Eiliff - Close Encounter With Their Third One. 1972 Germany (archival)

Despite the title, this really isn't a "third" album, but rather a live concert from October 18, 1972 in Koln (Cologne). The majority of the disc is taken from their second and last album Girlrls! There is one new 5 minute composition entitled 'Lilybaeum' which is a quite nice atmospheric piece. The highlight of the album is Houschang Nejadepour's frenetic solo on 'Hallimasch'.

This is one of many great archival finds from Garden of Delights. They also later released a second live album from Eiliff entitled Bremen 1972.

CD: 1999 Garden of Delights

George (Joji) Hirota - Sahasurara. 1976 Japan

Joji Hirota's debut album, going with the more anglicized George here, is a fascinating blend of jazz fusion, progressive rock, experimental avant garde combined with indigenous tribal Japanese elements. Plenty of flute, chanting and manic vocals, acoustic and fuzz guitar, piano, vibes, and a variety of percussion are the primary ingredients. At times, especially during the middle of side 2, it strays a bit too much toward the avant-garde, perhaps similar to J.A. Caesar in that way. Overall a very unique, but satisfying album.

Ownership: LP: 1976 King. Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition (2010).

9/27/07 (review); 2008; 1/28/10 (new entry)

Ozric Tentacles - Erpland. 1990 England

In the mid 1980s there was a burgeoning new music scene coming out of the rural fields of England. They lived the "hippie ideal" of a lifestyle unencumbered by responsibility, and that which included many free music concerts. On the music front, many of the groups were influenced by the relatively obscure UK group Here and Now, who steadfastly held to the notion that music should be free (not to mention the musical similarities between the two bands). To sustain themselves, the various bands in the scene took a page out of the heavy metal handbook, and began to make self-produced cassettes that were traded and sold at the many various concert events. As is often the case with movements such as these, many grew tired of the lifestyle and moved on. And the bands themselves began to consolidate, where the most serious and most talented would take it forward to a more professional level (Amon Duul II anyone?). And just as Metallica represented the Bay Area thrash movement, Ozric Tentacles became the icon for the UK Festival Psych scene.

Personally I had no idea any of this was going on in the 1980s. Even though I had plugged myself into the various mail order catalogs of the day, most notably England's Lotus Records, I must've looked past these items that were for sale. Or not, I'm not entirely sure. Erpland was my introduction to the band, and I bought the LP not long after it had been released. I quickly snapped up the prior Pungent Effulgent as well on LP (Demi Monde). To my ears, Ozric Tentacles is a very easy band to get into. In fact, to this day, when someone wants to hear a few notes from "something in your collection", I'll pull out Ozric. It never fails to satisfy the guest. Sure, I could also pull out Magma's Mekanik, and have everyone screaming from the room. And for the rare person who doesn't go screaming, I begin to worry about the safety of my family. Anyway.... Ozric Tentacles has an instantly likable sound, that also happens to rock hard. Of course it must be stated that Ozric didn't create the wheel. To say they were heavily influenced by Hillage era Gong would be an understatement. But what Ozric did do successfully is to distill certain elements of that sound, perhaps the most popular ones for many a Gong fan, and take it in different and exciting directions.

Some 20 years on from Erpland, nothing has changed, and Ozric has well over a dozen more studio and live releases. This has been the most common criticism of Ozric Tentacles. That there has been no progression, no experimentation with other sounds, instrumentation and ideas. The term "Ozricitis" was born and now applies to other bands who follow a similar path. But it's not entirely fair either, as each album, when heard on its own, does possess a unique quality. It's just a tight window frame that they operate in, that's all. The key with listening to Ozric Tentacles is to not listen to many of their albums at once. Take one in, absorb it over time, wait a few weeks or months, and then do the same with a different album. It does alter the way you hear the band. The irony in saying all of this is that Erpland is Ozric Tentacles' most diverse album. And is probably the ideal place to start.

If I were to recommend one track from this album, and perhaps recommend one track from their entire discography, it would the album's opener 'Eternal Wheel'. It has all the elements of a great Ozric composition - the psychedelic ambiance, the trippy progressions and the ferocious guitar lead climaxes.

Ownership: LP: 1990 Dovetail. 2xLP. Gatefold. Mail order acquisition (1991).

CD: 1990 Dovetail. Fatbox jewel case.

1991; 1/28/10 (new entry)

Deadwood Forest - Mellodramatic. 1999 USA-Texas

When Anglagard blew through the progressive rock world in 1992 with their debut album Hostbris, it wouldn't take long for other bands to hop on the train and try something similar. Austin, Texas based Deadwood Forest took it a step further, and recruited Anglagard drummer Mattias Olsson to produce their second album. Anglagard themselves had played once in Houston in 1993, giving the respective groups a common thread. Mellodramatic is one of the more successful attempts at achieving the classic progressive rock sound. Primarily played on analog gear, including gobs of the requisite mellotron. There's also quite a bit of 60s psychedelic songwriting in place, which gives it a unique bent. I personally never tire of the style, so Deadwood Forest has a place in the collection for a long time.

Ownership: CD: 1999 Shroom

1/28/10 (new entry)

Wapassou. 1973 France

Wapassou was certainly one of France's most innovative bands of the 1970s. And that's saying something given the competition. Basically Wapassou were a drummer less trio, with Crumar organ, piano, synthesizers, violin, guitar, bass, and female vocals. Haunting, atmospheric music. 'Rien' is chilling with Karen Nickerl's disturbed child-like vocals sung over a pervasive and doomy climate, and is arguably the album's highlight. 'Musillusion' is essentially Wapassou's anthem, and contrary to the prior song, is uplifting yet still manages to be melancholic. Side 2 of the album has more of a traditional rock band aesthetic with the inclusion of drums, something they were to eschew after this. For a band such as Wapassou, the additional rhythm and percussion is unnecessary for what the band is attempting to convey. Over the years, Wapassou's debut has entered into the absolute top tier of my album collection. A hidden treasure as it were. It sneaks up on you. One I think will get its ultimate recognition long after we're all dead.

Ownership: LP: 1987 Omega Studio. Single sleeve. Acquired brand new from England's Ultima Thule mail order (1990) and was my introduction to the album. The cover is a personal favorite and is a centerpiece of my "wall of albums". One of the last LPs I would ever sell. A true original LP is very rare. Omega Studio is a re-branding of Prodisc, so it's in effect a second pressing. 

CD: 2015 Lion Productions (USA). Digipak with complete liner notes in English, which I believe is the only release that isn't in French. This is the 3rd CD reissue for me to obtain (the others were the Si-Wan jewel box release and the Belle Antique Japanese papersleeve). This appears to be the definitive reissue. All the CD reissues feature two bonus tracks which is a 45 from 1974 that is similar to side 2 of the album proper, with a more obvious rock context.

1990; 1997; 1/27/10 (new entry); 8/12/12; 8/23/23

Ethos - Ardour. 1976 USA

Ft. Wayne's Ethos were like many bands of the Midwest whose obsession with Yes, Genesis and Gentle Giant are well documented. These English progressive bands would enjoy regular airplay on the local underground, and very popular, FM stations played throughout the region. Concerts were met with great enthusiasm, and any kid that possessed a great talent for musicianship along with a hyperactive imagination, were quickly assembling together a band and making a go of it for themselves. Most ended up nowhere. Some procured a private release handed out at sparsely attended concerts by local union workers who were more interested in the booze and broads than the music itself. And then a few made the "big time". In this scenario, Ethos were one that MADE IT. Today, they're the kind of band that late middle aged guys whisper quietly about in a game of I-know-more-about-music-than-you-do. As in "I own an album I bet you haven't heard, that's way cool - a band called Ethos. Bet you haven't heard of them!". So basically popular enough to still be called out by over-aged dorks, yet too obscure for anyone at Corporate America to give a rat's ass about. Pretty much sums up the American progressive rock scene of the 1970s doesn't it?

LP: 1976 Capitol
CD: 2009 EMI / Capitol (Japan)

With an original album on a major label such as Capitol, some may find it strange that the only way to obtain Ethos' classic debut Ardour on CD is via a Japanese press. But perhaps not so strange given the pathetic stance of the money hogging pop culture of the music business in America. 1976 was a different time and place for both American culture and business in general. So an album like Ethos could squeak in on a major label, make a decent profit, and everyone would go home happy. Today, I'm sure Ethos is held up at corporate meetings as a prime example of "Mistakes from the Past - How to Avoid them, a Seminar".

Edgar Froese - Macula Transfer. 1976 Germany

It wasn't long after I discovered Tangerine Dream in the early 1980s, that I found myself immersed in the Froese discography. And I promptly picked up every album from Aqua to Pinnacles. None were as profound to my young ears as Macula Transfer.

For me, Tangerine Dream's Phaedra and Rubycon were life changers - albums that altered the way I viewed, and ultimately listened to, music. To this day Rubycon is a Top 5 album, and probably will always remain that way. So it has always seemed strange to me that Aqua and Epsilon in Malaysian Pale never resonated in a similar manner. Froese's solo albums typically represented the same style of the corresponding Tangerine Dream album of the same year. And in that way, both Aqua and Epsilon in Malaysian Pale are further elaborations on ideas set forth prior. And since they are indeed solo albums, they do indeed sound like stripped down versions of the more fleshed out Tangerine Dream trio. I never embraced them in the same way. So last week, as I picked up a new Green Brain LP copy of Aqua, I was determined to give it one more shot. And still no emotional movement. Just so I'm clear - I think these albums are excellent. They are absolutely essential to a serious electronic music collection, and they both come wholeheartedly recommended from me. But they aren't special in the same way that Phaedra and Rubycon are. To me, that is.

So with all that out in the open, let me state now that Macula Transfer is indeed that special album. It was always the "odd album out" in the Froese catalog. It's the only album by Froese, and Tangerine Dream for that matter, that was released on Brain Metronome exclusively. No represses on Virgin. And because of the latter omission, finding Macula Transfer on CD has become quite the challenge. But before we go to that topic, let's discuss the music. Because it too is quite unique. Macula Transfer is unlike any Froese album... or Tangerine Dream album. It is not Froese's solo response to Stratosfear. Or to anything else. Even today, as countless artists try to recreate the "classic trio" era of Tangerine Dream, no one has really attempted a try at what Froese did here. Basically Froese mixed his obsession of the mellotron with an instrument that he had basically packed away for several years -- the electric guitar. And other than maybe Electronic Meditation, there is no other album from Froese that features as much psychedelic noodling as Macula Transfer. His mixing of choral mellotron with atonal fuzz soloing remains a highlight of his entire canon, and is downright chilling.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Brain. Gatefold. Green label. Online acquisition (1999).

CD: 1998 Manikin. Jewel case release. This remains the only version from the master tape (as of 1/17/24) and is very scarce today. I'm sure eventually the album will be reissue properly again.

My first copy was the black label Brain reissue acquired at a mall store in 1984.

There are other CDs, but they are all remixed versions that are not desirable. 

Now a word about Edgar Froese and reissues. He was downright goofy about his past work. Clearly he suffered from OCD, as he couldn't leave well enough alone. So rather than release straight reissues of past material, he found it necessary to either re-record, or remix all of his previous work. So there's a Macula Transfer 2005 for the five people who are interested. As my cohort Mike says on these very pages: "Edgar's got a serious penchant for adding graffiti to his old art that's extremely frustrating to his fans and to date I haven't seen a single positive review of the redo of albums like Epsilon and Aqua, which apparently have been techno-fied and modernized and well, just about everything a classic fan doesn't want." 

1984; 1998; 1/22/10 (new entry)

Circus - Movin' On. 1977 Switzerland

There is no better progressive rock album from Switzerland than Movin' On. The first 4 tracks are really swell, but what sends this album to the stratosphere is the 22 minute plus title track. It's actually quite amazing there isn't any electric guitar, though the bass and drum work is just phenomenal here, and propels the music to an incredible intensity. The first 10 minutes the aforementioned title song is jaw dropping in its composition, execution, and intensity. That sequence is hard to beat on any album, anywhere.

LP: 1977 private
CD: 1990 Decoder

Note that the original (first scan) has a lighter cover than the reissue. This album has frustratingly not been available for many years. I was fortunate to pick up the CD when it first came out. I wasn't familiar with the group at the time, but Greg Walker at Syn-Phonic convinced me I would not regret the purchase. And as is usually the case, he was right. Later on, I bought the original LP on ebay to shore up the collection.

Sireena of Germany had announced its intention to reissue the first album late in 2009, as reported on our CD Reissue Wish List site. But they backed away from that, and no other followup announcements have been made. If it does indeed come to fruition, then it would stand to reason Movin' On will finally become available again. This album has been booted more times than a juvenile delinquent at a nun's ass kicking contest.

Ash Ra Tempel - Le Berceau de Cristal. 1975 Germany (archival)

1975's Le Berceau de Cristal (not released until 1994) is a soundtrack to a French film, which displays the logical development between the Ash Ra Tempel and Ashra albums. Manuel Gottsching lined up with friend, and former Agitation Free guitarist, Lutz Ulbricht to continue his exploration of cyclical guitar sounds and electronics. It's truly a successor to Inventions for Electric Guitar, with sound on sound electric guitar at its core. This coupled with some sequencers, Farfisa, and other synthesizers added on top. Wonderful late night listening that has that cosmic Berlin School sound.

Ownership: CD: 1994 Spalax (France). Purchased new a couple of years after release. Basic jewel box issue with brief liner notes in French, and includes a vintage photo.

new entry; 12/30/21

Humus - 4 Degrees. 1997 Mexico

4 Degrees is the follow-up to Malleus Crease. Humus is one of those bands that I really like, but there doesn't seem to be much support elsewhere to corroborate my views. They started as a rather primitive space rock group, and evolved into something highly complex, while never losing their fierce psychedelic edge. In the end, they combine two of my favorite styles: Space rock and Canterbury fusion. Like a meeting between Sensations Fix and National Health. 

4 Degrees is Humus' 4th and last widely available album. The album covers seem to indicate this to be a multi-year project demonstrating an evolution. They've gone from primitive at the beginning to alien-like on 4 Degrees. Here, the album features only two tracks, though the first one is broken into 24 small segments and jumps all over the place with a madness and fury of ideas. The second composition is the complete opposite, and is a rather static meditational piece.  It should be noted that the opener is considerably longer, which works well for my personal tastes. A very fine album showing a continued progression for the band - though I still prefer Malleus Crease overall.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Smogless. Purchased new upon release. Jewel case with 2 page booklet featuring a photograph and contact info. Also included is an insert detailing out the instrumentation of the 24 part 'Fatscope' piece.

1/15/10 (new entry); 2/2/21

Ash Ra Tempel - Inventions For Electric Guitar. 1974 Germany

Here's where Manuel Göttsching began his solo career, though he maintained the Ash Ra Tempel moniker for one more album. Inventions for Electric Guitar was a revolutionary album for the day and is still forward-looking over 35 years later. Creating a sound-on-sound electronic vibe using only guitars and tape loops, Manuel weaves a wonderful tapestry of music that is at once intense and yet beautiful. He adds color with vicious solos while the guitar loops are bouncing in the background. Yet another brilliant work - and something entirely different for his past works.

It's been said this is the first electronic album performed entirely on electric guitar. And while Achim Reichel employed a similar tactic, his albums were group efforts. Gunther Schickert, another follower of this technique, also first released his landmark Samtvogel in 1974.

Ownership: LP: 1974 Kosmische Musik. Single sleeve. Online acquisition (2020). Upgrade on former copies. My first LP copy came from The Record Gallery in Dallas (1985) on the Pop Import imprint.

CD: 2004 Arcangelo (Japan). Papersleeve edition as part of a box set that includes Ash Ra Tempel's first 2 albums.

1985; 1995; 2/9/01 (Gnosis); 4//05; 1/10/10 (new entry)

Ash Ra Tempel. 1971 Germany

When you go around with a moniker like ashratom*, then presumably this is an album I'm going to enjoy. Yea, you could say that. Without hesitation, I would claim that Ash Ra Tempel's debut is in my Top 10 of all time. This is just an album that speaks to me. I can understand why some folks scoff at the album, but for me, it puts me right in the middle of 1971 Germany. I feel like I'm actually there! I was all of 6 years old when this album was released, and my first trip to Berlin came about not long after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. And yet it transports me back to that time and place. At least as my imagination would have it. With that backdrop, here is the review I penned for Gnosis in 2001, almost 16 years to the day. I've altered some of the wording, but for the most part, I see no reason to rewrite it at this point.

---

Germany. 1971. Underground. Those three terms evoke images of the Berlin Wall, intensity, angst, freedom.

Very rarely is a moment so well captured just through music. Yet this is just what happened on Ash Ra Tempel's self-titled debut. The opening piece 'Amboss' (Anvil), is one for the ages. Starting with dark sounds that seem like shadows, created only with primitive electronics and guitar, the piece seems on the verge of falling into a black abyss to never return. Slowly the tension builds to a deafening crescendo, and without warning, Klaus Schulze begins his definitive piledriver drumming pattern. What could be possibly more intense and more chaotic? The listener is pounded into submission. Only to be equally mutilated by Göttsching's furious jamming, certainly the most intense, psychedelic, heavy guitar ever recorded. After a few minutes of this sort of violent cosmic blues jamming, there is a sequence of free-jazz drumming and electric guitar polka-dots that just burst into another firestorm, and along comes Schulze even more furious than before with Göttsching and Enke trying to subdue the entire German nation with their blistering guitar work. The Berlin Wall must fall! It doesn't - but certainly the musicians must have. One gets exhausted just listening to it! This 19 minute opus is followed by the exquisite 25 minute 'Traummaschine' (Dream Machine). Again, the mood is somber but slowly the sound gets louder. The band manages to achieve an electronic cadence while the guitars and electronics swirl. Hand percussion enters in and Göttsching turns up the fuzz for another biting solo. There is a period of rest and again the rollercoaster begins for yet one more jam. To this day, there has never been an album of music that sustained this kind of intensity for 40 minutes. How they were able to so without a moment of wasted time is a testament to the brilliance of one of the greatest albums of all time.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Ohr (56 label / 556 cover). This album had been my Holy Grail for about three to four years. I first discovered Ashra / Ash Ra Tempel back in 1985 from a store called The Record Gallery in Dallas when I was midway through college. I've spoken about this store in the past, and if you click on the Ash Ra Tempel label on the right, you'll find it in one of those entries (and I learned the proprietor Steve Stokes recently passed away in Portland where he had relocated many years ago. He was a very good man who I will never forget). The odd thing about Ash Ra Tempel, is that all of their albums starting with Seven Up (Seven Up for Pete's Sake!) were reissued by Pop Import in the early 1980s. Those are the copies this store had. In Dallas, in 1985, I can assure you no one else did, not even Metamorphosis by then (locals will know what I mean). So with that, finding the first 3 albums became my determined quest. I found the PDU copy of Join Inn in 1987 as I was wrapping up my degree. And scored Schwingungen in early 1988 (I will tell that story when I get around to reviewing that album again). And finally, after years of searching, I scored the PDU version of the debut in late 1988. From the late great Jeff Baker. It was $55. Where the hell did I get $55 for a record? I have no idea. But I did and never regretted a second of it. My first listen was an unforgettable experience. Right around Christmas in fact.

Let's talk about the physical product of this original for a minute. The original comes in an extraordinary fold-out-of-the-middle gimmix cover. There is no difference between the 56 and 556 releases except the catalog number (turns out there are three 556's discovered)! I've had two of them, but sold the 56 copy since it wasn't really in great shape. Today I would have kept it anyway as an extra. The PDU version is a single sleeve, without the gimmix. I kind of want it back too just for the memories, but it's not inexpensive. 

CD: 2004 Arcangelo (Japan). Papersleeve edition. Comes in a box set (somewhat cheaply made, unusual for Japan), that opens up to 3 mini-LPs, which also includes Schwingungen and Inventions for Electric Guitar. The CDs all come from vinyl as I guess the masters are lost or are in bad shape. The packaging of the CD itself is outstanding and replicates the original in every way.

* So how did that silly moniker of ashratom come about anyway? I first signed onto the internet on January 1, 1995 via America Online (AOL). I tried numerous handles that were continually rejected as they already existed. Frustrated I jotted down ashratemp, and it took it immediately without validating that's what I wanted! Oh well.... When I started posting on chat boards, folks started calling me ashratom. And it stuck. So there you go.

1988; 2/9/01 (Gnosis); 1/9/10 (new entry)

We added the front cover photo, as seen here, into Discogs October 10, 2019. All they had before was a scan.

La Seconda Genesi - Tutto Deve Finire + Paride e gli Stereo 4 - Naufrago in Città. 1971-72 Italy

The first two tracks on Tutto Deve Finire are instrumental jazz + rock with squonking sax, a driving rhythm, and a general sense of abandon. I'm reminded most of Duello Madre at this point. The remainder of the album is more geared towards the early Osanna sound (L'Uomo in particular) with wailing flute, crunchy organ, loud guitars, and super vocals in Italian. 'Dimmi Padre' is definitely the highlight, a composition that could have been lifted right off of Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno's excellent album. It's the classic Italian progressive rock sound, and done so well here. Highly recommended album.

Naufrago in Città is an interesting album from 1971 that supposedly was recorded before La Seconda Genesi's classic. One of the rarest albums on the planet (as is Seconda Genesi), but it's not really progressive rock, so definitely prepare yourself for the proper expectation. The music is all instrumental, and is primarily acoustic guitar with flute, and some organ accents. Very pleasant, and at times, recalls Era di Acquario's more serene moments. A fine album.

Ownership: CD: 2002 Akarma. Tutto Deve Finire is a super rare album in original form, where LP's can run well into the thousands of dollars. Each is hand painted, and it is said only 200 were produced. Based on my own observation in many years of collecting, this would seem to hold true. Likewise, the Naufrago in Città is just as rare, coming from the same label (Picci). The first copy for me to own was the Mellow CD when it was first released in 1994, but the jazz contents turned me off. Obviously I didn't give it the proper focus. Some 10 years later I picked up the Akarma reissue, which comes with the additional Paride e gli Stereoquattro - Naufrago in Città album. The CD comes in a thick tri-fold "Karma-Pak" with extensive liner notes in Italian. 

1/8/10 (new entry); 7/20/16; 12/5/21

Aera - Turkis. 1979 Germany

Turkis is Aera's 3rd album, where the band veers into funky fusion territory, similar to other German bands of the era like Kraan and Release Music Orchestra. Fuzz bass, organ, and extra percussion keep it a bit interesting anyway. Not the highlight of their catalog for certain. Best track is the 3 part suite 'Dracula' which mixes haunting organ with a late 70s midnight spacey vibe. Title track is pretty good as well. Watch out for tracks like 'You Need Some Speed' and 'Siebert' that are a bit generic in that Sanford & Son theme sort of way...

Sold both the LP and CD and no longer own.

7/12/18

Embryo - Father Son and Holy Ghosts. 1972 Germany

It's a well known tale now, but Father Son and Holy Ghosts was in reality the 5th album by Embryo, and the 3rd attempt to appease United Artists as a followup to Embryo's Rache. The label wanted a more commercial release, and thus rejected both Steig Aus and Rocksession, both later purchased by Metronome and released on their Brain imprint (in 1973). Father Son and Holy Ghosts is by no means commercial, and one suspects the label gave up at this point - and released Embryo out of their contractual obligation afterwards. One of the highlights of this release, in particular, is the contribution of Sigi Schwab on guitar and other stringed instruments, including many from the far east. 'King Insano' represents the track that defines the album best. Moody and introspective with flute and Schwab's exotic electric stringed instruments (veena, tarang). Edgar Hoffman adds some amplified sax while the band grooves hard (and wonderfully phased I might add). At close to five minutes, it's Embryo concentrate - just add water. 'The Sun Song' is another wonder as it displays Embryo enjoying their early ventures towards Asian world fusion. Nine minute closer 'Forgotten Sea' is a classic laid back Krautrock jam, and reminds me why I love the genre so much. No rules or expectations. It just was.

---7/9/24

The CD adds a 20 minute live version of 'You Don't Know What's Happening' from their Opal album. This track was performed at the 3rd Essener Pop and Blues Festival in 1970. While the recording is a bit rough, the music is nothing short of phenomenal. Long jams with guitar, violin, and flute all played in that Krautrock manner, which is unorthodox and awesome. Tribal and raw.

Ownership: LP: 1972 United Artists. Gatefold. Acquired from Forever Young in the DFW area (1988).

CD: 2022 Garden of Delights. Jewel case. Contains full historical liners and photos. The label tells Embryo's origins via the Bremen 1971 archival CD, so they pick up the story from there. Includes the bonus track as mentioned above. This is a repress of their 2003 release.

The GoD CD replaced the 1999 Disconforme release.

1988 (first listen); 1/6/10 (review / new entry); 7/9/24 (update)

Flasket Brinner - Flasket. 1972 Sweden

Flasket is a fantastic Swedish psychedelic progressive album, continuing on from the awesome debut. While the first album had more of a jamming like outlook, their second album focused more on compositions. At its best, like on 'Grismakt', we hear Flasket Brinner mixing in Swedish folk melodies, while building on an instrumental intensity. The pyrotechnic psychedelic jamming found here is some of the finest ever committed to tape. Other classic tracks include 'Klotet', 'Bennys Hammare', 'Jatten Feeling', 'Batum', 'Bosses Lat', 'Tysta Finskan', and 'Orspranget'. There are a couple of throwaway tracks like 'Anderssons Groove' which is a typical early 70s rock n' roller completely at odds with the other material.

Ownership: CD: 2002 Universal / Mellotronen. The original is a double LP, but the CD is a single. To accomplish this feat, the band dropped two tracks. One a very short incidental piece from the studio album. The other is the awful 'Wild Thing' cover, by far the worst thing on the original live side - and a blessing it's been left off. The CD features a great sound, liner notes, photographs, and a nice tri-fold digi-pak.

6/9/21