Customer Reviews

No Ruinous Feud

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In '72 the ISB entered what I called their "Romantic" period with Earthspan, continuing into No Ruinous Feud in '73 and Hard Rope and Silken Twine the following. The songwriting and Rick Danko-like vocals of Malcolm LeMaistre adding considerably to the mix.

Already hardened by what I call the "Mystical" years (highlighted by Wee Tam and The Big Huge), I distinctly remember taking several months beforing finding each of these albums palatable. But once I acquired the taste, the finish has never left me.

No Ruinous Feud represents the best of this era --conjuring a period of no specific time, yet with a musical spirit as curiously innocent and energetic as Blake, Richard Halliburton's Book of Marvels and New Worlds to Conquer, and The Adventures of Marco Polo. LeMaistre's Down Before Cathay and Explorer set this mythical tone, while Williamson's Old Buccaneer and Saturday Maybe add some blue-jazzy color.

On this album, you'll also find Heron's most starkly lovelorn songs since First Girl I Loved in Turquoise Blue and Little Girl. In the former, the typically eccentric, but rhythmetic acoustic guitar of Heron is eternally infectuous, with Williamson's flute (and guest Gerard Dott's clarinet) polishing the effect to a fine grain -- a shimmering turquoise blue. There is also a refreshing return to the humor only glimpsed at during the '60s (songs like "Letter") with Circus Girl (Williamson's sardonic verses, "You fly higher than the house of lords... if they try to beat you or dare to mistreat you I'll give them some lip!") and a surprisingly catchy cover of Dolly Parton's My Blue Tears (if you can believe that!).

To top it off, there is also a quasi-reggaeish nonvocal Second Fiddle, with Williamson merrily blowing his tin whistle. The ISB never sounded happier.

And you may very well find yourself caught within the same joyous realm that's stuck with me these past 26 years. No Ruinous Feud is a work of surprising vision beneath an almost self-deprecating romantic, half-humorous stance. You'll have to suspend more than disbelief, but seriousness, to enjoy it; but once you do, it's worth the discovery!

When I first heard this LP, in the first 80's, I felt extremely disappointed. As a TISB's lover I thought this record was their commercial grave stone.

After the years, I've listened it again and...Wow! I've found the same wide open oceans, the same fullmoon shades, the same magic and traveller's spirit that I've enjoyed in their first albums; and, most of all, a bunch of lovely songs.

The sound of the band have changed but me too; after all, the time won't stop for anyone.

This album has a spark that cannot be contained. Comparable 'in spirit' to Van Dyke Parks 'Discover America.' Meaning it's an utter joy to call your very own. Don't listen to the spoilsport hippies! Buy or Cry 'till ya Die.

The most difficult Incredibles album to love, and certainly the one which most former fans chose to hate. It seemed unforgiveable at the time that a band whose previous stock-in-trade had been mysterious hippy myth and wimsy should choose to produce such a (gulp) "commercial" set of tunes. Not that they weren't fairly eccentric in their subject matter (lighthouses, buccaneers, explorers)but the instruments were mainly conventional drums, guitars, bass with clarinets, flutes, fiddles etc..what no sitar or gimbri? Plus to cement the "selling-out" process the "boys in the band" (sadly no more Likky) beam hopefully out of the conventional cover mug-shots dressed in High Street fashions of the day...definitely not a Good Thing. Still, there is much to enjoy on this album (after all, it is the Incredibles!). "Explorer" and "Down Before Cathay" are fine songs, as is Mike's heartbreaking "Little Girl". The selection of jigs and the rather startling reggae collaboration with Greyhound are nothing if not exuberant; but watch out for "Circus Girl" - it is excruciating.

It's always refreshing to hear other points of view such as the opinions expressed below, however I think most ISB fans would agree that "No Ruinous Feud" is by far their poorest album (even "Be Glad" is better!) Truth is from the David Bailey "look we're a proper rock band now!" cover photos onwards this is the sound of a band all at sea. Nothing intrinsically wrong in covering a Dolly Parton song but two covers on one (very short) album? And an ISB album at that?

Mike Heron's maudlin singer songwriter tendencies are given full rein on this LP and it does not make for pleasant listening, his songs are generally unmemorable run-of-the-mill mid-70's AOR, the love songs the sappiest and soppiest of his career.

Robin Williamson on the other hand seems to have lost control of his own band, his contributions are reasonable - "Saturday Maybe" is typical of the kind of low key jazzy ballads he was writing at the time, "Circus Girl" is just silly. As for "Second Fiddle", the reggae instrumental, well what is the point? The backing on the track is provided by Greyhound, a British reggae band of the period - what does this have to do with ISB?

I must admit to never having noticed Malcolm Le Maistre's vocal similarity to Rick Danko (if only it had been true!). Malcolm's a problem figure for many ISB fans, his plummy vocals can be a bit mannered, his songwriting variable .....as for his dancing - don't ask! However he wrote the best song on the album before ("My Father Was a Lighthouse Keeper") and this album's Lighthouse song, "At the Lighthouse Dance" is pretty fun, very Bowie-ish, ISB goes glam rock!

In short (and as I said before this is a very short ISB album), one for ISB completists - new converts should leave this one till last.

With the addition of multi-instrumentalist Gerard Dott (clarinet, soprano sax, organ, piano, bass clarinet & vibraphone!), Stan Lee or Stan Schnier on bass and various drummers on most of the songs (including the GREAT B.J. Wilson of PROCOL HARUM on the 1st track!), THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND became a more rhythmically oriented band, NOT the "dreaded rock group" vilified by the more narrow-minded fans of their earlier work. The closest they come to rockin' is on the aforementioned 1st track "Explorer" by Mike Heron, featuring the late lamented Mr. Wilson, "Old Buccaneer" by Robin Williamson, and "At The Lighthouse Dance" and "Weather The Storm" by Malcolm LeMaistre, but you can hardly characterize them as R-O-C-K. Stylistically, this baby is all over the map, beautiful ballads ("Down Before Cathay" by Mr.LeMaistre and Mr. Heron's "Little Girl), dramatic ballads of longing ("Saturday Maybe" by Mr. Williamson), traditional English Music ("Jigs" trad.), ska ("Second Fiddle" by Duke Reid!), a circus pastiche (Mr. Williamson's "Circus Girl"), bossa-nova ("Turquoise Blue" by Mr. Heron), and traditional country ("My Blue Tears" by Dolly Parton!). There are many unique enjoyable arrangements throughout the album, sax and clarinet sections, weaving organs, gentle vibraphones,etc. that elevate the songs and the album in general to the realm of something unique and special. If this is "commercial" music, we'd all be better off listening to this compared to all the dreck that exists. Instead of comparing this to the previous ISB canon, NO RUINOUS FEUD deserves to be judged and listened to on its own merits. Don't deny yourself an enjoyable listening experience......

OTHER FINE ISB CD's TO ENJOY: Hard Rope & Silken Twine, Earthspan/No Ruinous Feud, Be Glad for the Song Has No Ending/Liquid Acrobat, U, I Looked Up, Changing Horses, Wee Tam & Big Huge, Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, 5000 Spirits Or the Layers of the Onion, Incredible String Band, The Incredible String Band: Be Glad for the Song Has No Ending, Across the Airwaves: BBC Radio Recordings 1969-74,