Pearls Before Swine - One Nation Underground (180g LP) SIMON FINN/TOM RAPP
€
27
$
31
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Description
Pearls Before Swine - One Nation Underground (180g LP)
1967, Psychedelic Folk / Songwriter
Orig. Released: 1967
Format: LP
Label: ESP Disk
Genré: Psychedelic Folk / Songwriter
Other: Reissue, 180g Vinyl
Great poetic psychedelic lyrics and folk-y jams. The songs are based around Tom Rapp and his acoustic guitar, but with various interesting instrumentation all around it making the songs distinct and mesmerizing (like that great trashy organ riff on 'Playmate'). The songs are full of hippie protest and ideology, but it is taken to this really intellectual (that's a total compliment) level by Rapp's amazing abilities. 'Drop Out!' and 'Uncle John' are wonderful protest songs, and 'I Shall Not Care' which cites moralizing poetry about the intransigence of worldly things written by a Roman Citizen at the fall of the Roman Empire (!) is a commentary about the ridiculous and vain preoccupations of the straight world. The organ also taps out 'Fuck You' in Morse Code on 'Oh Dear Mrs. Morse' and weaved into these great songs are haunting and beautiful poetic ballads like 'Another Time', 'Morning Song', and 'Regions of May'.
Why don't I give this 5 stars? My friend (who actually likes the album) mockingly called it 'Grad Student Psychedelia' which isn't wrong, but it's just a bit cynical (he has a way of being cutting like that). So that means, I guess, that it's not UNDENIABLE, but, trust me, it's very very good.
Pearls Before Swine's later material would have more developed and sophisticated orchestration and complex arrangements, which are gorgeous, but I think this looser music is Rapp's best material (not the majority opinion, I don't believe). But just get some Tom Rapp - it will be a revelation, believe me. (~sizeprize)
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