| First Utterance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Comus | ||||
| Released | 1971 | |||
| Recorded | November–December 1970 | |||
| Genre | Psych folk, freak folk, progressive rock | |||
| Length | 49:17 | |||
| Label | Dawn DNLS 3019 | |||
| Producer | Barry Murray | |||
| Comus chronology | ||||
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First Utterance is the debut album of the British progressive rock band Comus. It was released in 1971, with the opening song "Diana" being released as a single.
First Utterance was notable for its unique blend of progressive rock, folk, psychedelia, and elements of paganism and the macabre. The overall thematic tone of the album is of vulnerable innocence facing abusive power,[1] the songs dealing with violence ("Drip Drip"), rape ("Diana", "Song to Comus"), and insulin shock therapy ("The Prisoner"). These themes contrast starkly with the acoustic sound of the record, featuring acoustic guitar, violin, flute, and lyrical, almost Arcadian, female harmonies. Although since reissued, the vinyl original has been known to change hands for £150.00 (£394.65 adjusted for inflation).[2]
References to Comus by other bands and artists include Opeth, citing its lyrics in album and song titles and tattoos. Experimental outfit Current 93 also covered "Diana" as the opening song on their 1990 LP Horse.
Contents |
The cover artwork was drawn in ball point pen by Roger Wootton, lead singer and songwriter of the band. The centrefold artwork (not shown) was painted by guitarist Glenn Goring.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [3] |
| Crawdaddy! | (very favorable) [4] |
Unfavorable reviews, combined with a postal strike, resulted in low sales, and the band quickly dissolved after the album's release.