Unicorn - The Cosmic Storyteller (2001)

Lost artifact of the psychedelic era? Pseudo-Spinal Tap put on? Modernist pop/psychedelia? The Cosmic Storyteller is all of these things. The brainchild of singer/producer/singer Hilary Clay Hicks, these tracks attributed to Unicorn make up a "lost" 1960s album that embraces several different musical genres, and does so with a classy sense of spirit and style. From the gothic, powerful album title-track opener to a funk-inspired workout ("Love Star") to the album's epic, philosophical closer, "The Final Run," the music herein is a virtual tour of musical styles of the 1960s with a heavy underline in the psychedelic style. The vocal arrangements in particular are quite well-crafted and fit the songs perfectly with a fine sense of ambience and passion. Although some of the instrumentation actually tends to sound a bit '80s-ish (particularly with some of the synth-heavy arrangements), this hangs together quite well as an album. If you don't take it too seriously, it's an enjoyable listen, and a well-crafted and ambitious project.