Original released on Double LP A&M SP 3509
(CANADA, 1971)
I do feel sorry for the many thousands of Canadians who doubtless bought this album for the massive radio hit "Lonesome Mary"; it's a great blistering rocker but is totally unrepresentative of what most of the rest of the album is generally about (there should have been warning stickers to that effect on the shrinkwrap too). No wonder I was recently able to get this vinyl artifact in near-mint condition for a great price. Side 1 contains fair-to-middlin' mid-tempo buesy pop-rock typical of it's time; and Side 2 is similar but done in more of a jam-medley format that's quite listenable and decent, if nothing special. Side 3: Gregorian chants! Mainly just the guys trying to sound all medieval with maximum reverb for the whole time, but they do sound earnest and their vocal tones are always very pure and strong. It makes for perfectly good, relaxing background music and isn't at all annoying unless you take some kind of personal ethical offense against this sort of improvised experimentation - which many people seem to for some inexplicable reason. Side 4: Almost entirely flute music, again recorded in an echo chamber. It seems a fair bet that the main influence here was fellow British Columbian Paul Horn's "Inside" (the Taj Mahal) album; which was a proto-New Age solo flute effort that was quite popular back in the day. Chilliwack's approach is much trippier and spacier though; it seems likely that drugs should receive some credit for this track. This is all about beautiful sound for the sake of beautiful sound - it has no other construct or plan; and you either embrace that broad concept or you don't. Again though, there is a strong sincerity and passion to this recording that elevates it above dumb stoned noodling. Why this should piss off anybody who is remotely open-minded and generous in spirit is puzzling. (in RateYourMusic)
