Wee Tam/The Big Huge – THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND***

(Wee Tam) Job’s Tears/Puppies/Beyond The See/The Yellow Snake/Log Cabin Home In The Sky/You Get Brighter/The Half Remarkable Question/Air/Ducks On The Pound (The Big Huge) Maya/Greatest Friend/The Son Of Noah’s Brother/Lordly Nightshade/The Mountain Of God/Cousin Caterpillar/The Iron Stone/Douglas Traherne Harding/The Circle Is Unbroken

The Incredible String Band were riding high following the release of two highly acclaimed albums. The follow up Wee Tam & The Big Huge was released as a double album in the UK, but as separate single albums in the States. Unfortunately, the band started to lose direction from this point on. (US:174/180)

"I'd say that compared to individual songs on the previous two albums the tracks here fall a little bit flat."

"This is the last 'pure' ISB album, that is, one made solely by the duo of Williamson and Heron. Its two albums in one, as the title suggests: one disk of sunny folkpsychedelia, one disc of darker, heavier material. It's not as good as The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. The quality of the tracks is rather more erratic, and some of the lyrics seem plain batty instead of poetic or inspired."

"I think that this represents the beginning of the decline of the band: it has an indulgence that is both its best feature as well as a hint of a certain post-psych revolution torpor. Their mixing of styles is a bit forced, and their humour a bit smirky and self-congratulating, but for now it still works, often gloriously."

"The Incredible String Band continue to intrigue and inspire me with their simple but beautiful songs and melodies. Wee Tam & The Big Huge is yet another classic set of songs. The use of sitar, flutes, acoustic guitars and even kazoo and organ blends the songs brilliantly. The Incredible String Band were very talented musicians who deserved far greater recognition."

"Yes, these guys were, I suppose, classic hippies. Yes, their songs are about puppies and caterpillars, meteorites, log cabin homes in the sky, Moses and the tabernacle, water from wondrous wells and love songs to oxygen. Yes, every musical genre from ragtime to ragas is haphazardly employed. But these songs are just so sweet and lovely that they still melt my heart to this day."