Parachute . The Pretty Things....What an album!! & other undervalued gems.

Hello folks

I'm gonna stick my neck out here

I only bought this album 5 years ago on Cd being fairly familiar with their back catolog & being mighty impressed with SF Sorrow.

I liked it straight away but it has grown on me & got better & better.

In my humble opinion I think the album is better than anything Pink Floyd or late Beatles ever did (trust me I am fans of both groups)

It might just be the best album no one has ever heard of. I must stress some vinyl copies (rare earth,harvest mid 70s) sound dull buy I purchased a brand new 2014 lp copy on Madfish & it sounds excellent .

I can't stop playing it

Feel free to comment or tell me what you feel is an underrated or undervalued gem.

Thanks.

 

I discovered it a few years ago, agree its a lost classic indeed

 

Really, really cool album. I love it.

 

One of my favs. The snapper cd is pretty good. There is a drop out on one of the tracks. On vinyl, I've got the "Real pretty" twofer and it sounds pretty good. Besides a 1st press Harvest, is there anything out there on vinyl which sounds good?

 

The 2014 vinyl copy on Madfish . Crisp treble , dead quiet vinyl. All good

 

That whole era from the Pretty Things has been undervalued in my opinion.

 

It is a gem of an album. Thom Yorke borrowed from In the Square when writing Paranoid Android.

 

It's an awesome album. I think I prefer it to SF Sorrow. I love how it rocks like the Stones, has the melody and harmony of the Beatles. Love this era of Pretty Things!

Check out Allnight Sailor on Freeway Madness.

 

I have the original LP of Parachute (it sounds fine to me, comparing favourably with my CD version) and think it's quite Beatle-like but much, much better.

This is very worthwhile too...

 

We now know that Snapper uses Optimal Germany for their Madfish vinyl reissues.

 

I've been playing it all summer. A true gem, and I'd also put it up their with equivalent work by their contemporaries. I'd second the idea of getting the EMI/Harvest-era non-LP singles since there's a lot of great stuff there from psych to hard rock; for example, I don't generally like early 70's plodding "boogie rock", but "Stone-Hearted Mama" is a rare exception. It both swings and rocks, and I've been obsessively cranking it in the car!

 

I have a reissue of Parachute somewhere ... I'll have to dig it out and have a listen. In the meantime, has anyone listened to The Pretty Things Electric Banana sessions from around 1970? I picked up a late 70s re of this a while back, listened to it a few days ago and was damn surprised I'd never heard anyone talk about it before. It's great...definitely a lost era for the band that deserves rediscovery.

 

Parachute is a stone cold classic. I too only discovered it a few years ago. Strange, as I think it was Rolling Stones album of the year when it came out. I have the new Madfish LP but I'm still waiting on my turntable to come in. Meanwhile, the Japan Mini LP sounds freaking fantastic to me - great bass and three-dimensionality. Good call!

 

Just found this album several weeks ago and am throttling how much I play it so I don't burn it out. Love it.

Check out Phil channeling Lennon.

 

"Borrowed" is a very polite way to put it. I might say he held that song up at knifepoint. I love both tunes, though.

 

It's here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/261598288713?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

Excellent. I believe that's Wally Waller on lead vocals and bass on this one. Is Phil in the video at all?

 

Ah...thx G. I went to Allmusic for album credits and futzed it all up. The band is new to me, like I said.

 

Has anyone heard the 2 CD 40th anniversary edition?

 

I love Parachute, but what I really love is the B-side of October 26, Cold Stone. What a great song!

 

Great album. It may be their best. I do enjoy the early stuff and SF Sorrow as well. Since the OP made the comparisons first, I always felt this was the sister album to Abbey Road in terms of sound. I like to think Pink Floyd took notice of Parachute and emulated it for all their albums going up through Dark Side of the Moon. When you listen to the early 70's Floyd, then hear this album... you know the Pretty Things really were making that kind of music first. Too bad I never could get into much of their stuff after this album.

 

Bought the original album when it came out.. if SF Sorrow's their Pepper, then Parachute's their Abbey Road.

 

What's the best CD version out there?

Has ever the mono mix appeared on CD?

 

Just listened to both versions of the album over the last 48 hrs. or so. Love the Snapper CD from 2002 or so!

To me, Parachute shares some distinct sonic similarities with the Floyd's Atom Heart Mother - possibly because it was made at practically the same moment in Abbey Road #3 (IIRC).

I presume you Parachute hepcats know about the xPT's re-make from a couple years back, right? Wally, Jon, Skip and Pete Tolson(!!) got together and recorded a revisit of this classic. Makes for a great listen, although of course it cannot top the original (IMHO). My favourite Pretties abum, although I never miss an opportunity like this to mention the awesome, New Wave-influenced Cross Talk (1980) which features the fierce lead guitar of the aforementioned Peter Tolson.

 

He is here