The Incredible String Band - First Girl I Loved [The Chelsea Sessions] 1967 video free download

The Incredible String Band - First Girl I Loved [The Chelsea Sessions] 1967

Mike Heron: Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica

Robin Williamson: Vocals, Bowed Gimbri, Guitar, Flute, Sitar, Tamboura, Percussion, Oud Mandolin, Bass Gimbri.

This album is essentially the first recording by Robin Williamson and Mike Heron as a duo. The discovery of these tapes was made in 1985. They finally saw release a dozen years later--a full 30 years after they were recorded.

The "Chelsea Sessions" contains a lot of material that was used on the ISB's great "5000 Spirits" album, this time with a much more modest cover (not even psychedelic !).

This album is absolutely great and a must-own for any ISB-fan. Apart from the familiar material there's quite a few songs that somehow didn't make it, and more often than not quite undeservedly.

In general, the Spirits-songs are less "orchestrated" than the official versions, but they sound fresh and just fine. In fact, in some cases I'm almost inclined to prefer the alternative version ! "The Iron Stone" from "Wee Tam ..." with some textual differences and not having the festive ending is an example of this.

Most of the "new" material is by Williamson, usually performed just by him. Heron's "Lover Man" is fine although its lyrics are a bit too psychedelic at times.

His also is the weakest song by far on this album, and that's "Frutch" with completely nonsensical lyrics that take us nowhere.

In Williamson's songs the arabic influence is quite clear, and they're all worth your while. Some special attention should be given to "God Dog" - a very, very lovable song that expresses Williamson's love for a dog, presumably his own.

This album doesn't give you the bad and the obscure. These recordings totally deserve to be released, and it's hard to imagine why they haven't done this a long time ago. But hey - it's great to find another iron stone (by Hans Wigman).