Today finally the cd arrived, for which I've been waiting eagerly. I don't know how well you know this band, but I highly recommend this compilation. For me, the band is one of the best bands of english (and also US-american) pop music in the years 1968/69, but also these talented guys became only a footnote in the history of pop music. The compilation offers all the recordings the band has ever recorded. And it's not a weak song on it. No fillers, just killers! :-)
The band often sounds in earlier times musically like US Westcoast bands. The strengths of the guys are clearly in singing. Great vocals, wonderful choirs and vocals, that took this guys partly musically to a level with the Mamas & The Papas and similar vocal artists of their time. Add to this wonderful catchy pop melodies produced by one of the most experienced producers of the time, Shel Talmy.
In my opinion, the band became even stronger when they demanded more and more influence on the music and production. This led to a harder and more contemporary sound with harder sound and away from the pop influenced psychedelic to hard rock with partly Syd Barrett's psychedelic reminiscent melodies.
In spite of everything, they still had pop elements in their music. The best example is the Song Fly. However, the band broke up shortly afterwards due to internal quarrels.
Although i prefer the later songs of the band all of the music on this compilation is great.
Frank
You can buy the compilation here
cherryred says:
Wild Silk’s double-sided classic ‘(Vision In A) Plaster Sky’ / ‘Toymaker’ has long been coveted by enthusiasts of UK 60s pop-psych. The exciting news is that now an extensive anthology of the extant recordings by this talented Luton outfit is available, including what was intended for a full-length release at the time.
• Signed by Shel Talmy Productions in early 1968, the quartet issued three singles in the UK as Wild Silk, alongside a further pair in the US (one under the name Basil), and a subsequent UK single credited to Cotton Socks. Mostly taped with the cream of British session men, the band’s recordings constitute a remarkable transatlantic take on the West Coast sunshine pop sound, with excellent covers of material by Sagittarius, Harpers Bizarre, the Tokens and Randy Newman, as well as strong original material in a Hollies/Grapefruit vein.
• Visions In A Plaster Sky contains the released singles, the unissued Wild Silk album, and sundry outtakes, all produced by Shel Talmy. Also included are a brace of tracks cut in late 1969 with Talmy associate Hugh Murphy, when the band augmented its personnel ahead of being renamed Little Big Horn. These sport a heavier psych flavour and include an alternate mix of the current club favourite ‘Just A Game.’
• Assembled from freshly-transferred masters and packaged with detailed notes from reissue producer Alec Palao, that include the contribution of all four original Wild Silk members, Visions In A Plaster Sky finally spills the beans on an intriguing entry in the British pop-psych pantheon, and will delight any aficionado of the genre.
• Visions In A Plaster Sky contains the released singles, the unissued Wild Silk album, and sundry outtakes, all produced by Shel Talmy. Also included are a brace of tracks cut in late 1969 with Talmy associate Hugh Murphy, when the band augmented its personnel ahead of being renamed Little Big Horn. These sport a heavier psych flavour and include an alternate mix of the current club favourite ‘Just A Game.’
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