FIRST UTTERANCE

Sometimes the best music is meant to scare us a little. That and clear a room too. From the threatening cover to the pagan prog/folk of the album, this one delivers. I discovered it in the mid 80's when I inherited a copy (battered cover but album near mint) and thought I might have to file it under 'weird sh*t' but there was enough to intrigue me to persevere especially when someone said to me 'that sounds a bit Kate Bush you know' ...it doesn't really but I wouldn't be surprised if the young Kate had got a copy, if that makes sense? Now understanding a bit more of what else was about at the time, it really does make this album stand out with a unique slant on folk. You could almost imagine it as the soundtrack to a Wicker Man type film. Anything pastoral is twisted out of shape and you could never picture say Sandy Denny fronting this crew. The best I can reach for is by suggesting the late 60's/early 70's Jethro Tull (as in their angular take on the blues/rock/prog) discovering folk/rock round about 1971 rather than 1977 and sang by Roger Chapman (of Family). A violin weaves menacingly in and out and there is an edge rather than a polished perfection about much of this. Like Trout Mask Replica, it is an album that polarises opinion. That by itself is 'a good thing' regardless of which end of the spectrum you inhabit. It was never meant to be Fairport C or Fotheringay nor even Amazing Blondel, Spyrogyra or Trees but something altogether more out there....among the smoldering remains of the wicker effigy. Embrace it for what it is. Don't blame it for not being something else. Or hide behind the sofa. You decide. 4.5++