Changing horses

"Although generally regarded as one of the Incredible String Band's sub-standard efforts, Changing Horses has an appealing looseness and sense of fun which nicely balances the often over-serious nature of the band's always strange mix of English folk and psychedelia ... This version of the Incredible String Band includes two women, Rose and Liquorice, who add some nice, high vocal harmonies to the standard Mike Heron/Robin Williamson sound. Rose also contributes some nice tuba-influenced electric bass work throughout the album. Changing Horses has a distinct lack of memorable songs (with the possible exception of Williamson's "Mr. and Mrs.," which, because of its raw production, organ and guitar work, bears a striking resemblance at times to the Velvet Underground) but, due to the group's willingness to take chances, bears repeated listenings".

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"The Incredible String Band had beatifically ridden their magic carpet through the summer of love's psychedelic haze, inventing acid-folk and influencing many before really clinching their lofty status with 1968's epic classics "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" and "Wee Tam & The Big Huge" ... As scientology tightened its hold, (...) their music returned to earthier realms on 1969's "Changing Horses". Still produced by Joe Boyd and featuring assorted exotic instruments, they veer into electric folk-rock, jug-band whoopee and even prog, balanced by two ambitious epics that run over half the album; Heron's harmonium-bolstered singalong "White Bird" is headily surreal and Williamson intones over sitar-tweaked raga "Creation". Greeted then as a decline, the album can be heard now as one stage in the ongoing journey that would continue to stretch folk beyond its normal parameters for the following five years".

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