Novalis - 1973 - Banished Bridge

Banished Bridge is a synth-heavy prog album that, although not especially ground breaking, is very dear to me in its raw emotion which I find somewhat reminiscent to Eloy. In this debut, Novalis was a four piece consisting of Heino Schünzel (bass), Hartwig Biereichel (drums),  Lutz Rahn (synth), and Jürgen Wenzel (vocals and guitar). It consists of the epic whole-sided title-track, followed by three shorter ones on side B.

A - Banished Bridge
B1 - High Evolution
B2 - Laughing
B3 - Inside of Me (Inside of You)


Listening to these songs again conjure up past memories in a way I don't commonly experience with other records; A time when I was newer to the various styles of 70s prog. This style doesn't seem to have blues or classical influences so much as much soul and gospel, which works especially well with Lutz Rahn's keyboard playing.

The title-track Banished Bridge is an epic 17 minute piece consisting of many sections, which can be somewhat divided into two identical halves. The bird field recording in the opening is such a great touch, and Jürgen Wenzel's vocals seem to just soar through like a bird by the 2:20 mark, in almost a whisper that reminds me of Pink Floyd's 'Green is the Color' (feeling a sense of déjà vu with this comparison?). The intro goes until around 3:30, when the two-halved sequence begins. Here you can hear Lutz Rahn multi-layering what I think to be three synths together in such a gorgeous way, giving way to this awesome in breakdown. The lack of guitar in no way leaves Novalis' empty sounding in Lutz Rahn's driving performance on multiple keyboards, with spot-on precision and emotion. There's also a great choir piece around 10 minutes in, reminding me of Amon Düül II's 'Yeti' but perhaps more powerful and focused. These are musicians with a direct motive and a means of executing them effectively, in contrast to Amon Düül II's more jam oriented endeavors.

It's hard to express the way I feel towards the next song, High Evolution, one of my favorite 70s psych/prog songs of all time. It evokes in me an anxious sense of mortality and existential wandering. The circular nature of existence that comes with time and age. There is something incredible of about the frantic hyper-arpeggiation of the synth, with the dazed and verbed-out existential musings of Jürgen Wenzel. Really wish I could look at what the official lyrics were because they sound incredibly interesting. But anyway, it's an incredibly tight prog rock masterpiece, each sectioning fitting so well into eachother, and in creative ways. I absolutely adore the backing vocalists. The mixing is perfectly balanced, with just the right level of effects.

The third track Laughing never made as big an impression on me compared with the other ones, not to say it's particularly less good, but in how the other ones deeply effected me emotionally, whereas Laughing is more compositionally interesting. It features some soulful keyboard soloing that really rock out and very tight acoustic guitar by Jürgen Wenzel. Laughing doesn't come at me in the raw, immediately sort of way the other tracks did, but it's just as complicated and interesting, and I admire it no less for being that way. Novalis are very tight with their sections, every part exactly where it needs to be for the right amount of time, and impressively this track is no exception. One could argue it's the most complex song on Banished Bridge.

The closing finale, Inside of Me (Inside of You) takes it's sweet time to built up to what (for me) is the most emotionally rapturous and soulful part of the album. Once again I wish I could read what the official lyrics were, because I adore Jürgen Wenzel voice and like the bits of phrases I can make out (I've never been particularly good at hearing out words in music very well). There is something emotionally pure, direct, and uplifting about the keyboard's church organ playing, its effectiveness somehow residing in its simplicity, with its bright and bold major-sounding chords. The brief rock-out ending in the last 15 seconds makes for a nice touch as well.

I don't know if this album is for everyone. I'm not sure who exactly I'd recommend this to. If synth-heavy psychedelia isn't your bag, this may not be your thing, although I might still implore you to give it a try anyway, for the uniquely talented synth-layering methods of Lutz Rahn's playing. And keep in mind that Novalis's precise playing is not like the more open-ended, jammed-out soloing that most psych rock is associated with. Some people I've shown this record to have complained about the shrillness of the organ sound, but it's something I've always personally liked about that instrument so that was never an issue for me. I've always regarded it as one of my most precious finds within 70s psych/prog realm. It's one of those LP's I keep going back to, luring me with its roller coaster of existential as well as uplifting rawness, clarity, and excellent musicianship, as well as its short/concise length of around 37 minutes. I would give this an "objective" 8/10 for its excellent musicianship but not particularly groundbreaking sound, and a "personal" 9/10 for its emotional resonance with me.

PS: It has a curiously inconspicuous album cover, in a style that reminds me of Arvo Pärt and Organum.

Brainstorm - 1972 - Smile a While

Brainstorm is this amazing jazz/prog rock band I stumbled upon through Spiegelei's catalogue. They are a four piece with Rainer Bodensohn on vocals/flute/bass, Roland Schaeffer on just about everything looks like, Joachim Koinzer on drums, and Eddy von Overheidt on Piano. It is one of the more intense, high energy prog albums I've heard, with Joachim Koinzer's excellent drum skills leading the way through.

1. Das Schwein Trügt
2. Zwick Zwick
3. Watch Time Flow By
4. Bosco Biati Weiß Alles
     a) Bosco Biati
     b) Weiß
     c) Alles

5. Snakeskin Tango 6. Smile a While     a) Intro     b) Brainstorm     c) These     d) Antithese     e) Morning Tune     f) Smile a While 7. You Are What's Gonna Make it Last 8. Don't Forget

The first two tracks start with a bang: incredibly dense, heavily percussive sections. The third track being a short flute intensive interlude, followed by "Bosco Biati Weiß Alles" which starts very sax intensive, a nice drum solo in the middle, and then in Part C these almost bossa nova style vocals that harmonize with the guitar.

I love the crazy vocals in Snakeskin Tango. Brainstorm can really cut loose on a tight, high concept level of instrumentation. The epic 15 minute title-track is perhaps the best example of this, where they rock out really hard. A well crafted epic showcasing the talents of a tight group with wide ranging skills.

The last song, You Are What's Gonna Make It Last is the shorter, more radio friendly song on the album. Even in the context of a quaint psych blues rock ditty, I think they really kick ass, complete with short-but-sweet guitar solo.

Not much else to say. Smile a While is brain candy for the Prog Rock enthusiast, with a diverse range of instrumentation and rhythmically complex ideas. Highly recommended. 9/10

A.R. & Machines - 1972 - Echo

Echo was the last  of the two albums Achim Reichel did with The Machines before going solo, and it's one of my favorite jam oriented psych-rock albums ever. It is an epic 2xLP consisting of only four very long tracks (if you count tracks 2 & 3 as the same, since they are kind of a continuation of each other). Music is written by Achim Reichel, who did a lot of the instruments although it's not clear to me which ones exactly. Guitar is credited Helmuth Franke, drums by Tarrach, sax by Jochen Peterson, jew's harp by Arthur Carstens, clarinet by Norbert Jacobson, vocals by Conny Plank, Klaus Schulze (!!!), and Matti Klatt. Lyrics written by Frank Dostal. The record was released by big-time label Polydor. For better ease of reference I have chosen to list the track names and sections by their English translation:

1. Invitation
     a) Invitation
     b) To New Adventures
     c) In the Magic Forest of the 7 Senses
     d) In the Labyrinth of the Mind
     e) At the Waltz of the Inclinations
     f) Under the Black-Green-Red Banner
     g) International Anthem

2a. The Echo of the Presence
     a) Awakening On the Shore
     b) In Front of the House at the Growing Mountain
     c) Signal
     d) Knowledge is Spring in Autumn
     e) Iron-Laura with the Lyra

2b. The Echo of Time
     f) I am Astonished
     g) On the Sledge
     h) To the Echo of Time
     i) Down the Rainbows
     j) Through Feelable, Measurable Nothing
     k) Eternal Farewell On Lilac Ardour

3. The Echo of the Future
     a) Suspicions
     b) At the Dance of the Electrical Winds
     c) Before the Birth of a New Dimension
     d) Interstellar Communications
     e) The Opening of the Big Gate
     f) The Dream of Balance

4. The Echo of the Past
     a) Memories of the Day After Tomorrow
     b) Ab Libido
     c) Ego Lego
     d) Burns Like a Light at the End of a Tunnel

I have sort of a hard time telling which section is which. It would probably be easier if I could see the vinyl grooves. The album starts off with some psychedelic guitar layering, accompanied by this interesting watery sound and drums mixed rather low. By the 5:30 mark of Invitation the guitar fades out with just the watery noises, giving way to glass clinks and vocal mumbling; a very psychedelic and disorienting collage of sound without rhythm, punctuated by bass diddling. At around 6:40 the rhythm guitar comes back on in full force. The way it plays off the bass, and with the synth backdrop gives off this desolate feel that seems to pull on ones heart strings. Also some excellent strings and flute whose performances appear to be uncredited (done my Achim Reichel himself possibly?). Achim Rachel demonstrates a gift for writing these liquid compositions, with each section sort of melding into the next. On one hand it's like a jam, but paying closer attention it seems pretty well thought out. I would be curious to know the creative process behind it. After desolation comes the sound of wind accompanied by Jochen Peterson's sax. By this time the synth (wind) has taken over, mixed louder than the rest. The amount of layering in these compositions show the meticulous work that must have been done in the mixing process. By around 12:10 of Invitation the drums pick up with a touch of phaser effect that accompanies the wind sounds. The song crescendos into an awesome guitar jam-out (section f?). It ends with some very strange acappella and other dissonant sounds.

More meticulous guitar layering in "The Echo of the Present" that is absolutely gorgeous. I'm guessing Achim Reichel does the picking, with Helmuth Franke on backing rhythm. The album continues with this wispy sort of vibe. By around 3:50 we hear the first vocals, which I think are done rather well (4 people are credited with vocals so I have no idea which person it is). I love the incredibly psychedelic synth craziness that comes in at around 6:20. Even though I can't tell which section is which, I think that's a good thing in this case, because everything flows together perfectly. This album sounded like a freeform jam my first listen, but now it seems fairly laid out and purposeful to me. Echo demonstrates such an impressive amount of control in every respect, with the most cutting edge proficiency in effects and synth crafting. The second track ends with some awesome electronic drones.

The other tracks stick relatively well to a similar collage of ambient soundscapes, trippy guitar, krautrock buildups and sample manipulations. Skipping over to the last track, the album closes with "The Echo of the Present." Some very emotional interplay between the vocals and the sax, giving way to a rather silly acappella discourse around 4 minutes in, incoherent caveman noises reminiscent of the original Amon Düül. Not gonna lie, it's a bit of a jarring, unexpected transition. This is the point where the album really diverges stylistically and takes on a much lighter tone which goes on until an absolutely abrupt transition at around 12:50. The next section had dramatic sounding strings with some spoken word over it. I really don't know what to make of this closing track. The sections feel way more stitched together, a total farcry from the liquid brilliance of the previous tracks. It somewhat makes up for this with the awesome ambient section 16 minutes in, but for the most part ends up sabotaging whatever momentum that Echoes could have culminated into. I think if the acappella silliness could have been replaced by something that could transition better into this beautiful last session the album could have been close to perfect. However, considering the fact that there's over an hour of well crafted psychedelia throughout this whole LP, I can't complain too much.

The controlled jamming and mixing reminds me of the Walter Wegmüller's Tarot, which was mentioned previously in this blog. There's expertly done field recording manipulations, guitar effects, and trippy soundscapes throughout the whole thing. Achim Reichel demonstrates himself to be a real sonic visionary in the psychedelic rock genre, molding and coordinating these compositions into shapes seldom realized. Echos is very thematic in how the tracks aren't dramatically different from each other stylistically. One could argue that its excessively long, perhaps downright indulgent with the closing track, but for the most part adds to its sense of immersion. A real one of a kind LP which would have been near perfect had the final track not been such a letdown. 8/10

Sub - 1971 - In Concert

At a Glance

Originally released in 1971 by Italian rock/pop label Help!, 'In Concert' was later re-released by Penner Records, Mayfair Music, and Garden of Delights. Sub, is a 5 piece hailing from Munich, Germany and consists of Christian Wilhelm on vocals, Klaus Kätel on guitar, Peter Stimmel on bass, Johannes Vester on keyboard, and Lutz Ludwig on drums. Aside from a 7 inch release in 1969 by Rex Records, this looks to be the only thing Sub ever put out.

A1. Substhin I (18:17)
B1. Off (3:56)
B2. Substhin II (2:35)
B3. Gimme Some Lovin' (3:53)
B4. Ma-Mari-Huana (4:52)
B5. Match I (2:25)
B6. Match II (2:32)

The Skinny

I really did not know what to expect coming into this album. Although Discogs.com categorizes it primarily as Hard Rock, I think Psychedelic is more accurate in this case. As you can see, it starts off with the whole-sided epic "Substhin I." Listeners beware if you don't like 'synth noodling.' I happen to like that sort of thing so it doesn't bother me (lucky for you it's only in this track). Their psych-blues style is reminiscent of Satin Whale's debut, but perhaps more rugged and not as academic. Substhin I is alright, showcasing each musician but I found it rather indistinct.

I think the stuff after Side A is where 'In Concert' really shines. "Off" (definitely my favorite track) is very interesting for is unusual rhythm while also managing to be very expressive, the vocals reminiscent of 60s psych rock. Christian Wilhelm does an excellent job with english lyrics that don't sound awkward. Non-native english vocals create their own unique style that I've come to associate with the krautrock sound.

I really like Ma-Mari-Huana. Horny and stoned soulchedelic love-mumblings that are almost reminiscent of Suicide's vocals with heavy phaser effects.

Overall I would describe 'In Concert' as quaint. Proficient in what it does. Not particularly above average or groundbreaking, but solid. The vocalist I'd say is definitely the standout of the bunch. If you are a fan of late 60s, early 70s psychedelic rock, looking for a new fix, this might be just what you need. Otherwise it's not something I'd recommend to anyone new to the genre. I give this album a 6/10.

Pärson Sound - 1966-68 - Pärson Sound (2001 RE)

The double disc self-titled Pärson Sound compilation is a collection of various jams spanning from 1966 to 1968 by a group who briefly went by International Harvester, until settling on the name Träd, Gräs Och Stenar (trees, grass, and stone). Never to see the light of day until being released by Subliminal Sounds in 2001, it captures some of the earliest instances of very hypnotic minimal psych rock drones. Although it's rather messy and lo-fi, they play with the utmost intensity and soul, making the lengthy durations feel more than worthwhile. I never once get the feeling that any of the tracks go on for too long.
 
The psych rock jam oriented aspect of Pärson Sound is a sound much more prevalent in a lot of the ones today (Acid Mothers Temple, Colour Haze, Pharaoh Overlord, Electric Moon, Electric Orange, ect). As such it seems ahead of its time, although didn't get released until much later when the style has become more acceptable and sought after. It's awesome getting the chance to hear such echoes from the past.

1-01. Intro
1-02. Tio Minuter (Ten Minutes)
1-03. From Tunis To India In Fullmoon (On Testosterone)
1-04. India (Slight Return)
1-05. A Glimpse Inside The Glyptotec-66
1-06. One Quiet Afternoon (In The King's Garden)

2-01. Sov Gott Rose-Marie - Parts 1-3: "It's Only Love", "Till Indien" And "Sov Gott Rose-Marie"
2-02. Skrubba
2-03. Milano
2-04. On How to Live
2-05. Blåslåten

The first of the 20 minute tracks is From Tunis to India in Fullmoon, which features hypnotic ripps riffing between saxophone and guitar, with an ominous cello floating in the background, although the lo-fi recording makes it a bit less audio than I'd prefer. One is especially reminded of Acid Mothers Temple's freak-out jams in its spontaneity its energy, and babbling vocals.

India (Slight Return) is a blissful, zen-ed out jam, much slower than the fast pacing in the previous track. After India it goes to a completely meter-less ambient drone of what sounds like eerie vocal manipulations and guitar feedback. One Quiet Afternoon is a noisy jam with some totally far out guitar feedback and weird vocal stuff. Overall a diverse range of ideas on the first disc.

Whereas all the tracks on Disc 1 seem significantly unique from eachother, disc 2 starts to come back with some familiar stuff. Track 1 of disc 2, Sov Gott Rose-Marie is pretty much an earlier version of India (Slight Return) (the former from December 1967, the latter from February 1968). Only this time it's significantly more well recorded and with clearer, sort of dirge-like vocals that come in on what I assume to be part 3.

Skrubba is an outdoor jam recorded in Stockholm, May 1968. It's the longest track clocking in at just under 29 minutes. Possibly my favorite of this comp for no particular reason I could give (it's not so radically different from their other slow jams) than the fact that it's pleasant and immersive in its length. One of the tracks that especially makes me wish it was better recorded, what with 6 instruments playing at once. There's an awesome solo at the end which I thought was some kind of woodwind, but am going to guess is in fact the soprano sax being played by Kjell Westling. The electric violin played by Urban Yman is also very cool. At this point I would say that I'm more into 'From Tunis to India' and 'India (Slight Return)' as far as favorite tracks go, but I still hold Skrubba in high regard.

Milano is an intense psychedelic explosion of cymbals that was initially meant to accompany a friend's art exhibition (wonder what it was). The groovy beat that it climaxes to at the end is so reminiscent of a sound that is prevalent in jam rock bands today. The transition into On How to Love via hand drums, bird sounds, and flute is just perfect. It's a great mellow song that contrasts well with the intensity of the previous, and the way the acoustic guitar, flue, hand drums meld together is so lovely. The field recordings of birds gives the whole thing a nod to their grounding in the outdoor (indeed they participated in a significant number of outdoor live events it seems).

The final track is unlike anything else. Blåslåten is a floating world of cascading saxophones and perhaps other horned instruments layered over eachother. I don't see any musicians listed under the credits but I assume the sax is by the same Thomas Tidholm from the other recordings. It makes for a nice finale contrasted from the other ones in its lack of meter or their usual lineup, ending with a silly little free jazz thing that I'm not 100% sure is preferable to leaving out entirely(if you're all for anti-aesthetic and not taking things too seriously: yay; If you're all for making the best sonic progression of things: nay).

The Pärson Sound compilation has always been one of my main go-to albums when it comes to jam oriented psych rock. Its early existence highlights the continuity of musical trends, and the ways in which some of the aesthetics we've come to love have come back full circle; another missing link emerging from the depths of time and forgotten tape reels. And we have labels like Subliminal Sounds to thank for it. A real treasure. Not the greatest in its technical prowess, but free in spirit. The recordings, picked within a 3 year gap, were very well chosen in their diversity and ordering. And I have to give it props for being perfect for any intense psychedelic trip, as it goes through such a variety of speed, intensity, and mood. Perhaps this sound was a bit too ahead of its time and they went on to have a somewhat different aesthetic as Träd, Gräs Och Stenar but in accordance to the psychedelic rock today, these guys really had the whole thing figured out from the start. 8/10

Eloy - 1973 - Inside

I mostly enjoy Eloy until up to about the mid 70s, before they transgressed entirely from prog/psych into power ballads. Their second album Inside is the one where I felt they really hit a sweet spot. Like scratching a particular itch that rarely gets scratched. They got progressively more progressive as their career started, Inside being a sort of transition period before becoming what I might consider too self-consciously conceptual, or maybe just the fact that their attempts at spoken word they later tried didn't work on me as well.

1. Land of Nobody
2. Inside
3. Future City
4. Up and Down
5. Daybreak
6. On the Road

I always found the first three tracks to be extremely memorable. Frank Bornemann vocals just seem to work best for me in songs like Land of Nobody. Every instrument has memorable personalities and take on their fair share of heavy duty instrumentation while managing to blend together. Furthermore, there`s nothing particularly dated I find their sound. Its not quite hard rock, psychedelic, or prog. In that sense I get a very refreshing and timeless quality from Eloy's earlier stuff, this album being where they got it just right. As a drummer myself I also appreciate Inside's wide range of rhythmic ideas. The use of falsetto in the finale I thought was tasteful, and not gimmicy/used as a crutch; ie its placed in the one climactic spot thats most appropriate for just a couple measures before moving on to other stuff. This album managed to be epic in non-cheesy ways that I'm not sure I could say as much for with their later stuff (I pretty much like their work up to their 1979 Silent Cries and Might Echoes release).

I'm not exaggerating when I say that the title-track is one of my favorite psych/prog releated songs. Certainly if one were to measure based on number of listens. It just has the most perfect momentum and progression that I've so rarely hear anywhere else. The image I get out of the guitar solo is a phoenix soaring up into the heavens and getting swallowed by the sun. It's an intense and aggressive and fast changing progression that is far more condensed than the previous track, which also highlights their diverse methods of songwriting.

And Future City certainly doesn`t rock out like anything else I`ve heard from as early as 1973. The closest comparison I can make to the interplay between the guitar and bass is Slint`s Spiderland. I just adore how different the tracks are all from eachother. After this almost math rock sort of sound we get the moody and emotional song in 3/4, Up and Down. I`ll refrain from more of my cheesy metaphors, and will just say that I always felt really in tune with the emotion in these songs. Up and Down picks up into this arduous, march that leads into a breakdown that, I guess does consist of a spoken word part. I dont generally feel like the Eloy`s non-native English works quite as well within the context of spoken word, this being no exception. Other than that its yet another excellent track.

Daybreak is more fast paced, and almost Can-like in its rhythmic complexity and diverse percussion. It also uses an exotic, unusual sounding musical scale that creates these really interesting melodies. After that the album ends with a nice two minute composition that has a groovy synth. Not my favorite vocals, but a nice guitar solo that rides along with the synth nicely, ending the album on a high note.

Inside is an example of a band hitting the right balance of creative elements. I also think its a good example of what hard rock can be or could have been, managing to bypass any gimmicks that might have later risen from that particular scene. It remains interesting and fresh with different ideas from start to finish, another advantage of the standard 40 minute vinyl in how it might have motivated a more concise and condensed body of work. It will be a great moment when I can find something else that scratches a certain itch in quite the same way as Inside. 9/10

Deuter - 1971 - D

Before Geog Deuter's reputation as a New Age ambient guru, he made an album quite unlike anything else. 'D' is an adventurous project, consisting of a variety of different experiments from ambient soundscapes to psychedelic guitar drones. Thankfully the recent re-pressings make this gem not so difficult to find, initially released on Kuckuck and later remastered in 2009 by Missing Vinyl and again in 2010 by Esoteric Reactive.

1. Babylon
     i. Andantino
     ii. Allegro 138 A
     iii. Andante
     iv. Allegro 138 B
2. Der Turm / Fluchtpunkt
3. Krishna Eating Fish and Chips
4. Atlantis
5. Grammastrahlen-Lamm

The album starts with an epic 15 minute piece in four sections that is very guitar intensive, going through a wide array of dazzling riffs and drones, with an exotic upbeat Middle Eastern in part four. Already Deuter demonstrates his wide ranging multi-instrumental abilities and a proficiency for modern cutting edge technology of the time period. He uses an impressive amount of layering that is very well mixed. Der Turm / Fluchtpunkt consists of some noisier guitar jam experiments accompanied by hand drums.

Krishna Eating Fish and Chips is a captivating and hypnotic sitar piece and manages to adequately hold my attention while clocking in at just over 10 minutes. Not only is Deuter impressive in his multi-instrumental variety, but also in his use of both dense and stripped down compositions layering wise. Atlantis is a more computer focused soundscape, with all kinds of trippy reversed audio effects, and a haunting synth amidst a watery, bubbly seascape. It is a delightful and effortless combination of both organic and electronic elements that makes this track so immersive and possibly the highlight (for me) of the whole LP. Truly a composition like none other. The album ends with a satisfying ambient synthscape that is so pleasant sounding yet tinged with haunted whisperings.

It's not often one finds an LP so adventurous and fearless, with a proficiency in multi-instrumentation and cutting edge electronic technology, resulting in such a well balanced magnum opus to the human imagination. 9/10

Sand - 1974 - Ultrasonic Seraphim (1996 RE)

There is a wonderful story behind the release of this double disc album, courtesy of the efforts of David Tibet and Steven Stapleton who distributed a collection of works from Sand on their United Durto label, including their 'Golem' LP from 1974 which had extremely limited pressings. The full story is recollected in way better detail than I could ever do on Nurse With Wound's Brainwashed page here.

Disc 1

(Golem)
1. Helicopter
2. Old Loggerhead
3. May Rain
4. On the Corner
5. Sarah
     I. Passacaille
     II. Per Aspera Ad Astra

6. Vulture I

(Born at Dawn)

7. Doncha Feel
8. Moonlightlove
9. Burning House

10. Vulture II

Disc 2

1. May Rain I
2. Desert Storm
3. Sarah (Alternate Version)
4. Power Station
5. Old Loggerhead (Alternate Version)
6. Helicopter (Alternate Version)
7. May Rain II

In-Depth Analysis

Sand is a trio, consisting of Johannes Vester on synth/vocals, Ludwig Papenberg on guitar and organ, and Ulrich Papenberg on bass.


Original cover of 'Golem'

One thing I like about so much krautrock is the sense of space. The fearless abandonment in droning and repetition. Sand is one of the best examples of this I've heard, the extend of what a relatively conventional-pieced band is capable of doing with minimalism. The result from Sand is the most surreal, immersive soundscapes. Songs that move you even though you can't remember any particular part to it (or maybe I should just lay off the weed). Provocative but without hook, and limited rhythmical structure. The interesting and unique thing about Sand is all the guitar layering, and the variety of purposes each layer serves, often as a percussive instrument. I also love the howling soundscapes, presumably done with the synth.

So many wonderful noises in this album. Trippy synth drones on May Rain, accompanied by Vester's phenomenal and haunting vocals. I want to also mention that even within Sand's minimalist style, there's a variety of different kinds of minimalism explore; different structures and elements.

Some of the tracks after Golem are great too. 'Vulture I' has some lovely synth/bass dronings. Also really dig the first track of Born at Dawn, 'Doncha Feel' which sounds like a psychedelic Irish folk song. Up to now, all the whole comp is very unique and one of a kind, but 'Moonlightlove' comes off to me as somewhat more conventional (not necessarily a bad thing but not really my cup of tea) ballad type composition. The use of regular piano is proficient but uninspiring. More great psychedelic folk in 'Burning House' though.

In 'Vulture II' we get a more intensive exploration of the synth/bass dronings previously heard in 'Vulture I.' Fantastic song, and adds to the wide variety of minimalism explored by this band.

The first track on disc two has a more stripped down, less muddy acoustic version of 'May Rain'. Also a generally more disciplined vocal take, although I do like the roughness of the muddier May Rain. Beautiful short little 2 minute piece.

Some of these songs have been less well preserved than others, so the apparent line-level hiss in 'Desert Storm' is not surprising. The notes on the Discogs page stated 'All other Sand material is taken from cassettes and 1/4" master tapes' so maybe this was from a cassette. In any case it's a great, raw sounding jam. Nothing exceptionally different from the other tracks but still somehow memorable. Maybe in its use of hand drums and the "arabic" type melodies.

This alternate version of Sarash is somewhat more minimal than the first, with less crazy noises and more drones in the first track. The emotion and atmosphere of the first half, with haunted vocals almost reminiscent of Ohgr from Skinny Puppy. The other section has intricate acoustic guitar that is accented by the bass. It's an absolutely gorgeous song and easily one of my favorite, if not most favorite tracks on this compilation.

'Power Station' is the longest track on the whole compilation and possibly the most far out and least accessible, in regards to its repetition. It by no means makes it any less good though, but it required slightly more patience. Some really awesome guitar and synth noises especially in the last third of it. The alternate versions of 'Loggerhead' and 'Helicoptor' are similar in their jammed out quality. If you don't mind lots of minimalism they are a very good 3 last tracks.

Technical Space Composer's Crew - 1969 - Canaxis 5

A one-off project by Holger Czukay (co-founder and bassist of Can) and Rolf Dammers inspired by the works of Karlheinz Stockhausen. It comprises of two whole-sided LP tracks full of experimental sound manipulations impressive for their time, especially on side B 'Shook Eyes Ammunition.'

Music Factory (Germany 1969) Tracklisting
A. Ho-Mai-Nhi (The Boat Woman Song)

B. Shook Eyes Ammunition

Spoon Rec. (US 1995) Tracklisting
1. Boat-Woman-Song
2. Canaxis
(bonus) 3. Mellow Out

Revisited Rec. (Germany 2006) Tracklisting
1. Boat Woman Song
2. Canaxis
(bonus) 3. Cruise
(bonus) 4. Epilogue

There is something magically haunting about side A, 'The Boat Woman Song.' Featuring ominous strings, and strange tape loop manipulations of exotic female vocals (field recordings of Vietnamese singers, as credited in the liner notes). The whole thing has this moody, autumnal vibe to it.

It is interesting to note that an excerpt from 'Boat Woman Song' was featured on the OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music compilation, accredited to Holder Czukay which perhaps calls Rolf Dammers involvement into question.

There is nothing quite like this album. There is especially nothing quite like the side B track 'Canaxis.' It features some hypnotic other-worldly modular synth noises and obscure tape-loops. It is apparent that Holger Czukay had access to some great gear as well as archives of exotic recordings. A truely astounding collage of somber and meditative drones and loops that are very well put together.

The album was originally released privately on Can's short lived Music Factory label in 1969. It is interesting to note that there have been bootlegs purporting to be of the original pressings (not surprising considering that they sell for over $1,000). Can's other label Spoon re-released it in 1982. A second re-release in 1995 added the additional song Mellow Out. The Revisited Rec. release in 2007 added an additional track, renaming 'Mellow Out' as 'Epilogue'. Both are credited with being "from 1999 performed 'Magazine' multimedia project within Can Solo Projects live." 'Cruise' features more bizarre experimentation in sound collage, including creepy children voices at altered pitches. It is a very strange juxtaposition of things that don't really seem to fit. I've never heard anything quite like it. 'Epilogue' (alternately titled Mellow Out in other releases) is a sweet little 2 minute jam with guitar and sax.

Canaxis 5 is a real gem, a great recommendation for any Can enthusiast, or those with an interest in early sound experimentation. 9/10

Xhol - 1971 - Motherfuckers GmbH & Co KG

Xhol initially went under the name Soul Caravan in 1967 with their first LP 'Get in High', their most formal release of psych rock with some heavy James Brown influences. By 1969 they went by Xhol Caraven for their second LP 'Electrip', which hit a sweet spot between formal and jam oriented song writing (an excellent release which I might even review some other time). In 1971 they went simply by Xhol with their release Hau-Ruk, a very far-out two track LP, each song clocking in at over 20 minutes. Hau-Ruk is still a bit of an enigma to me. Is it written out? Is it entirely improv? What did they have in mind? During the same year they come out with 'Motherfuckers', which seems to revert back to the balance that Electrip had.....except much less coherent song writing. So somewhere in between Electrip and Hau-Ruk.

Unfortunately, I can't find the formal credits denoting the names of the performers. But I gather there being bass (Klaus Briest), keyboard (Öcki Brevern; r.i.p.), drums (Skip Van Wyck), sax (Tim Belbe; r.i.p.), and vocals (also Tim Belbe?).

Tim Belbe

1. Radio
2. Leistungsprinzip
3. Orgelsolo
4. Side 1 First Day
5. Grille
6. Love Potion 25

The progression of 'Motherfuckers' is odd. It starts out with this "radio" of what might be various live snippets for a couple minutes, followed by a 1 minute intro consisting of all band members, followed by a 9 minute keyboard drone. It seems that Leistungsprinzip was written out, and Orgelsolo is an improvisation. It manages to stay fairly interesting even though it seems to meander without any sort of progression. It's not too unlike some of the later parts in that Peter Michael Hamel LP I reviewed before.

Side 1 First Day also sounds like a jam, this time with a flute leading the way (I have no way of finding out who it is). It's also pretty and a bit meandering, but with some excellent keyboard soloing and interplay with the bass guitar. The inclusion of more instruments makes it somewhat more inviting than Orgelsolo. It's apparent that these musicians have a keen, lush sense of melody, but with a very laid back attitude. I appreciate the field recording of the cricket at the end, as well as what sounds like a bike spool throughout Orgelsolo. The cricket sound continues well into the next track, which later gets accompanied by flute and hand drums. More laid back jams. A sweet little ditty but rather forgettable.

Now finally we come to the reason why I chose to review this album. Overall, I wouldn't call 'Motherfuckers' to be very ambitious or fleshed out, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to consider Love Potion 25 to be one of the greatest krautrock songs of all time! It clocks in at around 13 minutes and mostly consists of the most epic 10 minute keyboard and sax solo sandwiched between two basic chorus structures. This is a song I always find myself coming back to. The structure and energy are unprecedented. The vocals have this powerful, commanding force with a great classic "CCR-esque" reverb effect. The basic lyrics of the song is a play off of the Psych Rock number Love Potion No. 9, modified for psychedelic drug references galore (LSD 25). The chorus and verse take up just the first 2 minutes of the song before the solo kicks in, throughout which the bass weaves in and out beautifully. The way the vocals come back in after all the soloing is something to behold. If you don't have the patience to hear the rest of this album for god's sake, make sure you hear this song at least!

Like I said before, 'Motherfuckers' is a strange album. It catches one off guard with the phenomenal last track after a bunch of rather minor and forgettable jams (the best of those being Side 1 First Day by far). The LP seems to show a degree of self-awareness as to this fact with what looks like a scanned sleeve of its own test printing? Not to mention the album name. Very strange. But seriously, go listen to Love Potion 25. Maybe give the rest a try later if you're a real nerd, but there won't be more where that came from unfortunately. It is doubly unfortunate that it was their last album. Makes one wonder what they might have done had they sustained such a level of ambition. 6/10

Ejwuusl Wessahqqan - 1975 - Ejwuusl Wessahqqan

One of the hardest to pronounce band names also happens to belong to one of my favorite krautrock jam bands. René Filous plays the bass and an interesting stringed instrument called the filouphon, Jürgen Wollenburg is on drums, and Michael Winzker on keyboard. I'm a little bit confused by this because the stringed instrument plays at the same time as the bass throughout the album. So I guess they must have layered one over the over?

The original LP, released in 1975 had only 300 pressings (currently going for over 2 grand on Discogs) and was later put on CD by Penner Records in 1996, and then Garden of Delights in 1999. These Remasters contain an additional 4 tracks from the original release, all from later sessions.

1. Die Geborstenen Kuppeln Von Yethlyreom
2. Die Orangefarbene Wüste Südwestlich Von Ignarh
3. Thuloneas Körper
4. Hobbl-Di-Wobbl
5. Passaceety (1976)
6. AFN (1976)
7. The Cystal (1980)
8. La Mer (1980)

The first track begins with some epic keyboard soloing. At some times, this band sounds like they're jamming out, while others sound more written out and 'proggy.' They strike an odd balance between those two approaches, with as much grace as Amon Düül II. I would be curious to know about the creative processes behind these jam/prog bands.

I love the variety of different moods and structures they try. The high powered energy of Track 1 is followed by this incredibly spacious jam complete with sitar and wailing guitars with trippy overdrive effects that burst into cosmic spirals. Some great freak out jamming with as much intensity as Acid Mothers Temple (later) and Pärson Sound (before). If I were chilling with Kawabata Makoto I would want to inquire about his familiarity with this group. Once again I lament the fact that this group only ended up putting out 1 album.

It's also worth adding that the recording quality isn't the best. The instruments sound a bit dampened by the room ambience, suggest that these were all single take performances.

Not everyone is big on 70s prog keyboards but I happen to be a fan. If not, you may find this album a bit tedious. The final track of the original LP Hobbl-Di-Wobbl I would say is probably the most jammed out, possibly improvised. For 16 minutes it goes through all kinds of sections, with some great noise/drone guitar textures in the later half.

The first of the bonus tracks, from 1976 has even more epic keyboard compositions. Again it's hard to tell how much of it is improv or written out. Track 6, also from '76 is much the same way, but with some very rhythmic bass playing. I really dig all the nasty synth noises in the later half, making me all the more curious what a couple more album by them might have sounded like. Although AFN is in slightly lower recording quality, I find that it has arguably their best build-up. In both of these tracks we get the three piece setup, minus the filouphon guitar. So I'm guessing that the filouphon playing was overdubbed in the LP. But one can never be too sure.

Recorded much later, The Crystal and La Mer are unique from their previous work, recorded much later in 1980. The Crystal is some intensely emotional acoustic rhythm guitar, singing, and keyboards, reminding me of some of the stuff off of Hawkwind's 'Warriors at the Edge of Time'. I also love the shimmery texture of the keyboard. The final track La Mer is practically my favorite track on this whole album. It's an ambient jam with some amazing synthscapes, soundeffects, and exotic percussion. It's absolute psychedelic and there's nothing else I've heard like it. It is interesting to note that in the Penner Records release of the CD remaster, tracks 7 and 8 are credited not by Ejwuusl Wessahqqan but by Koala-Bär. They're credited as the keyboard player plus 2 other unique names. A fully realized release by this other 3 piece set-up could also have been quite a treat to listen to, but alas it seems we are left with only two tracks.

Overall one hell of a solid group. Would have been awesome had there been better recording quality, but the one that exists is at least decent. It's interesting to observe the various different sounds they went through. An inventive group with a lot of great ideas. 8/10

Walter Wegmüller - 1973 - Tarot

Walter Wegmüller's one and only LP, Tarot seems like it must have been a colossal effort. The project consisted of so many important names in Krautrock, including two big idols of mine: Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream) and Manuel Göttsching (Ash Ra Tempel). Walter Westrupp, known for folk duo Witthüser & Westrupp is also on it. Other names include bassist Jerry Berkers formerly of intense prog band Wallenstein, Hartmut Enke; a friend of Manuel Göttsching and also from Ash Ra Tempel, Harald Großkopf from Ash Ra Tempel, Wallenstein, and Cosmic Jokers (prolific dude!), and Jürgen Dollase from Wallenstein and Cosmic Jokers.

It's worth noting that Tarot seems to be one of two related super projects in Krautrock, the second one being the LP "Lord Krishna Von Goloka" which was made 3 years later and consisting of largely the same people. Curious. I wonder about the story behind these large scale endeavors and what their connections may be, if any.

Tarot is full of all kinds of surprises. Cool vocal effects, percussion, weird electronic noises, and hypnotic drones. It is everything about the krautrock scene I have come to admire. The LP has 21 tracks, each representing a tarot card. I do not speak German, but I'm guessing the vocals pertain to the character represented in its respective card? I love Tarot's sense of space. Very slow moving and hypnotic, guided by Walter Wegmüller ominous narration. Each track seems to have a difference surprise. Thanks to the talents of Klaus Schulze there are some interesting electronic noises, especially in track 4 "Die Herrscherin". Manuel Göttsching's guitar work accompanied by his buddy Hartmut Enke is also superb.

The first track "Der Narr" starts as this introductory piece, soon going off the rails into the bizarre circus music of "Der Magier" in which the tempo slows down. In track 6 "Der Hohepriester" there's some nice flute playing (uncredited as far as I've been able to look). Track 8, "Der Wagen" has some fantastic guitar playing from Manuel Göttsching, reminiscent of some of his solo work as Ashra. In track 12 "Die Prüfung", the first track of Side C, we get some really trippy vocal effects over a keyboard and some cluttery percussion. Walter Wegmüller's vocal droning is hypnotic, reminiscent of Genesis P-Orridge. The industrial resemblance in this track is actually quite uncanny. After this track is a brief, quiet electronic interlude, followed by "Die Mässigkeit" which pushes the envelope further than where Die Prüfung left off, complete with crazy effects (gotta love that phase) and freakout guitar soloing. Definitely one of my favorite tracks. In the next track "Der Teufel" we get some refreshing variation with the first instance of an acoustic guitar accompanied by a second guitar with Spanish inspired pickings. The guitars in combination with the vocals have yet another uncanny resemblance, in this case to Pink Floyd's "More" (look up the song "A Spanish Piece" and you will see what I mean). "Die Zerstörung" is a very bizarre piece consisting of a pleasant acoustic piano and synthetic strings keyboard in conjunction with the most cacophonous percussion. Track 17 "Die Sterne" is a trip into the inexpressible, with perhaps Klaus Schulze's most interesting electronic experiments on the whole LP. An absolutely stunning ambient piece complete with vibraphone and Manuel Göttsching's amazing guitar drones.

As I'm sure you've gathered at this point, the album is all over the map, chock full of experimentation, and is a great example of controlled jams done right. The relatively shorter tracks  make it accessible to anyone interested in the far out jams but don't have as much patience for the 20+ minute epics. Seriously go check this one out. Definitely one of the absolute treasures of 70s German psychedelic rock. You won't regret it! 9/10

Streetmark - 1976 - Nordland

Streetmark is a tight and imaginative prog-rock based group from Düsseldorf starting from the mid 70s, another hot name from the Rhineland scene. At the time of their debut Nordland, they were a five piece, consisting of guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals. An immediately noticeable aspect of Streetmark is the explosive, soulful wailing of singer Georg Buschmann, often backed by the etherial sustained notes of keyboardist Dorothea Raukes; a dynamic very much reminiscent of Novalis' debut from 3 years prior. Regarding the style of vocals I am also somewhat reminded of Jane. Buschmann is not the best in his non-native speaking English annunciations but makes up for it with his intensity and emotion (also reminiscent of Jane but somewhat more successful).

The album starts with the three-parter titled House of Three Windows, ending with an amazing Beatles cover of Eleanor Rigby; a track where Georg Buschmann's singing really shines. As is evident of any tight, skilled, and experienced band, Streetmark has a certain synergy where all five elements seem to meld together into a single entity. Every instrument very much alive, complimenting eachother and full of complexity. Track 4, Amulet Sage is one of my favorites, with all of its structural complexities, both epic and strange, reminiscent of Eloy. I would also like to reiterate how awesome that organ keyboard sounds. I'm also not sure if Buschmann is successfully hitting all of those notes but I like them anyway. In the later half, the song breaks out into this euphoric section with the lyrics "Sun is shining, there's no cloud around." It is rainbow prog euphoria like Satin Whale but with more of a classical than a blues leaning.

Italian Concert in Rock is a silly little rock n roll Baroque number that I found to be technically proficient but not particularly interesting but it's only 2 minutes in length. The album immediately picks back up with Da Capo. At this point it's readily apparent that the two leads are generally the keyboard and vocals, with guitar solos peppered in here and there. Another short track but it totally rocks.

Next is the start of the next multi-part epic titled Nordland. Section a) Waves and Visions, a communication between guitar and keyboard, combined into a magical soundscape of oceans with their jeweled reflections of the moonlight. Again rather short but sweet. I think it would have been interesting for them to pursue this one a bit further in this case. Section b) Lyster Fjord is another one of their epics and possibly my favorite track on the album. This is a case in which I'm rather frustrated not to have access to a lyric booklet as I am not very good at discerning words in general and they sound rather interesting. 

Streetmark is a favorite of the triumphant, and righteous prog epics of krautrock, up there with early Eloy and Novalis. An absolutely smashing debut. 8/10

Peter Michael Hamel - 1972 - Hamel

Peter Michael Hamel, hailing from Munich, Germany is a prolific man, an enthusiast of the Minimalist and the New Simplicity movements, which were perhaps at their most active in the 70s. The aim of New Simplicity was to seek a more direct and immediate approach to their audience, a rejection of the intellectual complexity of the avant-garde and possibly a sort of early anticipation of the ambient music later to come. Hamel was also the founder of the excellent krautrock group Between who made 6 LPs throughout the decade. His solo projects continue to this day. He also was a professor in composition at Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg from 1997 to 2012 and has been involved in numerous operas and orchestral compositions.

1. Storm Over Asia and Calm
2. Baliava 1
3. Baliava 2
4. Fire of Holy Eyes
5. Songs of the Dolphins
6. Sinking Sangsara
7. Aura
8. Gomorrhaga
9. Cathedral On C

His first LP 'Hamel' utilizes as eclectic a range in sound and instrumentation as his group Between. In the opening track we have wind that is followed by the xylophone and prepared piano which become the prominent elements in tracks 2 and 3. The title 'Storm Over Asia and Calm' probably being an homage to Hamel's extensive trips to Asia. Baliava 1 and 2, an interplay between xylophone and prepared piano demonstrate a sense of time that is patient and intimate. The sparse nature of these piece works, due in part to the excellent production, adequately capturing the lush overtones of the two instruments. The raw, tribal sense of rhythm is something I can imagine Mickey Hart of Grateful Dead fame would have really gotten a kick out of. It's a shame the two never collaborated, but I digress (as usual)....

In track 4, Hamel explores the wonders of the early synthesizer, multilayered with combinations of dissonant and melodic. Its title 'Fire of Holy Eyes' is suggestive of the beautiful LP cover. The composition does have some underlying elements of progression, but in terms of notation seems a bit aimless. Not that I really mind too much, because they are interesting sounds. I also dig the wordless vocals that come in later, instigating the holy "OM" vibration. The conjunction with dissonant notes is a bit strange and perhaps gets a tad bit in the way of a hypnotic transcendental state of mind. Another example of how Hamel's aesthetic sense perplexes me (I like being perplexed sometimes).


Songs of the Dolphins gives us some soothing field recordings of water combined with watery sounding synthesizers. A much more melodic and playful piece than the previous track, complete with synthetic 'dolphin' sounds. This very much reminds me of the sounds of Pete Namlook's Fax label, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was heavily inspired by Hamel's work. The resemblance in the sparse sense of time and space with magical abstract overtones is uncanny. Definitely one of my favorite tracks.

The epic 20 minute track Aura is a gorgeous proto-ambient piece, anticipatory of the sounds of Iasos 8 years later (another uncanny resemblance here). Here is where I eat my words regarding Hamel's lack of skill in melody (although I didn't want to suggest it was bad, just nothing special) for Aura is full of such beautiful harmonizations. A sustained trance-inducing synth pad overlaid by arpeggiations, reminiscent of rolling hills and mountains against a colorful horizon. By around the 8:30 mark we go into a darker territory. The clear skies are engulfed by a dark tempest complete with a synthetic wind. But through the mystic powers of divine magic, we come back to our clear horizons.

The second to last track is like a continuation of the synthetic organ sounds of Aura. It is perhaps his most compositionally dense, with few other distractions reminiscent of Klaus Schulze's 'Cyborg'. There's nothing I can really fault the track for, but I found it to be one of the more difficult pieces for me to get through, since Hamel's sense of notation doesn't move me all that much. There is a more linear, grid-like sense of rhythm unlike the intricacies of Baliava 1+2. The same goes for the closing track 'Cathedral On C', although the higher abundance of sustained drones in it make the piece more accessible for me. They don't seem like very well thought out compositions and I feel he should have either condensed these ideas or spent more time on a meaningful progression. At the same time, I feel bad for faulting anyone's sheer passion in their technology, and I can imagine how such an interest would compel someone to not mind these things as much (I'm sure there are some people out there would would enjoy 2 hours of randomly generated synth notes if it was technology they had a passion for). However, that passion doesn't seem to fully translate to the subjective ears of the listener (that being myself). BUT I digress. The album ends with the classic pitching down novelty that seems to have been popular in the 70s.

Did I mention how amazing the album art is?

Hamel's debut LP is a treat for the open minded listener who craves a sense of playful experimentation and diversity. His compositions are not dense, putting a direct emphasis on whatever elements that are currently being presented and wants the listener to meditate on their textures without distraction. The album also suggests an advanced technological ability, for the production is superb, but his sense of notation is nothing special (except maybe with Aura). I wouldn't call it an LP that ties together a theme so much as a collection of experiments. In any case, it's a worthy relic of an exciting time in proto-ambient avant-garde minimalism if you have the patience for it. Not something I would recommend to less devoted listeners unless they had those specific interests in mind. 7/10

EDIT: Upon further reflection, I feel like it's not my place to simply say "these are just a bunch of random notes, he is not very skilled in notation." because I understand what it's like as an artist to have meticulously put a lot of thought into a composition and get criticized for not putting in very much effort. I acknowledge that it's very well possible that Hamel invested plenty of personal meaning into tracks 8 and 9, but whatever meaning they might have had to the artist did not translate to my own understanding. This brings to mind arguments made by some modern classical composers like Iannis Xenakis who say that their compositions cannot fully be appreciated without understanding the math behind them. I would say that whether or not something that can't be absorbed without prior knowledge behind its logic is valid, is largely a matter of personal preference, and not necessarily something that I myself am opposed to. All I know is that, judging by my lack of further information behind the pieces, they didn't particularly grab me. I would like to be more careful in making such qualitative judgments about notation in the future. (03-25-16)

Cravinkel - 1970 - Cravinkel

With their self-titled debut, I wouldn't consider Cravinkel to be very krautrock or prog rock. The songs are fairly straightforward in structure reminiscent of earlier 60s Psych Rock. One could argue that it's not pushing any boundaries, but oh do they dominate the classic 60s sound. They are a 4 piece, founded by guitarist Claw Krawinkel (the Discogs profile claims him to be Gert Krawinkel but the German wikipedia says Claw), with second guitarist Klaus George Meier, Rolf Kaiser on bass, and George B. Miller on drums.

I think I'm being a tad bit misleading when I say that this album is relatively more straightforward and less experimental. Their songs are actually pretty intricate. Lots of sections, amazing vocal harmonies. The production is also totally solid, each instrument popping out with clarity. The 4th track 'Heaven' explores a bit of a folk vibe with some beautiful sounding hand drums. Other songs rock out with nice overdrive guitar tones reminiscent of Cream or Blue Cheer. They have been described as having some folk elements, but I don't really see it. As I stated earlier this is more classic Psych Rock with a heavy hard edge to it (Hard Rock was getting started around this time). I can imagine this kind of music having been cranked up to 11. I would also like to remark on the upbeat simplicity of the opening track 'Get a Feeling Going Round.' It makes for a great hard psych rock anthem to the spread of good vibes all round. 

This album sort of creeped up on me in how I didn't initially think much of it. But I found myself always coming back to it. I think that getting into this LP helped me get more into classic 60s Psych Rock like Traffic, The Zombies or The Seeds. The performances are tight. The guitarist give off that effortless impression of having played these riffs hundreds of times. Going back to those fantastic vocal harmonies I mentioned earlier, I have to say they are some of the best and most memorable I've ever heard, the seventh track 'Lonesome Road' especially. Across the board solid performance and imaginative melodies and song writing, each track being pretty unique from each other. It's no wonder why I keep coming back to this record. The only less than stellar thing I would have to say about it is that the drums and the bass merely provide a good solid foundational groove, but that's sort of to be expected with the 60s Psych Rock emphasis on vocal and guitar melodies. Cravinkel did make a more krautrock oriented record the following year after this one, but I wasn't quite as moved by it as this one. I think they shine the most with this style of songwriting. It's a shame they didn't do more of it. Maybe someday a forgotten tape reel will emerge from the depths of the past. 9/10

Sperrmüll - 1973 - Sperrmüll

Another favorite of mine. Here we have some psych/prog with lots of bluesy elements. The things I remember most about this album are its stellar guitar and keyboard solos. Sperrmüll started in 1971 as a trio with Harald Kaiser on bass/vocals, Helmut Krieg on guitar/vocals, and Reinhold Breuer on drums, soon adding keyboardist Peter Schneider. It's really quite the gem to come from beloved Krautrock label 'Brain'. Another unique one-of-a-kind band destined for only one LP.

1. Me and My Girlfriend
2. No Freak Out
3. Rising Up
4. Right Now
5. Land of the Rocking Sun
6. Pat Casey

A memorable and catchy first track, Me and My Girlfriend has what I'd consider the most conventional song structure, establishing a proficiency in writing a solid psych rock number.
It is the next track, No Freak Out which has always captured my imagination. It's got these haunted vocals, intense acoustic backed by a wailing electric guitar. The meat of the song has the most wonderful keyboard and electric guitar solos. It's an absolute winner in my book.

There's a pretty good variety of grooves throughout this album. All the sections have a good length to them. In Rising Up we get some fantasy prog, with a memorable sort of rolling bassline. Right Now is a high energy psych rock track with storms and tempests of driving basslines and a soulful electric guitar with an awesome buildup. I also really enjoy the uplifting vocals in Land of the Rocking Sun, rocking out in its epic progressive way that is reminiscent of early Eloy.

Sperrmüll are refined in what they do, maintaining a good balance of psychedelic, blues, and prog elements in a way that seems to come naturally to them. Their song structures are concise and well balanced. They have memorable solos, and really know how to rock out. The English vocals are accented, but seem to compliment what they're trying to do better than other bands that have tried. In short, it is an excellent release that I would highly recommend. 9/10

Think - 1973 - Variety

Yet another mysterious one-of-a-kind band to only come out with one LP. When I'm introducing anyone to the joys of krautrock, Variety is what I often start with. It is a fine demonstration of superb musicianship that I've found to be highly accessible with an immediate sense of immersion. Think is an eclectic ensemble of flute (Frank Voigt), violin & organ (Kajo Sandrick), guitar (Gerd Pohl), bass (Ricky Ramor), drums (Frank Wördehoff), and vocals (Rodrigo Ramor). Hailing from the town of Marl, just north of Essen (an active part of the psych/prog scene), they were founded by drummer Frank Wördehoff, who'd been involved with the Beat scene in the 60s. The LP was originally released by Menga, later re-released by Little Wing of Refugees (1991), Garden of Delights (2002), and Amber Soundroom (2004).  Here is the rundown:

1. Variety
2. Watercorps
3. Drops
4. Draw Conclusions From...
5. Last Door

The album cover shows two figures who appear to have some psychedelic imagery projected over them, reminiscent of the Merry Prankster's liquid projections in the late 60s.

The title 'Variety' is quite apt, since the LP consists of elaborate rhythms and melodies that change drastically.  There is a beautiful communication between musicians. Each track appears to occupy it's own complex space, a quality I always admire in a well constructed album. Rather than coming from the more bluesy side of things, which much of Psych rock derived from, this musicianship seems to come from a more classical standpoint, ala Yes or ELP.

The opening self-titled track is very memorable, with the lyrics "sitting in my room, drinking a glass of wine." I like how the flute and violin really play off each other.

The third track Drops really rocks out, reminiscent of early Jethro Tull. Guitarist Gerd Pohl shines in this one with some epic blues soloing. The vocals have a sort of haunting quality to them. The rock-out chorus riff has an interesting offbeat "fall apart" rhythm in the second measure that I like a lot. Overall, the song gives off an apocalyptic sort of vibe. The end provides an insight into early delay effects as it fades out with a trippy loop.

Hard panning is a common aspect of old vintage recording studios, and not something I'm a particularly huge fan of.

It is readily apparent how technically proficient Think were, the violin/organist Kajo Sandrick being credited with effects (a man of many talents!). Everything has a well rounded, mellow quality to it, particularly with the vocal's soft reverb.

In the epic 4th track, there is some great interplay between flute and organ that reminds me of Stereolab. There is also some mad acoustic guitar picking in the final track, Last Door.

Variety is always a delightful listen for me every time, one of my most cherished finds. Recommended as a good starting point in the krautrock legacy. 8/10