The Incredible String Band

"The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion" is the second album by the Scottish psychedelic folk group The Incredible String Band, released in 1967. The album features a mix of traditional folk songs, original compositions, and Eastern-inspired instrumentation, and it showcases the group's eclectic and experimental approach to music-making.

The record's title refers to the Hindu belief in the 5000 layers of the onion, which represent the 5000 veils of illusion that obscure the true nature of reality. This theme is reflected in the album's lyrics, which explore spiritual and metaphysical subjects, such as the nature of the self, the search for enlightenment, and the relationship between the individual and the universe.

The album features a range of musical styles, including traditional Scottish and English folk, Indian classical music, and avant-garde rock. The group's use of exotic instrumentation, such as the sitar, tabla, and dulcimer, gives the music a distinctive and otherworldly quality.

The album was a commercial and critical success upon its release, and it has since been hailed as a pioneering work of psychedelic folk music. It is often cited as an influence on later artists in the genre, and it has been included on numerous lists of the greatest albums of all time.

Despite its critical acclaim, the album was not without its detractors. Some reviewers at the time criticized the group's unconventional approach to music-making, and some found the lyrics to be overly abstract and pretentious. Nevertheless, "The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion" remains an important and influential work in the history of psychedelic folk music.