The Pretty Things ‎– The Pretty Things 1967-1971 (1989)

From 1967-1971 was the most fertile and adventurous period for the Pretty Things. Including both S.F. Sorrow, the first rock opera, and the even greater Parachute, they spread their wings from R&B into psychedelia and found they could soar very high indeed. This compilation of singles and B-sides is, at times, even better than their albums, and charts their rapid progress quite effectively, beginning with the quantum leap of "Defecting Grey," a million miles from "Rosalyn" or "Don't Bring Me Down." The sense of adventure (among other things in the London air) kept spurring them on. Both "Private Sorrow" and "Balloon Burning" from S.F. Sorrow showed a mastery of dynamics, something that turned into a trademark, as did the later harmonies that made "The Good Mr. Square" so effective on Parachute. They didn't need to overpower with volume or distortion. Above all, the band had gelled as a unit of performers and songwriters, penning material that was individual and light years ahead of most of their contemporaries in conception. Both "Cold Stone" and "Circus Mind" could almost be termed proto-metal, locked into powerful riffs. Essentially, the Pretty Things had become a band who could do it all, except become the huge act they deserved to be. While this makes for an informative collection -- the track listing matches The Singles A's & B's -- it's largely been made redundant by the S.F. Sorrow and Parachute reissues, whose bonus tracks are those non-album pieces on here.