Morpheus were formed from a band called Opossum. The latter has one archival album out that I've reported on somewhere in this blog, but essentially it's a very loose kind of jazz rock, where improvisation is valued over composition. Morpheus is a reaction to Opossum. That is to say, Rabenteuer is all about the composition at the expense of letting their hair fly. And for me, I had considered this album somewhat stilted on initial impact. I bought the CD upon release, as the album had a wildly great reputation and was prohibitively expensive. It didn't live up to my expectation. I filed it away dutifully for a revisit that came way later than expected. 22 years later, a more measured study - like the album itself - yielded better results. In context of when it was released - 1976 Germany - it fits the sound of the times well. And while a wild psychedelic solo wouldn't have hurt, the approach the band takes is to be admired and enjoyed. And the compositions are uniformly good. It does feature a lengthy track, and the CD adds a 20 minute jam. But don't expect fireworks. Overall, much better than my memory would have it, and a keeper for sure.
Ownership: CD: 1998 Garden of Delights. Reissue includes the aforementioned bonus tracks and plenty of photographs. The liner notes are a bit light for a GoD release, but they weren't as thorough in the early days of the label. Purchased online when first released.
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