Scapa Flow ~ Finland

Uuteen Aikaan (1980)

On the surface, Scapa Flow are a folk rock band. But then when you consider the flute, acid guitar leads, and organ, it begins to take on a psychedelic folk sound, similar to maybe Carol of Harvest. But that's not quite right either. As you hear the sweet female vocals, one begins to think of the Christian progressive rock movement of Germany in the early 80s - bands like Eden and Credemus. But this isn't a message album, nor Christian - and it's slightly darker in tone. I also tend to think of the airy progressive rock of Sweden's Autumn Breeze, but Scapa Flow are folkier. And there's really no other band from Finland to compare to either. So Scapa Flow, even though they are well within the confines of familiar borders, are somewhat unique. That's a plus.

There are no weak tracks here, and the highlighted ones are only slightly better. One can only wish for more material and extended versions, but it doesn't appear they exist anywhere. A1 is probably the best representative of Scapa Flow's entire sound. If you need Cliff Notes, this would be my pick. A3 & B4 are the most complex and involved of Uuteen Aikaan's seven songs. B3 is my personal favorite from a melody perspective, and I'd love to hear them flesh this out over seven or eight minutes.

Ownership: 1980 Kompass (LP). Acquired in 1994.

Scapa Flow history

Translated CD liner notes (a HUGE thanks to Kai in Finland for these):

"Uuteen aikaan ["into a new age"] from 1980 is one of the most requested Finnish progressive rock CD re-releases. The album received next to no attention on its original release, as did its creator, the group Scapa Flow.

Scapa Flow was formed in Helsinki in 1976. The group traveled down folky and progressive paths, with influences from, among others, Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull and Camel. Live they played mostly their own English-language songs and a couple of Bach covers.

Like other Finnish progressive rock bands in the late 1970s, Scapa Flow were having a hard time with New Wave at the peak of its popularity. However, Chriss Schwindt [one of the original founders of the now bankrupt Love Records] maintained a very liberal release policy with his Kompass Records and he signed Scapa Flow.

Scapa Flow's only album Uuteen aikaan was recorded in spring 1980 and released later that year. Recording line-up comprised Timo Seppänen (guitar), Asko Ahonen (bass), Ismo Järvinen (saxophone, flute), Eero Kolehmainen (keyboards), Leevi Leppänen (drums) and Pia-Maria Noponen (vocals, flute and keyboards). The last three joined the group just before the release. Leppänen replaced earlier drummer Olavi Kyllönen and Kolehmainen Kari Jaksola.

Uuteen aikaan was produced by Lasse Rönkä ja recorded at the Birdland studio in Helsinki. The original English lyrics were translated into Finnish with the help of Seppo Parkkinen and Esko Salervo.

The Back Beat magazine on the group before the album's release: "Scapa Flow's music is carefully composed and thought-out, though solos allow room for some improvisation. Vocals are rather prominent and the group are determined to make their harmonies work. Four of the members sing, so Scapa Flow seem to have a quite versatile range of musical expression."

The Soundi magazine's Hannu Tervaharju reviewed the album. He thought that the lyrics were so fragile and sensitive that they made the love poetry of Tommy Taberman [one of the most popular and syrupy poets at the time] look like letters to a porn magazine [he obviously hadn't paid attention to the title track, then]. Tervaharju wished that Scapa Flow's would make their next album equally beautiful but a little tougher.

The group never got the chance to make a second album, because the record-buying public barely noticed their first. Scapa Flow ended as quietly as they had begun.

After Scapa Flow, Leevi Leppänen has played with the Pekka Pohjola Group, among others, and taught at the Pop-Jazz Conservatory and the Sibelius Academy. Asko Ahonen and Timo Seppänen joined the group Taxi, which released only one single. During the 1980s, Pia-Maria Noponen played with, among others, Limousine, Threshold [semi-progressive electronic rock band who made the album Paradise Now in 1981] and Tavaramarkkinat. She moved to Spain in mid-1980s and died in 1996.

Uuteen aikaan has become a wanted collector's item over the years. A copy in good condition may command a couple of hundred Euro, and copies are far and few between. The CD release is from the original master tapes."

1994; 7//05; 10/22/10 (review / new entry); 6/7/26

Fantasia ~ Finland

Fantasia (1975)

With Fantasia's sole album, guitar and violin are the primary lead soloists, with some tasteful Moog, Rhodes, sax and flute as accompaniment. I want to quote my old CDRWL site, as after hearing this album a few times in a row, this still encapsulates my thoughts: 

"They possess the instrumental dexterity of Finnforest combined with the songwriting talents of the Swedish band Atlas (who arrived later, but I feel there are similarities here). Contains nine short tracks, each packed with many ideas. Fantasia is not an album that lends itself to easy comparisons, yet it's all vaguely familiar. Definitely Scandinavian from a compositional and melodic perspective." 

Of course, one cannot ignore Camel or King Crimson here, as no doubt these more familiar bands were an influence on Fantasia, as were the big stars from their homeland: Wigwam.

A2 recalls the great Secret Oyster, primarily due to the soprano sax holding the melody line, coupled with some delicious wah wah guitar soloing. 

I feel A3 represents the highlight of the entire album. The deep throbbing bass line, with the melancholic guitar melody, is so very Scandinavian in its approach. Perhaps Fjärilar I Magen era Ragnarök is a good reference here. The guitar solo over the wah wah rhythm is exhilarating. It's not even three minutes long, but it seems as if they packed seven minutes of material in there. 

A4 starts pleasant enough, with some fine synthesizer overlays over the funky rhythm, definitely playing off the ominous atmosphere. And then there's this wicked Italian progressive rock style meter break, which is really surprising in this context. The track closes masterfully with a wonderful violin solo. Another brilliant track.

A5 is about the only song on here that could be called a "throwaway", and even at that, it's pretty good. 

B1 starts off with that dark narrative singing that is popular in Finland (just listen to Nimbus' Obus sometime). This is followed by an outstanding Rhodes break which leads to some more excellent guitar soloing. Closes somewhat similar to the opening. A fine work, and proves Fantasia could work a vocal tune into their repertoire without ruining the song. 

B2 and B3 are two short instrumentals, that are both highly melodic and rock hard. Would love to here both of these stretched out a few minutes more each. B4 is an extended instrumental showing that Fantasia is not just content to sit on a groove and solo endlessly, but rather they pack many ideas and textures into one song. And they are all related musically, not a pile of disparate ideas that go nowhere. Splendid album!

Ownership: 1975 Hi-Hat (LP). Acquired in 1994.

Fantasia history

Translation of the Rocket Records CD booklet kindly provided by Kai from Finland. Thanks a million for this Kai!

"Fantasia's roots lie with the St. Marcus Blues Band, which was formed in Pietarsaari in 1967. As their music became more experimental, the group changed their name to Fantasia in 1973. Bassist Markku Lönngren took the name from Amazing Blondel's 1971 album Fantasia Lindum. Early Fantasia described their music as a mixture of hard rock and progressive rock. To prove their commitment, the band members told that they had invested FIM 40 000 into musical equipment and were practicing almost every night.

Early Fantasia comprised Hannu Lindblom (vocals, guitar), Jukka Halttunen (guitar), Markku Lönngren (bass), Paavo Osola (keyboards) and Karl-Erik Rönngård (drums). However, musical differences caused rifts, and in 1973 only Lindblom and Rönngård were left. Fantasia became a quartet with the addition of Harri Piha (bass) and Roul Helantie (keyboards, guitar, violin).

The new Fantasia took part in the Finnish Rock Championship contest, which was held at Kulttuuritalo in Helsinki in December 1974. The decision to take part had not been unanimous. It was only reached after some members threatened to leave the group if Fantasia skipped the contest.

It was a good move in retrospect, for the jury liked Fantasia's style and the group won the contest. Their poor gig situation improved considerably as a result. In 1975 they were signed by Hi-Hat, a new record company set up by Finnlevy. [Finnlevy was one of the few large record companies dominating Finnish record industry at the time. Hi-Hat was their attempt to capture a piece of the young, progressive music market, which had been largely Love Records' domain.]

Fantasia's eponymous album came out in late 1975, as the new company's seventh LP release. The album was produced by [Wigwam drummer] Ronnie Österberg and Mikael Wiik. It was recorded at Finnlevy's studio in Helsinki. Additional musicians were Mikael Wiik, who played the guitar solo on "Depressio", and saxophonist Pekka Pöyry [of Tasavallan Presidentti, among others].

University of Turku's student magazine described the album: "Influenced by Wigwam, but with an honest and idiomatic approach. Fantasia want to create impressions, raise social awareness and make people listen and develop their relationship to music."

Wigwam comparisons were unavoidable. Waldemar Wallenius [one of the founding fathers of Finnish independent rock journalism] wrote in the Soundi magazine: "Some nitwit may fault the album for being too monotonous, but I for one enjoy its cohesion and harmoniousness. Some other blockhead probably spots clear Wigwam or even Tabula Rasa influences, which again I don't mind, because the album sounds pure and pleasing - and not too derivative of anyone. Yet another lamebrain might take offense on the lyrics, which may feel a bit pretentious. But the lyrics are mercifully few and they don't call much attention to themselves. And while not fantastic, they are not too bad."

Fantasia sold about 2000 copies, which fell well short of what the record company had expected from this rising new group. Hi-Hat may have been open-minded and ambitious in signing new artists, but the company was less patient about the artists' commercial success. Hence Fantasia and most of the other early signings never got to make a second album. After 1976 Hi-Hat's activity was heavily curtailed and the company soon shrunk into Finnlevy's sub-label that had to heavily rationalize its release policy.

With the album's failure and the public's ebbing interest in progressive rock, Fantasia's line-up began to change. First to leave was bassist Harri Piha. Roul Helantie took over bass duties, while keyboard player Paavo Osala re-joined the band.

In 1976 Fantasia toured the Soviet Union, with concerts in Leningrad, Moscow and Riga. Afterwards their line-up went into flux, while their music allegedly became more danceable. After various stylistic and line-up changes, Fantasia was buried at the turn of the decade and the St. Marcus Blues Band resurrected. The group is still touring and recording music today, but that is a different story."

1994; 1995; 9/1/09 (review); 10/20/10 (update / new entry); 6/8/26

Time. 1975 England

Time were formed by ex-Spontaneous Combustion members, and is considerably more complex than their former group. Flash, that wonderful post-Yes band that Peter Banks formed, is the most obvious influence. Especially in the vocal department. And the guitars have that certain raw chord sound with runny clean solos that Banks seemed to favor. But in reality Time is even more complex than that. On the instrumental sections (which are plentiful), they are like a distilled Yes circa Relayer without all the hoity-toity bits (and yea, I admit to liking all that extra Yes fluff too). But if you're in a hurry, and don't have time for a sit down meal, then Time is some really good fast food. Non-chain, healthy, and thoughtful - but quick counter service with no waiting. While not quite as off-the-rails-nutty, the closest comparison to Time I can make is Yezda Urfa's Boris, another 1975 wonder. Which tells me some musicians were sitting around the world, after digesting Tales From Topographic Oceans and Relayer, saying "I like Twinkies, but more the cream filling than the sponge part".

Perhaps a bit useless to have my star system in place here. I pretty much love every track on the album. Side 1 is definitely stronger, perhaps because the sound is fresher to my ears, and I've grown accustomed by Side 2. 'Shady Lady' and 'Turn Around' pretty much sums up all you need to know if you're really in a drive-through hurry. Counterpoint is one of Time's favorite tools to utilize and you will hear it often. I happen to love counterpoint, so that may explain why I score Time higher than others. I also like a good woody bass sound and Time also plants that wherever they can. Plenty of keyboards and tuned percussion also in the mix. And vocals are also played off of each other, ala Gentle Giant (another obvious influence at play here). Highly recommended.

LP: 1975 Buk (UK). Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition (2010).

Reissued on CD in 2019 from Belle Antique in Japan.

10/15/10 (new entry); 7/2/18

Dschinn Fizz ~ Germany

There is a Playne Difference (1981)

When I was first introduced to Dschinn Fizz years ago, I was informed that they were a killer progressive psychedelic band (those terms again...) not to be missed. Huh? Of course when one has a mindset going in, and that expectation isn't met, it's rare the album will resonate in a positive way. And it didn't, though I do recall thinking it was pretty good for some other reason, but couldn't recollect why. As I often do, I revisit albums no matter what. This time I went in without a preconceived notion of what the music is supposed to sound like. I was hooked on the first notes! 

So what is a Dschinn Fizz anyway? Dschinn (the band) is one of those infamous rare Krautrock-but-not-really bands from the early 70s with a cool cover of a Dali painting. To me it was always something of a disappointing hard rock album (I revisited this title as well and now conclude it's a good hard rock album). This band has no relation to that one, but curious of such a strange name. Google Translate informs us that Dschinn means Genie, and that Fizz means... Fizz. Genie Fizz. (shrug). Well then, that clears it up for me...

Back to the music. What becomes apparent rather quickly is that Dschinn Fizz are great songwriters. It has those hooks that should have made them stars. But a small label pressing in Germany is not likely to have gotten them noticed where they needed to be most: North America. Because Dschinn Fizz have the sound of Saga, Kansas, Rush, and yes, even fellow countrymen the Scorpions. There are no keyboards or violin here however, so the dual guitars carry the melody and solo lines. And the timing of 1981 was still good, as Saga for example were peaking at this stage. So that gives you an idea of the genre here. But Dschinn Fizz are not plagiarists, and one is immediately immersed with the fantastic opener 'Long Road'. 'Escaped' finds the band perhaps trying too hard for a radio hit, but the mid section instrumental is fantastic. It cannot be stressed enough how melodic these guys are. And the English vocals are strong with little to no accent, usually the Achilles Heel of German bands at the time. 'Don't Look Back' is the low point of the album, but again saved by a strong middle. Then the album really takes off. 'Spanish Fly' is a Rush-like instrumental very much in tune with their Hemispheres through Moving Pictures stage. All of Side 2 is fantastic, and here Dschinn Fizz bring forth a stronger progressive rock element. And some killer hard rock riffing on 'Old Man'. 'Chasing a Dream' would have been just that in 1981: A dream. So they close on a high, always a hallmark of a great album.

If you come here looking for the next progressive rock classic, you won't be impressed. But if looking for that peculiar breed of North American "proggy AOR", then this album moves to the top of class.

Ownership: 1981 Aircraft (LP)

No reissues exist (as of 3/4/25)

10/5/10 (review / new entry); 11/30/18 (update)

THTX - The Flickering Sky. 2009 USA-Michigan

1. The Flickering Sky (10:27)
2. Mu-tron (6:20)
3. Osidias (5:40)
4. Ultraviolet Twilight (6:28)
5. Infiltrating Light (6:44)
6. Collective Mind Anarchy (9:43)
7. Zenta Childe (4:44)
8. Son Of Mu-tron (2:14)
9. Darkness [11/11] (6:54)
10. Zenta Childe [Slight Return] (2:04)
11. Once Before In The Future (5:02)
12. Shadow At The Gates Of Nothingness (2:02)

While THTX (primarily a solo effort of talented multi-instrumentalist Matthew Smith I should add) has tightened it up a bit, they unfortunately still have a penchant for long bouts of untamed noise. Which for this listener makes it more undesirable. The frustrating aspect of it for me is that, I feel, THTX have what it takes to put together a great album. The incredible 'Voyage into Space' from Ultimately proves that point emphatically. I was highly encouraged by 1), a track that jammed hard and is extremely psychedelic, but with a good sense of dynamics and songwriting. 2) was a backslide into the boggy morass of prior efforts. It's 3) where THTX shows real potential. Wah wah trumpet and organ create a fertile bed for the inevitable guitar solo. But in this context the guitar has some meaning, and adds firepower. Like adding a dash of sugar rather than 8 spoonfuls. Too much of the good stuff, without context, loses its allure. Unfortunately 4) and beyond shows less discipline. The exceptions are 6), by far the hardest rocking track on the album, and the use of phasing is a nice touch. But this being the modern age of space rock, they do far too much of the same thing for far too long. Like a Saturday Night Live skit that was funny for 3 minutes and tiresome for the remainder. 9) is a rework of a VDGG tune, and it's good to hear main man Matthew Smith on vocals. Taking on Peter Hammill is no small feat, and he does a fine job here. It's also a composition considerably different from the normal THTX fare, and a path they may want to consider in the future. 8) & 10) is more psychedelic overdose, but in the short time frame allotted, would be more acceptable if the placement were better, 11) & 12) close out the album with a more atmospheric base, and once again portrays THTX as more of a thinking man's space psych band then they sometimes allow themselves.

Ownership: CD: 2009 Sulatron

10/1/10 (new entry)

The Perotic Theatre - Dryve. 1996 Germany

What makes Dryve so interesting is the juxtaposition of 90s modern rock song craft with Hammond organ as the lead instrument. The thick edgy analog instrument gives the songs far more life than any thin sounding digital synthesizer would have, and completely changes the mood and texture of the entire album. 1), 5) & 8) are probably the best representations of Dryve, showing off their Porcupine Tree meets Pink Floyd composition style - but with early 70s Uriah Heep and Aardvark instrumentation. 2) is, for me, easily the weakest piece on the album, and shows that The Perotic Theatre could have been a wimpy emo bunch, primarily due to the breathy androgynous vocal style. Though, once again, the Hammond manages to save it from a total disaster. 3) puts us back on track with a jumpy ELP Tarkus era styled organ track, with vocals in a more desirable airy style than the previous one. 4) is one dirty, smelly heap of early 70's organ rock. Now this track could have easily come out in 1971 England via the Neon label - or 2008 from a band like Diagonal. Excellent. 6) is a moodier version of 2), and fits the atmosphere of the album better. 7) is the first time we get a hint of the heritage of the band, and this piece of unhinged experimentalism would clearly fit into the glorious world of 1971 era Krautrock, as envisioned by the Ohr and Pilz labels. Echoed narrated vocals, droning / power chord organ shards, and pounding drums. Nosferatu meets Motherf*cker & Co era Xhol Caravan. I could listen to this stuff all day. Brilliant! 9) features a cool choppy organ vamp, on which the band pretty much jams on top with wordless male vocals adding atmosphere. Really super stuff here. 10) is the clear winner from a melody standpoint. Wow - this is the kind track that could have been a hit in 1972. While the whole album is very good, the last half of Dryve is stellar. 

Ownership: CD: 1996 private. 8 panel poster booklet.

This was an album I was tipped to much later (2010). Grateful for that.

FWIW, their debut Prometheused (1995) is completely different, and I was disappointed. This is a band you must tread carefully with.

9/20/10 (first listen / review); 7/11/24

Aquarelle - Sous un Arbre. 1978 Canada-Quebec

Aquarelle's debut is far from a typical jazz fusion album. In the late 1970's, there were literally hundreds of albums that featured musicians showing off their technical chops. They couldn't help but parade their considerable talent on the latest synthesizer, while trading solos back and forth with the next rendition of Allan Holdsworth, Al Di Meola, or Bill Connors. To many listeners, including yours truly, this was met with a big yawn. Might be great listening to those wanting to learn the trade, or were participants in the scene, but I want something more than that. Like songs for example. Or compositions. And Aquarelle delivers on both fronts. They are the antithesis to the normal fare of the era. As I dig deeper, I begin to think of band leader and primary composer Pierre Lescaut as some sort of genius. It's the blending of the instruments that makes the album so special. Violin, flute, sax, female wordless voice, and mostly Pierre's piano that stand out, but in ensemble form. Guitar, bass, and drums give it the rock feeling they were striving for, but only that - as an underlying structure.

Despite the profound statements from the last paragraph, I wouldn't say it's all that obvious on a casual listen. Read some reviews online and you'll see terms like "dated fusion", or "nothing out of the ordinary". Indeed, it is just that - out of the ordinary. I didn't recognize it myself for many years. In fact, not until my Gnosis review some 15 years after initial purchase, did I register in my memory banks that this wasn't a garden variety late 70's Quebec fusion band.

It was only for 'La Magie des Sons' that I recalled anything different. A smoking violin led piece, and what seemed to me to be the most progressive song on the album. Today, I scratch my head on why I would think that. Perhaps it's the most obvious song on the album. But on multiple spins, it's really 'Sous un Arbre' and 'Aquarelle (Part 1,2,3)' that are the truly progressive oriented numbers. The title track takes a bit to get going, but features a wonderful mid-track break with a complex meter and some fine rhythm guitar work. 'Aquarelle (Part 1,2,3)' gives off more than a whiff of classical chamber music all within the context of jazz and rock. Splendid really. It's only on 'Bridge' and closer 'Esperanto' that there are any hints of the funky fusion of the day. Even still, these are far from cheap skeletons on which to solo endlessly on. And both are fine tracks, if only less exceptional than the others.

That leaves the two brilliant pieces in my estimation. 'Francoise' features a stunning flute melody, and is as happy a song as you will ever hear. The Caribbean festival bit on the last third of the track embodies the spirit of the mood, while adding a progressive twist to an already great song. But it's 'Volupte' that wins the grand prize. Words cannot describe the stunning beauty of this composition. How could I not hear it 20 years ago? Or even 4 years ago on a deep dive review for Gnosis? It's the kind of mid-album piece one would discover on an Italian progressive rock album. The moment that hits you and you can only utter "it's brilliant!". Ah, the beauty of discovering what you already have.

LP: 1978 Atlantic
CD: 2010 Belle Antique (Japan)

I found a sealed LP in a Kansas City record store back in 1991. Ah, the days when the classic Midwest cities all had cool record stores with import gems like this - all for under $10. KC was one of the great record store towns, with many excellent stores in the Westport district alone. No more of course. I miss those days of traveling to cities for the sole purpose of buying records (and eating the local cuisine and drinking the local swill - fortunately we can still do this!). Oh sure, some of these stores still exist, but are a mere skeleton of what they once were. Until 2010, no other LP or CD presses existed. So I was much surprised when I heard that Belle Antique of Japan managed to obtain the licenses for both of the Aquarelle albums. I know there had been some talk of ProgQuebec reissuing these, and they still might (I really hope so!). Unfortunately the CD is taken from vinyl and sounds tinny at that. It's licensed from main songwriter and keyboardist Pierre Lescaut, and I suspect he's responsible for the mastering. Very disappointing. I decided to part with this CD in April of 2019 and will patiently await a better reissue. It desperately could use one!

Agitation Free ~ Germany

Last (1971-1974 / 1976)

While I was originally disappointed with 2nd, I found Last more to my liking, at least originally. Stylistically it ties closer to Malesch due to the experimentation though minus the ethnic influences, sadly enough.

Though not released until 1976, Last is in reality an archival release, more similar to the type of albums that we are seeing coming to light for the first time today. The first two tracks are from a live concert circa March, 1973, while 'Looping IV' is a studio recording from Feb, 1974. The bonus track 'Schwingspule' is a live recording from December of 1971.

'Soundpool' is yet another version of 'Rücksturz' from Malesch, this time hidden behind a raft full of electronics. As if to prove that Agitation Free's two best melodies were 'Rücksturz' and 'Laila' (from 2nd), both make their appearance here and 'Laila II' has the most extended version of the classic piece. And it's brilliant with plenty of references to Malesch blended into the psychedelic jamming. At 17 minutes, there's a little bit of aimless experimentation to endure, but overall still a great variation of the classic tune. 'Looping IV' is yet another new chapter in the Agitation Free book. Just as 2nd finished with two distinct tracks of innovation, thus so does the 1974 version of the band. For those who would like to hear another possible variation on the 1971 Tangerine Dream Alpha Centauri sound, then 'Looping IV' is for you. This track goes way out there, with plenty of echoed organ, bass, drums, electronics, voices, guitars - all, naturally enough, looped over and over for a mesmerizing psychedelic experience. One can only hope there is far more Agitation Free sitting in the vaults (not counting the already excellent At the Cliffs of River Rhine and Fragments archival albums). An Ohr or Kosmische classic that never was released. 

'Schwingspule' is a great find and my favorite of the bonus tracks that SPV originally pressed across the three original albums. A fitting follow up to the experimental 'Looping IV' but with a closing psychedelic guitar jam that recalls Malesch especially on its bonus track. If only high quality tape versions of this era of the band existed!

Ownership: 1976 Barclay (LP); 2010 Belle Antique (CD). Papersleeve. One bonus track.

1992 (first acquired); 9/18/10 (review)

2nd (1973) 

After discovering Malesch, naturally 2nd immediately became my top want back in 1985. When I eventually did land a copy a couple of years later, which was the French IRI reissue, I was mightily disappointed. Mainly because 2nd wasn't Malesch. There are no Middle Eastern themes or even an overt psychedelic feeling to relate to. Over time, I've come to terms with 2nd, and now view the album as a total classic. It's closer to the "US west coast" 1960's sound, and is somewhat of an oddity in Krautrock circles.

'First Communication' defines the new ethos of Agitation Free. One that is considerably looser, more laid back, and well, free. Generally this is where the West Coast term is applied. The late 1960's psychedelic scene of the San Francisco Bay Area as defined by The Grateful Dead and Quicksilver Messenger Service. A pleasant guitar lead jam, if not exactly a great way to state "we're back!". 'Dialogue and Random' recalls the experimental aspects of 'Pulse' from Malesch and is somewhat of a waste of time, but mercifully short at under two minutes. It's the two part 'Laila' where things become interesting, with a fine loud guitar solo among the somewhat peaceful surroundings. 'Laila, Part II' has a killer drum and bass line, followed by a stunning acid guitar melody, certainly Agitation Free's most recognized after 'Rücksturz' from their debut. The return of the swirling organ from the Malesch era is also much welcome. A stone classic of a song. 'In the Silence of the Morning Sunrise' brings us another strong Agitation Free styled melody, in a more laid back setting that typifies 2nd. A sweet, serene song. 'A Quiet Walk' is the odd bird in Agitation Free's catalog, sounding like a lost outtake from an Ohr label recording session. Part one's 'Listening' is an exercise in soundscape and atmosphere. With echoed found sounds, and layers of background organ, the feel is one of meditation and reflection. I think if there wasn't a payoff at the end, this could be seen as somewhat boring in the same way as 'Dialogue and Random'. But at roughly the five minute mark I suspect we hit the 'Not of the Same Kind' portion of the track, which provides the climax to the plot set out in part one. Acoustic guitar strumming lay the bed of rice for the main course - some mighty fine electric guitar runs (with studio effects) and percussion. Not an immediately likable song, but one whose hidden qualities come after multiple listens. If 'A Quiet Walk' pulls us out of the creative station, then 'Haunted Island' is off the rails. And it's a stunner. Here we get Agitation Free in hard blues rock territory complete with narrative vocals, some treated with a Leslie ala Brainticket's Cottonwood Hill and some really mean fuzz guitar solos. A closer that is at complete odds with anything else on this album, or even Malesch. A whole album of this style would have been amazing to behold. 

CD bonus track 'Laila 74' takes us back to 2nd's finest melody - here in a live setting (decent quality) where the structure is looser and the jam more intense. An awesome addition to an already great album.

Ownership: 1973 Vertigo (LP). Gatefold. Swirl label; 2010 Belle Antique (CD). Papersleeve. One bonus track.

12//88 (first acquired); 1996; 9/17/10 (review); 6/23/25

Malesch (1972)

I first discovered Agitation Free by accident in the mid 1980s. One of those albums I bought because it looked cool and was cheap. It had such a profound impact on me at the time, that it was one of those albums that helped shape my musical tastes for the future.

 
'You Play for Us Today' starts with "I fly the airplane, and you play for us, indeed?". And with that field recording of the small aircraft pilot, an organ overlay is applied with haunting voice and the bass starts to rumble a rhythm. A synthesizer floats a melody on top and the first sounds of acid guitar enter in, while pounding drums and the percussion adds an exotic air. The organ begins to swirl, the intensity builds, and the guitar goes into a frenzied but melodic solo. After what seems like only two minutes, but is actually well over six, the field recording of the pilot's intercom interjects with spoken Arabic and leads to... 'Sahara City' that consists of recordings of a market in Egypt with percussion and wind instruments. This takes us back to the studio and a percussive synthesized sound. Haunting winds of sound with fuzz box guitar leads, while pounding symbols deliver you to the desert of unknown myths. After returning from the abyss, the band congeals into an incredible jam with superb guitar and bass jamming. By the time we get to 'Ala Tul', if you're not completely immersed into the Sahara desert mystique of this album, there's probably little chance it will resonate at this point. 'Ala Tul' is what the album is about: Atmosphere, intensity, mystery, exoticism, experimental, intrigue. It's another world, and one that wasn't explored prior, or hasn't been since. 'Pulse' demonstrates Agitation Free at their most experimental, though the piece begins to take form in the latter half in the classic Krautrock jam tradition. 'Khan El Khalili' brings us back to the Middle East, though for most of the piece, the emphasis is a light breezy instrumental, and gives us the best clue of where Agitation Free would go for their next album.  The title track is the perfect encapsulation of all that has proceeded it. If there's one piece that defines the album, it is indeed this one. This leads to 'Rücksturz' and their most memorable piece on the album, with a striking melody that was the centerpiece to many of their live jams during this era. 

This is best illustrated by the 15 minute bonus track on the CD 'Music Factory Live', a stellar piece of Krautrock experimentalism mixed with psychedelic jamming. The kind of music that has your imagination wandering to some obscure artist club in Berlin circa 1972 and wishing you could transport back. The CD also features a short six minute video with yet another variation of the 'Rücksturz' theme. Video quality will remind you of the home reels of your youth, but it only adds to the aura.

Ownership: 1972 Vertigo (LP). Gatefold. Swirl label; 2010 Belle Antique (CD). Papersleeve. One bonus track and the video clip. 

1985 (acquired); 7/27/07; 9/16/10 (review); 10/25/19

Other albums I own and need to review: Fragments; At the Cliffs of River Rhine

9/16/10 (new entry)

V.A. - Umsonst und Draussen - Porta Westvlothica 1978. 1978 Germany

1. Munju - I Feel So Blue Without You
2. Out of Focus - Sommer '58
3. Real Ax Band - Never Never Again
4. Good Food - Take It
5. Embryo - Wir sind alle politische Gefangene
6. Aera - Herr Siebert & die sieben Siebe
7. Mathea Wlömsk - Bahama Mama
8. High Crack - Anina
9. Porta Westfalica Allstars - Airto
10. Das Dritte Ohr - Don't Use Your Spray
11. Hammerfest - Wilde Zeit
12. Molle - Bildertraum
13. Checkpoint Charlie - Smogalarm
14. Porta Westfalica Allstars - Keine Macht für Niemand
15. Spacebox - Tape Talk
16. Julius Schittenhelm - Er dreht sich hinein ins Hirn
17. Airbreak - Crossover
18. Missus Beastly - Porta Erotica
19. Brühwarm - Tango
20. Brühwarm - Fummelrock

1) No better way to open than with some electric sax in the Xhol Caravan, "Hot Rats" era Zappa sort of way. Excellent opener. This track came from Munju's "Moon You" album.

2) Out of Focus make their first festival appearance. One of the legendary bands from the early Krautrock era of 1970-1974. Out of Focus proved to have quite a bit of archival material as they have not only one, but two full CDs of studio music plus one live concert. But none of it extends as far as 1978, where the band was about to become Kontrast. And here they prove to be the veterans they are, with a superb piece, complete with a beautiful melody driven by the flute. I want to hear more of Out of Focus from this era!

3) is an unreleased track by the Embryo offshoot group Real Ax Band. This one is a slow burn, with a deep funk groove and wah wah guitar solos. The Barry White vocal attempt was.... not a good idea. Where's Ms. Archer? Vocals aside, I'd love to hear more of this session.

4) Don't know who Good Food is, but this is a really swell primarily instrumental Latin inspired fusion piece driven by some great rhythm work and Rhodes piano leads the solo and melody lines. At 7 minutes, this is also the longest piece on the entire 2 LP set. Definitely a band I'd like to know more about.

5) Schneeball/April heroes Embryo weigh in with a deep funk piece, also a bit of a slow burn similar to the Real Ax Band, with almost scat like vocals. A different sound from Embryo, but one I found highly appealing. Amazing guitar solo from Bunka. Maybe I'd be interested in Garden of Delights releasing this concert first - rather the '77 one!

6) Well, it was about time Aera showed up! Another "name" band, and by 1978, a group who already had a couple of albums under their belt. Oddly, they only featured a primarily percussion piece (excepting a few ensemble seconds at the end). Hardly representative of the band, who are fine progenitors of jazz fusion.

7) Mathea Wlömsk is another new name for me. I suppose it should be no surprise they are yet another fusion band. The driving bass and phased guitar solos recall the excellent obscure group Mosaik. I definitely want to hear more from this band!

8) Yet again, we hear a new group - High Crack. They are a bit more in the typical funky fusion genre that was all the rage in Germany at this time. A bit more generic than their festival peers - at least on this one piece. I'd still like to hear what else they have to offer.

10) Das Dritte Ohr have a few albums, of which I know nothing about. Here they provide an old time got-the-blues-real-bad-oh-yea-I-do complete with amplified harmonica. It's awful... next!

11) Hammerfest, as mentioned before, are one of the sponsors of the festival - so they of course get their space. They're a bit eclectic, and here they offer yet another got-the-blues-real-bad track - though at a faster pace than Das Dritte Ohr. OK, so they're a mover and shaker of the scene, what are you going to do? Next...

12) And here we have Molle, who started the 1977 album off inauspiciously. Contrary to that piece, the music here is quite good, dominated by a nice flute line and an excellent guitar solo. There's quite a bit of German vocals, which I suspect is politically motivated, but not sure.

13) And now for Germany's most prolific polit-rocker Checkpoint Charlie. Apparently an hilarious song about ecological destruction. And what says funny like left wing political Germans? OK, no fair, I'm not German (well, I am actually - but 3rd generation American...), so let's move on... next!

9) & 14) The Porta All-Stars is obviously a collective gathered for the concert. On the first track they present a sort of acoustic blues, with some nice flute, acoustic guitar and wordless voice. No Power for Nobody is what the second title translates to. IIRC, Ton Steine Scherben also had an album by that name. Yea, baby, ANARCHY RULES! Apparently we're in the midst of the hardcore polit-rock section of the LP. Next!

15) Uli Trepte's Spacebox is a big fave with my more avant minded music friends. For me, they leave a lot be desired. 'Tape Talk' is a track from their self-titled 1979 album. Pretty much mindless drivel as far as I'm concerned. OK, NEXT!!!

16) Producer and folk busker Schittenhelm pushed through another irrelevant track. NEXT!!

17) OK, back on solid ground with Airbreak, a funky fusion band with wah wah rhythm guitar driving the sax & guitar leads. A typical tropical and sunny sound dominates here. Probably not a group that would be overly special on LP, though I'd be interested in hearing more anyway. Not that much different than the High Crack group earlier in the album.

18) UMR's favorite Missus Beastly contributes an unreleased track, that if we were to go by name only would appear to be background music for a, ahem, "blue" film. In reality it's pretty much in the genre of all of MB's work, with a solid groove and great instrumentals provided by electric piano, guitar and flute. Definitely one of the highlight of the entire set.

19) The less said about Brühwarm the better.

Despite a great opening, the festival has clearly taken a turn for the political, at least on vinyl. My least favorite set of the 1975-1978 festivals.

Unfortunately this was the end of the classic era of the Umsonst and Draussen festivals on vinyl. The festival itself continues on to this day. There was one more album released in 1983, but it's a huge drop off in quality. Not only musically, at least for fans of the classic Kraut fusion sound like myself, but primarily the sound quality is awful. Which seems inexcusable, given the date - but alas it is what it is.

V.A. - Umsonst und Draussen - Vlotho '77. 1977 Germany

1. Molle - The Joker 4:30
2. Hammerfest - Jung Siegfried 5:35
3. ES - Today 5:15
4. Checkpoint Charlie - Ausschnitt aus der Geschichte von Herrn Müller 3:55
5. Julius Schittenhelm - Drei Orchideen 3:30
6. Munju - Patscha Menga Underground 8:48
7. Moira - Improvisationen 6:15
8. Funky Bone & The Gang - Higher 7:30
9. Embryo - Getalongwithasong 6:40
10. Real Ax Band - Move Your Ass in Time 5:40
11. Skyline - The Journey 7:49
12. Sadja - Daka Dhin 2:30
13. Einhorn - Einhorn Thema 5:55
14. ES - Fee Forever 1:30
15. Missus Beastly - For Flü 7:28
16. Release Music Orchestra - Sonntag 6:25
17. Ihr - Give Peace a Chance 1:27

1) Gets things off on the wrong foot with an awful cover of the Steve Miller Band classic complete with harmonica leads. Don't know Molle and don't need to. OK, looks like they managed an album called "Kotten". Next...

2) Hammerfest are obviously a core band of the festival, and the April/Schneeball kollektiv. This group has proven hit and miss so far, and I'm ignorant of their actual albums, so what do we get this time? We get the good Hammerfest, where music comes first. Here they show their hand at a more sophisticated progressive blues rock style, with some nice organ and guitar work. Even the vocals are soft focused and not offensive as would normally be the case. Hey, the crowd liked it too!

3) Well, lookee here. I've got a copy of ES' "Wham Bang" album, which is actually not bad at all. ES is made up of members of Tomorrow's Gift and their follow-on group Release Music Orchestra (who are also at this festival). With the funky fusion sounds and female vocals, it appears ES are heavily influenced by Embryo's "Bad Heads and Bad Cats" album as well as The Real Ax Band. 14) is a short thrown in, a harmless female vocal lead piece. Not sure why they felt obligated to toss this in.

4) Checkpoint Charlie are the very definition of politrock. I've had a couple of their albums in the past and they mix complex aggressive punk rock with virulent lyrics. Similar to fellow Germans Oktober. Almost like the Cardiacs but even more angry. Here we pretty much have a spoken word (in German) entry with some nice fusion moves underneath. It would be interesting to hear Checkpoint Charlie with an instrumental album. But that's not what they're about...

5) Features the former Ohr record producer. Even before Dieter Dirks was doing the insane knob twiddling in Berlin, Schittenhelm was phasing bands like Annexus Quam through the hazy fields of madness. As an artist, Schittenhelm is a folk singer - hey, gotta throw a bone to the masters once in awhile and keep them happy.

6) Second year in a row for one of Schneeball's most stalwart bands. As with the '76 concert, Munju covers another track from their debut "High Speed Kindergarten". Here they add an extended percussion sequence as a prequel. Munju were near the top tier of Kraut fusion bands of the era, perhaps slightly behind only Embryo, Missus Beastly and Moira.

7) And speaking of Moira, here's their first appearance on one of these compilations. No points for figuring out this is a loose jam. A quite good one with freaky guitar, flute solos and a driving rhythm. Both of their albums are well worth seeking out. Hopefully one of the great German labels will see fit to reissue them in the near future.

8) Funky Bone & the Gang. I wonder what style of music they'll play? This is their only appearance and not sure if they're related to 1975's The Jack Bone Group. Well they don't sound like they are anyway. Despite the funky disposition, this is pretty tight, with some good sax charts and a little wailing as well. Plenty of guitar soloing thrown in for good measure. Another band I'd like to hear more of.

9) Is the requisite Embryo appearance. They are certainly the "name" band in these festivals and they let absolutely no one down. This is a track that would show up on "Apo Calypso" but in an extended 14 minutes form at that point. Garden of Delights has announced their intention to release Embryo's entire Umsonst concert on CD.

10) Is the title track to Real Ax Band's sole album. They catch a groove early and run with it. If you're unfamiliar with this band, I highly recommend the CD that came out about a decade ago. Definitely recommended to fans of Embryo's "Bad Heads and Bad Cats" and both feature Maria Archer, a superb female vocalist from Ghana.

11) Skyline is back for their second appearance in a row. Again, their live material is far superior to their rather static studio LP. Like the '76 song, this track was also added by GoD on the CD release of "Louise For One Night". I would love hearing these concerts in full, rather than these two snippets.

12) Sadja are an Indian acoustic offshoot of Embryo, and foreshadows their later world fusion efforts that they would pursue more steadfastly in the 1980 and beyond.

13) For me, Einhorn was the big revelation of the 1976 concert. Here, they get a bit more fast and loose with the structure, and there's plenty of unhinged free blow. Though I was a bit unimpressed with this piece, I'd still be most curious if the group has any tapes in storage waiting to be reissued.

15) The other big hitter in the Schneeball lineup along with Embryo, is of course my pet fave group Missus Beastly. This is a track that would show up on their superb "Spaceguerilla",and is a fine representation of their infectious and complex progressive fusion sound.

16) Release Music Orchestra is a relative big name, and this is their first appearance for the free concerts. Only Kraan is missing at this point! Here, they offer a slow and atmospheric jazz piece.

17) is a crowd chant to close the album out.

This set features more released material than prior ones, but overall is still quite good!

V.A. - Umsonst und Draussen - Vlotho 76. 1976 Germany

The second in the series, and also only a single disc.

1. Munju - Talk to Me 5:37
2. Embryo - The Bad Times are Gone 5:56
3. Einhorn - Wer hat Angst vor Adalbert Wenstein 5:20
4. Hammerfest - Cross 5:29
5. Missus Beastly - Slow One 6:38
6. Real Ax Band - Nylon Receycled 6:16
7. Skyline - Tashiro 5:26
8. Sparifankal - I mechd di gean amoi nackad seng

1) Munju opens the album with their fiery brand of jazz rock, with some great guitar soloing. Reminded me of their "Moon You" album, though this is one of their songs from "High Speed Kindergarten". This was the only previously released track found on this compilation.

2) Embryo followed with a funky piece in the "Bad Heads and Bad Cats" vein, BUT Roman Bunka really lets loose on the guitar here recalling the "We Keep On" era (similar to the 1975 concert). Fantastic! I'd love to hear the full concert here. Embryo were one of only 2 bands to have vocals on this album.

3) Wow this was a welcome surprise! Einhorn's is probably the best track of the entire album and follows Embryo nicely. The composition here is heavily influenced by early Soft Machine, with a nice sax solo followed by the best guitar solo of the album. I'd love to hear more from this band!

4) Hammerfest. Similar to the 1975 concert, they provide an instrumental to finish out Side 1. Starts and ends with an excellent organ/guitar symphonic prog section. In the middle we get some of the worst harmonica/blues one can imagine. I can see this band will be completely hit and miss.

5) Side 2 starts with Missus Beastly who are operating in funky fusion territory similar to "Dr Aftershave and the Mixed Pickles". This is probably the weakest era of the 70's version of the band (1978's "Space Guerillas" was a return to their classic 1974/75 jazz rock style). Still there is some amazing Rhodes piano work here. I miss the dual winds players found on the '74 album though.

6) Real Ax Band followed with a spirited instrumental funk fusion piece. I always liked their one album and feel this is what Aera on "Turkis" for example is not. Some smoking acid guitar can be found here.

7) Skyline provides another fusion track with a funky edge. Again, the guitar playing is sublime and this one had a deep groove, for some slow headbanging. This is much better than the rather generic "Louise For One Night" album (1976) that Garden of Delights reissued a few years back. Fortunately they added this track as a bonus.

8) Sparifankal is the odd group out and closes the album. Basically this is German hillbilly music sung in the ancient Bayern language. Hideous, but not my scene either, and fits perfectly with the concert outlook and vision.

Another very good set overall!

Personal collection
LP: 1976 Musikerinitiative Ostwestfalen-Lippe

V.A. - Vlotho Winterberg '75. 1975 Germany

The first of many LP releases of the free Umsonst und Draußen concerts in Germany. This one was boiled down to a single disc.

1 Hammerfest - Lokomotive
2 Missus Beastly - Vloflutho
3 Jack Bone Group - Himalaya Erdbeernuss
4 Embryo - Sidetrack
5 Atzen Wehmeyer - Arbeiterjugendblues
6 Hammerfest - That's What I Say
7 Buttergasse - Sonny
8 Johannislust Orchester - In the Beginning

1) & 6) are from Hammerfest, a good times rock n roll band with a politrock slant. 1) is uncharacteristic and is primarily instrumental with driving rhythm guitar, and a little harmonica. A good opener to the album. 6) is old fashioned 50's style rock and is quite tedious.

2) is the fantastic Missus Beastly, a band I fawn over endlessly, especially from this era. This track was issued as a bonus track on their 1974 masterpiece self-titled album (from Garden of Delights) - an album that is indispensable for any Kraut fusion fan. Anyway, as you can surmise from the title, this is a free form flute driven jazz rock jam. Awesome.

3) is the only recorded output I'm aware of from the Jack Bone Group. And with a name like that, I'm expecting blues rock. And that's pretty much what we get. But it's a swell example of the style, an instrumental upbeat variation with guitar (with nice fuzz tone leads), piano, bells, bass and drums. I would most definitely be interested in hearing more material from this group, if it exists.

4) like Missus Beastly, I can't get enough of Embryo, especially from 1970 til about 1984 or so. And to think they're still going strong with their world music vision, never having once sold out. If you're an artist true to your ideals, Embryo is the gold standard. Bear that in mind before starting out - almost EVERYONE sells out at least once, but not Embryo. This track is clearly in their jazz funk stage that they launched with the brilliant "Bad Heads and Bad Cats" album. No missing Roman Bunka's impassioned vocals - I love his style. Not to mention his incredible phased fuzz guitar solo that has to be heard to be believed. I don't think this track has been issued anywhere else - hard to know without heavy research, as they have so much recorded output. Garden of Delights plans on releasing at least one full Umsonst concert of Embryo ('77), maybe they'll also do this one. I hope so.

5) Well, no surprises here based on the title. Even I could translate it and I know less than 10 German words. Yea, it's pretty awful, but hey that was the SCENE, MAN. At least it's finished in 3 minutes.

7) Buttergasse is a new name for me. Ooh, I like this! Hard driving vocal rock with some absolutely shredding violin and a couple of rhythm changes. Rare I like a German vocalist, but this guy is good. Great guitar solo half way in. Dueling with the violin at points. I bet Buttergasse had a copy of High Tide's "Sea Shanties" in their closet. I would love to hear more material from this band during this era.

8) Johannislust Orchester is another new name to me. Looks like they're related with Einhorn and Skyline, two of the best artists on the following Vlotho '76 album. Well, they have the right influences. Fellow festival groups Embryo and Missus Beastly - and also some Latin percussion via Santana. Excellent sax driven melody, and kudos to the bass who keeps driving the rhythm in a choppy manner - keeping everyone bouncing on the dance floor (or field I'm sure). Another band I'd love to hear more from.

Good set!

Proton 1 ~ Germany

various artists - Proton 1 (1974)

On the vaunted Kerston label (Gaa, Tyll, Epidermis), Proton 1 features five bands over a 2 LP set, of which Sun and Zyma recorded albums many years later. Zyma managed two albums actually.

1. Zyma - Law Like Love 7:02
2. Zyma - Tango Enough 6:02
3. Andorra - I've Been Waiting 7:10
4. Andorra - Mr. Congresman 2:47
5. Andorra - On My Way 4:29
6. Penicillin - Das Kleine Zahnrad 2:51
7. Penicillin - Die Fledermaus 4:39
8. Penicillin - Für Elise 6:07
9. Nexus - Always Fluffy 3:08
10. Nexus - Plexus 4:41
11. Nexus - Ignis 7:55
12. Sun - Leisure 10:44
13. Sun - To Celia 8:35

1) & 2) are from Zyma and are both excellent. At this stage they have a female and male vocalist, and the music is hard hitting bluesy post Jefferson Airplane rock, similar to Joy Unlimited and Frumpy. Much rawer than their later, more refined Canterbury efforts. One can only hope there is a full canister of tape here for a future reissue. I'd love to hear a whole album of Zyma at this stage of their career.

3) through 5) are from the band named for the obscure tiny country between Spain and France. Sadly no ethnic elements are present. 3) is a decent straightforward acid rocker with nice guitar work. 4) is a short CSN / Byrds like rural folk rock number. 5) is the highlight of Andorra's set, and features a nice groove with some excellent guitar soloing and shaker percussion. This track recalls Missing Link, Nosferatu and early Epitaph. Andorra show enough potential, that if an archival release presented itself, I'd be most interested.

6) through 8) features Penicillin, the odd group out in this bunch. They're basically a German language, commercially oriented, bluesy rock band. 8) is an instrumental classical rip similar to Ekseption, Trace, or Amos Key. Other than some decent Hammond organ work, overall there's not a lot to grab hold on here. Weakest band on the set, no doubt.

9) through 11) moves us into the jazz rock realm with Nexus. The addition of flute and sax to the palette makes for a more interesting ride. 9) has vocals and is the catchiest of their three tracks. 10) is the highlight of the entire Proton set and is an absolutely wonderful instrumental jazz rock piece. 11) is more atmospheric with electric piano, electric guitar (featuring an excellent wah wah solo), sax and flute. Nexus are a very mature band at this point, and another group that I hope has more in storage for a future archival issue.

12) & 13) are for Sun and somewhat maintains the jazz flavor set forth by Nexus. 12) is the longest track on Proton 1, and has a few different movements between jazz, bluesy rock, moody folk and progressive sections. Vocals and Hammond organ are fairly dominant here. A thoughtful piece. 13) breaks out the violin. Flute and acoustic guitar accompany along with harmony vocals, before breaking into heavier movements. Sun are definitely the most progressive minded of the bands present on this set, though not as mature or professional as Nexus or Zyma. Another archival set that one hopes is sitting idly by waiting for a reissue label to release.

Overall, definitely a set well worth seeking out.

Former ownership: 1974 Kerston (LP). Acquired in 1994.

The Sun and Zyma tracks are bonus material for their respective Garden of Delights CD reissues.

1994. 8/29/10 (review)

Concert '71. Germany

1. Waniyetula - Light My Fire 7:37
2. Waniyetula - Lindis Farne 8:38
3. Stoke - BMW 4:55
4. Homunculus - Rainbow 3:17
5. Abraham - Turban 17:13
6. Nice Noise - Abraxas 5:48

As for titles, it's as simple as they come. Yes folks, this is Concert '71. In today's search engine world, it's a researcher's nightmare, but I'm sure in 1971 Germany it made perfect sense. That's what it is, right?

1) and 2) were reissued on Waniyetula's A Dream Within a Dream CD from Garden of Delights. 1) is the familiar Doors' tune, of course, and the jazzy flute mid-section adds a new twist. 2) is a loose instrumental jam, with a cosmic space rock edge. The overall recording is a tad better than bootleg quality, so many of the effects are lost I'm afraid.

Apparently Waniyetula were the big draw for the time, and they did manage two albums in their lifetime, one under the name of Galaxy ("Nature's Clear Well"). I won't pretend I know anything about the other groups here, but here are my thoughts on the music presented:

3) Is a raw rocker no doubt pissing about the elite classes roaming around in their German luxury automobiles. Vocals are bad, but the guitar melody and solo is pretty good. Crowd seemed to like it anyway.

4) Contains a heavy guitar riff and a very old organ that must have been left behind at some US army base. Homunculus' vocalist is even worse than Stoke's. Straight rock song, with an OK guitar solo break. The recording quality is really horrid to be honest.

5) At a length of 17 minutes, I have to admit Abraham is the band I was most looking forward to hearing. And it didn't let me down. What a sloppy mess of a psych jam. I think there's a sax in the background, but he's completely drowned out by the effects laden guitar. Some wordless male vocals make an appearance that are barely audible. OK, winds guy switched to flute and the higher tone allows us to hear it a bit better. Wow, the recording seems to be getting worse. All we hear is rhythm guitar while the sax is wailing somewhere back there, but we really can't hear what he's up to. Heck with that says Mr. Guitarist as he begins to do his own psychedelic wailing. Doing a hell of a job at it too. Song (loosely speaking) goes on too long of course but they miraculously didn't have one drum solo. I hope this is one of those bands sitting on some cool studio material that Long Hair or Garden of Delights will surprise us with one day. Abraham have demonstrated plenty of potential here.

6) Must have asked Homunculus to leave their organ on the stage. Oh dear, Nice Noise is covering Santana, medley-style, with this 1960s soap opera organ and light jazz tone guitar. You'll need lots of bratwursts and beer to survive this one I'm afraid. Crowd gives polite applause while by now laughing themselves to death.

If you see this album for sale, no doubt being hawked at very high prices, just leave it. There's nothing here.

Ma Banlieue Flasque ~ France

Ma Banlieue Flasque (1979)

Ma Banlieue Flasque sole album is an excellent work that draws from a variety of early 70s sources such as Moving Gelatine Plates, Komintern, and Frank Zappa. The music is complex, yet still melodic, with a bit of a wacky sense of humor thrown in. I'd submit that Ma Banlieue Flasque is perhaps more jazz influenced than the references above, but it I think would go down a storm with the avant prog crowd, plus those who like that European Continental fusion sound, as first pioneered and influenced by Zappa's Hot Rats.

Ownership: 1979 Celluloid (LP). Acquired in 2000.

2000; 6/26/10 (review / new entry)

Move forward on next listen!

Wallenstein - Cosmic Century. 1973 Germany

Wallenstein are not an easy band to pigeonhole. Generally lumped in with the Cosmic Joker crowd, and for good reason given various band members' participation, their albums proper are nothing of the sort. Well maybe the debut Blitzkrieg has some classic Krautrock styling (and we'll cover that at another time), but by their 3rd album Cosmic Century, the band were trying their hand at 70s English symphonic rock. So the title of the album is quite misleading, not to mention their appearance on the venerated Kosmische label. Even though one can still find the Dieter Dirks phasing tricks thrown about here and there to keep it interesting. Definitely a swell album, if not particularly groundbreaking or inspiring.

LP: 1973 Kosmische Musik
CD: 2011 Belle Antique (Japan)

Iconoclasta - Suite Mexicana + Soliloquio. 1987 Mexico

Iconoclasta were probably Mexico's #1 progressive rock export in the 1980s and a big part of the style's revival in that country. The EP was released three months ahead of the LP proper, and features traditional instruments and melodies among the usual rock instrumentation. I would like to call out guitarist Ricardo Ortegon, who puts in an exceptional performance on both these albums. '7:19' adds flute with fine results. There's also the requisite "side long" track that allows the instrumentalists to shine with longer solo sections, including guest saxophone. Iconoclastic has a distinct 80s compressed sound, that is all their own.

Ownership: CD: 1991 Art Sublime. The label was a pioneer of the LP-jacket-CD release. This is a concept that never caught on, and that's a pity. While I love the Japanese mini-LP, which is a perfect miniature of the original LP - these LP jacket reissues were the real thing, but with a specially made insert that cradled the CD. Sort of the difference between O Gauge and HO I guess. If you wanted the CD for car/portable use, you could always stick it in a slim case, or any generic sleeve. Other than close partner Syn-Phonic, no one else gave the format much notice, and the concept seems to have gone extinct. The Art Sublime CD also comes with a nice full sized 2 page (front and back) foldout insert, with a lengthy discussion around the LP sized jacket (in English and Spanish). Also features a beautiful black and white surreal sketching. The gatefold inner features the original cover art for Suite Mexicana as well as a brief history of the band (also in English and Spanish). My first exposure to the album came from the LP purchased near the time of release (1988). The CD is the clear winner in this case.

1988; 6/21/10 (new entry); 10/14/23

Michel Moulinie ~ France

Chrysalide (1978)

One man show Michel Moulinie crafted his sole work for the Crypto label in 1978. Perfect for the time and place, Moulinie's work is similar to other like minded French underground artists such as Phillippe Besombes and Richard Pinhas. The use of acoustic guitar gives the recording a warm touch, that can be missing from the more clinical works of the era. I would guess that Moulinie was quite familiar with some of Mike Oldfield's classic works at this stage. The violin (or as it is credited "guitare violon") has a haunting, almost mellotron-like sound. On 'L'Echo de L'Acier' and 'Lente Course', Moulinie experiments with sound on sound techniques, that recall Manuel Gottsching on Inventions For Electric Guitar. A very beautiful album, and one that has no peer in terms of sound and execution.

Ownership: 1978 Crypto (LP)

Still not reissued on CD (legit) as I update this post (2/21/25).

1987 (first listen); 6/17/10 (review / new entry); 12/23/24

A.F.T. (Automatic Fine Tuning) ~ England

Automatic Fine Tuning (1976)

It's not easy to maintain an interesting album with dual electric (no acoustic) guitars carrying the load throughout the entire recording, but that's exactly what A.F.T. manages to do. The rhythm section is no slouch, but their primary purpose is to keep the compositions moving along, rather than act as a feature. So no boring drum solos, or acrobatic meter sections are highlighted. Just dual guitars, with occasional solos. Fortunately guitarist's MacDonnell and Cross are up to the task, and provide the listener with many exciting sections, and add plenty of tonal changes to keep it interesting. The knee-jerk reaction is to compare AFT to other dual guitar acts from the UK such as Wishbone Ash and Man, but that isn't really the case at all. In fact, you have to fast forward another decade, and look towards the California group Djam Karet for any kind of relative comparison. While the feature pieces are the lengthy tracks that opens each side, the shorter track on Side 1 is similar, and no less exciting. The final song sees the band try their hand at a more straightforward hard rock format, with vocals. And while pleasant, the 3+ minute track comes across as a bit of a throwaway. Otherwise a super album.

Ownership: 1976 Charisma (LP). Acquired in 1985.

Reissued on CD, Nov 2026.

1985; 6/16/10 (review)

Gualberto - Vericuetos. 1976 Spain

Vericuetos is a Spanish progressive rock classic. Borrowing heavily from the music of India and regional Spain (Andalusia especially), Gualberto incorporates these sounds with a classic Anglo progressive rock perspective for a truly unique blend. Gualberto's guitar style is soulful and rocks hard in places. He also contributes quite a bit of sitar for this album. Plenty of violin and String Synthesizer as well. A must discovery.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Movieplay. Gatefold. This copy was picked up from a friend in 1997. The first LP I owned was the single sleeve going back to 1993. Had the Lost Vinyl CD once but sold it off since it added nothing extra.

new entry