Tears And Pavan (Strawbs, 1973)

Strawbs were surely underrated during their early career, but Dave Cousins' band reached stunning creative peaks since their very first works and they never lost it. This track comes from "Bursting at The Seams", Strawbs' sixth album and it's the deepest and maybe most interesting one in this 1973 LP. The band's folk roots perfectly meet  progressive and classic elements following their wide, unpredictable arrangement concept. In fact, "Tears And Pavan" is divided into two parts (namely "Tears" and "Pavan") and it starts like a folk ballad, earthly sung by Cousins with the usual acoustic background. 

One of my favourite LPs by Strawbs, not one of my favourite cover arts...

But just when you think that's all the track has to say, here come the instrumental part and a Greek flavour you'd never expected there, followed by a Medieval touch. A good keyboard work (mellotron and harpsichord) graces this mini-suite and of course the melody is gorgeous and so well sung that even if you could find the arrangement a little too baroque, this track always keeps a high emotional power. Each time I listen to it, I feel like a traveler going across time, space and inner realms.