Museo Rosenbach - Zarathustra. 1973 Italy

This is one of those albums where I state to myself: "Didn't I write about this album already?" Nope. Uh, wait (takes a look at Gnosis). Oh cool - I did. Yaay. I forgot about that incident, but I was evaluating on whether or not to sell my LP extra copy on Contempo. Anyway, on to that review from 22 years ago:

"Melancholy, thy name is mellotron. And so it is with that, Zarathustra opens in this manner. A dire voice leads to a crashing guitar riff, and Museo Rosenbach has begun the journey to one of the finest albums ever made. Created in the fertile turf of 1973 Italy, Museo Rosenbach were either inspired by or were the inspiration for countless other bands, each vying for the public’s attention. The most creative musical scene in the annals of rock music to ever surface had a new champion. Heavy riffing guitar, bass, drums and various percussion are the instruments of choice. However, the standouts have to be Pit Corradi’s amazing mellotron and Hammond organ work coupled with the brilliant vocals of Stefano Galifi. There are no weak moments to be found, each composition winds its way through the corridors of the listener’s assumed over-active imagination. Whether it’s the side long title track or one of the 3 shorter songs found on Side 2 (especially 'Della Natura'), rest assured the attentive listener will be rewarded lavishly with each spin – a new twist or turn will become apparent. This discovery can go on for years. Certainly one of the all timers, a strong contender for greatest album ever. The perfect musical companion."

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No change in my opinion, and it appears this is the first time I've heard the album in full since then. That's crazy. I can't keep doing this with my favorites. If I wait another 22 years, I'll be 81. Will I even be able to hear then? So far so good, but who knows. In any case, while it's a strong contender for greatest album ever, and I do have a Gnosis 14 on it, it's not #1 for me. The competition from early 70s Italy is so ridiculously great, it's hard for an album like Zarathustra to make the Top 10 in that genre alone. It does for me, but I could make the argument that it's in tenth place. Wow. And yea, that mellotron is so mystical you just want to live in it. My favorite moment of the entire album is when Galifi belts out "SUPER UOMO!" and the band goes nuts afterward. Brilliant. 

Ownership: LP: 1973 Dischi Ricordi. Gatefold textured cover. It's just mind blowing how expensive this album has become. It was hardly pressed in great numbers, but it was imported to the US by Peters unlike the really rare ones like Capitolo 6 and E.A. Poe. But demand is exceedingly high, so Economics 101 has it going for 15 times what it did 20+ years ago. I got mine in the "early days of ebay" (1999) for... $75. I remember showing a guy at work how ebay operates. This was before sniping and other tools existed. So you had to be present to get in your last second bid. I miss those days. It was exhilarating.

LP: 1982 Seven Seas (Japan). Gatefold with obi. Acquired from a friend in Japan (1999). This too is now worth good money.

CD: 2003 BMG (Japan). Papersleeve edition. Love that they perfectly replicated the textured cover. Not the best sound - but neither is the LP.

The first copy I owned was the single Japanese pressing (1989). As noted above, I also owned the gatefold Contempo pressing. And believe it or not, I also had two earlier CD presses. A bit obsessive I suppose. But what shows above has been static for 20 years. I guess 2003 would have been the last listen actually, the year before I started journaling everything.

1989; 4/25/01 (Gnosis); 2003; 11/26/23 (new entry)

Eiliff. 1971 Germany

Eiliff's debut is one of the gems of the Krautrock underground. Seems that in 1971, at least one brilliant album a week was released in Germany. Even with such competition within the country, perhaps only Ash Ra Tempel and Embryo managed to do better in this most landmark year. What separates Eiliff from most of their competition is their musical background, namely jazz rather than rock. As we talk about in the Kraut Fusion (1970s /early 80s) list, Germany had an abundance of underground rockers who turned to jazz. Eiliff was about a year ahead of the pack, and they did it the other way: Jazzers playing Krautrock. If looking for a guidepost, they were closer in spirit to Xhol Caravan than Wolfgang Dauner.

'Bird-Night of the Seventh Day' is the most traditional progressive rock oriented track here, clearly taking their cues from early King Crimson, but with the delicious atmosphere that only comes from Germany at this time, and it's delivered on the very first notes. 'Gammkelloni' is a hot fusion number, but also represents the album's sole flaw - the sax is just too skronky to appreciate. It's a pity, as the guitarist (the brilliant Persian Houschäng Nejadépour) is on fire here. 'Uzzek of Rigel IV' enters into instrumental Italian prog rock territory for its first 3 minutes, with herky jerky metrics, before it goes into slow burn mode for the remainder.

At this point, Eiliff's debut is excellent, but certainly more in line with the high expectations that are set for the time and place.

Then comes 'Suite'. I don't think it's an exaggeration for me to say that this 21 minute opus is a high water mark of my collection. If not the single best long form track, it is in the discussion. From the very first note you know you're in for something special. If you're not drawn in by the 3rd minute (and already 2 or 3 killer moments have happened), then either a) you're not paying attention or b) we probably don't have much in common musically speaking. Because this is exactly the kind of music that puts me in a trance like state, exciting my mind in multiple ways. That driving organ, and then the huge electric sax chords, just evokes images of a strobe lit club with psychedelic screens, dancing girls, and the world flashing by in snippets of images. What's absolutely phenomenal about the entire piece, is that it never stops changing. There's at least one peak moment a minute. Yea, that's right, something like 20 peak moments - in one track! Most bands are lucky to get one or 2 of those in a career, not one-a-minute. One other incredible moment: There's a sitar piece that slows things down a bit, until Nejadépour of course goes wild on the instrument, this is then followed by a few second drum beat. Then... a thunderstorm of Hammond organ. Literally. I don't think I've heard the instrument so thick and wedgy as in this moment. It's breathtaking just writing about this opus, much less when listening to it. Even Thirsty Moon's most stunning 'Yellow Sunshine' doesn't quite measure up. Masterpiece if there ever was one.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Philips. Gatefold. Acquired at the Austin Record Show (1990). This convention, one of the largest in the world, was a giant magnet for folks like me. Drawn to it like a moth to light. And the fact that Austin was only three hours drive from where I lived at the time in the Dallas area, made it a mandatory twice a year pilgrimage. The gentleman I bought it from was someone who turned me onto to a number of great albums back then. The album was expensive for its time (something like $20 - yes, true, the appreciation of value has been enormous). Back then you could still get bargains (shoot many times you could find rarities for $1 or $2). Anyway this guy - who was a spitting image of Conny Veit - always had pretty ladies hanging around him even at these shows. Who was he? Well, he later moved to Seattle and went by Dusty Lee, most famous for the Ventricle label and all the subsequent acts he created (commonly with female vocals and mellotron).

CD: 1994 World Wide. Jewel case. No extras whatsoever. However, it does sound quite good and is taken from the masters. Surprisingly, it remains the only one on the market.

1990 (first listen); 1/11/19 (review/new entry)