SF Sorrow was the fourth album release by the Pretty Things. It represented a major change from the R&B of the group's earlier years. Not only did it embrace the English psychedelic style but it was also a concept album, released well before Tommy.

The Pretty Things recorded SF Sorrow at EMI's Abbey Road studios shortly after the Beatles and Pink Floyd had been in residence recording Sergeant Pepper and Piper at the Gates of Dawn respectively. EMI's house engineer Normal Smith worked on the sessions. At the time, the music scene was moving away from the 7" single towards album-oriented rock. It was becoming more intellectual and less about "disposable" 3-minute pop songs. The album was interrupted when drummer Skip Alan decided to leave the group. He was replaced by John "Twink" Alder who had previously been in Tomorrow.

The Pretty Things had not been commercially successful and had amassed a mountain of debt. A move to EMI was supposed to put the band on the right footing. The single, Defecting Grey, was the first release on EMI. Although this did not chart it indicated a new direction for the group. The album represented a further change as it showcased 13 songs joined in a story rather than a collection of unrelated tracks. Even Sergeant Pepper could not be viewed as a 100% concept while the Small Faces' Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake limited the concept to one side of the album only. Phil May wrote the story alongside the composition of the songs. It is based around a soldier Sebastian F Sorrow (what did the F stand for?). He falls in love but loses the girl as the balloon she is travelling in explodes. He is stricken with grief but then meets Baron Saturday who takes him on a journey showing him his past life and he searches for new spiritual values. In the end it is all very dark.

Even though it had been completed, the album was not released until the end of 1968 when the more psychedelic sound was on the way out. This may partially explain the album's lack of commercial success. In addition, many of the songs were difficult to perform live so the band did not specifically promote it live. EMI's promotion was seen to be poor. EMI may have been far more focused on promoting the Beatles and Pink Floyd.

However, the album does stand up well almost 60 years later. It does work well as a body of linked songs rather than a couple of hits and more like many albums of the time. The CD re-release improves the album with the addition of the singles Defecting Grey and Talkin' About the Good Times and their respective b-sides.

SF Sorrow is a classic album and deserves a much wider audience than it had in 1968-1969. While it may not have the operatic feel of Tommy, the fact it is a collection of songs linked by a story does support the claim that it was the first real rock opera.

EMI Colombia SX 6306

Original release: 20 December 1968

CD Re-release: Madfish SMACDX1115 2018

Essential Tracks