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THE PRETTY THINGS

The Pretty Things

SF Sorrow - 2023 Reissue

    The unequivocal psychedelic Rock opera gets new life once more in the form of a brand-new reissue via Madfish

    Touted as the world's first Rock opera & one of the great classics of the psychedelic era, the album stands favourable comparison with "Sgt Pepper" & "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" as one of the defining records of its time.

    Recorded at Abbey Road in 1967 & 1968, it was one of the first true concept albums that pre-dates The Who's 'Tommy' by a year. Exploring the life of a single character & his journey in learning to trust people & ultimate disillusionment, 'S.F. Sorrow' is like none that have come before it. Walking the line between experimental rock, psychedelic pop & even sharing similarities with proto-Heavy Metal the album was years ahead of its time & still stands atop as one of the most pivotal concept albums ever.

    Beginning with 'S.F. Sorrow Is Born', the track introduces the protagonist via folk leaning acoustic guitar. Later on in the album, proto-Heavy Metal tendencies are revealed on 'Balloon Burning'. 'Well Of Destiny's swirling progressive tendencies bleed into 'Trust' before the melancholic yet profound closure of 'Loneliest Person'

    TRACK LISTING

    S.F. Sorrow Is Born ( 03:06 )
    Bracelets ( 03:43 )
    She Says Good Morning ( 03:26 )
    Private Sorrow ( 03:54 )
    Balloon Burning ( 03:53 )
    Death ( 03:08 )
    Baron Saturday ( 04:03 )
    The Journey ( 02:48 )
    I See You ( 03:58 )
    Well Of Destiny ( 01:49 )
    Trust ( 02:52 )
    Old Man Going ( 03:12 )
    Loneliest Person ( 01:32 )

    CD Bonus Tracks
    Defecting Grey ( 04:33 )
    Mr. Evasion ( 03:30 ) 
    Talkin' About The Good Times ( 03:46 ) 
    Walking Through My Dreams ( 03:37 ) 

    The Pretty Things

    Greatest Hits

      The essential early British R&B sound from the band that stubbornly refused to lie down to popular demand; The Pretty Things religiously stuck to their guns by making great, exciting, challenging and often violently aggressive records that just weren’t quite acceptable enough to slot into the breathlessly presented but carefully airbrushed new youth-culture media.

      Includes the instantly recognisable “Rosalyn”, “Don’t Bring Me Down”, “Cry To Me” and many other brilliant evidences of a musicianship at the forefront of an evolving rock music scene through the 60s, 70s and 80s. The band’s songwriting prowess is best highlighted when, after their brief fling with minor R&B hits alongside such bands as The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Yardbirds and Manfred Mann, they hit the ground running with music that fuelled the “Swinging Sixties” and Mod Culture in the late 60s. The shift to Psychedelic Rock saw The Pretty Things ensconced in Abbey Road studios, alongside The Beatles and The Pink Floyd, to record the world’s first rock opera - “S.F. Sorrow” spearheading the London psychedelic revolution alongside a new completely breed of acts, like The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Jimi Hendrix and the aforementioned Pink Floyd.

      So, although this “Greatest Hits” album has few charted songs, it is a truly meaningful historical document of the greatest band with the fewest hits, but with the best music. This version of The Pretty Things’ Greatest Hits will be released as a CD in jewel case packaging, complete with an 8-page booklet containing individual track commentary from band members Dick Taylor and Phil May, plus liner notes from long-time manager Mark St. John. The final track “Mr. Tambourine Man” was originally offered to The Pretty Things, who turned it down before The Byrd’s infamous version was recorded; now the band have finally recorded their own take in 2016 keeping true to their style of the time.




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