Pearls Before Swine, the psych-folk outfit led by Tom Rapp that had its brief heyday in the mid-'60s, is one of those bands more talked about, referenced and revered than actually listened to, in part because of the difficulty in tracking down any high-fidelity copies of their best work. So legendary experimental music label ESP's recent reissue of the band's first -- and by reputation best -- two albums on a single CD is welcome indeed. It's my first time actually hearing "One Nation Underground" and "Balaklava," and while the first is not quite a revelation, it's certainly no disappointment either, a potent blend of Dylanesque and Cohenesque (the Leonard kind) poetry and vocals along with a healthy dose of mystic surrealism and drugginess.
-- T.B.
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