Parachute

Artist: The Pretty Things
Album: Parachute
Release Year: 1970
Genres: art rock, psychedelia

1) Scene One; 2) The Good Mr. Square; 3) She Was Tall, She Was High; 4) In the Square; 5) The Letter; 6) Rain; 7) Miss Fay Regrets; 8) Cries from the Midnight Circus; 9) Grass; 10) Sickle Clowns; 11) She's a Lover; 12) What's the Use; 13) Parachute.

Best Song: Grass

You guys have no idea how happy I was to see this album come up on the "shuffle" list. And, come to think of it, you probably have no idea who the Pretty Things are, either. They were an artsy rhythm and blues band from England, and they wrote S. F. Sorrow, the first rock opera ever (yes, it even came before Tommy), in 1968. The Pretty Things were never songwriting masters, but they were still damn good, and I can only think of a few of their songs that I honestly dislike. So they weren't the Beatles or the Stones (their idols), but they did their work, and there are some real gems in their catalogue. Like Parachute.

I downloaded the album, took my Zune to the basement, and played it good and loud. I was planning on drawing or something while I listened, but I was so enthralled by the album that I just sat there most of the time, wondering where why it had taken me so long to find this. Seriously. The enthusiasm of the whole thing, the curiosity, the innocence with just a hint of darkness--it was like travelling back in time to some carefree summer so many years ago. Nostalgic as I can be, it's no surprise that in one listen, it became one of my favorite albums.

I see Parachute as a dream, with the scenes constantly changing and blurring into one another and still making perfect sense. You start with a brief overture, then a nice five-track suite that goes from naive to lovestruck before ending in the excellent groove of "Rain." I always think of this as the "light and happy" part of the dream sequence, since a childish perspective seems to come through in the lyrics. And no, they didn't copy the suite idea from The Beatles. Of course not.

Then the album takes a turn toward heavy, psychedelic blues, starting with the hard-rocking "Miss Fay Regrets." A glance at the track titles tells us we are in the "nightmare" phase, with Phil May howling twisted lyrics over some very dark jams--just listen to that bass intro to "Cries from the Midnight Circus!" You can almost see the debauchery going on inside the tent, can't you? Guys...? "Sickle Clowns" is probably better, though: that relentless guitar/bass interplay drags you through all seven minutes and makes it seem like three.

But, in the middle of those, we get a nice break with "Grass" (good thing, because otherwise you wouldn't know when one ended and the other began). This song is beautiful, and the scene is heart-wrenching. Yes, even I can feel it. It's sitting in a field at sunset with her (whoever she may be) and knowing she is leaving, forever. Normally I hate mushy shit like that, but the Pretties really knew how to pull it off.

The final third is a "recovery" of sorts, with the melodies getting feather-light and carrying you away again. Is "She's a Lover" a triumphant response to "Grass?" If it is, than "What's the Use" is kind of a cruel choice to follow it, but I don't think they meant the songs to connect. That's just me, overanalyzing as usual. Finally there's the title track, which is just a nice, chill, piano-driven instrumental that floats you back to reality, the dream now fading and the sun coming over the horizon.

So, if you haven't guessed it by now, there's not a single note on this album I don't like. And yet, I cannot give it a ten, because my experience of this album is overwhelmingly subjective. As much as I love Parachute, I know a ten would not be reasonable, because the "nightmare tracks" are too similar, and "Cries from the Midnight Circus" is too long. I just don't mind it, myself-- that's all. Yes, it's sad, but logic must triumph over emotion in the end, even in something as sanguine as music.

Rating: 9