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LA RECENSIONE
Still in the series "underrated masterpieces"...
It's the late sixties, and what we have is a raspy voice and a guitar that isn’t a guitar. It’s a "baritone ukulele." Or maybe a lute, who knows.
Not a bad start.
Anyway, consider the ESP-Disk, the most insane and radical record label of the time; the one, to be clear, of folks like Fugs, Holy Modal Rounders, Pearls Before Swine. Then imagine a frog in your throat. Or a kind of breathlessness.
Like the all-too-human aspect of a voice when it truly is a voice. Something so powerful, so fragile. Something that hits you immediately.
A vortex, a stumble, an ambush set for sensitive souls. You can't escape, you can't run away...
What can be said about that refracting sound, those strange harmonies that barely stand on their own?
The urgent lyricism of outsiders, imagine that.
The rugged melodic grace that is much, much more than mere melody itself.
Something akin to innocence, an enchanting flow accompanied by a crow/nightingale. The naïve and raw magic that God, or whoever in their stead, has granted to very few.
A little while ago on the Deb, someone mentioned "freak, dark and crooked songwriting." So, here we are in that realm. Then, to make it even clearer, take the label mates Pearls Before Swine and mix them with Daniel Johnston.
Does that light up any bulbs for you? Yes? Then this album is for you.
Ah, for more information, ask the unicorn...
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Summary by Bot
Ed Askew's 'Ask the Unicorn' is celebrated as an underrated 1960s masterpiece marked by its raspy voice and distinctive baritone ukulele. Released on the radical ESP-Disk label, the album delivers raw, fragile melodies and outsider lyricism. Its unique sound evokes comparisons to Pearls Before Swine and Daniel Johnston, offering a captivating experience for fans of freak and psychedelic folk. This album is a heartfelt ambush for sensitive listeners.Tracklist Videos
Ed Askew
American singer-songwriter and visual artist whose late-1960s debut Ask the Unicorn was released on ESP-Disk; known for fragile, raspy vocals and outsider-leaning folk songwriting.01 Reviews
