Parachute

I love the Pretty Things and think they are one of the best bands that were never really too popular and known from their time. From 65-70 is definitely when they were the best as a band, and all of their albums then were unique. They were pretty much ahead of most bands music and style wise. They were rocking way harder than any band at the time they started, they played viciously and were young and rebellious. They were also playing psychedelic music before a ton of bands and I think were a huge influence, I mean they had a song titled LSD in 1965 with an album cover lined with flowers... They had one of the first concept albums before people even knew what a concept album was. Now I hate saying this as it is sooo overused, but these guys really were ahead of their time in music.To the album, this album is one of their best right behind SF Sorrow in my opinion. It is their hardest rocking album, best produced album, has some of their best songs, great harmonies, good segues into each song and fantastic musicianship and lead vocals. All combined, a really super solid album, very memorable. I just received the Madfish vinyl reissue yesterday which says that it's cut from the original master tapes and I believe it. It is quiet wax, and it sounds fantastic. Super clear sound and pronounced bass guitar, and vocals, nothing drowns anything out. The gatefold sleeve is also nice and shiny gloss, looks good. Great product and I'm very happy with it. Anytime I get new records anymore I'm so worried about terrible cut quality and noise. This one is very good and definitely exceeded my expectations. Buy it if you are a fan.

Ok, the title's provocative but not the most useful of ideas--comparing the band's conceptual psychedelic masterpiece, S.F. Sorrow, with this next album is like comparing apples to oranges. The point is, though it's different, Parachute is every bit as quality an effort from the Pretty Things as its much more lauded predecessor.In many ways, Parachute is not a totally radical departure from S.F. Sorrow, it's just more stripped down, not to mention the fact that popular tastes had changed and the entire movement that floated psychedelic music had passed by. The exotic instrumentation and trippy studio effects that typified S.F. Sorrow are (for the most part) toned down to become less designed to produce drug-like experience, and more to contribute to the musical needs of each song. It's also worth mentioning that in tightening up their instrumentation, the Pretty Things leaned toward a more guitar-driven, spare rock sound--there are some barn burners on this disc. That said, there's some really tasty mellotron and even a touch of sitar here and there, not to mention the band's ethereal, shimmering vocal harmonies that defined S.F. Sorrow. This time around, it's still a loose concept album (aside: I'm not going to call it a rock opera, since I don't think S.F. Sorrow is an "opera," though I do sympathize with revisionist fans who want to accredit the criminally underrated Pretty Things with doing what the Who did on the criminally overrated Tommy. I'll stick to "Concept albums" for S.F. Sorrow and Parachute, and Tommy can keep the pretentious and dead-end "rock opera" distinction), and as Repertoires liner notes describe, the band was interested in exploring the rivaling pulls of the country and hippie life versus the urban, gritty city life (where they chose to stay). It's a very post-psychedelic era album--they're wrestling with the very powerful and pressing issues that the young people were dealing with at the the implosion of the end of the 60's. In my opinion, they pull it off with grace, beauty, and muscle."Scene One" is a stormy and ominous bookend to the album's start, based on a descending guitar/piano line, but it soon gives way to a string of the rural/hippie tracks, starting with the "The Good Mr. Square," typified by shimmering acoustic guitars and the band's fantastic harmonies. The song rocks up a bit and morphs into the clever "She Was Tall, She Was High." "In the Square" features a haunting chord progression (it sounds like something Radiohead would later steal for one of their songs). "The Letter" follows the urban protagonist's correspondence with his country maiden (Repertoire's lyric notes are very helpful in following/understanding the loose concept).After the sound-effect snippet "Rain," the album pulls an about-face. Gone are the somewhat gentle folk-rock sounds of the first several songs, and we get the delightfully-amped "Miss Fay Regrets." Talk about stealing--Bachman Turner Overdrive MUST have stolen the meter/melody of the verse vocals for the far less dark "Taking Care of Business." Either way, May's vocal switches between rapid fire on the verses to a raging scream for the chorus. Same goes for the leering groove of "Cries from the Midnight Circus," which features a downright dirty scat solo (treated with phaser or flanger)--definitely a highlight. "Grass" is a slightly jazzier rocker, and "Sickle Clowns" is a piano-driven rocker with a positively raw vocal from bassist Wally Allen Waller.After the hard-rocking center of the album, things get a bit more contemplative on the gloriously pop-folk-rock classic "She's A Lover." The spirit of S.F. Sorrow's ultimately dire message resurfaces on "What's the Use," where the band's anguish at the irresolvable flaws in the hippie mentality comes to a climax--set to a dreamy haze of guitars, keys and voices. The album's resolution is positively gorgeous--rather than an argument relating to the city v. country debate, we get a chilling image: an exodus of people flee the city in an apocalyptic departure--into the sea. The picture unfolds through hypnotic, ghostly vocals. After the message hits home, the band kicks in with some of the most poignant music they committed on tape for Parachute. Fantastic! "Parachute" really makes the album for me--it's the perfect finish, and a crucial ingredient for a classic album is a solid closer.Repertoire did a typically fine job of reissuing this album, with great sound, informative notes, and several bonus tracks--as is usually the case, they spoil the flow of the album if you listen straight into them after "Parachute," but they include some rocking and worthwhile songs (and a few mediocre ones as well). If you really enjoyed S.F. Sorrow, you'll probably be equally as affected by Parachute. Really, though, if you enjoy the harder-rocking stuff from the early 70's, this is an obscure classic you might really enjoy.

This is by no means my favorite album of all time. It's not an album to be cranked up loud; it's not background music while working out at the gym or taking a road trip. No, this is an album that demands your undivided attention. It's an album that evokes the full gamut of human emotion, whether it be Cries From The Midnight Circus and Sickle Clowns that provide an outlet for pent up anger and frustration or Gass and the title track Parachute that move me to tears. There is nothing else like it that I've ever heard, and I can't imagine anyone else not reacting in the same way. That's why I feel confident in declaring it the best album of all time: it has an objective, universal quality about it in that its appeal and brilliance is independent of one's personal taste.When describing Parachute, I wouldn't even attempt to draw comparisons to other musical achievements. To me, it is the musical equivalent of reading Germinal by Emile Zola, who many say is the greatest novel of all time. Reading Zola, especially Germinal, is not necessarily fun as it, like Parachute, demands your complete focus in order to fully appreciate its power and subtlety. Germinal is unsparing, it is awe inspiring, and when I finished it I stared into nothingness to contemplate the full meaning of what I had just read. That's exactly what my reaction was upon listening to Parachute for the first time. It's effect on me was that powerful and, as I had said, should be universal and transcend individual musical tastes.

Great acid rock album! The sound quality is fantastic. The tracks lead one into the next and follow a theme for much of the first side. "Cries from the Midnight Circus" defines heavy metal long before there actually was heavy metal as a genre. Pretty Things was a big group in England but never made it as big in the states. I started following them in the 70's when I was hanging out with some British friends.

This is how an album should be. I don't like everything the Pretty Things put out in their day but this is a really good album. It should be listened to from start to finish with no breaks. It's also perfect for a road trip where you're alone and just want something mellow but slightly upbeat. I've used this album in that way several times and it never gets old.If you don't know The Pretty Things, this is a great album to introduce yourself to their sound.

Until recently I was only familiar with the band's earlier output, however, a chance encounter with a vinyl copy of this album that a friend found in a charity shop changed things for the better. Being a big fan of the S.F. Sorrow LP I didn't think that any of their later output could compare, but a short burst of side 2 (the track "Grass" to be specific) got me hooked and proved me wrong.To my ears this is a 5 star album. The production and songwriting are great from start to finish and the bonus tracks are a real treat. There are very few albums that I can listen to repeatedly when driving and this is one of them. In fact this album is good for most listening environments.I'm now on a quest to find a UK 1st press vinyl copy of this album which will probably prove to be very difficult as I believe that this record sold surprisingly badly on release. Don't pass this one by, buy it!

It's a true masterpiece of psych and prog rock.I thought a lot in choosing albums between this one and S.F. Sorrow. However I think Parachutes is the most successful album of the band and I highly recommend it. Maybe later will buy S.F. Sorrow too.I find many parallels with modern indie and alternative rock bands, who certainly were inspired by the work of this great band. Of course owners of the first editions are happy to own it. If you can not afford the first edition, I will recommend this repress.Good job Madfish! Thank you!

In my mind their greatest album,surpassing SF Sorrow.Beautifully presented in gatefold sleeve

Been listening to this album for more than 40 years now and it sounds as fresh and vital as ever.How it remains a cult classic I'll never know but don't really care anymore.The best rock album ....period.

I first bought this as an LP back in '73 purely because the Hipgnosis cover caught my attention in the record shop (Note to Ampar's review!) and I still listen to it at frequent intervals and with equal enjoyment to when I first heard it. Most relevant comments as to how it should have been up there with other "Classics" of its time have been made in other reviews. So all I'll add is that if you like well-crafted, slightly 'Heady' music, especially of the type on 'Side Two' of Abbey Road, then this should definitely be added to your collection. Rolling Stone magazine were right to make it their 1970 album of the year.

Some good stuff I'd never heard before. Grass is a classic.

A must for Pretty Thing fans, this and Sorrow their best albums.

I first heard "The good Mr. Square" track on the Harvest record sampler in 1970 and loved it but at 16 couldn't afford to buy every record I liked. I've finally bought it and love it. The tracks have a timeless quality while taking me back to very happy times.

Last year my knowledge of the Pretties was limited to "The good Mr Square" from the Harvest "Breath of Fresh Air" sampler - then I got the "Still Unrepentant" CD/DVD set and definitely wanted more. This album delivers in spades both quality, quantity and value for money. Next up "S F Sorrow"

The first two albums were the best. Thought I'd try a 1970's album. Not bad though not special. Much prefer the old music.

First class great album from a very underated band

Excellent and prompt service

got this on vinyl when it came out and listened to it almost every day. now I can play in the car too. never fails to impress. smashing album.

Fantastic album

10/10 a fantastic album a great follow up to s.f. sorrow - well played and fantastic songs a great cd