High Tide was a band formed in 1969 by Tony Hill (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Simon House (violin and keyboards), Pete Pavli (bass) and Roger Hadden (drums). The trademark of their first album Sea Shanties was the constant battle between the electric guitar of Tony Hill and the electric violin of Simon House. There is hardly a quiet moment on Sea Shanties, the heaviest tracks being "Futilist's Lament" and the instrumental "Death Warmed Up". Stylistically it is a mix of hard rock, psychedelic, blues, folk, and jazz-rock, and is sometimes even cited as the first progressive metal album.
The second, self-titled, album is a little less heavy and introduces some keyboards, played by Hill and House; the folk and jazz-rock influences are more noticeable on this album. Featuring just three tracks - Blankman Cries Again, The Joke and Saneonymous - it can be seen as a concept of sorts, the theme being the slow slide into pychosis. Indeed, Roger Hadden was later committed for just that reason.
01. Blankman Cries Again
02. The Joke
03. Saneonymous
Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks:
04. The Great Universal Protection Racket
05. The Joke
06. Blankman Cries Again
07. Ice Age
