- First Utterance
Infobox Album |
Name = First Utterance
Type =Album
Artist = Comus
Background = Orange
Released = 1971
Recorded = November - December 1970
Genre =Psych folk ,progressive rock
Length = 49:17
Label = Dawn DNLS 3019
Producer = Barry Murray
Reviews =
* AMG Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:ck9fs33ba3zg link]
*"Crawdaddy! " (very favorable) [http://crawdaddy.wolfgangsvault.com/Article.aspx?id=1612 link] |
Last album =
This album = "First Utterance"
(1971)
Next album = "To Keep from Crying "
(1974)"First Utterance" is the debut album of the British
progressive rock band Comus. It was released in 1971, with the opening song Diana being released as a single. Unfavorable reviews, combined with a postal strike, resulted in low sales, and the band quickly dissolved after its release."First Utterance" was notable for its unique blend of progressive rock, folk, psychedelia, and elements of paganism and the macabre. The overall thematic tone of the album is of vulnerable innocence facing abusive power [ [http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~rneckmag/comus.html comus.html ] ] , the songs dealing with violence ("Drip Drip"), rape ("Diana", "Song to Comus"), and harsh treatment of insanity ("The Prisoner"). These themes contrast starkly with the acoustic sound of the record, featuring acoustic guitar, violin, flute, and lyrical, almost arcadian, female harmonies. In recent years "First Utterance" has grown to be recognized in some circles as a minor classic, and as of
May 18 ,2008 it is 181st onRate Your Music 's "Top Albums of All-Time" list [ [http://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/all-time/2 Rate Your Music] ] . Although since reissued, the vinyl original has been known to change hands for £150.00 (~$US300) [Record Collector Magazine, Issue c. 1982]References to Comus by other bands and artists include
Opeth , citing its lyrics in album and song titles. Experimental outfitCurrent 93 also covered "Diana" as the opening song on their 1990 LP "Horse".Track listing
#"Diana" - 4:37
#"The Herald" - 12:15
#"Drip Drip" - 10:56
#"Song to Comus" - 7:31
#"The Bite" - 5:27
#"Bitten" - 2:16
#"The Prisoner" - 6:15Personnel
*Roger Wootton - acoustic guitar, lead vocals
*Glenn Goring - 6-12 acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide, hand drums, vocals
*Andy Hellaby - fender bass, slide bass, vocals
*Colin Pearson - violin, viola
*Rob Young - flute, oboe, hand drums
*Bobbie Watson - vocals, percussionAlbum Cover
*The cover artwork was drawn in ball point pen by Roger Wootton, lead singer and songwriter of the band. The centre-fold artwork (not shown) was painted by guitarist Glenn Goring.
References
External links
* [http://www.hippy.com/review-468.html Hippy.com review]
* [http://www.psychedelicfolk.com/reissue2.html#anchor_121 Psychedelicfolk.com review]
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