Comus - First Utterance (1971)
 

This thread is for discussing the Comus album First Utterance from 1971. It was homework in our Prog & Fusion Album Club in February 2011.

Here's a quick description :

So, whatcha think about it? :)

I honestly loved it. Legit folky but with some of the most interesting lengthy instrumental sections I've ever heard. Long song structures, interesting atmosphere, and lyrics. This is an eclectic masterpiece. No way I could vote anything beyond 'brilliant' on this one.

Plus, god dammit, I love fiddle/violin. It honestly pleases me much more to hear than guitar 90% of the time, and these guys blended it in perfectly.

It's brilliant, quite simply. It's an emotionally engaging, nebulous oddity that has the capacity to thrust the listener into pockets of their mentality rarely explored - and that is always a winner in my book. Sorry for the pretentious description, but I feel one is almost necessary to explain why the album works.

A lot of albums attempt to connect listeners to a sense of mayhem and derangement (AKA every classic thrash/death/doom, etc. metal album under the sun). I suppose it's amusing (and telling) that First Utterance, released in 1971 and lying half-rotten in obscurity for the thirty years since then, has yet to be eclipsed in that area by even the sludgiest of the sludge.

And yes, I love metal. But in terms of blending the darkness of primeval myth with organic musical ideas, nothing touches what Comus concocted in seven measly songs during the ruinous, tar-skied winter of 1970.

What else can I say about one of the most emotionally and legitimately evil records ever made? Definitely gets the 'Brilliant' vote from me.

I haven't followed the Prog Album Club at all, but I'll still say something about it if that's alright:

The first time I heard First Utterance, I hated it. I couldn't understand why anybody would want to listen to it, let alone make it. But I put it on again awhile later -- probably because I forgot I listened to it in the first place -- and I loved it. I'm not exactly sure why I changed my mind about it. It's too bad their next album sounded like a bad Aphrodite's Child knock-off.

I voted very good. Once you get past the male singer's voice/style (if that's an issue in the first place), it's very enjoyable.

I liked his voice. It was very medieval. Reminds me a ton of early Idiot Flesh, suppose that's where they got it.

Never made that comparison. But when I think about it, the vocals do share some similarities.

I think it's Gene Jun who kind of co-lead with Nils Frykdahl, and was essentially replaced by Carla Kihlstead to create Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. His voice is very similar to the guy in Comus. Especially the songs "The Tale", and "Meditation"(an amazing song).

I rated the album as a very good. I love it's uniqueness and the way the album expresses itself. It feels so insane sometimes. It's like they've taken some of those sinister and uncomfortable aesthetics experimented with by bands like Amon Düül (f.ex on Psychedelic Underground, 1969) or Cro Magnon (On Orgasm, 1968) and done that in a folky way which actually works and makes it an enjoyable experience to listen to.

I don't think it's quite brilliant, but that's not so much because it's not well done but basically because I tend to favour slightly different qualities, feelings and themes in music than what this album conveys, but .. If I ever make a movie in which a group of people with animal masks dance madly around a bonfire at night, I'll definetly put Drip Drip in the soundtrack.

Both Wootons have a solo lp.

Very difficult to find.

This album is like crack... I keep going back to it over, and over again.

The followup album is amazingly disappointing, though.

Great Album!!! Thanks a lot

Still occasionally throw this one on.

Its tragic that only 14 people have have replied to this thread. This album is a classic in every sense and a must for both prog rock and folk rock fans. I once saw the album described as "freak folk" and I'd say that description perfectly sums up this album. The singing is just plain twisted at times and the instrumentation something very special, wow 1971 was a stunning year in rock.

Oh I love this album. Definitely brilliant.

also the year I was born, and I'm stunning

back to the topic - just heard it for the first time today and liked it well enough to rate it "very good"

still, i'm a bit disappointed they didn't go the whole hog and made something as freaky as Red Krayola's The Parable of Arable Land

The Red Krayola album is great album as well and pre-dates the Comus album by about 3 to 4 years. Of the two I slightly prefer the Comus album, but there's not much in it really.

I have never heard the album. I was going to get it following good press a few years ago, but that was followed by negative reviews. This thread has given me encouragement to consider the album again.

It is my favorite of all Folk Prog records. It is a strange collection of songs, the mood bordering on chaos and despair mostly, although there are some very soothing and lilting melodies included also. Each song is detached from the next and they have quite a psych bent to them. Youtube just about has the whole album.

Thanks, I hadn't thought of Comus and YT for some reason.