''I Looked Up'' (Elektra EKS 2469 002 / U.S. LP: EKS-74061) is the sixth album by

the Incredible String Band The Incredible String Band (sometimes abbreviated as ISB) were a British psychedelic folk band formed by Clive Palmer (musician), Clive Palmer, Robin Williamson and Mike Heron in Edinburgh in 1966. Following Palmer's early departure, Williamso ...

. Recorded at a time when the band was busy rehearsing for their ambitious upcoming stage show, '' U'', the album has been described by band member

Robin Williamson Robin Duncan Harry Williamson (born 24 November 1943) is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and storyteller who was a founding member of the Incredible String Band. Career Williamson lived in the Fairmilehead area of Edinbu ...

as a "quickie" album.

Background

Recording of the album came just 5 months after '' Changing Horses''. Like its predecessor, the album included six tracks with two compositions exceeding 10 minutes. As usual with the band, there are several instruments utilised in unique arrangements and overdubbing in the development of the album. A rewriting of "Black Jack Davey", a Scottish

traditional folk Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has been ...

song, begins the album, sung by Heron in an uptempo style. The album also contains Robin Williamson's most experimental, "Pictures in a Mirror". The epic, a mixture of folk and drama, tells the story of Lord Randell. Williamson's vocals are prominent on this track for his range and ability to distort his voice. A highlight of the album, Mike Heron's composition "This Moment," is regarded as one of Heron's best pieces.

Dave Mattacks David James Mattacks (born 13 March 1948) is an English rock and folk drummer, best known for his work with British folk rock band Fairport Convention. Fairport Convention He replaced Martin Lamble, who had died on 12 May 1969 in a road ac ...

, a drummer of

Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English British folk rock, folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson (musician), Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Marti ...

, is featured on "The Letter", a track which is more reflective of Fairport's electric folk style. Recording sessions also produced an unreleased track titled "Queen Juanita and Her Fisherman Lover" that is over 16 minutes in length. It would later appear on the compilation ''Incredible String Band: Tricks of The Senses''. Three tracks from the album, "When You Find Out Who You Are ", "The Letter", and "This Moment", were performed at the

Woodstock Festival The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...

, which constituted half of their set that day. Many consider ''I Looked Up'' an improvement to ''Changing Horses'' however the album's chart success was limited and disappointing in the US as it only topped at No. 196.

Track listing

"Black Jack Davy" (then called "Black Jack David") would later be recorded again by the Incredible String Band on their album '' Earthspan'' on Island Records in 1972.

Personnel

– vocals, guitar, violin, flute,

gimbri The sintir (), also known as the guembri (), gimbri, hejhouj in Hausa language, is a three stringed skin-covered bass guitar, bass plucked lute used by the Gnawa people of Morocco. It is approximately the size of a guitar, with a body carved fro ...

, percussion *

Mike Heron James Michael Heron (born 27 December 1942) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work in the Incredible String Band in the 1960s and 1970s. Career Heron was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and attended t ...

– vocals, guitar, piano, harpsichord, organ * Licorice McKechnie – vocals, bass guitar, dulcimer, drums * Rose Simpson – vocals, bass guitar, violin *

– drums

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1970 albums The Incredible String Band albums Albums produced by Joe Boyd Elektra Records albums Warner Music Group albums