The INCREDIBLE STRING BAND "U" 2 LP US PROMO NM/NM w INSERT

$

26

AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek  [-]

Of the records that the Incredible String Band recorded for Elektra, U is easily the strangest -- even by the band's standards. The sprawling double album was the musical element of a Robin Williamson theatrical presentation of the same name (with input from Mike Heron), that put the band on a stage with the Stone Monkey troupe, who did dances to these songs, complete with light projections. It played in London and at the Fillmore East in New York before it closed with disastrous financial results. Sans dancers, the group -- Williamson, Heron, Licorice McKechnie, and Rose Simpson -- went on and completed a limited tour of the West Coast before recording U. They recorded the double album in just two days. Along with their usual wacky and wonderful meld of psychedelic-cum-traditional folk, sitar, tabla, faux raga, and exotic world music aspirations, are songs that encompass blues, singer/songwriter fare, and more. Disc one features a shambolic, yodeling saloon song ("Bad Sadie Lee") offered by cover painting artist Janet Shankman, followed by the dreamy "Queen of Love," which was written by Tom Constanten (more famously a keyboard-playing guest of the Grateful Dead). There are plenty of other things, too, including the beautiful droning guitar and mandolin Baroqueness of "Time" and even rock -- check the psych instrumentals "Partial Belated Overtime" and "Bridge Theme." The second disc contains some wonderful vanguard moments in the solo guitar instrumental "Astral Plane Theme," the barrelhouse piano stride of "Robot Blues," and two long Heron pieces. The first is the gorgeous ballad "Light in Time of Darkness." "Rainbow," which closes the record, is a 15-plus-minute exercise in medieval minstrelsy. At the time and given its length, U was a stretch for all but the most adventurous of ISB fans. In the 21st century, it is still somewhat unfocused, but its best material rates with some of the best in the band's catalog.

The Incredible String Band ?– U

Label:

Elektra ?– 7E-2002

Format:

2 × Vinyl, LP, Album

Country:

US

Released:

1970

Genre:

Rock

Style:

Folk Rock

TracklistHide Credits

A1 El Wool Suite

Flute, Guimbri [Gimbri], Percussion [Clay Drums] – Robin*

Sitar – Mike*

Tabla, Guitar – Rose*

Written-By – Heron*

8:28

A2 The Juggler's Song

Vocals – Licorice*

Vocals, Bass, Mandolin, Guitar – Robin*

Written-By – Williamson*

3:10

A3 Time

Vocals, Twelve-String Guitar, Mandolin – Robin Williamson

Written-By – Williamson*

3:57

A4 Bad Sadie Lee

Banjo – Peter Grant*

Fiddle, Jew's Harp, Washboard, Vocals – Robin*

Piano, Vocals – Mike*

Vocals – Janet Shankman, Licorice*, Rose*

Written-By – Shankman*

3:48

A5 Queen Of Love

Arranged By – Tom Constanten

Harpsichord – Janet Shankman

Vocals, Bass, Guitar – Robin*

Written-By – Williamson*

8:36

B1 Partial Belated Overture

Bass – Rose*

Fiddle, Shenai [Shanai] – Robin*

Piano, Guitar – Mike*

Written-By – Heron*

2:54

B2 Light In Time Of Darkness / Glad To See You

Bass – Rose*

Vocals, Piano – Mike*

Written-By – Heron*

10:18

B3 Walking Along With You

Bass – Robin*

Vocals – Rose*

Vocals, Guitar – Mike*

Written-By – Heron*

3:58

Hirem Pawnitof / Fairies' Hornpipe

Bass – Rose*

Fiddle – Robin*

Spoons – Licorice*

Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin – Mike Heron (2)

(6:18)

B4.a Hirem Pawnitof

Written-By – Heron*

B4.b Fairies' Hornpipe

Written-By – Trad.*

B5 Bridge Theme

Bass – Rose*

Drums – Licorice*

Guitar – Mike*

Shenai [Shanai], Reeds [Soondri] – Robin*

Written-By – Heron*

2:15

C1 Bridge Song

Lead Guitar, Vocals – Robin*

Vocals – Licorice*

Vocals, Bass – Rose*

Vocals, Guitar – Mike*

Written-By – Heron*

8:47

C2 Astral Plane Theme

Guitar – Robin*

Written-By – Williamson*

4:55

C3 Invocation

Vocals [Thanks to Greg Heat's Voice Sitar] – Robin*

Written-By – Williamson*

4:48

C4 Robot Blues

Piano, Vocals – Robin*

Written-By – Williamson*

4:07

C5 Puppet Song

Acoustic Guitar – Robin*

Written-By – Williamson*

6:15

D1 Cutting The Strings

Sitar – Mike*

Vocals – Licorice*

Vocals, Mandolin, Fiddle, Flute, Guitar, Guimbri [Gimbri] – Robin*

Written-By – Williamson*

5:08

D2 I Know You

Vocals, Guitar – Licorice*

Written-By – McKechnie*

3:22

D3 Rainbow

Drums, Vocals – Licorice*

Drums, Vocals, Fiddle, Flute, Mandolin, Reeds [Soondri] – Robin*

Vocals – Mal, Malcolm*

Vocals, Bass – Rose*

Vocals, Piano, Organ, Guitar, Bass – Mike*

Written-By – Heron*

15:39

Companies, etc.

Produced For – Witchseason Productions Ltd.

Copyright (c) – Elektra Records

Published By – UFO Music, Inc.

Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute

Mastered At – Sterling Sound

Credits

Art Direction – Robert L. Heimall

Engineer – John Wood

Mastered By – Bob Ludwig

Painting [Front Cover], Set Designer – Janet Shankman

Photography By [Back Cover] – Jon Bloom (2)

Photography By [Inner Spread] – Francis Loney, Phil Franks (2)

Producer – Joe Boyd

Notes

Printed in U.S.A.

Auto-coupled release.

GOLDMINE GRADING

MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.

NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.

VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.

VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.

GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.

POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.