Search - Mike Heron :: Where the Mystics Swim

Absolutely Beautiful and full of Meaning.

T. Marshall | New York, NY USA | 01/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The String Band were always ahead of their time; Mike's latest ventures are so far ahead of their time it'll be the 22nd century before he is really appreciated and understood. This latest material is wonderful and sensitive and points to where we should be going after we finally get over the upheavals of the 60's and start getting on with our lives. It's a common experience to listen to a great album and not like it at first; after a few listenings the sounds sink in and we understand how great it is; it brings us new experiences rather than pandering to our former selves. This version of the album brings Mike's voice to an audible level. I wish he was appreciated more by the general populace but heck at least we get a CD once in a while! Tom and Alexi is beautiful, Leaning on my Heart as well; if you want to GROW, this is the place to start!"

MORE, PLEASE

Kerry Leimer | Makawao, Hawaii United States | 06/19/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While Robin Williamson went on to record dozens of releases, we've heard little from Mike Heron. In fact, it's been hard to think of Mike Heron outside the context of the Incredible String Band and the company of the gifted Mr. Willliamson. But this record actually accomplishes that feat: when listening to "Where the Mystics Swim" Mike's voice, words and instruments create a complete whole that thrives outside the history of ISB. Setting aside some of the questionable "rock" records Mike released with the band "Heron", we really have only two solo albums before "Mystics" - "Conflict of Emotions", which is certainly worth having, and the brilliant "Smiling Men With Bad Reputations" (why hasn't this been reissued on CD?), his first solo album which featured John Cale, of all people. With "Mystics" we have an intelligent, gentle and consistently radiant album driven forward by Mike's unique voice, made even more interesting and compelling with the passing of years. Mike Heron's work has always been highly original, but here it is also highly accessible. I say this because I must confess to some difficulty, even 30 years ago, in sitting all the way through a song like "White Bird" from the ISB's "Changing Horses". "Mystics" never dives to any level of meandering self-indulgence. Song for song, I wouldn't bother to pick out favorites. The case with this CD is simply that each song lives and breathes on its own . The overall effect is one that delivers an unhurried beauty tempered by time and experience, and made all the more profound by the silence of the intervening years."

Enjoyable Album, but not Incredible

S. GODFREY | Risca, South Wales | 12/18/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Since the split of the Incredible String Band and the subsequent demise of his sadly overlooked "Reputation" adventures, Mike Heron has been much less prolific than his erstwhile partner Robin Wiliamson. Its entirely understandable that Mike should prefer staying home and enjoying life to the rigours and expectations of touring and recording, but this album (which originally came out around the same time as the duo's reunion gigs in 1997, and has since been re-mixed by Lawson Dando) represented a welcome return to the fray, even though the results are somewhat less exciting than his String Band forays into the musical unknown. All the songs are well crafted and well played, with excellent support from his three backing musicians, but only the magnificently atmospheric "A Song For Robert Johnson" and the touching "1968" could really be described as special in any way. Elswhere Mike seems to be playing safe; I don't blame him for this and I'm glad he made this album - but the guy is capable of producing much more interesting and individualistic music. I hope he'll be encouraged by the success of the recent String Band reunions - where he received rapturous recognition for "This Moment" and "Maker of Islands" - to produce the killer album he has always been capable of."