British folk psych outfit with its origins in Scotland. Started as a duo 1963, then consisting of Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer (1943-2014), and a couple of years later spotted by Electra producer and talent scout Joe Boyd. By then Edinburgh multi-instrumentalist Mike Heron had joined and the trio recorded their eponymous debute 1966. Soon after Palmer left and the band broke up, only to be reformed some months later by the new duo Williamson and Heron. If you wanna know more about the band's long and interesting history I recommend the English Wikipedia article and henceforth just concentrate on this LP. They were never a household name back then, but had a large cult following and hailed by other artists. Robert Plant has said this album had big influence on early Led Zeppelin. Listening today I don't understand exactly how, as it's far from blues or hard rock and instead comes out like soft experimental folk with many traditional type licks sometimes backed by uncommon instruments...maybe "Black Mountain Side" and parts of LZ III were inspired...I don't know. In any case to fully take this in I have to abandon any demand for catchiness and instead try to know them, cause this is a lot more personal than commercial...like a group of friends gathering to have a smoke and then ending up playing and singing, sometimes slightly jarring though still making it work together. It sounds like fun and I sure would have liked to been there consorting, but I wasn't and hearing it fifty years after I can dig the effort and display yet having a hard time to tune in and fully enjoy. I want to but can't - well not so far, but maybe I'll give it a couple more years and see. The audio on this mono is great and as recorded in England 1968 it should be a dedicated mix. First UK press had Williamson and Heron on front and the group pic on back with hardly any info, while all other issues, including UK repress, switched sides and also included track list on back. 1968 US, Australian and German on Elektra gold label (EKS-74021), French on Disques Vogue (CLVLXEK 273). Also frequently reissued on CD, but I can't seem to find this mono version anywhere else. Premiere UK had structured label as shown here and fully laminated cover with four page lyric/credit insert. (YMÖ*)
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