SOUNDTRACK

As the band name implies, Principal Edwards Magic Theatre (PEMT) were as much a live event as they were a recording outfit. The band name was taken from that of a Welsh Evangelist distantly related to one of the members. Made up of a gang of no less than 14 students, they were the very epitome of the love and peace movement of the late 1960's. Their stage shows were as much about what you saw as what you heard, something which is inevitably lost when it comes to their two audio albums released in 1969 and 1971. The line up listed here shows only about 10 band members, the remainder not being involved in the audio aspects of the band.

"Soundtrack", PEMT's first album, was released on legendary British DJ John Peel's Dandelion label. The label was specifically intended as an outlet for bands such as PEMT, who Peel felt warranted exposure, but who were having difficulty in securing a recording contract. As such, the label was not actually profitable, any bands who showed commercial potential being subsequently snapped up by more commercially orientated record companies. The band's main claim to fame is perhaps the fact that they regularly supported artists such as Pink Floyd, in the days when the Floyd were still paying their dues.

The risk with ventures such as this is that the vision is somewhat different to the reality. Regardless of the number of people involved, there still needs to be a concerted effort made by the contributors in terms of both song-writing and performance. The group undoubtedly have a head start with the vocal talents of Vivienne McAuliffe. She has the singing pedigree of the likes of Sonja Kristina, Judy Dyble and Sandy Denny, with a purity of voice which can carry even the most mediocre of songs. I am also reminded of the music of the great Judy Collins, especially from around the time of her fine "Fires of Eden" album.

There are just 6 tracks here, ranging from the brief "To a broken guitar" to the 13½ minute "The death of Don Quixote". The opening "Enigmatic Insomniac machine" is one of the most accessible and indeed pleasant numbers here, being a Curved Air like soft folk excursion. This segues straight into the 7 minute "Sacrifice", a song which features a more complex arrangement and mixed male/female lead vocals. There are similarities with the barren landscapes of the Incredible String Band, the lead vocals of Martin Stellman being not unlike those of Robin Williamson.

The 13½ minute "The death of Don Quixote" sits at the core of the album. This rambling story jumps about from mood to mood and theme to theme, while always remaining folky and acoustic. It has to be said the song, and indeed the album, is something of an acquired taste. I mentioned Judy Collins album "Fires of Eden" album earlier, and this track is particularly reminiscent of the wonderful "The blizzard" from that release.

"Third Sonnet to sundry notes of music" opens side two of the album in very much the same way as side one closed. While the song as a whole remains light and folky, the sudden burst of lead guitar is as surprising as it is welcome. After the brief "To a broken guitar", the album closes with the 10 minute "Pinky, a mystery cycle". There's an element of the Spinal Taps here in the Stonehenge imagery and rather clumsy sound-scapes. The vocals are however as effective as ever, and the song does benefit from an ambitious arrangement including some decent lead guitar.

To enjoy this album, the listener would really need to be already converted to the music of bands such as the Incredible String band, The Strawbs, and Fairport Convention. There is no doubt that there is prog folk in abundance here, and that the album comes off surprisingly well. It will not however appeal to all tastes by any means.

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