Clark Hutchinson - Retribution (Heavy Progressive Rock UK 1970)

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Clark-Hutchinson's debut album had been devoted entirely to long, tiresome psychedelic guitar instrumentals with Indian and blues-rock influences. On their second record, although some of that approach was retained, they at least branched out to some degree, adding some vocals and somewhat more deranged blues-rock tangents. And guess what? It's still indulgent psychedelic hard rock, often annoyingly so, all but one of the five tracks falling into the seven- to ten-minute range. It's some of the most lunkheaded stoner rock you'll come across, and if that seems like a churlishly unfair label, it's one they bring onto themselves with the first cut, "Free to Be Stoned." 

For it's here they fly their inept freak flag high, a from-the-gutter, hysterical vocal declaring against a crude blues-rock backing, "I don't wanna be good, but I don't care if I'm bad, I don't want to feel happy, but I don't care if I feel sad...I just wanna be...STONED! STONED! STONED! STONED! For the rest of my natural life!" Just the kind of guy you want to hang out with for next half-hour, huh? The attitude-over-songwriting ethos continues to rule over most of the other tracks, including a tepid ten-minute cocktail jazz instrumental, a ten-minute standard blues-rocker featuring (like "Free to Be Stoned") some of the most disagreeably half-shouted British blues-rock vocals ever laid down, and a finale ("Death, the Lover") that comes off like a particularly bad Arthur Brown imitation in its high-pitched vocal and lyrical mania. [Review by Richie Unterberger]

01. Free to Be Stoned        
02. After Hours        
03. In Another Way        
04. Best Suit        
05. Death, the Lover  

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