Oar

custom_rating:7.5

Oh boy, over an hour of demos someone decided didn't need to be re-recorded. Tedious is an understatement, but y'all go ahead and keep trying to convince people it's somehow secretly great. The only thing interesting about this album is how it came together, and then Columbia deleted it from their catalog within a year of releasing it.

Nä, nu har de bara hängt upp en mic i replokalen igen. Varför inte äta och repa låtarna? Dessutom svårt McCartney komplex i basen. Två!

Hahaha ....Alexander 'Skip(!!!)' Spence ... Hahaha

Great instrumentation, some interesting songs but also some creative writing

The first three songs are okay, but after that it gets crazier and crazier. This really isn't the kind of stuff I prefer. Completely over-the-top psychedelic music with folk elements. No, sorry, but that can go. I wonder how it ended up on some list again. Two stars for an attempt at something crazy.

I listened to this during a traffic jam while driving North out of Washington, DC on a Sunday morning. Maybe my opinion of the album was colored by frustration of being stuck in traffic but seriously it felt like it was the longest 64 minutes of my life. After listening, I looked this up. Sorry this guy was so mentally disturbed but that still doesn't make this an album that I needed to hear. I'm betting his mental condition is the only reason that this song is on the list.

This was just okay. I didn't hate it but I didn't really care for it, either. None of the songs stood out to me. It just seemed like general folk/classic rock.

Sounds like fleeting transmissions from a fractured mind.

Ok this album feels 'cool' on a way I can't quite identify. I want to get a beer with skip. Not quite my style, but probably better than the 3 stars I'm giving it. Favorite track was books of moses

Good reason why I never heard of this before. Good reason why this was not promoted by Columbia Records. Good reason why this was at the time the lowest-selling album in Columbia Records history. Good reason why this was deleted from the Columbia catalogue within a year of its release. No good reason for this appearing here.

I used to have this awful uncle called Tom who was a pitiful alcoholic. This album reminds me of him.

I tried getting through this 3 different times and kept getting bored or distracted. There isn't a ton here that made me want more. It may be your favorite artist's favorite artist, but not mine. It's plenty listenable, just not the best at any particular element and not charismatic enough for me to care despite that. I liked Weighted Down (The Prison Song) and Margaret-Tiger Rug but thats about it.

Standout tracks: none. Listens: 2 No particularly noteworthy songs, but on the second listen-through, the music did click a bit more than the first time. I can understand why the album is on the 1001 albums list. Some of the tracks get pretty psychedelic. I do always appreciate when the listener gets those "behind-the-scenes" bits of dialog or noise or chatter before, during or after the song has concluded; they bring the process to life. It's a person recording these songs, talking with the sound engineer. Talking with their bandmates, figuring out what song to play next -- that they've run out of tape, etc. The "why" behind the album and the context leading up to the album being recorded were interesting, to say the least. There is a certain melancholy-ness to the music, and an exhausted nature to the artist. There's nothing upbeat about any of the tracks.

I don't hate this, but this is not that different from other American folk from that time, which I don't really like. It's too minimalistic, too monotonous, and not that exciting. On its own, the music is solid, but the style is just not for me. 5/10

I really liked some of the songs on this one. His voice sounds so different in every song…I prefer the ones where he sings in a lower register like Cripple Creek or Weighted Down. Things got weird after first 10 songs or so. My rating is for the first half of the songs as originally released.

Wish I hadn’t listened past the ten songs. The first part was ok. Seemed like he changed his voice for every song.

listened to this again before reviewing because i forgot all about it and it’s better than i remembered from yesterday. it’s giving nick drake who i am sort of ambivalent about. but at its best it’s better than that and pretty interesting. at its worst it’s just bland. maybe closer to 2.5 on another day but what the hecj

Surprisingly comprehensive album of 60s music. A bit of everything. Psychedelia, folk, country, etc. i like how many voices he’s doing

Some okay songs and cool vocal stuff but not a pleasant listen

Listenes to about a third. Not unlistenable by any means but it is nonetheless the kind of dull that gives you an irresistable urge to change the channel.

So I was listening to this album and thought it was pretty mid like most of the folk I've heard on here, but I was intrigued by the story of Skip Spence and I was listening to this album at work and the song "Keep Everything Under your Hat" and at this point I wasn't really paying attention and then my coworker said hey did you hear that? I said what he said blister in the sun, and this is how I found out the Violent Femmes came up with blister in the sun! It about knocked me down! Lol overall though this was a pretty boring album, but I was pretty flabbergasted when I heard that little bit of what sounded like the blister in the sun overall an ok album with an interesting backstory!

Þetta fannst mér alveg svakalega erfið plata að komast í gegnum. Tónlistin var ekki þannig séð slæm, bara mér fannst eins og hann væri allan tímann að reyna ofboðslega mikið að vera frábær tónlistarmaður af því að hann kann á gítar. Trúbador að reyna að verða frægur. Ekki fyrir mig takk.

I dunno. I thought given the background behind this album and all the crazy shit this guy did I would either get something really weird like Captain Beefheart or some beautiful lost gem like Nick Drake or something. I get a run of the mill mid 60s folk rock album. Meh.

Omg c'est insupportable arrrrrêêêêête tes lamentations maudit hippie qui pue du cul aaaaarrrrrgggghhh je suis si fatigué

Hippy Trippy Dippy Stuff

Became board rather quickly with this album. Couldn't finish it.

i didn't have high hopes for this one, and it seems my instincts were proven right this time. this one's a snoozer for sure. the instrumentals, while not terrible, put me to sleep. the vocals are not very good either imho. nearly incoherent, in fact. almost none of these tracks stuck out to me, most were pretty forgettable. Weighted Down (The Prison Song) was oddly nice in comparison to the first few tracks, and War In Peace was probably the best overall in this whole album (likely because this is where the album drifted away from folk and became more psychedelic) i would really like to talk to the maker of this list and ask them their reasoning for putting this on a list of must-hear albums, cuz i just don't get it. guess this just isn't for me

paska

Very long snooze fest

So good

Even his record company didn't want to really keep this album around and record companies will sell pretty much anything as long as it makes them money. This is one of those albums that has no redeeming quality other than to be considered a "lost masterpiece" by a troubled artist who really was trying to say something, but all of the troubles just prevented him from getting his message across. In reality, it's just a shit album by a troubled person who made a shit album because he had mental health issues. As I tend to say, this is not an offensive album but I have no idea why it is in this book. I wouldn't really recommend a song on here.

Could have skipped this one

So this was a demo that the artist didn't plan on releasing? Figures. I wonder what this album could have been with some serious editing.

I don't know what I liked about this album, but I really enjoyed it. Easy to listen to and good background music.

this was a rough listen. im a pretty big psychedelia fan but this just wasn’t good

I don’t understand why this made it on the list.

This was a tough one to get through.

I mean.. I get that this was supposed to be a “draft”, but since I have to rate this like any other album - I wouldn’t listen to this again

I only know Skip Spence through Moby Grape. Their Grape Jam album is a favorite. I've always been fascinated with an artists ability to get the words and sounds from their mind out into the world as a tangible piece of art. This album is from a person who's obviously struggling. It's really a bummer, he was very talented.

Moby Grape were a pretty decent psychedelic 60’s band This has some interesting moments But there’s a lot of druggy noodling between them

Een of andere schorre hippie met iets te weinig talent en iets teveel zelfvertrouwen. Waarom moet ik dit horen?

Wat een saaie plaat. Dat is dan nog smaak. Maar laten we eerlijk zijn. In de categorie saaie platen staan er toch heel wat betere kwaliteit in de lijst. Volledig overbodige entry.

Op de wiki lees ik dat ze de band gewoon hebben laten lopen, toen "Skip" in de studio zat. Het zijn als het ware demo's, een soort jamsessie. En zo klinkt het ook een beetje, als een ratjetoe, een verzameling losse flodders. Er zitten best aardige stukken in, als ze wat opgepoetst worden (of als de gitaar gestemd wordt), en zo heeft het misschien wel potentie, maar nu is het toch een gek album. Er schijnt ook een tribute album te zijn waar bekende artiesten nummers van dit album coveren, dat lijkt me interessanter dan dit album zelf. Helaas, ik kom van een koude kermis thuis, want het is net wazig als Skip zelf. 2 sterren voor de moeite

Trippy story what a cool dude what a cool album

Bro looks like he crawled out of a garbage can after a long winter's nap. Sad but interesting backstory, unfortunately the music didn't live up to the album's acclaim for me.

The artist may have been unhinged but these songs were really good. War and Peace stood out to me in particular. I wish this album would've gotten the production quality it deserved but glad I got to hear it overall.

Excellent album and wish he had more.

This is the kind of album I wanna find in doing this thing — never heard of it and never would have known it existed. And instead now I have and it was awesome

Circle back

Ok

Didn't really have high hopes for this one tbh, but it was pretty good! Sort of a weird and haunting country rock album, it's cool. 3.5/5

Fine

No

I’ve cut farts that sound better than this.

Much like Big Star’s “Third”, this is an acid-haze album that’s been celebrated retrospectively. Not by me. A collection of unmemorable half-songs that ramble and then just stop. Just ain’t my thing.

As a singer songwriter album from 1969 it just sounds like an also ran to me. There are better examples, many examples from a songwriting point of view. Without the background would this have stayed the real low seller as was initially and been forgotten except for those who collect the genre. It seems the morbid fascination of others with the albums background maybe evaluates its prestige , but then doesn’t every mumbling songwriter album have their own background and many are in their own way just as fubar as this, but also with easily arguably better songs. It’s a decent, challenging listen but nothing outstanding, 2 Star.

Never paddle up shit creek without one

I can’t tell if this is brilliance, mediocrity, or indulgent trash. Maybe all of it? It’s surprisingly good to listen to and you can hear a lot of sounds that echo through other bands when you consider when it came out. But I can see why I never heard of it before this list.

Boring. At times I could’ve let it get away with being lilting and gentle, but there was too much hoarse whispering and discordant moments for that. Personally, a candidate for being dropped from the list

Alexander "Skip" Spence's *Oar* is a singular and enigmatic album, often regarded as a cult classic. Released in 1969, it was Spence's only solo record and emerged from a tumultuous period in his life, including a stay at Bellevue Hospital following a mental health crisis. The album is deeply personal, marked by its lo-fi production, eclectic musical styles, and raw emotional depth. Below is an in-depth review focusing on its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and an evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. ## **Lyrics** The lyrics on *Oar* are introspective and fragmented, reflecting Spence's mental state during its creation. They oscillate between surreal imagery, melancholy reflections, and moments of dark humor. For instance: - **"Weighted Down (The Prison Song)"** explores themes of jealousy and alienation with lines like *"Whose socks were you darning, darling, while I've been gone so long?"* The song feels like a lament from someone grappling with betrayal and isolation[2]. - **"Books of Moses"** uses biblical references to evoke a sense of existential searching amid stormy sound effects[6]. - **"War in Peace"** juxtaposes spiritual longing with haunting imagery, creating an ethereal atmosphere that invites interpretation[6]. Spence's lyrics often feel cryptic or muffled, which some interpret as a deliberate artistic choice to mirror his inner turmoil. This approach has drawn comparisons to later artists like R.E.M., who embraced unintelligible vocal delivery as an aesthetic[2]. ## **Music** Musically, *Oar* is a kaleidoscope of styles, blending folk, country, blues, and psychedelic elements. The album’s sparse arrangements are striking: - Spence played all the instruments himself—guitar, bass, drums—creating an intimate "one-man band" feel[7]. - Tracks like **"Grey/Afro"** feature experimental structures with shifting time signatures and unconventional rhythms[3]. The song’s hypnotic bassline contrasts with disjointed drumming and hushed vocals. - **"Broken Heart"** channels Johnny Cash-like country balladry with slow pacing and echoed vocals[6]. - **"Diana"** showcases Spence’s ability to shift vocal styles dramatically—from a deep bass to a falsetto wail—adding emotional texture to the music[4]. The instrumentation is deliberately unpolished. Mistakes in timing or tuning are left intact, lending the album an organic quality that feels both fragile and raw. This unpredictability can be disorienting but also captivating. ## **Production** Recorded in just two weeks on a modest budget at Columbia Studios in Nashville, *Oar* has a lo-fi aesthetic that enhances its intimacy. Spence acted as his own producer, layering tracks with minimal equipment. The result is an album that feels like an unfiltered glimpse into his psyche: - The production emphasizes midrange frequencies and often buries vocals under layers of reverb or distortion[6]. - Sound effects like thunderclaps (on "Books of Moses") or whispered echoes (on "War in Peace") create an eerie atmosphere[6]. - While the stripped-down approach suits the album’s themes of isolation and introspection, it occasionally veers into murkiness that obscures its musicality. ## **Themes** Thematically, *Oar* delves into alienation, mental illness, love, spirituality, and mortality. These themes are explored through both lyrical content and musical tone: - **Isolation:** The album’s solitary recording process mirrors its recurring themes of loneliness and detachment. - **Mental Turmoil:** Songs like "Lawrence of Euphoria" capture the disjointed thoughts of someone grappling with instability. - **Spirituality:** Tracks such as "Books of Moses" suggest a search for meaning amid chaos. - **Love and Loss:** Many songs reflect fractured relationships or unfulfilled desires. Despite its somber tone, there are moments of levity and playfulness that prevent the album from becoming overly bleak. ## **Influence** Though commercially unsuccessful upon release—selling fewer than 1,000 copies initially—*Oar* has gained recognition over time as a precursor to lo-fi and outsider music. Its influence can be seen in artists like Daniel Johnston and Smog (Bill Callahan), who similarly embrace raw production and deeply personal songwriting[3]. The album has also inspired tribute projects by contemporary musicians who admire its unique spirit. However, these tributes often fail to capture the ineffable quality of Spence’s original work—a testament to its singularity[1]. ## **Pros** 1. **Emotional Authenticity:** *Oar* feels deeply personal and unfiltered, offering listeners an intimate connection to Spence’s psyche. 2. **Eclectic Musicality:** The blending of folk, country, blues, and psychedelia creates a rich sonic palette. 3. **Innovative Production:** The lo-fi aesthetic was ahead of its time and has influenced generations of artists. 4. **Vocal Range:** Spence’s ability to shift between vocal styles adds depth to the songs. 5. **Cult Status:** Its rediscovery has cemented it as a touchstone for outsider art. ## **Cons** 1. **Inaccessibility:** The fragmented lyrics and unconventional structures can alienate casual listeners. 2. **Uneven Quality:** Some tracks feel underdeveloped or marred by technical imperfections. 3. **Murky Production:** While atmospheric, the lo-fi sound occasionally obscures the music’s finer details. 4. **Pacing Issues:** The album’s slow tempos can make it feel monotonous at times. ## Conclusion Alexander "Skip" Spence’s *Oar* is not merely an album—it is an artifact of raw human expression. Its flaws are inseparable from its charm; the imperfections make it feel alive in a way few records do. While it may not appeal to everyone due to its unconventional nature, those willing to engage with its idiosyncrasies will find a deeply moving work that stands as both a testament to Spence's artistry and a poignant reflection of his troubled mind. For fans of lo-fi music or those interested in exploring the outer edges of folk-rock experimentation, *Oar* remains essential listening—a hauntingly beautiful document from one of rock’s most enigmatic figures.

Fine, interesting in parts. The description had me thinking that's was going to be incredible but it was just fairly standard 60s psych rock

Nothing on the album really connected with me. Nice background music, but I didn't get much more out of it.

2.8 2x catch up 2/19

So this guy was in Moby Grape and Jefferson Airplane, was diagnosed with schizophrenia, then drove directly to the recording studio upon his release from the nuthouse to record this album. And all of that makes this album make complete sense - that he had the clout to demand this album be recorded and get it released. Because there's absolutely no other way anybody would have released this crap.

Inoffensive

First-time listen for me. I like my acoustic psych-folk a little raw. Great stuff!

Not for me. 1/5

Mush Mouth

This was pretty weird but ok

Didn’t like it

3.5

When I was a kid I had one of those white noise cds. It was 60 minutes of rainforest sounds. And it was 10x more sonically interesting than whatever this was.

I'm not sure they allow people in this frame of mind into recording studios these days, and I am not sure I would play this again, but I am kind of pleased that it exists. I felt prurient and uncomfortable at times listening in on someone's clearly-fragile mental state committed to tape, but I admire that it is strange, unsettling and a little unfathomable. Pop it is not.

I was tempted to dismiss this as demos that should have remained as demos. But then Weighted Down kicked in. There's a richness and rawness here. Skip was clearly a troubled fella. I stuck with the album and rather enjoyed the downbeat feel. I've heard worse 90's misrerabilist indie shite.

I can't really think of when I'd want to listen to this it is so mediocre like folk is already represented on this list, and I love folk don't get me wrong so idk why this is here and not something else and there are plenty of albums that deserve a spot

This felt never ending

From the Wiki description, I had hopes this would be an obscure 60’s gem to discover. Also I know and kinda like some of Moby Grape’s stuff. Ah well, this was pretty horrible all around.

I’m a sucker for a good backstory. This interested me before I even turned it on. And then, it was pretty good to boot.

Dziwny album póki co, historia za nim stojąca ciekawa, gość po wyjściu z psychiatryka, gdy siekierą atakował członków swojego zespołu, dokonuje odkupienia. Niby psycho rock, folk, ale też jakieś eksperymenty.

This is a proper "losing your mind" album. The Syd Barrett one is just rambling, but this is musical while still maintaining the dark undertones of insanity.

Awful! He cannot sing!

No

Interesting. 3/5

Started out with some okay songs but second half of the album just feels like gibberish

Interesting but often too out there for me

Ugh. Not sure why that’s on the list!

Beginning wasn’t as bad as I expected, then it eventually became unlistenable. Like someone noodling around and mumbling. Two stars because at least the first few tracks were just mediocre, not awful.

This guys sometimes sounds like he's either dying or already undead. I actually really liked War in Peace though. Probably because it was so psychedelic

Rating: 5/10 Meh.

Just no.

On the one hand this is an oddity, a mess and hard to place. On the other, it's a wonder to listen to and one of the reasons for being here. I don't know whether this is influential, well known or just "hey, listen to this - it's very off beam".

Interesting. But not my vibe.

Not for me.

I am learning that psychedelic hippie rock is not for me.

Never heard of this album before. Quite an interesting context and story. Quite a sampling of songs of varying direction, execution and approach. It makes for interesting listening. I'm glad it's on this list as I'd have never heard it otherwise, and I'm glad to have heard the album and know the story.

This starts a nicely melodic psychedelic folk country album with lots of creative songs. Takes a bit hit at the midway point.

This has very aggressive "Not my cup of tea" energy to it. Some songs run on too long, others are incredibly short, all while having simple and boring instrumentals and vocal work that was all over the place. Had the album been half the length, I'd have bumped this up a star, but by halfway through I couldn't wait for it to end. It started off okay, but never got any better. The irony of his nickname being Skip isn't lost on me.

A very stark, psychedelic folk album, definitely sounds like someone who was losing his grip. I thought that Spence's vocal tone was good on some of the more country-tinged songs, and I enjoyed Little Hands, Cripple Creek and Weighted Down, but the rest of the album didn't really do anything for me. The Book of Moses had some interesting production, and Grey/Afro made me feel kind of uncomfortable, which I think was the goal? If I was high maybe I would have liked more. Or tried to kill someone with fire axe. 2 stars.

It's wild to me just how much of the 60's and I guess the basis of rock and roll generally, is based in mental illness. and how much of a double edged sword it is. because just like the Syd Barret album this is completely unlistenable. and it's just inconceivable to me that they would let someone this ill access to a recording studio now. not to mention that this is celebrated while he lived homeless without access to any help for years. Still probably need way more access to mental health both in America and England, but man. this is just painful.

Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🟧📸🦉 Production: 🎧😐🆗 Music: 🧠💊🤯 Rating: 🦉(🦉)/5

This guy tried to kill his band mates with a fire axe and then made this? The mix is really rough and the vocal treatment is almost incomprehensible. There is no sense of any polish on this, which could appeal to someone, I suppose. This is a really dull folk blues combo with Leonard Cohen esque singing. Grey/Afro is a slog. Boy, this album really knows how to wear out a welcome.

The most depressing country Ive ever heard. Sad saggy slow but you can feel the dudes voice doing it difere tly than regular country and I kind of dig it.

Every time I see someone watching Death Note for the first time everyone tells them not to watch the second half and they never listen and then regret it. I kind of did the same with this album. I was warned by his nickname, I ignored the warning, I regret it

almost fell asleep behind the wheel

Y'know, I was really not expecting to struggle writing about this album as much as I did. Like, I didn't think this would be an easy job, but I didn't go into this thinking I'd end up starting over this review over as many times as I did. Look, I just needa get this roadblock out of the way. Before I even heard a second of this album, I was reading about how it was made following Alexander's stay in a mental hospital, and about how it was apparently "one of the most harrowing depictions of pain and confusion ever documented." From all that, I knew I had to be respectful of this guy and his struggles. After all, I'm not an ass. But, like, here's the issue: you know Syd Barrett and THE MADCAP LAUGHS? This album's backstory reminded me a lot of that one's, even down to the fact that this was the last thing Alexander released before largely disappearing from the music industry (Barrett released one more album after THE MADCAP LAUGHS, but still). I know THE MADCAP LAUGHS is gonna be a hard review for me to write, given everything I know about him, his problems, and what he means to Pink Floyd. But then, that's the thing: I know a lot about Syd Barrett. It's hard to be a fan of Pink Floyd without knowing about him, given all he ended up inspiring. Alexander, meanwhile, was a member of Moby Grape, a group I hadn't heard of until the Randomizer gave us one of their albums, and one I haven't thought about since that day. And I didn't even know Alexander was a member of Moby Grape until **today**. Like, as respectful as I wanna be — and of course I would be towards someone like this, regardless of circumstances — it's not exactly easy to write about someone I have so little connection to. Which just makes it all the worse that, on top of all that, I don't really have anything to say about the album itself. I can't remember the last time an album passed me by as badly as this one did. In one ear, out the other, I couldn't remember what it sounded like even seconds after the album ended. Which, sure, I could probably blame that on the fact that I got up late today and wasn't working at 100% mental capacity — that could legit be the reason. At the same time, though, there was just barely anything going on musically for me to latch on to. 'Cuz there's the other issue there: me being melody-first. I don't come to music to analyze poetry, so that's probably why I'm missing out on how "harrowing" this album is. But at the same time, you take another artist I'm wont to write about seriously 'cuz of their story, Nick Drake. I didn't really pay attention to his lyrics either, but goodness, he's at least he's such a beautiful guitar player that I can latch on to that. Alexander, meanwhile, didn't exactly give me anything to get engaged with except some of the most egregious 60's stereo panning I've heard in a long time. Seriously, whose idea was it to have songs where the drums were in one ear, and **literally everything else** was in the other? Not since the German-language Beatles songs. None of this is terrible, or even bad, but between Alexander's acoustic plonking and low-voiced mumble, if I didn't know any better, I would've assumed he was just some kinda jerk who was trying **way too hard** to be a Serious Artist™. Like... Y'know, at the end of the day, I was conflating not liking this album with being disrespectful of the man who made it. I mean, as far as I heard, he was essentially baring his soul and singing about his world. Who the hell am I to look at this and go, "It's a bit shit, innit?" But, look, that's not true at all. I mean, if I can like a fair bit of Kanye West's music despite not being respectful towards that man at all, why can't the opposite be true? Alexander's story, from all I've read, is tragic, and I don't mean any ill will towards him. But his music simply isn't for me. Like, I'll be generous and keep this album at a 3, but I was honestly considering a 2. As I say, that's just how it is sometimes. Alexander, Skip... Well, I can only hope you're resting in peace.

Reminds of something like the Nick Drake albums on the list combined with a little bit of that 60's Psychedelia vibe, which I dig pretty well. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 2.5 that I’ll bump down to a 2. The Wikipedia article for this album cites someone as saying this is "one of the most harrowing documents of pain and confusion ever made". I will cite myself as saying this is “one of the documents of confusion ever made”. Don’t get me wrong, I read the backstory on Skip here, and his entire mental breakdown is a tragedy. I do think this music, to some degree, was created as a result of the entire ordeal. It’s not fully captured in song form here though, and I feel as if there’s areach being made to try and connect some of this music to his psyche. I do believe music can speak wonders to the condition of the heart and the soul, but this doesn’t do that – to my ears, on a good chunk of the tracks, this is just a slightly broken guy rambling on a guitar, and not a deeper inner look into his state of mind at the time, though it does come up on a few tracks. That’s not to say there’s not musicality here – 4 of the 12 tracks here got me good, for one reason or another: “Cripple Creek’, “Weighted Down”, “War in Peace”, & “Broken Heart”. It’s mostly in the storytelling, though “War in Peace” got me on that really weird and ethereal soundscape for 1969. Most of the album, though, is simply unpolished, and while a lot of that is a side effect of this album being comprised entirely of demo tracks, I think most of the tracks themselves are just kind of unremarkable to begin with. Scattered hints of melodies, scattered thoughts in the lyrics, mumbled confusion of the vocals… I just don’t really see a pathway where this could’ve been salvaged into a “complete” album, even if it had the time and effort that Skip Spence wanted. Hence, the 2. I gave it a long enough leash, but ultimately, if 8 of your 12 tracks are unremarkable at best or total duds at worst, it’s just not a compelling project. Honestly, based on the circumstances surrounding its release, this feels a bit exploitative, as if his producer was trying to make a quick buck with the best of intentions, but instead just aired some of his ramblings into the world in a way that likely shot his reputation down even further. It’s a really slow 44 minutes, and while it has a small gasp of breath from tracks 5 to 8, it’s just not enough to go to a 3, and a 3 is honestly the ceiling for this album anyway. I hope he found his peace when the time called for it, but I don't think this album should be cited in talking about this time period of his life.

Drift, dissonant, not one I need to hear again

Amazing parallels between this and Syd Barrett's "The Madcap Laughs:" the black sheep of big bands go a bit crazy and record their own stuff, then just fall off the radar. I liked this more than the Barrett album, though, very chill, but occasionally electrifying. What a great way to start 2025.

This album made me want to sit around and smoke a bunch of weed. I don’t think I fully appreciate it, but I do love that I can see it as an influence for some of the music in later years that I enjoy. I really love Skip Spence’s voice and how he can go from sounding very sultry, to tired—exhausted and grungy. I definitely am happy to have found Weighted Down through listening to this album.

Country *and* boring. Pass.

A little bit of a twangy feel good rock. Fine but didn't move the needle for me.

the problem with me is that i unfortunately like this kind of weirdo folk bullshit

Woozy and skiffly, this is intriguing and not at all unpleasant record, if not massively compelling (okay, maybe one'll go along with editors on "mesmeric"). First psych-folk record, maybe? Certainly, not urgent to know, its inclusion seems to overrate the obscure and perhaps exploitative of the rich tradition of the mentally-shaky artist (certainly reminiscent of Forster and someone tell Devendra B and N. Cave to start citing this as an influence if they're not doing it already and poor man's Syd Barrett, blah, blah, blah) – like the Picasso scribbly sketches on paper bags. Also, goes on too long to a significant extent. Rounding up because the guy seemed to be having a rough enough time already. Plus bonus points for such a good song title: "Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin for Yang)"

- Boring for the most part - Only one solo album? Fair enough.

3/5

Dry. Shallow. Unresolved.

??? Apparently this guy was a member of Jefferson Airplane or something? They really just let anyone onto this list. I can't hate this too much though because some of the psychedelic stuff here is pretty cool plus the story behind the album makes me appreciate it more, but otherwise a lot of this album is annoying or repetitive unfortunately. I think this could've been something really great if it was like half as long.. Favorite track: War in Peace

A pervy, old, junkie writes a buncha dumb songs.

It's kind of a psychedelic folk-rock thing. If you're into that sort of sound, definitely check it out.

Interesting story, Interesting album in an unfinished, raw way. Could have had a lot to say, but at this point in time it just feels like a compilation of practice sessions.

I can see why it is so influential. But it is also hard work I will come back to this at another time.

#440. Skip Spence's story is much more interesting than his music. This acid casualty droning folk blues kinda thing is likely only interesting if you are also another acid casualty. 2/5: boring Song added to playlist: Little Hands I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

It is an interesting and touching story, but the album is just another one in the pile of psychedelic rock from the 60s/70s.

This is a deeply weird album. I usually listen and then check the Wikipedia page, but in this case something made me look a couple of tracks in and the weirdness made sense. The usual sequence of events is to record a psychedelic folk rock album and then have a drug induced breakdown. Skip Spence attacked his former band mates with a fire axe after suffering severe delusions, spent six months in a secure institution and then recorded this when he got out.

This is a bit off-putting to say the least. This album is full of psychedelia and ideas, a bit too much over the place (I didn't expect to hear rain and someone nailing something?), and the voice is a bit too dull (or the guy was maybe too high). It might actually require several listenings to really make my mind, but I'm not intrigued enough to do so.

Some people seem to really like this, but it just sounds like sloppy hippy nonsense. I am surprised it has so many mixing engineers on it because it sounds like basement tapes. F

Not good

yikes, badness

Pretty solid album

Even knowing the context surrounding this album, it meanders all over the place and rambles on. Should an album like this even be 'enjoyed', or is it more peering into the mental state of a person that made it appear on this list? The tracks are not so remarkable regardless.

eh

Very good, often dreamy and kinda haunted sounded. But not in a scary way, more like a sad way. Relaxing

Better to “skip” this album. It was okay. A folk singer-songwriter kinda vibe to it, which was alright. Some songs were good, but overall the album runs too long. The last couple of songs are less than a minute and blend into each other. Cool for that. Standouts: Little Hands, Margaret-Tiger Rug, Dixie Peach Promenade, and This Time He Has Come.

Favorite Track: Weighted Down (The Prison Song)

Reading this guys bio was pretty interesting, but I didn't have many opinions on the album

Crap

Albums like this is what keeps me in to this project. Never heard of this band and I love it

it's psychedelic, and also makes me wants to sleep more. it goes left and right around my head. its just so tiring... 2/5

It's got a reputation as a classic 60s obscurity. It's strangely compelling music with a wasted/anything goes vibe. It appears to be commenting on the end of the sixties dream via a personal stamp that is at times humorous, romantic, whimsical and weird. But the material is uneven and I would say it's half a great album. But 4 stars given because it is so strangely compelling - plus I have an affection for outsider music.

Oar arse

First thought was 'oh no, another half-baked psychedelic folk album' and that's true in parts but a couple of tracks in I inexplicably started to like it. Glad I have heard this, would never have found it without this list.

Recorded on a 3 track days after he came out of an institute for mental health recovery. At times it does sound like I'm accidentally playing a few different things at once. I think it's a grower, but there's definitely some bun tracks on here. I'm not sure I have three patience to learn to live this. It snowed me when I tried listening properly, but some of the tracks were fine as background music.

Well, that, happened! There are times when we may ask ourselves, can you separate the art from the artist... in this case, the art is the artist! We're being thrown into the abyss of Spence's mental state, and after a maddening hour, I never want to go back there.

My Turkey Day album was the Green Bean Casserole(and contrary to what my mind initially told me, this wasn't recorded by Sixpence None The Richer). I give the benefit of the doubt, since he was totally broken as a person, but there wasn't much here that appealed to me. Favorite Track : "Grey/Afro"

I'm going to break one of my conventions with this album. I made it all the way through which gets a guaranteed 2 stars minimum, but for this album it's only going to get 1. Let's be honest here, it's rambling, mumbling shite, with minimal musical merit and next to no instrumentation. I only made it all the way through as I got sucked into a rabbit hole reading about the artists life. If I was grading on that it would be 5 stars!

Well that was forgettable. I remember when I was a kid, I'd put the TV on and there would be some non descript hallmark movie on with a forgettable name, forgettable actors and a forgettable plot. But I still remember they kicked that poor dog. It's been a few hours since I listened to the album and all I remember of it, is a section of one song sounded a little like Cream, but done poorly.

Described as "one of the most harrowing documents of pain and confusion ever made", the album was recorded after Spence had spent six months in Bellevue Hospital. It was at the time the lowest-selling album in Columbia Records history and was deleted from the Columbia catalogue within a year of its release.....why the FUCK is this on here?

Interesting record. I wasn't totally into it, though I love Skip's voice. Background of this album is nuts, and the recording very much captures how tortured of a soul he was. Might be something I come back to someday, but not often.

Thought this was interesting, but overall not really my thing. The background was more interesting that the actual album. 2/5

An incredibly spaced-out folk album, with grand ideas that could have been executed way better.

Minnir óneitanlega á Madcap laughs með Syd Barett. Útúrsýrður maður fær að leika sér í stúdíó og gefa það út á plötu. Þessi er betri Madcap laughs, en samt ansi stefnulaus og vanpródúceruð. War in peace er töff, en annað nær varla flugi.

Never knew this one. Loved it. Added to my faves. Poor Skip. A lot of talent and torment.

The Wikipedia entry sums it up.

Ah, Oar. I've listened to this a few times over the years and generally fell in and out of it. Some of it is like nothing else on Earth. I absolutely love War In Peace for example. And some of it sounds morose and sketchy. Hard not to think of Madcap Laughs, although this is far softer than that, largely due to Skip's voice. The encroaching storm on Books of Moses is something else. I'm sure this will get absolutely nailed in the reviews as it's probably one of the worst albums in history to judge on one listen. Oh and the spectacular Grey/Afro (anyone else think the Stone Roses listened to this a bit?) is the last song on the actual album. Some were surprised it took a turn after that. Yes, because you're listening to outtakes from a record made by a man with serious mental issues.

A wow, kakav opis albuma 😱 ovo će biti zanimljivo haha. Nikad čula za njega iskreno. Izgleda kao neki luđak na coveru 🫣. Početak me iznenadio moram priznati, očekivala sam nešto puno psihotičnije 😁 Dobra mi je ova prva stvar. Iduće pjesme su mi malo creepy, pogotovo kad čitam lyricse, došla je ta psihotična dimenzija izgleda 😂. Pa ne znam kako se osjećam u vezi ovoj albuma, pozadina je dosta uzbudljiva i nisam znala šta očekivati. Na trenutke mi je zanimljivo, na trenutke čudno ili dosadno. Zbunjena sam 😂. Dosta mi je kul da je snimao sve instrumente sam. War in Peace je baš dobra stvar. Uff da. Uglavnom, stvari koje vuku na country i u Cash stilu su mi dosadne, a ove više psihodelične su mi dosta dobre. Šteta da nije više išao u tom smjeru, leži mu. Nezz, što album ide dalje, to sam manje entuzijastična oko njega. Tome ne pridonosi činjenica da album traje preko sat vremena. Kompa, ako nisi Beatles, nemoj mi snimati albume duže od 45 min, pliz. 10 min later update: postajem nervozna. Poslušat ću do kraja samo zato što se nadam barem još jednoj dobroj pjesmi. Ma ej, naporan si. 2/5, 3/10.

A ono, da nije imao nekog uspjeha prije ovoga, nikad ovaj album ne bi doživio svijetlo dana. Kad ti esid pojede sve stanice, kreneš raditi ovakvu glazbu jer ti valjda ima smisla i baš ti dobro gruva u glavi Ima ovaj album nekih dobrih trenutaka, ali ovo ne bi trebao biti album od sat vremena Doslovce zvuči kao skica za neki album što je netko urokan doma odklepetao

4.5/10 Kad sam vidio godinu, ocekivao sam opet neko hipijevsko drndanje. Ovako sam dobio narkomansko drndanje, sto mi je ipak bolje. Skip Spence je bio bubnjar na prvom albumu Jefferson Airplanea, uzimao je puno droga i imao je mentalnih problema, schizofreniju pa cak bio i nasilan prema svojim kolegama na lose dane. Sve mi to ima smisla kad cujem ovaj album posto legenda kaze (po wikipediji) da cim je izasao iz mentalne ustanove je isti dan sam isao snimiti ovaj album. Jedina koja mi je bila zanimljiva je Lawrence Of Euphoria, i tu i tamo su naletjeli neki okej dijelovi u drugim stvarima. Ali od deprivacije nekog smislenog ritma kroz skoro cijeli album su mi se svidjele neke bazicne, napokon smislene stvari koje inace ne bi ni primjetio. Tako da.. bolest na stranu, nije mi ovo bas najbolje ali ako nista, istice mi se vise od onih par kantautorskih albuma koje smo imali ovdje iz istih godina.

Arrancó dentro de todo bien y se tornó infumable

no bueno, entiendo que fue medio una sesión grabada y experimental pero demasiado largo.

The write-up says that these are effectively glorified demos, and that definitely feels like it's the case. There's some good songs in here with interesting melodies and guitar-work, but there's also a lot of meandering and mumbling as well. Some songs on here are so weak and not formed at all, and perhaps if this was a more traditional process those songs would either be scrapped or punched up a bit. There's enough promise to warrant a halfway decent score, but it's a shame we didn't get to hear a proper fleshed out album with full production.

Some nice guitar playing, but the vocals are really bad and songs are mostly tedious. Wouldn't want to listen to this again Might have given a 2 but the last song is nearly 10 minutes of crap, so recency bias makes it a 1.

Starts off well but soon descends into a shambling mess. As did his life.

Some decent stuff. A lot of forgettable droning.

Have heard about this one, never got around to listening to it. This is what you want out of a weird solo album branching from 60s psychedelic. Last bit starts to drag, but I don't care that much. This is rad. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

I didn’t have high hopes for a 1969 psychedelic album by the guy from Moby Grape, but hey. Sometimes we make mistakes.

Echt niet mijn ding

Leuk maar wel oud

acid folk first try, it was ok, a few are a bit progressive, i liked it.

An odd collection of songs here, but there is enough for 3 stars or C for a rating.

Just don't really like the iconic 60's sound

This was rough

Meh

As a record this sounds about 50 years ahead of its time, but that doesnt mean i enjoyed it. The inaudible lyrics and relatively sparse soundscapes sound modern and im not surprised artists like Beck love this, but i didnt find any particular value in its lack of enagement

Echoes of Dylan, Joplin, Drake... And forebodings of Bill Callahan. Not very interesting despite the backstory.

great vibe. solid album. 6/10

Good grief. Given this artist’s background I guess it’s no wonder this album is a total downer; pretty depressing. Wish I could find something redeemable in it. I don’t listen to music as a vehicle to bring me down but if I did this would be my go to album.

Not my favorite

An album with a cool backstory (written in Bellevue Psychiatric ward after attacking his bandmates with an axe). Also an album that is mostly boring, grating, or weird. It seems deeply meaningful, but it is not very listenable.

Listening to this was a bit of a weird experience. Reading up on the origin story of this album it makes sense that it feels somewhat alien. Some pretty special stuff on there, and I could come back to this album if the stereo mixing wasn't that annoying to listen to on headphones. Drums in one ear, guitar and voice in another... why???

He got what he needed out of this album, but I did not need to go through all that.

ugh, only a couple of songs were passable for me.

++: Little Hands, Diana, Weighted Down (The Prison Song), War in Peace, Books of Moses, Grey/Afro +: Cripple Creek, Lawrence of Euphoria +-: Margaret/Tiger Rug, Broken Heart, All Come to Meet Her, Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin for Yang) 7,7/10

I am usually the first in line for anything psychedelic, but with Oar, the old joke rings painfully true: Skip by name, skip by nature. While the "tortured genius is mental" backstory is compelling, it carries the album more than the music does. Most of it sounds like half-baked, muddy demos, just an overly medicated busker mumbling over chaotic drumming. While "Weighted Down" and "Grey/Afro" show flashes of real talent, the rest is meandering, self-indulgent rambling. It’s an exhausting, uncomfortable listen that is more interesting to read about than to actually hear.

Z tych wszystkich smętnych balladopisarzy był całkiem niezły. Takie 3/5, ale żadna piosenka do zapisania.

There was one good song in there and maybe a few with potential

Some of the more acoustic "folk" songs are really good. I just am not a big fan of the what seemed like improvised free-flowing rhythm tracks that are at the end of the album. I was relieved when it was over.

Interesting listen. Sad story about ol’ Skip, but I don’t see how this warrants being in the top 500 albums of all time.

Psychedelic folk. The folk half is meh and the psychedlic half is rough listening.

I liked the more psychedelic stuff but overall it was a bit boring

Don't do drugs, kids. Psychedelic folk, and not in a good way either. There are some good songs trying to break out here, possibly, but the sub-Bob Dylan mumbling (and that's saying something) and the seemingly random strumming of guitars and odd placing of the instruments pretty much knackers their chances. No likey.

This album was super weird, slow, trippy folk music. And such a looooooooooooong album. Tough to get through it, it’s really just boring.

Weird, not enjoyable.

This album is not really for me, some songs feel a bit too random and some songs have repetitive lyrics. There are a couple of good songs however. Standout tracks: Weighted Down, Broken Heart, All Come to Meet Her

Almost a 2.

4.5 starts. What a chilled out, pleasant to listen to album. Like a nice swamp in the South of the States with crickets chirping and rising heat ETC. Just very nice. Light and airy ETC.

some really cool tracks, but others that just dont feel needed, i think i may have accidentally listened to the super extended version though

Awful

It is one of the most boring album I have ever heard.

Curious, slowburning, mix of country, blues and psychedelia, sometimes whimsical, sometimes dark. It grows on you after a time, but material on original album stronger than subsequent additions

Frusciante did it better

Yikes

76% Best: Little Hands; War In Peace; Broken Heart; Books of Moses; Grey/Afro Must-Hear? Not quite

Wow! I loved this album! Spence, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape, recorded Oar just six months after being released from a psychiatric hospital, so he wasn’t in the best state of mind while writing this music. Not only that, but he had a small budget to work with, which definitely comes through when you listen. The vocals are raw, unfiltered, and often lack clarity, at times sounding more like a murmur. The production has a very stripped-down, lo-fi quality, making the album sound like a demo. Despite all these challenges, everything comes together beautifully. The rawness adds to the intimate and ethereal feel of the album, making it even more captivating.

Not my preferred music of choice, but I thought the backstory of this album was really interesting. The music was pretty bland 60s psych, but the fact that he was super strung out, mentally unstable, able to play all the instruments, and self produce the album is pretty wild. The production is not great and borderline annoying with the percussion being the only thing on the right side track. I kinda felt sick listening to this, but extra points because the art matches his mental state.

One of those whose significance exceeds the musical content.

This is a curious album. I'm not sure what it is about some of these songs: they can be slow and repetitive on the surface, but some special resonance in the guitar, or maybe the vocal style, makes them engaging in a meditative way. It's a very creative interpretation of the Folk-Rock style with some Psychedelic sound mixed in. I don't know what happened in the second half of the album, though; it's all weird minute-long tracks.

I’m torn. I found my self singing along while also thinking shut the fuck uuuuuup.

nun ja, reingehört und nach 4 geskippten tracks abgestellt. langweilig, instrumente ok, für das es relativ einfach aufgenommen wurde. songs und stimme packen mich überhaupt gar nicht.

Spannende Geschichte hinter dem Album und hörenswerter Sound, sehr verschieden

the vocalist sounds like a stroke victim tried to do a bob dylan impression

Pretty straight down the middle folk album. I dunno, I was pretty bored and didn’t come away feeling any different than before hearing it.

His nickname checks out.

I'd never heard anything by this artist before. It's definitely interesting, but not very much to my taste.

I tried to stick it out but then I saw I was less than halfway through

This album was awful. I read that Alexander Spence wrote most, or all, of this while in the hospital, and it sounds like the pain of a hospitalized man. Also read that it was only meant to be a demo. It should have stayed a demo. Alexander Spence plays all of the instruments and he play none of them well. At times it sounded like he was just winging it in the studio. Strongly disliked.

Oar is just a really weird one to me. Its one of those albums that has fairly decent music but the vocals leave something to be desired. There were quite a bit of good musical beats in this album especially towards the end. The main problem with this album though is that the vocals just feel very inconsistent. The album would often just flip flop around two different vocal styles which feels jarring when they change since they change at random points in the album. And neither vocal style is really all that good since they are both just really tough to hear. It nearly hits the margin of being okay but still remains mediocre. Best Song: Grey/Afro Worst Song: Diana

shame he never made a second album called moar

The album feels raw and broken, appropriately reflecting its artist. I appreciate it, in this case. This album just feels so human. Favorite tracks: "Little Hands" and "Books of Moses."

Strange album. First half had some okay songs, then the second half was more of a continuous test recording. Overall it was kind of bland. 2/5 Won’t listen again

Hmmmm. ... Boring

This is like, bad Bob Dylan. Moody folk music. Stand-out: All Come to Meet Her

So, this sounds like what it is, a mentally unwell man left to his own devices. There is a glimmer of a decent album in there. I mean, Skip thought these were demos, they were never meant to be released in this form. And they should have left it at the original length and not added the extra tracks which are mostly a mess

I'm pretty sure I've heard this guy busking on a corner in Asheville, NC. Pretty standard 60's folk album.

Definitely didn’t hate this but it was nothing special to me, I generally like new wave but nothing about this album stood out besides the mixing being weird

Couldn’t finish

Pretty and morose. Need to revisit it later for a fuller opinion. Definitely seems like a grower.

Funky

Another interesting album I had not previously heard of.

Album 536 of 1001 Alexander 'Skip' Spence - Oar (1969) Rating : 3 / 5 Interesting listen. Not necessarily "good"...but interesting. There is a story behind it.: The producer released the demo. Oar is the only solo studio album by American rock musician Skip Spence, released on May 19, 1969 by Columbia Records. It was recorded over seven days in December 1968 in Nashville, and features Spence on all of the instruments. Described as "one of the most harrowing documents of pain and confusion ever made", the album was recorded after Spence had spent six months in Bellevue Hospital. Spence had been committed to Bellevue following a delusion-driven attempt to attack Moby Grape bandmates Don Stevenson and Jerry Miller with a fire axe. At the time of Spence's release from hospital, he had written a number of songs that he wanted to record. Producer David Rubinson suggested that Spence record at the Columbia studios in Nashville, where there was a particularly patient recording engineer, Mike Figlio. Rubinson instructed Figlio to keep the tapes running at all times, to record everything that Spence did. The majority of the tracks were recorded using a three-track recorder. Rubinson chose to stay away from the studio, concerned that Spence's recording activities would be distracted by the presence of a producer. According to Spence, the Nashville sessions were intended by him to only be a demo, which he gave to Rubinson with the intent that the songs would be fleshed out with full production for the actual album. Instead, Rubinson had the demo recordings released by Columbia. When first released, Oar was not promoted by Columbia Records, despite pleadings from Rubinson. It was at the time the lowest-selling album in Columbia Records history and was deleted from the Columbia catalogue within a year of its release.

Otro aporte a mi cultura musical. Se deja escuchar si te gusta la psicodelia con temas más folk o country. Me ha recordado a los Pink Floyd de Syd Barrett, sobre todo con lo mejor para mi que es el tema final: Grey/Afro.

It was cruel to make folks listen to this. Off beat, off key and not in a good way

This was a hard listen. Not one part of this record was pleasing to my ears. I had to listen to this in pieces and it took 5 different times to get through it. Bland, boring, next.

I know Spence was the epitome of the 60s hippie musician, but this was just a slog.

The dude from moby grape juice recorded after being institutionalized. Im liked better than that and better that n sur barret I think. weird when he starts playing sunshine of your love

Not terrible, the tones and sounds were kind of cool it was so boring though and felt like such a chore to get through.

I guess I liked weighted down. Otherwise it made me sleepy as it was uninteresting.

A bit dismay

Too expermental

I can't fix him1

Just a bit depressing!

Oar is an interesting album. Singer/songwriter, at time I think he’s trying to be Leonard Cohen, at times Paul McCarthy, at times almost Johnny Cash. It’s eclectic. Deserves more listens 5.8/10

Very average. Near psychedelic sound, but nothing special

Everyone on this album sounds like they were dunk at the time of recording. The writing and lyrics sound like they could have been pretty good had they been tighter. It’s sad to think about what this album could have been, but it isn’t that. 2/5

Boring

I kinda liked Cripple Creek, but other than that this album sure is a 'skip'.

It was ok

2.75

Begs the question: should this be judged (and is on this list) based on the potential of the unfinished product, or by what got pressed onto vinyl? As the former, I'm inclined to be more receptive - plenty of here to catch my attention, and the kernels of some good songs. Musicianship is good, nice psychedelic and bluesy vibes. But that's about as far as it goes. Without the context of Spence's mental illness or the circumstances of the album's creation, I'd have to say "what the fuck?" Three stars, probably not one I'm inclined to revisit, even on the darkest nights of my soul. But still miles ahead of slogging through 4 Tim Buckley records.

Good background studying noise I guess. 2.5/5 stars

I made it 3 songs in. This sucks

Fascinating, tragic background story, but this is a slog to listen through. From the wikipedia link: '...Rubinson chose to stay away from the studio, concerned that Spence's recording activities would be distracted by the presence of a producer.' Sounds like the recording process was Spence just rambling in a studio for hours on end with no input, and it shows. Too bad they didn't give him some help, maybe something interesting could have been made of this.

Not my cup of tea.

The mixing here is really bad; some instrumentation fully in one channel. I thought this was mostly sorted out by 1969. Anyway mixing aside, this is still fucking terrible .

There’s a billion buskers in every major metropolitan area around the world who have fried their brains by dropping acid every day for a decade, and they all have been deeply influenced by Oar, but I’m positive none of them would recognize the name Skip Spence. Just like those buskers, there’s a moment or two on Oar where you hear a nugget of something that could have the potential to be the most beautiful song you’ve ever heard in your life. Unfortunately, those moments are fleeting, either ruined by insane nonsense or bland mumbling, and sometimes even both at the same time. I get how Oar could be seen as influential to lo-fi bedroom pop in retrospect, but I think that’s placing too much value on the ramblings of a literal madman. Don’t do drugs, kids.

Not amazing but it does have some really original ideas. All in all this is a decent psychedelic folk album.

Was expecting much more from a psychedelic folk album. Nothing bad nonetheless, but the country songs clearly weighs it down (pun intended).

This album is waving between annoyingly bad and okay songs. This album doesn't even have to be in the top 100 of 1969, so imagine being a part of this list.

Interessantes, aber chaotisches Konzeptalbum, das stark von Country-Musik geprägt ist. Das Album bietet eine interessante Mischung aus verschiedenen Stilen, was es spannend, aber auch verwirrend und manchmal anstrengend macht. Besonders hervorzuheben ist der Song “Cripple Creek”, der positiv heraussticht. “Margret-Tiger-Rug” wirkt eher skurril, während “Books is Moses” völlig abgedreht und schwer nachvollziehbar ist. Insgesamt spiegelt das Album die schwierige Zeit wider, die Spence in einer Nervenheilanstalt verbrachte, und ist stark von seinem Drogen- und Psychopharmakakonsum geprägt. Vielleicht mal mit viel Zeit reinhören aber nicht sehr dringend. Hast du einen Lieblingssong auf dem Album?

Little Hands 3 Cripple Creek 2.8 Diana 2.5 Margaret/Tiger Rug 2 Weighted Down (The Prison Song) 2.1 War in Peace 2.3 Broken Heart 2 All Come to Meet Her 2.1 Books of Moses 3.1 Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin for Yang) 2.3 Lawrence of Euphoria 2.3 Grey/Afro 2.1 Score: 2.383333333

Cool concept for an album. Album cover is appropriately creepy. I could not really understand the majority of the lyrics, and felt like I would appreciate it more if I had those in hand.

Listened to this three times already to try and figure i t out. It is a puzzle for sure. Haunting musical illustration of a man's breakdown. These are demos, I wish Skip Spence could have held it together enough to fully realize the promise of these songs. As it is, very crude. The listener does have to do some work, meaning you have to listen hard and without distraction. Doing so yields an odd experience. It is a struggle to extract the idea from the music, sometimes Spence sounds buried in demons, drunk on a powerful metaphysics unrecognizable by mortals. He is bringing us a message from beyond, but that "beyond" is only known to him. This is a strange artifact, something that probably shouldn't exist. But here it is. Some very cool psychedelic sounds, some rootsy baritone, some neat guitar work. Unfortunately a lot of it is on the other side of broken. I feel bad putting a star rating on this because it is SO different from a normal album, it's like a field recording almost. Too many casualties in music. I wonder why that is, a lot.

tem umas músicas legais, mas nada que chama atenção. muitas músicas pequenas

Think my dad likes this but I feel like bro could have cut this down so much

Ok

At first, I wondered why he hadn't practiced the songs before the recording rather than during, then I read about how it was made after he'd had a stay in a mental hospital, was intended as a demo but released as an album, and it all feels grubby and exploitative

Kinda like Tom Waites, but without the talent.

Pretty basic 70's rock music. Nothing stood out to me and the production on a few of the songs made it really hard to hear his voice which is pretty annoying. Will not listen again.

Not worth the effort

Siistiä alt country tai jotain sellaista akustista. War In Peacessa aika Muse/Radiohead vibat. Vähän jotain outoja jazz fiilikaiä lopussa myös. Parhaat: War In Peace, Little Handa

Folk psicodélico. Un rollo. Un 2.

Un poco rollo.

This was a really interesting one, never heard of it before, but enjoyed it way more than I expected to given how bland I found Moby Grape. Some really dark and experimental songs on here, a few are quite forgettable though. Not something I'd listen to often, but glad to have given it a couple goes.

This was interesting. From the get go I enjoyed it, although due to quality and recording it was difficult to take in and remember. I saw on Wikipedia that this recording was only meant to be a demo, but was just released as is. In a way I think this is a shame, I would have liked to have heard the album cleaned up, Although I appreciate this outcome has quite a personal feel, and connects the listener to what was going on with Skip at the time.

Wide vocal range but boring.

Maybe I’ll get addicted to drugs, go insane and make shitty music. Could be fun

When I tell people "I like all kinds of music." I'll have to add "Except Skip Spence. This may be the most boring album I've ever heard.

Jeg vaklede lidt mellem 1 og 2 og fandt så ud af, at den sidste tredjedel af det album jeg lyttede til var bonustracks, så det trak lidt op. Ufokuseret, forglemmeligt, men dog kun 44 minutter langt. Mindede mig en lille smule om Syd Barretts soloalbums

Nogen gange er det ret fedt og lyder som Leonard Cohen på mange flere stoffer, men en del af det er også bare underligt og lidt intetsigende!

Vildt eksperimenterende musik. Jeg tror at han har taget stoffer i hvert fald en gang. Jeg tænker at den her plade primært er på listen på grund af dens historie. Det er ikke lige noget jeg vender tilbage til lige foreløbigt.

Boring.

Don't really feel good about rating an album a 5 after just one listen -- so I'll say 4 and straight to the "to buy" list. Love finding albums like this that I've never even heard of that are great!

A cheap Leonard Cohen wannabe who made himself look like a mental patient with this album cover photo. No thanks.

"Oar" is the only studio album by American singer-songwriter Alexander "Skip" Spence. Pyschedelic folk, folk rock and pyschedelic rock are the listed genres. They all fit. The album was recorded after Spence had spent six months in Bellevue hospital for attacking Moby Grape bandmates Don Stevenson and Jerry Miller with a fire axe. Spence sings, plays all the instruments and self-produced the album. One critic described the album as "one of the most harrowing documents of pain and confusion ever made." "Little Hands" opens with an acoustic and electric guitar. A very slow pace and a clapping beat. Spence's vocals are muffled as he compares children clapping to peace. Spence gets his falsetto out in "War in Peace." This is pyschedelic rock with some great guitar. One of the better songs on the album. "Book of Moses" has a gritty, country blues vibe. The percussion sounds like he's pounding a hammer. The nine-minute "Grey/Afro" closes the album. An eerie electric guitar. Spence is whispering. A really weird drum beat. There's nary a melody; it's all beats and hypnotic. This is a slow, stark and somewhat minimalist album. Layered guitars. Spence's voice goes from normal to deep to falsetto. He also mumbles a lot. Most of the songs are very short with minimal lyrics. I have to be honest; I didn't really try after awhile to understand what he was singing about. I didn't dislike this album but can't say I really liked it either. It is a compelling listen for its background. If you're up somewhat of a challenging listen, this album is for you.

Far out man

Wierdly enjoyable

Oh my God this was boring. And it went on and on and on.

This is kind of great, but then again, I like the solo Syd Barrett albums quite a bit, and this reminds me of those. A bit more straightforward perhaps.

3.5

I don't really know what to make of this one. At times it felt like outsider art because of how unpolished it was. It reminded me a bit of when I used to go on message boards and share songs I recorded in my bedroom with people around the world. There was a moment when I was worried that I accidentally listened to the demo versions or something. I feel like there's a story behind it. But musically I don't think it grabbed me

This one was really tough to rate. Did I enjoy listening to it? Not really. But is the story behind it fascinating? 100% Here's a snippet from the Wikipedia article: "Described as "one of the most harrowing documents of pain and confusion ever made", the album was recorded after Spence had spent six months in Bellevue Hospital. Spence had been committed to Bellevue following a delusion-driven attempt to attack Moby Grape bandmates Don Stevenson and Jerry Miller with a fire axe. "At the time of Spence's release from hospital, he had written a number of songs that he wanted to record. Producer David Rubinson suggested that Spence record at the Columbia studios in Nashville, where there was a particularly patient recording engineer, Mike Figlio. Rubinson instructed Figlio to keep the tapes running at all times, to record everything that Spence did. The majority of the tracks were recorded using a three-track recorder... According to Spence, the Nashville sessions were intended by him to only be a demo, which he gave to Rubinson with the intent that the songs would be fleshed out with full production for the actual album. Instead, Rubinson had the demo recordings released by Columbia." ------ I feel like that story aligns so well with the tone of the album. It was unpolished and raw, and some of the lyrics were unhinged or glimpses into a man with deep regret and confusion in a state of total vulnerability. I'm glad I listened to it and have this in my music history knowledge, but don't think I'll listen to it again.

An interesting historical artifact, but not that great.

I wanted to like this more than I did, especially given Skip Spence’s story. It does have its occasional moments, and I genuinely enjoyed some of it. But it doesn’t really hit without the heroin.

Ok 🤷🏻‍♀️

3-

Listening to it felt like an eternity.

No idea why w was listening to this, so I read up on Mr. Spence here… quite a piece of work, album is still nearly unlistenable. Giving it a 2 because I appreciate the lore.

Actually ngl

I had come to some conclusions after listening to the whole album and then read the reviews and found out that I was pretty much on target with where this album originated from. Although reading the background frames it in a different light, it doesn't change my impression that this is not a good album. There are some interesting things going on musically at times, but then other songs almost sound like covers. I didn't read anything that really told me why this album is included in this list.