MOONKYTE "COUNT ME IN" ANALOG LP 1971 UK ACID FOLK PSYCH Jan Dukes de Grey, M-

$

46

  1971 ENGLISH UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC FOLK PSYCH HEAD-WEAVER
      ..|/\|...............................................|/\|..                          
                  .MOONKYTE.
                  
                   "Count Me Out"
            ..|/\|...............................................|/\|..                                 Europe private press - SMOT 1-A  1-B

TOP
The quite scarce '80s (analog) repress was so small it went right psst many collectors unknowingly. Caught hold of one of the limited copies made and it's pretty nice living up to the billing or gliding gracefully like this :  
One of the most engaging and consistently surprising British acid-folk LPs has never been reissued ( er, yes it was, one night way past now), and rarely gets mentioned in round-ups of the field. MOONKYTE probably only troubles collectors of UK early 70s folk-rock curios these days. Bradford, U.K. band Moonkyte's album 'Count Me Out', was issued in 1971 on the ephemeral Mother label in an intriguing spiral die cut church sleeve, and subsequently in Germany on Metronome (a better pressing, but without the die cut sleeve). Like so many albums release in the waning phase of the folk-rock movement, it came and went leaving an impression on a lucky few only. Now, for folks who have devoured records by the likes of the Incredible String Band, COB, Forest and Spirogyra, albums like 'Count Me Out', form a fruitful avenue for further exploration into the lost canon of UK underground head music, sitting comfortably in the pile by the record player with congruent curios by bands like Fuschia, Jan Dukes de Grey and the Sun Also Rises. The line up on 'Count Me Out' points clearly to the treats in store for the listener. Dave Foster plays guitar, harmonica and contributes vocals. Trevor Graven plays bass and contributes vocals. Mick Humphreys plays drums, and Dave Stansfield steers the 'Kyte on harmonium, percussion and vocals. The core membership is augmented by Dave Ambler one sitar, banjo, flute, and keyboards.  The many instrumental options available allow for a deceptively spare, but in reality quite layered and intricate sonic landscape.
   
'Count Me Out' starts out with the beautifully ambling 'Search'. To a rhythm that evokes the unhurried progress of a horse-drawn cart, the listener is advised to "Take a dose of solitude" and "Look to the skies" among other things, most of which connect to the prevailing hippie desire to map out a spiritual and anti-materialistic aesthetic space. The swooning, off-kilter harmonies are a harbinger of deep strangeness yet to come, suggesting acid-altered auditory perception. It's a fine way to get off the mark, backed up in equally promising style by 'It's the Same Thing'. Following on thematically and sonically from 'Search', the track is a shuffling stoned ambulation that ponders the difficulties of parsing reality while tossing out jocular paradoxes like "Running 'round in circles/With your feet nailed to the ground". The keening harmonium line and daftly ironic backing harmonies burrow nicely down to the basal ganglia, releasing floods of endorphins in the process. Reference points in order of orbital distance would be Forest, COB and the Incredible String Band, though Moonkyte seems further from folk and deeper into damaged drug-experimentation than any of these contemporaries. The record finds its mojo in a big way with one of the great sitar headswirlers, 'Way Out Hermit'. Accompanied by droning bass and hissing cymbals, Dave Ambler's excellent sitar work builds a spidery moonlit staircase to the top of a mystical tor while Stanfield's zoned vocals weave skeins of mist around all. Unfolding like a lotus petal, its acid folk at is most inwardly focused and levitational, immaculate in both conception and execution. 'The Girl Who Came out of My Head' is regularly cited as an exemplar of this album, and so it is, though it's quite similar structurally to the opening tracks, as well as being somewhat Barrett-esque. Much better is 'Tapestry Girl', an alien vignette mastered so quietly one almost has to strain to hear its intricate cyclical melody and vaporous instrumentation. It morphs skillfully into 'Bridge Song', linked by similar melody and arrangement, flutes and bells reminding one a little of the Trader Horne LP 'Morning Way'. The flipside consolidates the fine work on side one. 'Where Will the Grass Grow' is nice companion piece to 'Way Out Hermit', 'Lost Weekend' mirrors 'It's the Same Thing', though possibly hasn't worn as well. 'Blues for Boadicea' matches the mythic resonance of its subject matter with an unadorned arrangement and stately, ritualistic melody. 'Happy Minstrel' is a throwaway track that the band would be happy to be used as landfill now, but the much compiled 'Jelly Man' finishes off the record with a deranged brown acid hallucination that hilarious, disturbing and naggingly catchy. Though memorable, it's an oddity here, almost like a stab at a Donovan style psych-pop single.

All-in-all it's a thoroughly marvelous slice of early 70s acid-folk strangeness.....
 Search
. It's The Same Thing
 Way Out Hermit
 Girl Who Came Out Of My Head
 Tapestry Girl
 Bridge Song
 Lead This Sinner On
 Where Will The Grass Grow
. Lost weekend
Blues For Boadicea
 Happy Minstrel
 Jelly Man


Moonkyte
Dave Stansfield - Harmonium, Percussion, Vocals
Dave Foster - Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
Trevor Craven - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Mick Humphreys - Drums
                 CONDITION: The cover: rated: very thin, delicate and CLEAN, rates M- and you'll agree ... there are no delete marks, no split seams, no bends, and no writing  ...

The vinyl: Rated: M- clean and smooth, both sides. Nice enough to enjoy many times as a classic "grower" ...both custom labels are perfect.
              A cool addition to anyone's music library!






  SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...   EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING All imperfections are noted both cover & record   NOTE: All Items backed by  money back guarantee! IF you have a problem PLEASE let us solve for you BEFORE leaving ANY negative feedback. Thanks!   GRADING SCALE: M, M-, EX, VG++,VG+, VG, VG- M    Completely clean, no marks M-   Carefully used, looks clean, plays clean, shiny gloss, no marks EX   Faint scuff or superficial mark, near M-, high gloss, plays clean VG++ Glossy with minimal scuffing or light mark playing very nice, clean VG+ a bit more scuff or markls still plays well with very minimal surface at worse VG   more marks/scratches only minor, nothing deep, no loud clicks or pops         this grade is abused by many, VG here does not mean "trashed" VG-  surface noise present, will not have skips or jumps     ALL PAYMENTS SHOULD BE MADE WITHIN 5 DAYS Of AUCTIONS END   BIDDERS PLEASE = Do Not Bid If You Are Not Serious About  Following Through The Transaction!   ALL ITEMS GUARANTEED FOR WINNING BID - LESS SHIPPING!