Always one of the most exquisite-sounding records of the mid-'70s,
Blue Pine Trees was the sound of
Unicorn at the peak of their musical and songwriting abilities. An album that puts you in mind of
Lindisfarne before they got desperate, or
the Beatles if
Ashley Hutchings had produced them, this is British folk-rock at one of its most idiosyncratic extremes. On the one hand,
Unicorn's roots in the sounds of the American West Coast are unmistakable. But, on the other, they never forget their English roots and, mindful too of their familial links to
Pink Floyd (
Dave Gilmour produced the best of their albums),
Blue Pine Trees soars with melancholy subtlety above all of its influences, to remind us just how unique
Unicorn were. Key cuts like "Electric Night," "Autumn Wine," and the spectral beauty of "Ooh! Mother" are subjective; like a great
Al Stewart album, with the
Flying Burrito Brothers behind him,
Blue Pine Trees might lure you in with its overall sheen, but it can continue surprising your ears for weeks. And, according to the fan club, it's not even the best record they ever made!