The Pretty Things- Sickle Clowns

Most people know The Pretty Things by their psychedelic masterpiece "SF Sorrow", a futuristic rock opera that predates The Who's "Tommy" by at least a couple of months. The band's next album saw them going in a slightly different musical direction. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, "Parachute" has a more straight forward, stripped down sound and reminds me of The Beatles at some of their heavier moments. It was chosen by Rolling Stone magazine as the Album of The Year in 1970, beating out Derek and The Dominos' first record, Van Morrison's "Moondance" and the Beatles' "Let It Be" among others. I'm not sure its that good, but it is really good- I highly recommend checking it out, especially the more recent re-release with bonus tracks left off of the initial pressings.

In this video usual Pretty Things front man, Phil May isn't around- its bassist Wally Waller who delivers the raspy lead vocal over a oddly accented and circular guitar riff. I particularly like tension set up by the slightly dragged drumming of Skip Alan and the guitar of the newly recruited, teen aged Pete Tolson. Notice how the band all falls back into the main riff after a cool drum break at 4:17.