Thursday, February 2, 2017
The Incredible String Band: A Love/Hate Affair
I have had a love/hate relationship with the Incredible String Band for years. I had finally given up completely. But in the wake of David Bowie's death, I read that "The 5000 Spirits" was one of his favorite records. Aside from "First Girl I Loved," which I love, I didn't remember any of it. I listened and it was a beautiful experience. I mean that.
So while I was in that head, I decided to go with their "masterpiece," "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter." By the end of Side One, I was hoping the hangman would come for me. Agitated, I put on a Hall & Oates record.
Still determined, I tried "No Ruinous Feud," the ISB's "rock" record. I liked it. It didn't rock, but I admired the attempt at being commercial and I fell in love with the song above, "Saturday Maybe."
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7 comments:
never could get past those vocals, even as I finally understood they're part of a tradition
My relationship with the Incredible String Band is a complex one; I don't think I'd call it love/hate, more like on again/off again with a good deal of selectivity in my listening. You can overeat and get bloated very quickly. They certainly were unique, occasionally throwing in a blues riff here, a sitar there, and some tablas somewhere else, sounding sometimes like Archdruids with instruments, sometimes like the vanguard of the flower power era. I’ve always leaned a bit more towards the songs composed by Robin Williamson, less so towards Mike Heron. Some of their songs are achingly beautiful, some are trite and annoying. At times, I hear shades of Fairport Convention; at times I hear two tripped-out people prancing around in their underwear. A song like ‘No Sleep Blues’ shifts gears so many times with the time signature that it seems brilliant. I had a long fascination with the ‘U’ album, but now it’s devolved to a fascination with one lone song from it, ‘Queen of Love’. At times their lyrics remind me of Joseph Campbell’s discussions on archetypes, replete with mythical images and Scottish folklore; and at other times the lyrics seem silly. I’ve tried a few times to turn on some music lovers I know to ISB, to no avail. They’re an acquired taste, perhaps; or maybe they either grab you right away or, if not, never. I keep coming back to them, though, and hopefully always will.
Has to be the second album as a duo, just for all its silliness and the time it came out. Hedgehog Song, First Girl I loved, Painting Box, Little Cloud, ah pass that joint Johnny!
It's the vocals, then the songs that annoy me. This song you've posted is pretty great,
but it might be the only one.
As posited by rick, I think perhaps they are an acquired taste. My little joke a few years back was that I got ISB (the band) mixed up with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and then realised it wasn't a mix up! (Stay behind after class - Ed).
and I assume you have read "White Bicycles" memoir of Joe Boyd who waxes lyrical about them... and their going off the rails. Worth revisiting the book.
Sal, I listened to 'A Very Cellular Song' the other day. It was annoying in so many ways, but I've got to hand it to them: I can't think of any other songs that pair harpsichord with kazoo.
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