•
Rating:
LA RECENSIONE
Above the lake, the wind blows and moves the surface of the water. Thus are manifested the visible effects of the invisible.
(I Ching, hexagram 61, “Inner Truth”)
___________________________________
A fairground banjo, the sea's undertow...
A soft hypnosis that accompanies the sweetest of melancholies
Suspended distant tinkling. Mad choruses of ritual absurdity...
Silvery sounds...moments of absolute folk...
(From the music therapy notebooks of Professor Luludia De Luludis)
_________________________________
C.O.B stands for Clive Original Band...and Clive is Clive Palmer...
The name, however, is misleading. The group had no leader, and all tracks are co-credited. Among the numerous guests appears Ursula Smith of the Third Ear Band...
“Spirit of love,” released in 1971, is their first album...
__________________________________
Ah, Clive Palmer was one of the founding members of the Incredible String Band, a legendary psychedelic folk group.
_________________________________
And this album...
Despite (one) the abundant use of instruments with mysterious names, (two) the medieval/esoteric paraphernalia, (three) the almost comical hippie style...
Yes, despite points one, two, and three, this album is a miracle of balance where nothing is excessive and the purity of the sound truly touches the heart
_________________________________
Compared to the Incredible String Band, which was a rather peppery and spicy group, here the flavors are milder.
Less strangeness (though there is still plenty of it) and more light, even if, as the bibles say, there are no lacking “darker and messianic” moments.
But whether it’s a choir, where you wouldn’t know if they were drunken sailors or enlightened and timeless beings, or whether it’s the most crystalline and refractive sounds, everything is moved by a kind of spontaneity, or inner truth.
And the inner truth is the invisible manifesting in the visible.
Maybe that’s why the album is mentioned in the music therapy notebooks of Professor Luludia De Luludis...
Aloha...
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
C.O.B.'s 1971 debut album Spirit of Love offers a hypnotic blend of psychedelic folk with esoteric and medieval influences. Led by Clive Palmer, co-founder of the Incredible String Band, the album balances mystical sounds and heartfelt melodies without excess. The review highlights the album's spontaneity, emotional purity, and unique charm. It's praised for its light and dark contrasts, ritualistic voices, and deep sense of inner truth.Tracklist
