1967 INCREDIBLE STRING Band 5000 SPIRITS Folk Psych

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57

              The Incredible String Band

                The 5000 Spirits

                               or

         The Layers Of The Onion

\                                    USA - GOLD Elektra - EKS 74010 - stereo

Scarce 1967 original first pressing vinyl in great shape after 42+ years:

***STILL IN ORIGINAL FACTORY SHRINK WRAPPER***

Elektra GOLD inner sleeve original issue included (nice)  

Now that's an album title. Following the Incredible String Band's debut release, the band actually decided to call it the day. Apparently, Clive Palmer planned to head off to Afghanistan and Robin Williamson to Morocco, intending to stay for an extended period of time. Financial difficulties, however, forced Williamson back to the U.K., and it is here that destiny aligned: he got back together with Heron and the two decided to go on with the band as a duo.

Stone psychedelic freaks Robin Williamson and Mike Heron were two talented multi-instrumentalists who were eventually joined in the Incredible String Band by their earth-goddess lovers, Licorice and Rose. They tapped into the British Isles' centuries-old traditions of myths and folklore, updating the ancient sounds with inspired, multi-layered recordings and a modern twist that helped you envision fair maidens riding unicorns through green and fertile fields while simultaneously advocating better living through chemistry. Hell, the title alone of this, their second album, is more psychedelic than anything the Jefferson Airplane ever did ....

The 5000 Spirits is an enjoyable Lp -- given its ambitious title and eye-popping cover art, and you can expect to hear a something caught in the black-light throes of psychedelic ecstasy only in subtle folkrock weavings sprinkled with magical mysticisms. Something heard from the far corners in a wide, ancient room of an Indian temple: Heron's sitar and Williamson's melismatic vocals invoking death and joy and torment all at once.

The band's soon-to-be-crystallized sound is coming into view. First, there is an expansion of the instrumental palette. In addition to the contributions of Pentangle bassist Danny Thompson (something which wouldn't really return), Williamson's gimbri (North African lute) is now on board, the sitar makes its first appearance though mostly in a supportive role, and there's the rollicking bongo-percussion that would become increasingly prominent. This album also marks the first appearance of vocalist Licorice 'Likky' McKhenie. Second, the band's mysticism, typically represented in Williamson's material, also clearly begins to emerge here. "The Mad Hatter's Song" sounds like a decent prototype to what would be perfected on "Three Is a Green Crown" on The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. "My Name is Death" and "The Eyes of Fate" also show Williamson stretching his lyrical and structural ambitions.

1.  Chinese White — 3:34
2.  No Sleep Blues — 3:48
3.  Painting Box — 3:58
4.  The Mad Hatter's Song — 5:35
5.  Little Cloud — 3:52
6.  The Eyes of Fate — 3:56
7.  Blues for the Muse — 2:44
8.  The Hedgehog's Song — 3:26
9.  First Girl I Loved — 4:51
10.  You Know What You Could Be — 2:44
11.  My Name Is Death — 2:42
12.  Gently Tender — 4:45
13.  Way Back in the 1960s — 3:08

CONDITION: The cover is strong...solid on all parts, MINT, still in original factory shrink wrapper...no seam splits, no bends, no writing anywhere...

The vinyl is shiny and glossy, having but what amounts to some thin superficial scuffs, hard to see, like inner sleeve paper scuffs...VG++, plays nicely enjoyable for a 42+ year old original

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record