RARE 1974 SECOND LP "COMUS" UNDERESTIMATED PROGRESSIVE ROCK, PROG PSYCH COMUS LP
$
33
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Description
SECOND "COMUS" ALBUM
SCARCE 1974 ORIGINAL U.K. PRESSING
..|/\|...............................................|/\|.. C O M U S
To Keep From Crying
..|/\|...............................................|/\|..UK - VIRGIN (twin-girls) - V2018
PLAYS MINT CLEAN!
Now Rare and seldom seen 1974 ORIGINAL BRITISH - only pressing ... their second LP right after the highly acclaimed and in high demand "FIRST UTTERANCE" LP of bizarre folk psych legend ...
COMUS, due to popular demand in the early '70s deliver a more progressive based album of merit that tends to have been overlooked in the past, now being rediscovered with high marks, if not totally mostly, but not always, removed from their "First Utterance" album.
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Totally great and tragically underrated album. Stop comparing it to their first LP "First Utterance," people! This is a different beast altogether, and it's definitely NOT a "step down" from the first album, more like a sideways move. Intelligent song-oriented "progressive" rock -- listen to it and see if you can hear what we're talking about. It was ahead of it's time.
Comus, the strange progressive folk outfit that has slowly gained popularity throughout the years, is best remembered for their incredible, genre-defying debut First Utterance. Its wicked, manic instrumentation and frightening vocals gave it a sound that was and still is unlike any other progressive rock or folk artists. However, when Comus released "First Utterance," folk-psychedelic was on the decline, and their debut did not sell well enough to please their record company, and so they embarked on a quest to write a more conventional rock record. This foray into less experimental territory yielded To Keep From Crying, a more straightforward progressive rock album.
To Keep From Crying is by no means a lesser album. It is generally ignored by Comus fans because it is not nearly as intricate or far-out as Comus' prior work. However, it boasts solid instrumentals like "First Utterance," but with more reserve in its writing and performance. The production on this album is also excellent quality, with none of the individual instruments getting lost in the mix. The bass especially pops out, which is great because this album is heavily driven by brilliant bass-lines.
Beginning with "Down (Like a Movie Star)," To Keep From Crying hits the ground running, with high energy melodies sounding not at all unlike typical rock songs of the early 70's, but with some nice Comus-exclusive flourishes here and there. It then slows down going into "Touch Down," a quiet piece that evokes imagery of the dawn breaking. Side two gives us "Perpetual Motion," a song with a bouncy beat pushed by one of the best bass-lines on the album. The longest track on the album, "Get Yourself a Man," starts with a slow, quiet, and rather uninteresting vocal and piano section, which gradually builds into a stomping rhythm and another intricate bass-line.
Despite the album's strengths, however, a number of things bog it down from being better. Roger Wootton's vocals, while brilliant on an experimental effort like "First Utterance," can become grating on this record - to some, while others love. The same can also be said for his female counterpart Bobbie Watson, whose high-pitched wails fail to evoke the same atmosphere as on a song like The Herald. This is no issue of upbeat, loud songs such as "Down (Like a Movie Star)," but is extremely noticeable on quieter tracks. Special mention for this goes to "Children of the Universe," which is very difficult to listen to due to its strange vocals.
To Keep From Crying is a very underrated album, and it does not honestly deserve that reputation. However, when fans of Comus went into this album expecting the sequel to First Utterance, they were quite disappointed by the seemingly "radio rock" type songs of this album. However, should one go into this album with an unbiased listening mindset, one may find that To Keep From Crying is still a worthy addition to the progressive rock catalog.
Down (Like A Movie Star)
Touch Down
Waves And Caves
Figure In Your Dreams
Children Of The Universe
So Long Supernova
Perpetual Motion
Panophany
Get Yourself A Man
To Keep From Crying
CONDITION: The cover: Rated: solid VG++ thin delicate UK issue is solid with a touch of light wear started, but otherwise very collectible without the need to try and find a better upgrade (good luck...) Overall the seams are solid and tight, no seam splits, no faded colors, no bends, no writing ...
The vinyl: Rated: M- TOP COPY, both twin-girl '74 UK Virgin label sides are clean, glowing full of clear shine...will play with minty clean audio. Both VIRGIN labels are spotless..
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 NOTE: All Items backed by money back guarantee! IF you have a problem PLEASE let us solve for you BEFORE leaving ANY negative feedback. Thanks! GRADING SCALE: M, M-, EX, VG++,VG+, VG, VG- M Completely clean, no marks M- Carefully used, looks clean, plays clean, shiny gloss, no marks EX Faint scuff or superficial mark, near M-, high gloss, plays clean VG++ Glossy with minimal scuffing or light mark playing very nice, clean VG+ a bit more scuff or markls still plays well with very minimal surface at worse VG more marks/scratches only minor, nothing deep, no loud clicks or pops this grade is abused by many, VG here does not mean "trashed" VG- surface noise present, will not have skips or jumps ALL PAYMENTS SHOULD BE MADE WITHIN 5 DAYS Of AUCTIONS END BIDDERS PLEASE = Do Not Bid If You Are Not Serious About Following Through The Transaction! ALL ITEMS GUARANTEED FOR WINNING BID - LESS SHIPPING!
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