind. But overall, enjoyed it, even if it feels similar to a lot of other British rock.

Psychedelic rock psychedelic pop. Sin más.

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.

Never really cared for rock operas, but it’s not awful

Painfully awful. The music was okayish but the vocals and lyrics were just so so SO damn bad.

This was interesting. I feel like it needs another listen.

🎧Interesting psych rock album with lots of cool experimental flourishes. Entirely unclear what the story of this rock opera is, but the same can be said for Tommy which it allegedly inspired (though members of The Who deny it).

Interesting from a British prog/psychedelia perspective. Clearly of that strain of Pink Floyd kind of scene. Not brilliant, just interesting.

bit of it's time, however if this had been a Beatles album it would be remembered as a classic

I'm probably being unfair as I wasn't able to concentrate on this fully, but it didn't really grab me

Yeah, okay, I can vibe with this.

You can tell these guys loved the Beatles. It's not bad, but if I was in the mood for the like, Sgt. Pepper is just going on instead.

Meh I wasn’t listening too intently so probably need to give this another listen to understand the story better. Rating: 3.0

i think is album is more important for its concept than it is for being a truly great album. don't get me wrong, i did enjoy it and it is up my alley. i think upon multiple listens, i could really get to liking it, but to me upon first listen, it feels like it's more notable for being "the first rock opera" than the actual quality of the music. either way, there were some cool psych-tinged moments on here and there wasn't a bad song in the mix.

Very Beatles sound to it.

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.

I listened to it twice through, and forgot it was on after about the second or third song. So I have no lasting impression of this. It didn’t make me want to turn it off, but clearly it didn’t get to a three star rating.

Apparently the author of this book loved any music that came out of 1968. That's great. I don't. But now my Spotify thinks I do. 2/5

Had its moments, but nothing really stood out to me or smacked me and yelled, “listen!”

When I was listening I was telling myself this was a pale imitation of The Who. Afterwards I read the history and realized the Who were a better version of Pretty Things. Never for a mind did I think S F Sorrow was a “rock opera” like Tommy. When you listen to Tommy you understand the story, with Pretty Things I had no clue it was anything but bad unrelated tracks. So did the Who take from this? Yup, most likely so. But hey Edison didn’t invent the light bulb either, but he gets the credit because he perfected it. Same with The Who and Rock Opera.

I have never heard of these guys. No clue what to expect. I do love albums with a story, which this one does. Interesting psych-rock instrumentals throughout. Definitely one that I will be revisiting and a band I will be looking into more. 4/5

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

Beatles ripoff (complimentary)

Me esperaba bajona y joder, bien. Me ha recordado a los Beatles bastante (esto es algo bueno, que conste).

Good psychadelic album. Quite US influenced but Sgt Pepper certainly in there.

But if everything in here. Sounds at times like The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd, even Black Sabbath in one track. A decent rock opera.

- Honestly pretty great production quality for the 60s - Very enjoyable listen, good rock and roll - 3.5

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

I loved this album! I don’t know how I’ve gotten this far in life and not heard of The Pretty Things. An amazing mix of the Beatles, Pink Floyd and modern psychedelic music. Really good stuff

Yuck. 2.11

This album has a lot going for it. It's a little ahead of its time and as such I'll round up from 3.5 to 4. Musically, though I would only give it 3 stars, but given that it's musically ahead of its time and that it was one of (if not *the*) first rock opera, I would give this 3.5 stars. Since I can't give 1/2 stars, I have to choose how to round. I feel like part of the 1001 project is to not only present great albums but also to present influential albums or albums that have some historical interest. This fits that, so I'm rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars, even though in a vacuum, I would give this 3 stars.

Interesting concept album, definitely a 60’s rock opera. Listened twice. Had a Sergeant Pepper vibe. Appreciate it, and might listen again. 3/5!

Schon der erste Titel erinnert mich an die Beatles (You can't do that), später scheint immer mal wieder Sgt. Pepper's durch... ist ja nicht das Schlechteste. Obwohl richtig altbacken hat es mich gut unterhalten.

Decent acoustic folk. A little on the hippie side but not obnoxiously hippie. I didn’t quite get it at first, but read afterwards that it’s a rock opera, so it made a bit more sense (I wish I’d known that before listening, to be honest). Private Sorrow was my pick of the bunch, I enjoyed the acoustic guitar run-down in its intro. Would listen to more Pretty Things.

Good bass in S.F. Sorrow is born. Very beatles-y A little noisy. A lot beatles coded. It's decent. The bass is good, instrumentation makes sense.

Da 3

apparently this is one of the first rock operas ever made, and it's pretty solid. while it definitely has the standard sound that's usually heard on these types of albums from this era it does it in a really good way. there's good psychedelic and then there's the really pretentious stuff and thankfully this is the former. some of the percussion lines are killer.

Alright.

Another Beatles-esque band I’ve never heard of. Aside from a few early hiccups with the left/right split in the audio, this was a really solid collection of songs. I think I’d prefer if they’d chosen to take the overall feel of the album in a more lighthearted direction, since I think that would suit their style better. But I enjoyed the listen regardless.

Terrible

Weird, wild and (mostly) wonderful. One's reminded of much that worked well in the '60s and rich vein of creativity that psychedelia enabled. "Trust" might be best cut. Fully deserves to be better known and full credit to editors for doing their part to make us all more aware.

Surprisingly good psychedelic sounds.

Didn’t really listen to this properly but I mostly hated what I heard of it.

Another Beatles clone/revision. It seems like 1 out of 25 albums on this are actually "must hear before you die". This is not one of them.

Sgt Pepper inspired psychedelic rock, leaning a bit too heavy into the psychedelia for my taste. I liked the hard rock stuff like Old Man Going the best. Above average but not quite a 4 upon first listen.

I love a good rock opera.

Four days after listening, I remember nothing but the top review. Three stars, I guess?

Doesn’t hold a candle to Tommy, and there’s no way Townshend wasn’t thinking about and planning Tommy before he ever heard this…a pale comparison

Just another bit of hippy dribbling.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find this

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

Trust // 2.5/5

I’m not sure I particularly liked this? It’s a strange piece of 60s rock. One I didn’t find all that thrilling. It’s certainly unique but…not great. I don’t think I’d recommend this to others. It’s a bit too obscure.

Based on the short album wiki and rock opera comment I wasn't expecting much, took a couple of songs to warm up to and tailed off to the end, but thought the middle third was quite interesting

I really liked the final track Pretty Big Mouth…which turned out to be from another one of their albums that had auto played. Everything from the above album completely washed over me unnoticed.

I don't hate this after fully expecting to. It's sub Sgt Pepper mostly but I admire the ambition and they shoot off in some interesting directions without getting annoying like whatever that Small Faces album was.

Some claims that this is the 1st rock opera/concept album. Solid Psychedelic Rock coming out of the 60s. Mad sounds, quick changes and fanciful lyrics keep it afloat.

The channel separation was extremely unusual, but I liked how adventurous it was.

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

Def I can hear the influence on Tommy, and also the influence of Sgt Peppers here. Not super amazing but overall I think this is a good listen. I understand why this is on the list. nothing really stuck out as a great track, but it does sound like an Abbey Road record recorded by the people who recorded Sgt Peppers (and it was!)

It's best tracks sound like lost Beatles cuts, which was a very pleasant surprise! I will be returning to this album for certain, a wonderful surprise. Maybe it's a few tracks too long, but for surprisingly long stretches it feels just right.

Kinda crazy only British bands existed in the 60s, eh? And this one had a drummer named Twink!

They should have spent less time writing a story and more time writing better music

Day 27 - S.F. Sorrow (1968) "S.F. Sorrow" is one of my favourite albums of all time. It is also the first rock opera, and profoundly influenced The Who's Tommy. "S.F. Sorrow" incorporates a variety of influences, including the Beatles-esque chanting in "Bracelets of Fingers," Syd Barrett's psychedelia in "Defecting Grey," proto-punk in the grisly "Old Man Going," and even a hint of R&B in heavier songs like "She Says Good Morning," which dates back to The Pretty Things' roots. The trio "I See You" → "Well Of Destiny" → "Trust" is probably my favourite three-song-run from any album. Story wise, "S.F. Sorrow" chronicles the story of a single protagonist named Sebastian F. Sorrow and his journey towards trust to ultimate delusion. The album was inspired by "Cutting Up Sergeant Time," one of Phil May's short stories based loosely around an ordinary WWI veteran. For those who have not had a chance to read the narrative, here is a "brief" explanation: Sebastian F. Sorrow was born in Number 3 of a nameless town to ordinary parents. Nobody knew what the "F" in his name stood for but nobody really cared. He spends the most of his childhood in the 'greys of his mind.' In other words — maladaptive daydreaming and masturbation. Phil May portrays him to be an alluring, though sensitive soul (much like himself.) As he grows older, Sorrow falls in love with the girl next door. The two dream of escaping the miserable town and establishing a new life elsewhere. Just then, World War I rolls in and Sorrow is drafted into the army. Once again, he tries to escape the ugliness of war via his imaginations. Unfortunately, it isn't quite as easy as it once was. When the war was finally over, Sorrow takes refuge in a new land called "Amerik" (America.) He sends a balloon ticket for his beloved wife to join him. Upon arrival, Sorrow watches as the balloon bursts into flames, which consume the love of his life. The narrator makes a brief remark, "In sadness, she was buried by the spade of his grief." Sorrow grows lonely as he wanders the streets of New York City. Once more, he allows his imaginations to take flight, trying to block out his grief. He dreams of being visited by the mysterious Baron Saturday, a tall man cloaked in black. Baron Saturday magically lifts Sorrow into the sky and heads towards what Sorrow believes to be the Moon (which is symbolized in the rock opera as beauty.) But the true destination was Sorrow's core itself. Sorrow reexaminines himself and sights his dead fiance for the last time. This experience leads him down to depression. Instead of continuing to fight against the world with his imagination, Sorrow resigns to a world where people have given up all emotional attachment to a belief that it would be better. As he grows older, bitter Sorrow descends into insanity, blocking out light until all is dark. The album ends with the melancholy "Loneliest Person." Sorrow sings: "You might be the loneliest person in the world / Your name it would have to be me." Sorrow realizes his destiny was implied by his name, and accepts his tragic fate. — The CD reissue also includes a few more tracks, most notably "Defecting Grey" and "Walking Through My Dreams." "Defecting Grey" is particularly noteworthy since it addresses the notion that S.F. Sorrow is bisexual, which would make sense given that composer Phil May was one of Kent's rock 'n' roll bicons ("bi-icon.") The idea, however, was abandoned, and the track did not appear on the original release. However, it is up to the audience to decide whether: A. "S.F. Sorrow" concludes with a disillusioned Sorrow. B. Sorrow self-actualizes and learns to love again. TL;DR, S.F. Sorrow was well ahead of its time and remains under appreciated even today. If you enjoyed the album, I recommend "Emotions" and "Parachute."

Sounded very much like weird beatles era. Stand-out: Baron Saturday, Trust

It's fine. Never heard of them before. 3/5

Good find

This was decent. I hear influence of a lot of bands I love. But ended up getting bored with it.

I see you Trust Loneliest person

that was okay i suppose?

This website keeps giving me post Beatles bullshit. It’s comparable of all the playboi carti and opium copy cats now.

Interesting guitar and overall okayish sound.

Really enjoyed this Beatles-eque style.

I liked this enough when I first heard it to add it to my library. Still pretty cool, but I was deep in a 1960s era back then and now not so much. Ratings are subjective, folks.

C+ S.F. Sorrow Is Born 3 Bracelets 3 She Says Good Morning 3 Private Sorrow 3 Balloon Burning 3 Death 3 Baron Saturday 3 The Journey 3 I See You 3 Well Of Destiny 1 Trust 3 Old Man Going 3 Loneliest Person 3 Yay the first concept album

Great whimsical British psych rock.

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

I don't know that I've heard much from Pretty Things, but I kind of enjoyed the album, despite a certain Beatlesesque-ness to their style and songs (at least on the first half or so of this album). ("Bracelets of Fingers" was probably the most egregious example of this, I'd say, but a lot of the better parts of the album is sadly reminiscent of Sgt. Peppers and seems pretty derivative. Other parts are just a bit painful to listen to.) I think my favorite song was "The Loneliest Person", and not just because it was one of the shorter and more cohesive songs on the album. :) If I hadn't read the Wikipedia entry, I'm not sure I would have ever realized that this was a rock opera, nor do I have any real sense for poor Sebastian and his life's journey. I find it also bizarre that most of the contemporary and later critics focused on similarities to Pink Floyd, The Who's "Tommy" and blues styles, so maybe I just missed the boat entirely on any Beatles imitation. It's pretty awesome that the band couldn't really perform this album live (and not just because they took LSD before a 1969 TV "performance" of the album).

Wow, this was a treat. I can't believe this was my first listen. I'm sorry, Pretty Things, that you were so ahead of your time. I wonder how much they influenced the Beatles? or maybe vice versa. Regardless, I really enjoyed it.

I'm amazed I've never actually encountered Pretty Things before. This was a legitimately awesome piece of music. A real 60s gem.

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

Beats were good but nothing clicked with me in particular

Gear: LETSHUOER S12 Pro Mix: Stereo is fun! Musik: prätentiös, nervenzehrend und überlang - super! 😊 Wertung: 🐠🐠🐠(🐠)/5

This one surprised me. Highly creative and innovative, each track offers some new idea that works and fits in the storyline of what is considering the first concept album. It's primarily acid rock, featuring a mix of baroque pop, folk, and proto-metal, and clearly inspired by The Kinks, The Beatles, The Yardbirds, and Cream. For 1968, the production is very disappointing. It sounds poor, but at least uses quiet ambiance and studio techniques well to create psychedelic effects. As with a lot of 60s rock albums, it abuses stereo mixing poorly, with some instruments only being audible in one ear. Additionally, some parts are pretty gimmicky and dated for its time, like the silly voiceovers, or the space rock distortion demonstration on "Well of Destiny". It's a bit of a hard listen, and probably not something to put on in the background. And even if I were tripping to it, I'd have to mentally prepare for the uncomfortable parts. But it is very fun, diverse, and creative, and of course highly innovative for its time. Favorites: Bracelets Of Fingers, Balloon Burning, Death, Baron Saturday

Unique for being one of the first rock operas, still managed to be over my head.

Well this is what I’m here for! Amazing music that I’d never heard of before! Have to welcome multiverse Beatles into the regular rotation

37/1001

Despite these weird experiments with stereo, it is really nice album.

2.5 Just a Beatles rip off

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.

I liked it but kind of reminded me too much of the Beatles

Mmmhhhh, do not know

If this is one of the first rock operas then I guess I understand its place hear but also they really opened Pandora’s box. Did not try following the story. Overall it was too 60s for me. I did like Loneliest Person.

I can hear lots of different 60s bands in here. Not bad but I probably wouldn’t come back to it

I know this is supposed to be a "rock opera", but I didn't really follow the story. That said, it was very well produced, but it sound like they were trying to make a Beatles album, with the Kinks thrown in for a slighted harder edge. I did like it though.

This was just ok for me. Interesting historically as maybe the first rock opera, but I could not really follow the story (I also didn't really try to). Sounds heavily influenced by the Beatles but moving towards some of the harder rock sounds that would become more common towards the end of that decade. The drummer is great.

the drummer goes by the name \"Twink.\" he converted to Islam later in life, changing his name to Mohammad Abdullah. though he still records under the name Twink

The more psychy bits of this are so good. The rest isn't that good, but the psych bits make up for it.

Nothing special

This was decently enjoyable. The sound quality wasn't great, but that had more to do with the era it was from than anything. I could probably listen to this again. 3.5/5

Pretty good, and way less pretentious than most 60’s and 70’s rock operas. There are some songs on here that aren’t that good (‘Loneliest Person’ is definitely very sympathy-inducing and sad), but the good songs make up for most of it.

Pretty interesting blend of rootsy and psychedelia. After reading the eclectic history of this band, I'm impressed. The music has tonal qualities in variation of notable favorites from the time period and yet this one falls into obscurity. I like it alot. But, its a complicated taste maker album, be forewarned.

Pretty good 60’s psyche! I appreciate that it’s the first rock opera / early concept album. But mostly I just dig the range of sounds and freak outs. Also the Beatles-like jams like She Says Good Morning. Good stuff. Easy 4/5

bootleg beatles

Mediocre

Started okay but it lost me

Nö

OK, so this is supposed to be "the first ever rock opera album"? Sorry, but I don't have the attention span to listen closely enough to the entire album to follow the story, if there is one. That aside, it sounds like a late-stage experimental Beatles album (perhaps not surprising since it was recorded at Abbey Road at the same time as the White Album & produced by the Beatles' old engineer), so... not bad?

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

May have been pioneers. Sounded like Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band but was released six years prior. 2/5

3.5

- if i could give this 3.5 i would

This album gives me very similar vibes to one of my favorite albums of all time, Pink Floyd's The Wall. It doesn't feel quite as polished however. I'm gonna need more than a day to fully absorb this one I think. For now it's getting a 4/5 from me. Good, interesting, compelling, but a little screechy at times.

I started with negative feelings and left thinking that it was a solidly good album. I recognize the importance and contribution but psych rock opera isn’t my thing

Cooler 60er Rock. Warum wird das nicht im Radio gespielt?

Joyeux melting pot de tout ce qui se faisait à ce moment : on y entend les Kinks, les Beatles, les Beach Boys, sans doute aussi the Who même si je ne connais pas (encore) “Tommy”. Sympathique, conforme au cahier des charges de l’époque. Content d’avoir découvert ça, mais je ne vais pas en retenir grand chose et ça ne va pas bouleverser le podium des meilleurs groupes des 60’s.

I've always really enjoyed the early Pretty Things singles like Midnight to Six, they have a rawness and soul that even the early Stones records don't have. But SF Sorrow has always sounded too kitschy and faux mind-bending for my tastes. In listening again it's better than I remember, and still has lots of ummph to it for a "psychedelic" record. It's not top-tier for me, but it was a very enjoyable listen. I'll definitely give this some more spins in the future.

When I came to rate this I forgot what it sounded like and had to put it on again to remind me.

A psych masterpiece. Claims that it is or isn't the first concept album are irrelevant; it is simply a fantastic, unified piece of work.

Not sure if I get the concept side but nice enough listen

Late 60s psychedelic rock.

psychedelic rock, somewhere between late 60’s era beatles and cream. didn’t dislike it, but they didn’t do anything groundbreaking that hadn’t been done before.

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.

This is how you do a freakbeat psych-rock opera. This is the recipe!

Interesting

Maybe if I listened a few more times I would find it more to my liking.

Its not the worst but it's not the best. I like the sound it has. Was going to give it a 2 but some of the songs grew on me and made me realise that i think its pretty average so 3 it is

I’d never even heard of this lot even though they’re apparently influential and couldn’t be more 1960s even if they were Twiggy wearing Mary Quant at a happening with Timothy Leary. I did find myself tuning in and out and losing interest quite quickly. There was nothing awful about this and I admire the whole concept album/rock opera vibe. But I wouldn’t say it was in any way memorable. I can’t even pick out one tune… I thought I should listen to it again but by track two my interest had waned again.

I've always wanted to like this album but until today, whenever I tried to listen to it, I would always wind up bailing after two or three songs in. On paper, this should've been an easy home run for me: 60s garage rock (check), whimsical psychedelia (check), songs that suddenly change course (check). But for whatever reason, their brand of this music just never worked for me. Until today. And really, it wasn't until I got to the second side. There the songs are more conventional, but still wild and inventive. The song "Trust" was what roped me in, and I stayed roped in until that last phenomenal song, "Walking Through My Dreams." Then I went back and started the album over. I still think side 2 is better, but side 1 started to grow on me. Like, I finally clicked in with their sound. Is this a 5-star album? Maybe, but i'm not ready to go there. But it is a hearty 4. Very glad I listened to this one.

can be a bit heavy on the distortion, but the sound isn't bad. the real problem is the album is entirely forgettable, even if the idea of a rock opera is cool and the execution is decent

Highly enjoyable early rock-opera. A child of its time.

I think if this happened to be the first rock opera/thematic records I'd ever heard, it would have had more of a lasting impact on me. I can see how this would be influential, but for me personally it was just kinda...meh?

similar to the beatles

To beatleesque

Good lyrics. Did remind me of the British Invasion.

This almost got 1 star based on the first couple songs. Still not my thing, but it got better.

All of the songs sound like Paperback Writer. S.F. Sorrow can be filed under "first of its kind but later eclipsed by albums with better songs, production, and performances".

Super cool album! Extremely experimental.

Wanted to like this album but the lyrics and ideas died out at the end. Loved the original concept.

Not my vibe, but okay to listen to.

Best Songs: N/A Listen Again: Probably not

As I listened to this album, it was clear that it was a concept album, and I pondered whether its significance might be because it was the first rock opera concept album. Imagine my surprise when I learned that many rock critics do indeed consider THE PRETTY THINGS' S.F. Sorrow the first of a slew of rock operas that came out in the late sixties and would continue to emerge up until today. It is wild hearing some of the sonic soundscapes tropes we are familiar with, emerge here first. Before Tommy, before The Wall, you can hear how The Pretty Things introduced the notion of dissonance, key change, rhythm, and melodic rephrasing as narrative tools. Having said all that, this is an album that everyone should hear once, but aside from tracks "Private Sorrow", "Old Man Sorrow", and S.F. Sorrow is Born", I'm not sure if I have it in me to hear this album all the way through again anytime soon. A very dark story.

Had never heard this before. High psychedelia that sometimes sounds like the Beatles, but also sounds like other contemporaries from the era. A lot of fun and a bit of a romp.

Not really my thing but some pretty cool guitar for before it's time, Balloon Burning is great. 2.5

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

Decent rock.

California hippie tunes

Fine first track was cool, rest kind of blended. I couldn’t pick up on the narrative themes but I did listen on a busy commute.

Oh god, how much more of this 60’s English rock do we need?

Good album for listening to in the background, I liked Balloon Burning and I See You.

Rock opera... cool

Voelde als een wannabe Beatles album

Not a fan. Sounds like Flaming Lips and Oasis had a love child. Not in a good way. Hippy stoner rock.

My favourite part was from Private Sorrow to Death. I like that most songs have unexpected outros.

not bad 6.5/10

I liked this. Trippy, folky, musical. Kind of surprised I've never heard of these guys.

Enjoyed listening to this, as I had never heard of them before. Although there were a couple of songs I really liked, most were just ok, and some I didn't care for at all. Definite Beatles sounds but definitely nowhere near as good as the Beatles.

It was fine. An interesting mix of Rolling Stones, The Who, and Beatles influences (or maybe just 60s sounds, really). Nothing enthralling, but an okay mix.

I liked this! Cool to hear one of the first rock operas. A couple low points.

Geiler Psy Rock

ei ehkä syytä olla 1968 albumi joka rekordattu näin paskalla laadulla. mutta myös hyvin erilainen (sanon sanan beatles tähän aikaan) eksperimentaalista ja joo ensimmäinen arvostelu sivulla puhuu tuosta vittu vihaan tätä sivustoa ja myös itseäni montako kertaa pitää sanoa. kiinnostavaa kuunneltavaa annetaan propseja siit mutta toivottavasti unohdan koko homman... death

It's a nice enough album to be honest

Middle of the road hippie fare - it's mildly interesting in terms of being a concept album, but it got a bit grating to me quite a few times.

😴 there is nothing within s.f. sorrow by the pretty things that is interesting or original. these songs aren't catchy and the lyrics aren't witty. it is, however, directly from the late sixties. what did the pretty things accomplish on this album that the beatles hadn't already? especially with the addition of the sitar! that psychedelic feel in 1968 wasn't unique. i even heard some songs reminiscent of the monkees--i have no problem with the monkees, but considering plenty of people believed they lacked originality and talent, what on earth does that say about the pretty things? what a bland listen. i'm bitter i had to listen to forty minutes of this boring nonsense.

Like many others, I got a hell of a lot of Beatles vibes from this. I wouldn’t say they have quite the magic that The Beatles have when it comes to hooking people, though. Not a bad listen by any means, but I wasn’t really hooked. Not sure this quite warrants a 3 from me, so gonna leave it at a 2.

Extremely cool record one hadn't known -- good work, editors. Of course the Who will say it was no influence, but the Tommy influences are obvious (Townsend's "Christmas" takes much from the lovely "Trust"). And it aspects of both The Wall and the Final Cut could be traced back to elements here. But forgetting all that, there's consistent and ample high quality throughout. "Baron Saturday" would fit on the White Album and "Talking About the Good Times" could be an outtake from Sgt. Peppers. "I See You" soars thoughtfully and "Walking Through My Dreams" woulda/coulda/shoulda been a hit. "Private Sorrow" is a seminal piece of alt.folk, whether it knew it or not. "Balloon Burning" is alt-ingly appealing, too, with terrifically intense and sustained soloing – kids today would call it "fire." And by rock opera standards, they keep the ambition in check, moderating the application of oddball effects, offbeat instrumentations or sudden reverses of mood/tone. It's true to psychedelic principles – giving a generally kaleidoscopic feel, say – without overdoing them or making them seem silly or trendy. And thank God this was pre-prog or these cats might have gone dangerously around that bend. There's seriousness of intent but also a willingness to let it rip (see, "Defecting Grey"). One doesn't think much of the lyrics or feel motivated to figure them out; but Lester Bangs really ought to have known better. Lots of records that want to be undiscovered classics only get half of the formula right; this one nails both sides of the equation.

gets better toward the middle but overall not that exciting

I restarted this thing three times because I just couldn't remember what I'd listened to. It's fine, I guess. But it's also wholly unremarkable and unmemorable.

Fair

It's if The Doors and The Beatles mashed into one. It's one of those albums that makes me appreciate the 1001 albums project. I never would've listened to this on my own, I doubt I'll listen to this too many times in the future, but I'm glad I got a chance to hear this!

4.0

Meh. It’s like the Byrds and Monkees got together, got high and wrote a musical. I do wonder if I had heard this before Tommy if I’d have a different opinion?

This seems ok, but I was just not in the mood for a 60 psychedelic concept album yesterday.

Genre de brit psychédélique. Un peu comme sgt pepper comme il est mentionné mais quand même moins connu. Ça permet d'explorer le genre. 3.85

There’s quite a lot of kooky 60s psyche albums on here. I enjoyed this one though

Interesting to listen to another early concept album. I've generally been a fan of the format in my own musical tastes. For this one, eh, the music was alright.

Crazy this was like a year after Sgt Peppers and still borrowed so heavily from it. But I love Sgt Peppers so no complaints here. Okay maybe one - I know it was new exciting technology at the time but talk about abusing the PAN switch

I was sorry that this was a sorry album

Quite ok

Some good jams hidden throughout. Some very questionable mixing. Overall, I'd rather just listen to the Beatles. Will I listen to again: 0%

3.1/5 Best track: Loneliest Person

3/5

Pretty standard 60's folky jangly stuff. Quite enjoyed

Cool little Beatles-like concept album here. Lots of great tracks on this thing.

Proto Prog Psychedelic Rock Opera, pretty dull despite its best intentions.

Ahead of their time - but the sonic concepts exceeded their engineering capabilities. I can hear a strong late 60's Beatles influence with the psychedelic sound.

Se me ha hecho pesado y solo me ha llamado la atención la última canción del disco: Walking through my dreams.

Groovy. With over 50 years of distance between this album and today, maybe I'm over simplifying by classifying this as a bare-faced knock off of The Beatles, Sergeant Pepper's album from 1 year earlier. I also hear influences of Cream; a band who were ahead of their time. Pleasant listening, but overall a derivative work.

Ágætis plata. Samanbland af svo mörgum stefnum sem voru í gangi um þær mundir.

historical significance

Like early Floyd with hints of late Beatles. Good psychedelic fun

I don't really have the words to write a good review, as I'm tired, but this album is pretty cool. It has a somewhat dark sound and the concept is neat. There's a few stand out songs that made the listen very enjoyable and I expect the other tracks to grow on me over time. My favourite song was Bracelets of Fingers.

Kinda neat as a sort of Beatles-Album-That-Never-Was, but nothing I would come back to again and again.

Another late 60’s album that was trying a lot of things and some were great! The use of the left/right fader on this album is beyond distracting! Every other song was “what wackadoo left/right fading are they gonna do now?” Lots of breathy British singing, but the album crescendos with a could really good songs. 2.5⭐️s

It's late 60s psychedelic rock that sound exactly like late 60s psychedelic rock. Their experimental parts are a little more out there than most of their contemporaries. It's alright, but nothing sticks with me. Favorite song: SF Sorrow Is Born.

Pretty good rock opera. Glad to have found this.

Imagine Sgt Peppers mixed with Revolver except played but an average band instead of the Beatles. It’s decent because it sounds almost identical to the Beatles but that’s it 6.2/10

11/8/23. Never heard of this band or album, but very Sgt. Peppers or Beatles like. The track list takes you on a good ride with unpredictable sounds and rhythms, would listen again!

All here for it: honestly I thought this would be truly just pure shit but I have been proven wrong. Sounds like one of the later Beatles records with the random sounds and psychodelia involved in a large majority of the songs. The album was a kinda underrated slapper and I can definitely see myself revisiting this another time.

Cool concept, I here a lot of the Beatles in this.

I can appreciate it for what it is, but it's not my thing.

This grew on me. Weirder in the back half in the best possible way.

Album très typique du rock psychédélique des années 60. Interchangeable avec plusieurs autres albums de l'époque. Par contre, coup de coeur pour Old Man Going, une pièce proto-metal qui fait penser à du Judas Priest.

I'd never heard of this band but this was some solid psychedelic rock. It reminded me a lot of The Beatles at certain points. I was really enjoying it until it started to sound all very same-same in the second half.

sounds vaguely like lsd era beatles but not as good.

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

Just ok

I could not enjoy this no matter how hard I tried. All the songs put me on edge… I don’t know how else to describe how I felt listening to it. Parts of it might have made for a cool movie soundtrack. I did not like the over-dramatic vocals.. at all. I could hear a little bit of a Beatles sound, a little Pink Floyd, but way too much weirdness.. it was too prickly to my ears. 2 stars because I’m sure they’re all talented musicians, in their own way.

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

Psychedelic rock, good album

I'll say that I did not like this album at first, since the opening song is a bit grating. However, it won me over as it went. There's so many elements here that would be present in later rock operas and concept albums. It also has that 60s psychedelic sound, which makes it feel very much transitional as an album. Definitely of its time, but previewing some musical movements to come. Somewhere between the late Beatles period and the prog period of Pink Floyd sits this album 4/5

Muck.

Surprisingly great. Another that was completely new to me that I rather enjoyed. 3.5/5

Good 60s rock

Well this was an interesting album. I never would have heard it if it wasn’t for this service. Reminds me of what the Beatles would have sounded like if they David Gilmour writing their songs.

Predates Tommy as one of the first rock operas-and while not as influential as the latter work, S.F. Sorrow is still unafraid to experiment with lyrics and instrumentation to create a slightly unsettling and dreamy listening experience. Very good.

Psychedelic rock. Authors favourite genre. Some forgotten albums should just stay forgotten

Great stuff! Obviously influenced everyone in British music.