This quartet, bejeweled and mascaraed, projects a correspondingly shrill surliness in its dramatically technologized rock & roll. Queen - on the record and on the jacket, too - makes no concessions to moderation. In the recordings of each group, there exists the clear evidence of intelligent minds at work there’s even a suggestion of taste here and there, but happily without the restraint that usually accompanies it. Of course, no device would work if these two bands weren’t firmly grounded in the fundamentals of rock & roll - and the Pretty Things and Queen have certain manifestations of these in common: Each band likes to lay high, firm three- or four-part harmonies and an anything-goes range of effects over a hard, visceral base of guitar, bass and drums. If the renaissance occurs, it will be as a result of autonomous imaginations like these imaginations free enough to permit the introduction of such seemingly outlandish and inept devices as marching bands and carnival noises (can you imagine the Allman Brothers even considering this?) and somehow to put them to good use. Both of these groups, which could easily - if not accurately - be termed “psychedelic,” seem to be signaling the advent of what may well be a renaissance of affective rock & roll. Unlike 'Silk Torpedo,' it sounds rather dated to these ears now, though.Two of the most liberated and ambitious of the “fun” oriented British bands beginning to make their mark in the States are the updated war-horses Pretty Things and the nouveau-heavies Queen. If you are a fan of early to mid '60s Brit R 'n' B, you should also get some of their early stuff,(the excellent double CD compilation, 'The R'n'B Years', for instance), and fans of psychedelia will love 'SF Sorrow'. If you have never heard the 'Pretties' or this album before, try to imagine a cross between classic early '70s Who and early/mid '70s Supertramp and you sort of come close(ish)!Īt this time they did have a sound very much their own though, which to my mind hasn't dated one jot, so this is definitely the best place to start investigating their post psychedelic mid period work.
Whilst it was not as ground-breaking as SF Sorrow, or as lauded as Parachute, and features a more, for the time, mainstream sound, there is not a bad track on it, and Dream/Joey, Belfast Cowboys, and Singapore Silk Torpedo are absolute stand out performances.It features their usual top notch harmony singing, brilliant ensemble playing, excellent piano and guitar work, and a stunning sound and production. Although very different in sound and style to their early records of the mid '60s, this, the Pretty Things 7th lp released in 1974, is probably their best album.
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