A.R. & Machines - Die Grüne Reise / The Green Journey. 1971 Germany

It all starts here for Achim Reichel's new project A.R. & Machines. Essentially he discovered tape delay which made his guitars sound massive. The album was much derided by the German music press upon release. Keep in mind that Reichel prior to this was a pop star, so the end results were jarring to fans. Reichel can rightfully be considered one of the pioneers of the sound-on-sound electric guitar Krautrock albums later further refined by Manuel Gottsching and Gunter Schickert. Voices and percussion provide further mysterious atmospheres for the recording. A pioneering and groundbreaking work that today stands in stark contrast to its original reception. The recognized classics usually go through a similar historical metamorphosis.

Ownership: LP: 1985 Polydor. Single sleeve with a cool cover. I bought this later press brand new from the Record Gallery in Dallas circa 1987 while still in college. I've spoken about this remarkable store and its impact on my music development in other posts.

CD: 2007 Tangram. CD+DVD. Super nice tri-fold digi-pak cover with a history in both English and German. Also comes with a DVD that I have yet to see. Since the album was originally released as a "movie soundtrack for your mind", a group of contemporary college students decided to make a video with the music as a backdrop. This is the copy I listened to for this revisit. It appeared Reichel was going to reissue his back catalog in this manner, but then it derailed for 10 more years before he decided to release the massive box set.

CD: 2017 Tangram. And we're glad he did! This is a 10 CD box set with a hardbound book. One of the highest rated CD packages in my entire collection. I discuss this box more in depth on the AR 3 review.

At this point, I will likely keep all 3 copies as each brings something unique.

12/31/07; 12/20/18; 7/13/22 (new entry)

Achim Reichel - Erholung. 1975 Germany

Achim Reichel's last foray for creating experimental music. It's a solid live outing recorded in 1973 (and released 2 years later) and consistent with his sound on sound guitar based psychedelia that he was still pursuing (and I've already written about extensively here on this blog). Erholung is the edited portion of the Live in Krefeld 16.09.73 set. On the CD, we get the whole concert. I have to admit to a little disappointment that the remainder wasn't as well recorded as to what was released. It does make sense of course, and I'm super grateful to have the whole show, but we now know the reality as to why it stayed in the vaults initially.

Ownership: LP: 1975 Brain; CD: 2017 BMG/Tangram. As part of the 10 CD set The Art of German Psychedelic. Picked up the LP not long after graduating from college in early 1988. It's a single sleeve with the green label. I don't believe this title received a repressing like most Brain albums. Here are my notes for the CD box.

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

The 4th album from Achim Reichel's experimental phase is regarded by many to be his best work.  I too had it rated highest even though, oddly enough, it was the album (of the 6 classics) I was the least familiar with. It was also the last one for me to acquire, and I discuss that below.

After absorbing the album for two straight listens, I can now say with conviction that my instincts were correct. This is the one I enjoy best. It takes the same concept as AR 3, but adds a crispness, clarity, and intensity not found there. In this way it's more like Die Grune Reise, yet it's far more psychedelic, creating hypnotic patterns similar to what Gottsching would do two years later on Inventions for Electric Guitar. As I said on AR 3, Reichel's music is something one needs to immerse themselves in, and absorb, rather than seek for melodic hook lines or to sit back and await being blown away. Reichel and his band - along with his machines, namely tape decks - have created their own musical world. One that only existed with them, and never reappeared again after 1975. Essential.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Zebra. Single sleeve. Acquired at a record store in Boise, Idaho (1998). See below for more about that encounter.

CD: 2017 BMG/Tangram. As part of the 10 CD set The Art of German Psychedelic. Here are my notes for the CD box. 

Unlike the other five Reichel albums, IV had eluded me in my initial quest. AR 3 and Die Grune Reise were secured before I exited college in 1987. Echo and Erholung were both found a couple of months later, and Autovision not long after that. Though I didn't have it, I wasn't actively turning every rock over for it either (not realizing at the time how great it might be). In the fall of 1998 (still pre-ebay, at least for me), I was in a long term consulting gig at Boise State University. One evening, lacking anything else better to do (and we usually had group events, so solo nights were rare), I headed over to a record store near downtown. And there it was! Nothing else in the store of note, just AR IV for all of $5. 

10//98; 5/16/19 (new entry)

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)