S.F. Sorrow [Import]

The Pretty Things | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 29, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Snapper
• ASIN: B00000BIBQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,696 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. S.F. Sorrow Is Born

2. Bracelets of Fingers

3. She Says Good Morning

4. Private Sorrow

5. Balloon Burning

6. Death

7. Baron Saturday

8. The Journey

9. I See You

10. Well of Destiny

11. Trust

12. Old Man Going

13. Loneliest Person

14. Defecting Grey [*]

15. Mr. Evasion [*]

16. Talkin' About the Good Times [*]

17. Walking Through My Dreams [*]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

S.F. Sorrow has a significant place in rock & roll history, though it's hardly widely acknowledged. Generally considered the first "rock opera," the 1967 opus by erstwhile gritty rockers turned psychedelic visionaries predates the Who's vastly more popular Tommy by a year. (Incidentally, there are significant parallels between the plots of both records.) Some would therefore lay blame for all the theatrical tomfoolery that followed at the feet of the Pretties, but they didn't get much credit for their accomplishment, so they probably don't deserve much reproof. Like most everything that came out of London in the late '60s, S.F. Sorrow owes a debt to the Beatles in its sonic adventurousness (Beatles/Pink Floyd engineer Norman Smith deserves credit) and kaleidoscopic lyrical bent, albeit with darker hues (the protagonist's sweetheart is killed in a hydrogen balloon explosion). If your idea of a night at the opera centers around classic Brit rock, S.F. Sorrow is just the ticket. --Steven Stolder

Product Description

By 1967, the Pretty Things, the long-haired English group whose shocking, maraca-rattling, R&B-fueled sound and outrageous antics had made parents of teenage music fans long for the good old days of the Rolling Stones, had breathed in the perfumed air of psychedelia--and they'd moved on! Cut in the same studio where the Beatles and Pink Floyd were changing the world of pop music daily, S.F. Sorrow was the enthralling, cradle-to-grave saga of Sebastian F. Sorrow, a landmark release now credited with being the world's first rock opera--a full year ahead of the Who's Tommy. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My name is W.T. and I am an S.F.SORROW Addict, April 7, 2006

By 

W. T. Hoffman "artist and musician" (Pennsylvania, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: S.F. Sorrow (Audio CD)

Well, how to explain my addiction to you, dear reader. First, i love 60s psychedelic music, tho I'm not from that era. Second, I like to dig deep, into the obscure bands. I had heard of THE PRETTY THINGS for a long time, before i finally started to explore them, first with their EMOTIONS album. (Not a good place to start.) Then, I bought the SF SORROW CD. I got it, played it, and wasnt sure i liked it. I wasnt in the "RIGHT FRAME OF MIND". Actually, this is an album that DEMANDS more attention from listeners, and also from the critics, than it receives. IT was the influence for TOMMY, according to Pete. Personally, i find all kinds of obvious reference points, between this album, and TOMMY. Both are named after the one character, both operas are Epic, and start at birth, end at death. Both rely on a mysterious evil person (BARON SATURDAY, verses ACID QUEEN) to screw up the protagonists' head. In any event, i would have loved to have heard what might have happened if this story had been stretch out over two LPs. But, for what this is, the one LP is enough. As you listen to this CD a few times, some songs just STICK inside you. BALLOON BURNING is a great one for that, espeically the psychedelic freak out guitar playing, when the Hindenberg is burning. There are some songs, after S.F.SORROW has his run in with BARON SATURDAY, who seems to have blown his mind with drugs, and forcing him into the WELL OF DESTINY. At the opera's end, with S.F.SORROW having lost the love of his life, and with his mind confused, he becomes a total hermit. In his old age, the song that just wraps this concept peice together, is the breathtakingly beautiful song TRUST. Check out these lyrics "AND THERES NO SORROW LEFT IN THE WORLD THATS LEFT TO TRUST". Apparently, after his birth, service in World War ONE, and the tragic death of his young fiancee, the mind trips of BARON SATURDAY, and so on, SF SORROW has desided to become the LONELIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD. After the heavy production values of the opera, to end it with the isolation of a MAN and his GUITAR, singing of total isolation, works musically and theatrically. I can completely picture this OPERA on Stage. In fact, the Boston Rock Opera Company has preformed it on stage.

The CD comes with two SINGLES worth of great psychedelic music, and a wonderful booklet with all the lyrics, the connecting storyline, and a long essay about the backstory to the writing of the peice, and the history of the Band. After all, this CD was recorded at ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS, with the same people, and the same know-how, at the same time ABBEY ROAD STUDIO was recording PIPERS AT THE GATES OF DAWN, and MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR. Let me say this: if you enjoy the Pink Floyd/Beatles type of "psychedelic sound", then you'll like the way the production is handled on SF SORROW. My only critism, is that the CD is MONO. Apparently, you can get the STEREO version, if you buy the 2CD set, with the CONTEMPORARY COMPLETE PREFORMANCE of the entire Opera, along with the narration voiced in. I read that the stereo version is plagued with sloppy stereo seperation. I have not found listening to this in MONO to diminish my appreciation of the work. In fact, as far as "DATED" psychedelic sounds, at least this album in MONO doesnt have the sound swirling between speakers, or any of those placement tricks, that DO sound dated, with todays audience. So, the effect of the heavy psychedelic sections, are more that of OVERLOAD, like the Velvet Underground with WHITE LITE, which doesnt rely on stereo games, for most of the songs. Rather than sitars, wah-wah guitar solos bouncing back and forth between the speakers, etc, you have the essence of the MUSIC, sparking the colors.

So, What does this sound like? Dont go by the earlier PRETTY THINGS sound, cos for one thing, they had changed a few major members of the group, before this LP. EMOTIONS, altho attempting psychedelia, was overdubbed against the bands wishes with tons of strings. And, the early R&B sound, isnt present on this album at all. Maybe because it DOESNT Sound just like anyone else, is why I am able to listen to this album over and over, and get so into it. THE PRETTY THINGS were never major movers and shakers in the UK psychedelic sound, but for some people, this ALBUM is up there with SGT PEPPER and PIPER AT THE GATE OF DAWN. So, I recommend just buying it. This opera might take a couple of times to get under your skin. I do think that there is enough here, to make it a worthwild investigation for anyone into the psychedelic sound, or perhaps the growth and developement of the Concept album- Rock opera.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT PSYCHEDELIA, May 18, 2003

By 

MurrayTheCat (upstate New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: S.F. Sorrow (Audio CD)

S.F. SORROW seems to elicit extreme responses--many either love it or love to bash it. I'm in the former category; in fact, I think it's the group's masterpiece and one of the many masterpieces from the psychedelic era. After the two 1965 albums (albums that were a bit ahead of their time, I might add), Pretty Things released EMOTIONS (1967) in the UK and started working on S.F. SORROW the same year. It's an enthralling work--yes, brilliant...there isn't a weak song to be found. The whole is cohesive, and it's filled with bracing variety.

Pretty Things keep the chord progressions fairly simple and straightforward, which works well with the group's hard-edged sound. The thoughtful and infectious melodies and harmonies, the highly tasteful and original rhythms, the band's mix of drive and finesse...all this works together most convincingly to thoroughly knock me out. Even the endings are imaginative! Horns and strings are used to give a classy psychedelic disposition to "S.F. Sorrow Is Born." An interesting, even bizarre mix of instruments embellishes "Bracelets Of Fingers." The middle instrumental breaks of that tune and "She Says Good Morning" pour on the cosmic splendor. "Private Sorrow" is a favorite of mine, with its quirky little breaks and hypnotic march rhythms. Each song is individualistic and has its own uniquely special qualities.

The Beatles and Pink Floyd influences are present, but are assimilated into the group's own sound and style. Nothing here sounds pilfered, not even the very Beatles-like "Baron Saturday." (The bending strings on the chorus are just an ecstatic gas, and that fake-out ending gets me grinning from ear to ear every time!)

I see no need at all to compare this album with anything done by The Who. I love The Who, and I love Pretty Things. They are two different bands with two different sounds.

As far as this being the first rock opera goes, I'm still not convinced that a true rock opera exists. (Grab a copy of Willi Apel's HARVARD DICTIONARY OF MUSIC, read the seven and a half pages for opera, then read the two pages on oratorio and make up your own mind.) I think it's really stretching it to call this and TOMMY opera--too much is simply narration, for one thing.

The first rock concept album? I think the first rock concept album was by Elvis. In general, both Christmas and Gospel easily qualify as concepts, and the Elvis albums predate S.F. SORROW by several years.

Because of various circumstances, this product of 1967 was not released until late in 1968 (when psychedelia was very much on the decline). That's no matter; anyone who loves the psychedelic 60s should thrill to this. My advice is to forget all the hype on what this album was supposed to be, and just enjoy it for what it still is--a great album.

Cheers,
Murray

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Psychedelic Msasterpeice, February 26, 2002

By 

Derek Jemsen "daj38" (east coast Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: S.F. Sorrow (Audio CD)

One of the great classics of the era,though unfortunatly not as well known as some other of their contemperaries,this is a definate must hear to any fan of early Pink Floyd or similar bands,as one reviewer stated above this is so completly different to their earlier R & B matriel it's almost sounds like a completly different band (eaqually great though!)
As for the sound this is the version to get,the stereo remaster is far better than either the mono remaster or the original Edsel issue,the sound jumps out at you and swirls around and is so much more revealing than earlier issues of this that it ads a whole new psychedelic level to this gem