MINT SHRINK 1970 Orig IF 1st LP SILVER FOIL COVER HARD PROG FUSION PSYCH

$

55

                1970 Original with silver foil cover

          WILD and SHREDDING GUITAR BREAKS!

            MINT IN FACTORY SHRINK WRAPPER

TOP COPY !!!

SILVER FOIL COVER STILL IN FACTORY CELLOPHANE -

(((Really HARD to find THIS BEAUTIFUL)))

FLAT & SQUARE with 4 SHARP CORNERS

The artwork and the "IF" logo, was an award-winning design, were by CCS Advertising Associates.

BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL 1970 first pressing of seldom ever seen THIS clean very first "IF" album with its eye-popping silver foil cover, those 40 year old silver foil covers are SO hard to find clean ...this one is BEAUTIFUL without the scuffing & wear normally found providing as a nice (rare) collectible ...as it's sealed we can't be certain but we highly suspect this pressing is on the rare and highly collected lime green Capitol Records which pressed lime green labels only some 18 months, thus rare 47+ years old.

IF was a long running prog/jazz/psych underground band that delivered several fine albums ... The band consisted of very talented musicians who really knew how to play off one another and included guitarist Terry Smith, very underrated ...if you ever have the chance to see their early 70's German 'Beat Club' performance (available BELOW) you'll know by hearing & seeing that this cat was a phenomenal guitarist ... check out his unleashing of a wild & shredding guitar solo at around the 2 minute 30 seconds area of performance below.

CLICK ON THE VIDEO BELOW:::

If - "Forgotten Roads" - YouTube

Video will open in a new window
Using the eBay App? Paste link into a browser window:

In 1969, Melody Maker poll winners Dick Morrissey (reeds and flute) and Terry Smith (guitar) were invited to form a group. What they came up with was something quite different and absolutely unique - the jazz more modern, the rock more progressive - it keeps the listener constantly surprised and wondering where the ideas came from. Vital in this was the writing and arranging of Morrissey and fellow reed-man Dave Quincy, who, along with the rest of the band, showed a feel for both jazz and rock that was extremely rare at the time. IF had no brass players in the band, relying solely on the reeds of Dick Morrissey and the flute of Dave Quincy. But what really gave IF its unique sound were the vocals of J.W. Hodgkinson and the guitar of Terry Smith. Hodgkinson's vocal timbre was unusual” smooth, flexible, and strong in the high end, sounding like no other vocalist. 's trebly guitar sound was also unique, combining a rocker's use of sustain and echo-plex. The material on If provides plenty of room for reedmen Dave Quincy and Dick Morrissey, plus guitarist Terry Smith, to stretch out. Though not particularly deep or profound, the lyrics nonetheless express the positive, optimistic sentiments prevalent at the time. J.W. Hodgkinson's unusual tenor vocal timbre fits like a lead instrument in the mix, soaring above and within the arrangements. "What Can a Friend Say" kicks the album off in fine style, setting the parameters within which the band works throughout the rest of the disc, with the arrangement complementing Hodgkinson's rendering of the verses, which wrap around excellent, extended sax and guitar solos. The instrumental "What Did I Say About the Box, Jack?" showcases Morrissey's high-octane flute work and the speedy fingers of guitarist Smith. The album continues in the same consistently excellent vein, with the ballad "Dockland" providing a beautiful respite toward the end of the album. -->

Side 1

"I'm Reaching Out on All Sides" 5:44

"What Did I Say About the Box, Jack?" 8:22

"What Can a Friend Say?" 6:56

Side 2

"Woman Can You See (What This Big Thing Is All About)" 4:12

"Raise the Level of Your Conscious Mind" 3:16

"Dockland" 4:45

"The Promised Land" 3:44