THESE TRAILS
'These Trails was an Honolulu, Hawaii group that was privately pressed on Sinergia Records in 1973. Their eponymous debut is an album that skillfully combines a keen sense of melody with otherworldly vocals from the enigmatic, late 'Margaret Morgan' and innovative sonic experimentation that over 30 years later has stood the test of time. What's more, the band furnished each of its tracks with the colours, scents and atmospheres of the botanical treasure of the volcanic Pacific island paradise that birthed them.
These Trails incorporate the synthesizer and multiple vocal tracks into something rich, moody and magical - with warbling frequency modulation complimenting Morgan's amazing slow vibrato, fleshed out by graceful acoustic guitars. The songs are full of simple beauty and the power of the performances will never diminish over time.
Each track stands out: "Psyche I & Share Your Water" is a 5 minute track begins with a calm, soothing Folk feel highlighted by some fine acoustic guitar work. Eventually it descends into bad trip territory with ghastly vocals and spooky electronics – an outstanding track, very trippy and worth the price of admission alone. 'Garden Botanum' is another strong highlight that hits like a ray of Hawaiian sunshine, the arrangements are free and green with lots of interesting twists, the vocals are beautifully exotic. 'Rapt Attention' is short, perfect ditty with a twee, joyful feeling and an incredible vocal performance. This is an unbelievably wonderful piece of music and one of the greatest albums of the 70s.'
These Trails incorporate the synthesizer and multiple vocal tracks into something rich, moody and magical - with warbling frequency modulation complimenting Morgan's amazing slow vibrato, fleshed out by graceful acoustic guitars. The songs are full of simple beauty and the power of the performances will never diminish over time.
Each track stands out: "Psyche I & Share Your Water" is a 5 minute track begins with a calm, soothing Folk feel highlighted by some fine acoustic guitar work. Eventually it descends into bad trip territory with ghastly vocals and spooky electronics – an outstanding track, very trippy and worth the price of admission alone. 'Garden Botanum' is another strong highlight that hits like a ray of Hawaiian sunshine, the arrangements are free and green with lots of interesting twists, the vocals are beautifully exotic. 'Rapt Attention' is short, perfect ditty with a twee, joyful feeling and an incredible vocal performance. This is an unbelievably wonderful piece of music and one of the greatest albums of the 70s.'
Location is very often everything when it comes to great folk music, whether it be the tranquil green countryside of home-counties England that informed the pastoral moods of Nick Drakes legendary albums, or the heather-clad moorland and Neolithic sites of Northern England used today as backdrops to the avant-folk experimentation of Xenis Emputae Travelling Band. In the world of psychedelic folk there are few better examples of this than the sole self-titled release from 1973 by These Trails, a then little known folk act from Hawaii, that is now held up, with deserved reverence, as a cult-classic of the genre. It is an album that skillfully combines a keen sense of melody with otherworldly vocals from the enigmatic late Margaret Morgan and innovative sonic experimentation that over 30 years later has stood the test of time. What’s more the band furnished each of its tracks with the colours, scents and atmospheres of the botanical treasure of the volcanic Pacific island paradise that birthed them.
~by Simon Allen
~by Simon Allen
These Trails (1973)
01. These Trails 1:24
02. Our House In Hanalei 1:51
03. Of Broken Links 1:40
04. El Rey Pescador 3:07
05. Psyche I & Share Your Water 5:22
06. Hello Lou 3:47
07. Rusty's House & Los In Space 5:49
08. Psyche II 2:30
09. Sowed A Seed 2:17
10. Rapt Attention 2:15
11. Waipoo 2:36
12. Garden Botanum 3:31
02. Our House In Hanalei 1:51
03. Of Broken Links 1:40
04. El Rey Pescador 3:07
05. Psyche I & Share Your Water 5:22
06. Hello Lou 3:47
07. Rusty's House & Los In Space 5:49
08. Psyche II 2:30
09. Sowed A Seed 2:17
10. Rapt Attention 2:15
11. Waipoo 2:36
12. Garden Botanum 3:31
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