Comus

Comus drew its moniker from a figure in one of John Milton’s poems and operated as a fleeting yet intense folk-rock ensemble. The group sought to fuse components drawn from King Crimson together with the stylistic leanings of Pentangle, Fairport Convention, and additional ensembles rooted more firmly in traditional folk. This approach yielded an occasionally unsettling blend of airy and shadowy textures. Their first release, First Utterance (1971), featured artwork that closely and probably intentionally echoed the sleeve of In The Court of the Crimson King. Following an interval of inactivity, the musicians resurfaced in 1974 with To Keep From Crying, which adopted a more exploratory stance. First-pressings of the debut continue to fetch striking sums even after later editions issued by BGO in the U.K. and Si-Wan in Asia.