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17 of 18 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
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.
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by The Pretty Things 
