Silk Torpedo
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Silk Torpedo
| type = Album
| artist = Pretty Things
| cover = Pretty Things silk torpedo.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1 November 1974
| recorded = 1973
| venue =
| studio = Olympic Studios, London
| genre = Rock
| length = 42:02 (original release)
| label = Swan Song
| producer = Norman Smith
| prev_title = Freeway Madness
| prev_year = 1972
| next_title = Savage Eye
| next_year = 1976
}}
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = Allmusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=silk-torpedo-mw0000043197|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]
| rev6 = Tom Hull
}}
Silk Torpedo is the seventh album by the English rock band Pretty Things. This is their second album without Wally Waller, the group's rhythm guitarist/bassist since 1967. The album has more of a glam rock feel, a contrast from their early R&B years and their psychedelic years.
The album was the first to be released in the UK on the Swan Song Records label.{{cite book | last = Davis | first = Stephen | author-link = Stephen Davis (music journalist) | title = Hammer of the Gods | date = 18 August 2023 | publisher = Pan Books | edition =2008 | location = London | page = 222 | isbn =978-0-330-43859-9 }}
The album is the second rock opera by The Pretty Things, the first being S.F. Sorrow (1968), and follows the story of an unnamed protagonist throughout major points in his life. Since the band has not commented on it much, the story may be open to interpretation, as the story contains some plot ambiguity.
Track listing
("Dream" and "Joey" are conjoined into a single song, as are "Belfast Cowboys" and "Bruise In The Sky".)
{{Track listing | headline = Side one
| title1 = Dream | writer1 = Jon Povey | length1 = 1:08
| title2 = Joey | writer2 = Phil May | length2 = 5:35
| title3 = Maybe You Tried | writer3 = May, Pete Tolson | length3 = 4:19
| title4 = Atlanta | writer4 = May, Tolson | length4 = 2:42
| title5 = L.A.N.T.A. | writer5 = May, Povey, Norman Smith | length5 = 2:23
| title6 = Is It Only Love | writer6 = May | length6 = 5:04
}}
{{Track listing | headline = Side two
| title1 = Come Home Momma | writer1 = May | length1 = 3:32
| title2 = Bridge of God | writer2 = May | length2 = 5:01
| title3 = Singapore Silk Torpedo | writer3 = May, Tolson | length3 = 5:11
| title4 = Belfast Cowboys | writer4 = May, Povey | length4 = 5:10
| title5 = Bruise in the Sky | writer5 = Povey | length5 = 1:50
}}
{{Track listing | headline = Bonus tracks from 2002 CD reissue by Repertoire Records
| title11 = Singapore Silk Torpedo | note11 = live at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1974 | writer11 = May, Tolson | length11 = 7:11
| title12 = Dream / Joey | note12 = live at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1974 | writer12 = May, Povey | length12 = 7:16
}}
Personnel
;The Pretty Things
- Phil May – lead vocals, percussion
- Pete Tolson – lead and acoustic guitars, bass
- Jon Povey – keyboards, backing vocals, harmonica, percussion
- Gordon John Edwards – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, guitar
- Skip Alan – drums, backing vocals, percussion
with:
- Jack Green – backing vocals
- Silver Band – brass on "Is It Only Love"
;Technical
- Norman Smith – production
- Keith Harwood – engineer
- Hipgnosis – cover art
References
{{reflist}}
{{Pretty Things}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Swan Song Records albums
Category:Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis
Category:Albums produced by Norman Smith (record producer)