A.R. & Machines - AR 3. 1973 Germany

The 3rd album from Achim Reichel's experimental group A.R. & Machines is a return to the sounds and concepts of Die Grune Reise. Gone are the long sprawling trips of Echo in exchange for the return of the (relatively) short form track. And like the debut, most of the compositions blend into each other. AR3 isn't as crisp, energetic, or as pioneering as Die Grune Reise, but I find it no less satisfying on the whole. Admittedly it starts of a bit slow with 'Warum Peter Nur Noch Ferien Macht', but it gains momentum throughout the song and by the time of 'Tarzan’s Abenteuer Im Sommerschlußverkauf', you should find yourself deep within its grasp. This is the kind of music one needs to immerse themselves into, rather than looking for hooks and jaw dropping instrumental moments. It's a type of psychedelic miasma, and one of Reichel's trademarks honestly. To me, the vocals are very similar to the debut. You can barely hear them, and they are warbled and mumbled rather than sung. The opening to Side 2 'Die Eigentümer Der Welt' is the only disappointment here, given it's more of a vocally oriented psychedelic folk song, and definitely ruins the flow, especially if hearing it on CD.

I find myself in the minority with AR3, and consider it one more link in the chain of 6 album classics starting with Die Grune Reise and ending with Erholung. Essential.

Ownership: LP: 1973 Zebra. One of the earliest obscure Krautrock finds that I brought into the collection, having stumbled onto the original at a local Dallas record show way back in the summer of 1985 for all of $2. I had no idea what it was, but it certainly had the look of the type of album I was seeking - and continue to seek some 34 years later. I still have that exact LP which was, and is, in NM condition.

CD: 2017 BMG (as part of The Art Of German Psychedelic 1970-74). 

This is the first time for me to cover the box set, since I put the first 2 albums in Journals instead. Below is my (starter) review for it. I'll refer to this post going forward in reference.

The Art Of German Psychedelic 1970-74 is an extraordinary 10 CD box set that comes with a 96 page hardbound book with full historical notes and unique photos.

It includes all of the electronic/progressive/Krautrock A.R. & Machines / Achim Reichel albums + much more.

The reissues include:
Die Grune Reise (reissued twice legally before)
Echo (first legit reissue)
AR 3 (reissued once by Spectrum and very obscure at that)
AR IV (first legit reissue)
Autovision (reissued once by Spectrum and very obscure at that)
Erholung (first legit reissue)

Concerning Erholung, it's actually the full concert and includes an additional 34 minutes to the original Brain LP.

AR IV also includes an additional 31 minutes of live in the studio.

In addition to the above 6, there's a live concert from 1973 in full; Remixes from 1996; a DJ mix CD; and a CD that is called 14 Pieces For Guitar and Echo Chamber.

1985; 5/4/19 (new entry)