Call Me Diamond/Flowers Of The Forest/Audrey/Brindaban/Feast Of Stephen/Spirit Beautiful/Warm Hearted Pastry/Beautiful Stranger/No Turning Back
Smiling Men was the debut solo album from Mike Heron of the innovative hippie folk group The Incredible String Band. It took eclecticism to a new extreme, blending rock, folk and world music into an atmospheric whole.
“It is generally very good folk-rock, though there are a few moments when it starts to drag. On its own musical merits, it is a worthy addition to any rock collection, particularly if you're already a fan of Heron based on his String Band work.”
“Heron was always more of a rocker than the Robin Williamson, the other half of the Incredible String Band. What we get here marries an eclectic approach to a rockier sound that the ISB would not have stretched to.”
“Far removed from the Incredible String Band and yet very much Mike Heron. Sadly Smiling Men didn’t sell that well as Mike never did a solo tour to support it, and the ISB was on a downward curve by that time. But it remains for me a gem, a magical moment in time.”
“This is quite a departure from the String Band material that Mike was turning out at the time. While in places this is still acoustic folk-rock, Mike tries his hand a couple of other styles, though not always successfully.”
“It features some straight ahead rock n' roll, delicate acoustic pieces, early synthesizer work, Indian and folk styles. It also offers Feast Of Stephen, one of those wonderful songs that come along only now and then.”
“I feel tempted to roughly divide its tracks into three categories, the quiet and introspective with touches of experimentalism and that I can imagine in an ISB album, the extrovert and lively that reflect Heron’s experiences in rock groups and those that could establish him as a radio friendly singer-songwriter.”
“In creating this spectacularly eclectic album, Heron found a cast of sympathetic collaborators who had enough talent and vision of their own to be able to truly contribute to Heron's ideas. In turn, they seemed to push him to new heights, all the while providing the variety that makes this album as diverse and expressive as it is, with Heron as the great unifier.”
No comments:
Post a Comment