MAGIC CARPET

The progressive folk project of the Scottish innovative sitar player Clem Alford. First album originally published in 1972 for Magic Carpet records. A dynamic mixture of original folk inventions, psych-Hindu sitar gems and gorgeous, omnipresent, accentuated female vocals (Alisha Sufit). Lyrically all the album is about east mysticism, love, spirituality, time of Creation and others fairy tales. The music itself is dancing, poetic combining simplistic folk guitar motifs to raga scales. For me it's not as impressive as Alford's instrumental works, probably due to the acoustic and really British -sounding folk sound.however the experience is rather unique and remains one of the best evocations of natural, spiritual Hindu-folk experience in music. A soft psychedelic flavour is floating all along the album. I would prefer a more discreet, dreamy voice on this album. Hopefully there are many convincing instrumentals on the long, epic & transcendent "Alan's Christmas Card" or the more rhythmical & possessed "Take Away Kesh". In a few words, various introspective folk songs and frenetic raga improvisations.

In a minor way this is a classic and a must have for fans of prog folk's exotic side!