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The Incredible String Band was a pair of Scottish songwriters and multi-instrumentalists (not always played expertly, mind you, but that added to the charm): Robin Williamson and Mike Heron. Both had voices that were so distinctive, you either love 'em or hate 'em and there really isn't much of an in-between. The ISB only existed for some 8 years or so, but in that time were extremely prolific, releasing over 10 albums and in the process influencing everyone from Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin to Chris Cutler of Henry Cow. They briefly had a third member when they released this debut album in 1966: Clive Palmer, who has picked up touring with Heron in the reincarnated, new millennium incarnation of the band. In truth, Palmer occupies an auxiliary role on this album, playing only on about a third of the tracks. The music shows that they had yet to spread their wings in terms of ambition and scale. The material consists of humble songs consistent with the folk music of the day, alternating between whimsy and love ballads, with a few traditional instrumental vignettes thrown in. Overall, it sounds lightweight compared to where they were soon to go (hell, Robin Williamson only plays five instruments here!), though there is the occasional glimpse offered at the band's eclectic and pan-cultural yearnings (e.g., "Maybe Someday," which Heron describes in the liner notes as "Bulgarian, Indian, Scottish, and schizoid"). There are a number of enjoyable nuggets nonetheless, including "When the Music Starts to Play," the Bob Dylan-influenced "Dandelion Blues" (my favorite on the album), "October Song" (also cited by Dylan as one of his favorites of that year) and the blithe "Everything's Fine Right Now," which appropriately opened up Williamson & Heron's reunion concert many years after the band's demise, documented on the album Bloomsbury 1997. I am struck in listening to this at the way Williamson's and Heron's different styles of playing guitar subtly reflect their different songwriting characteristics. Heron's traditional finger-picking style with the spirit of a banjo is well-suited to his folky love songs, whereas Williamson's playing is more troubadorish and playful, with a smoother, almost classical tone, to match his typically more flamboyant material, all delivered with the stamp of a bard. Good and tuneful, though the best from these guys was soon to come, not too far off down the road. review by Joe McGlinchey — 8-20-06 —