Journey Through The Past 22 : The Pretty Things : Parachute

Until I started to write this blog post I had fallen for the misinformation that this album was Rolling Stone Album of the Year in 1970. It did not that is just another rock'n'roll myth - it did not even make the list.  BUT IT SHOULD HAVE.  One of my favourite albums of all time.

The follow up to their equally overlooked and now reappraised SF Sorrow rock opera. It was released to good reviews and miserable sales.

I to listen to The Pretty Things as a result of Bowie's Pin Ups Album  where he covered Rosalyn and Don't Bring Me Down.  Shopping at Wellington's then second hand record mecca Silvio's in Cuba St just up from the mall I slowly picked up original pressings of almost all their albums.

From their start as a great pub/garage/British r'n'b band to experimenting in the psychedelic sounds of the late 60s through SF Sorrow to this their masterpiece.  I actually have three vinyl versions of this.  A double with SF Sorrow, the original NZ version and an immaculate condition UK vinyl version with a fold out cover.  unfortunately they are all in storage in Christchurch so I am listening to the original Edsel CD release.  Parachute was recorded in Abbey Road Studios by Norman "Hurricane" Smith.

An interesting mix of acoustic almost pastoral music of The opening sequence (live 35 years later)  and Grass, the heavy rock of Miss Fay Regrets and Cries from the Midnight Circus all with a focus on achieving harmony filled rock.  The highlights to me though have always been their clever retelling of the Easy Rider movie in Sickle Clowns, She's a Lover and the closing title track.

It is hard to understand why this would not have received the same sales and similar accolades of the pompous nonsense that other were putting out at the time.

The Pretty Things continued after this and have released  good albums in the last ten years but they never really topped this.