Track Listing

1. Chinese White
2. No Sleep Blues
3. Painting Box
4. Mad Hatter's Song
5. Little Cloud
6. Eyes Of Fate
7. Blues For The Muse
8. Hedgehog's Song
9. First Girl I Loved
10. You Know That You Could Be
11. My Name Is Death
12. Gently Tender
13. Way Back In The 1960's

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3422 in Music
• Released on: 1992-03-09
• Number of discs: 1

From Amazon.com
Stone psychedelic freaks Robin Williamson and Mike Heron were two talented multi-instrumentalists who were eventually joined in the Incredible String Band by their earth-goddess lovers, Licorice and Rose. They tapped into the British Isles' centuries-old traditions of myths and folklore, updating the ancient sounds with inspired, multi-layered recordings and a modern twist that helped you envision fair maidens riding unicorns through green and fertile fields while simultaneously advocating better living through chemistry. Hell, the title alone of this, their second album, is more psychedelic than anything the Jefferson Airplane ever did. --Jim Derogatis

Customer Reviews

40 years on
I only just got this on CD.
When I first heard it (C1968) I loved it dearly, but only ever had access to a loaned and worn copy of the LP to play on a crappy BSR radiogram that partially achieved some stereo effect when you put your head in the cupboard provided for storing discs. The beautiful production by Joe Boyd was, therfore, a revelation when I played the CD.
The songs are a perfect pivot between the simple folky style of the Stringbands first album and the complex masterpiece that is "Hangman's". The numbers, particularly the more pop stylee ones, like "First Girl" and "Paintingbox" are just so evocative and beautifully crafted. Robin's virtuoso guitar and Mike's quirky songs are breathtaking. It is a wonderful snapshot of the hip dream, but with a terrific sense of humour.
I listen again and I'm wearing loon pants and a kaftan and believe that music, love and peace will prevail!
This album is both influential and influenced. Love it!

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I have nothing to add to the plethora of excellent reviews already here other than it reminded me a little of a mix between Jefferson Airplane and The Velvet Underground, yet was at the same time completely unique. I know almost nothing about ISB, but I once had them recommended to me by a hippie engineer (that is someone who worked as an engineer but subscribed to the point of note to a hippy lifestyle, not someone who engineers hippies), and I'm glad he did. Buy this album, then listen to it with your ears.

Joy from Way Back in the 1960's
1967. Bob Dylan temporally out of action, but a whole load of exciting new music for the young mind to take in. The Beatles, The Byrds, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Country Joe and The Fish, Love, The Mothers Of Invention, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - they all entertained, amazed, warmed the spirit and carried us through those days.

Own up time. I unfortunately overlooked this gem when is came out. Maybe it was dismissed as being too fey and folky. After all, how could two chaps from Scotland compete with the psychedelic big guns and San Franciscan darlings? A variety of routes, most significantly an article in Mojo Magazine's recent excellent "Hendrix and The Summer Of Love" edition, now lead me to investigate this forty years on!

A happy surprise. What we have here is a marvellous collection of songs by this talented duo here reaching their peak form. Their special interaction with, and support for each other bursts forth and this along with their next release was certainly a golden interlude for Heron and Williamson. Folky this obviously is, but such a whole lot more besides. The use of Eastern instrumentation is truly trail blazing, being fully integrated and in no way merely incorporated as a facile fashionable gimmick.

It now appears to me to be an important, unique offering. Muchly of it's time, it may be said, but like all great albums, also beyond it. Often quoted as being Paul McCartney's favourite record of that year, at this distance it still stands as a mighty achievement, not to be underestimated.

The best album of 1967? Well, there's fierce competition - "Are You Experienced", The Doors' eponymous debut, Arthur Lee's masterwork "Forever Changes", "Safe As Milk" - but here's an unexpected candidate. A magical listening pleasure four decades down the line!