Jon "Mojo" Mills

Being an appreciation of the Incredible String Band, innovative musicians who were seminal in the beginnings of several musical genres, viz., world music and freak folk. The book incorporates modules describing the group's records as well as solo albums by its main members, who also contribute a few writings, and it also has many sections describing music by other groups who were contemporary practitioners of similar styles. This book fills a huge gap; it is difficult to think of any group of comparable quality and influence (and a fan base which includes Sir Paul, Robert Plant, and the Archbishop of Canterbury) which hasn't had a book-length treatment. The contributors also do a good job of avoiding the fault-finding and quibbling that so mars the ISB corner of the internet; an unfortunately typical low point being reached by a group which continues to be outraged that one or two of their last albums omitted the initial article from their name. The modules on the other performers are far less interesting; few will have heard of more than two or three of them, let alone heard their music. As the book stands, these sections are necessary to bring it up to book length, but that could have been remedied more edifyingly by fleshing out weak points such as the post-ISB lives and careers of Incredibles beyond the frontmen and more detail in the treatment of the albums.… (más)