WintherStormer - Woodwork. 2007 Norway

Norway's WintherStormer is a name that represents the combination of the two main protagonists' Terje Winther and Eric Stormer, both of whom play a large array of analog and digital keyboards. The duo perform an old fashioned Berlin School styled music with plenty of cosmic alien textures and complex darkened sequencer lines. They're augmented on this album by an additional electric guitarist and drummer, which adds some needed fire and affords the group many more composition options to pursue. Overall, definitely on par with Radio Massacre International during this era and/or the genre's founding brain trust of Tangerine Dream-Klaus Schulze's 1970s rock based efforts. 76 minutes of progressive electronic goodness is packed within.

Ownership: CD: 2007 Bajkal

2007; 8/9/16 (new entry)

Pi Corp ~ USA ~ Cleveland, Ohio

Lost in the Cosmic Void (1973-76 / 2001)

Archival recordings uncovered by Rockadelic, encompassing the dates from 1973 to 1976, and certainly one of the label's more progressive oriented releases. Pi Corp were a space rock band from Cleveland, Ohio and contains plenty of that ancient Vox Continental organ. Honestly these recordings seem like raw rehearsals that have been heavily affected by studio trickery. The latter element most likely added (or enhanced) many years later, perhaps for this LP release specifically. Interesting album, though not necessarily compelling.

Former ownership: 2001 Rockadelic (LP) 

2001 (first listen); 8/9/16 (new entry)

Siddhartha - Weltschmerz. 1975 Germany

Random thoughts... The German Wapassou; A basement version of Hoelderlin; A cross between Trikolon and Jessica; Sounds like it was recorded in 1970 by high school students.

This is for the hardcore progressive rock fan who have already bought into the premise. For those more objective, or love the new Dogfish Head IPA made with Lysol spray, or scan 30 albums a day on YouTube - you need to avoid this. Really, go away. Leave us alone. :-)

Personal collection
CD: 1994 Penner

A very rare album in original form, any one of the reissues is likely going to be your point of entry here. Amber Soundroom partnered with Garden of Delights, so all the reissues most assuredly come from the same source. As per custom, the Garden of Delights (Penner) CD is chock full of great info, photos, and good sound.

Michael Angelo - s/t. 1977 USA

There are two distinct aspects that define Kansas City based Michael Angelo's work: The year and the mystique. I know for a fact this album gained its reputation originally under the pretense that Mr. Nigro was some sort of forlorn figure who basically lived under a bridge and somehow managed to get this "real people" album recorded (have the catalogs from the 80s to prove this). His bombed-out-of-his mind front cover look may have helped with that legend. And of course, the fact the album came out in 1977 - a year most known for slick pop, glossy fusion, and mirror ball disco - does create quite the anachronism. So with factual history at our disposal, we find out that Michael Angelo was an accomplished session musician recording at a professional studio. Hard to believe really, given the end result, but yes it's true. No idea why this album sounds so under-produced then, which is a somewhat compelling story right there.

So what do we have here? Basically a 10-years-past-its-shelf-life folk psych album, with a certain naive outlook. Now it would be easy to criticize those who love this album as being suckers to an imaginary hype , but I can absolutely understand the allure here. It's beyond my personal interest area, but let's be respectful to those who do love it. The album is somewhat unique despite the historical facts.  I personally find it ironic there is a track called Journey, as to my ears, I immediately could envision Michael Angelo as the lead singer for you-know-who.

Personal collection
none

There are multiple reissues to be had. It would appear that the Lion CD and the Anthology LP are the way to go here, as each features more material, especially the CD which encompasses 3 albums. I recently picked up the self-released Guinn reissue on the cheap, and my copy is 16 out of 450 (and have since sold). No idea how it compares to the original or any other reissue. If I get a hold of one, I'll update this post.

Bulbous Creation ~ USA ~ Kansas City, Kansas

You Won't Remember Dying (1971 / 1994)

Bulbous Creation were from the Kansas City area (Prairie Village to be precise), and whose music can best be described as a powerful blues psych rock, with heavily affected acid guitar, organ, and impassioned vocals (listen to 'Fever Machine Man' to see what I mean here regarding the latter). 'Let's Go To The Sun' recalls the UK band Janus, with its searing guitar leads. Excellent rhythm section as well, even though they rarely stray from the usual 4/4 time. A wonderful original find from Rockadelic.

So it turns out that the original issue of this from Rockadelic was unauthorized, which the label was guilty of in the mid 90s more often than they should have been (especially since they started completely above board, and finished that way too). Not that Bulbous Creation holds any ill will, and in fact credit Rockadelic for bringing the album to the world's attention. So we have a happy ending in this case. 

Ownership: 2014 Numero Group (LP). Four page insert documenting other releases from Numero. Hype sticker and download card. Acquired in 2016. Downsized in 2026.

5/7/07; 1/15/14 (review); 8/5/16 (update / new entry); 4/29/26

Mooch - Mrs. Silbury's Delicious Mushroom Flavoured Biscuits. 2014 England

Mooch were from the second wave of UK festival psych space rock warriors - coming around as they did in the early 1990s. As such, you'll hear a combination of Soma, Mandragora, and Ship of Fools here (among others). Nice to hear this kind of relaxing, yet kinetic style of guitar/synth fronted space rock still being played in 2014. Good stuff all around.

Ownership: LP: 2014 Cosmic Eye

8/3/16 (new entry)

Grey Mouse - Twisted Tango. 2015 Russia

I first ran into Moscow's Grey Mouse on the excellent Psychedelic World Music compilation from Trail Records a few years ago. The opening track is odd, with banjo used as an atmospheric backdrop and slabs of metal fuzz overload. As such, it comes across as some strange stoner band from West Virginia, awaiting their chance to audition for the remake of the movie Matewan. After this, the band get down to what they do best: Central Asiatic ethnic music meets psychedelic space rock - with female vocals. Somewhat like a meeting of Vespero and Ole Lukkoye. If the exotic ex-Soviet lands of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan mixed with the Western concept of high flying space rock appeals to you, then no doubt Grey Mouse will be a must listen. Perhaps a bit more exciting dynamic changes within each track will take Grey Mouse to the level of Masterpiece. They have it in them for sure. Let's hope they continue from here.

Ownership: LP: 2015 Cosmic Eye 

8/2/16 (new entry)

Taivaanvuohi - Pop Liisa 04. 1973 Finland (archival)

Taivaanvuohi were a band operating in early 1970s Finland, that never managed to release an album, though they were slated to be on the Love Records roster. They were a largely forgotten group, until these wonderful Pop Liisa radio sessions showed up and have been sprung upon us, courtesy of Svart. Taivaanvuohi's style is an absolute bulls-eye for what I personally enjoy - that of Hot Rats-era Frank Zappa meets the Canterbury sounds of 1969 Soft Machine. Europe had many such bands in the early 70s, all of them favorites here, such as Moving Gelatine Plates, Brainstorm, first album Solution, Dr. Dopo Jam, etc... Very complex, with a jazzy disposition, but with an added heavy psychedelic rock slant. Vocals are in English, not always a given with bands from Finland (though I would have preferred the indigenous language myself). Since this was a "one time live event" (December 5th, 1973), the performance isn't perfect, and one can only imagine how great these compositions would have been with some quality studio time and production. From Finland one can hear traces of Charlies, Tasavallan Presidentti, and Haikara in Taivaanvuohi's music, but largely they possess their own sound. The album finishes on a high point, with a ferocious cover of Zappa's 'Orange County Lumber Truck'. I had forgotten about this title, and was curious why some Finns from the early 70s had some strange affection for Anaheim and Irvine. lol. Anyway, don't overlook this one if your tastes run similar to mine. This is a fantastic and unexpected find.

Personal collection
CD: 2016 Svart w/Wigwam

Wigwam ~ Finland

Pop Liisa 03 (1973 / 2016)

Wigwam were always something of a "Beatles Effect" type of band, whose diverse membership would compose their music along different lines from each other. But that lack of cohesion also allowed for a blossoming of original ideas. When it worked, such as on Fairyport or Being, the results were divine. In other cases, Wigwam lacked flow and purpose. And they predictably devolved into a commercial rock band in the mid to late 70s.

So it comes as no surprise that when Wigwam had a chance to perform live on the radio in front of a studio audience (November 7, 1973 to be precise), that their set would be random and all over the place. According to the liner notes, John Lennon's 'Imagine' was actually a warmup song, and was not broadcast that evening. Apparently this was a staple of their live act. It's a straight cover song, so we'll consider it a mulligan. On the other hand, Pekka Pohjola's 'Nipistys', from his own debut album, is an instrumental tour de force and easily the highlight of the set. Jim Pembroke's 'Grass for Blades', shows off his singer songwriter skills, though there are plenty of extended instrumentals to capture the imagination. 'Fairyport' is an extended version of the familiar track, but once again quite scattered, with a mix of heavy progressive, blues, rock n roll, etc... Overall, a very fine performance, and a wonderful archival find (as is the whole series). But for me, it was a bit too diverse to be considered excellent.

Ownership: 2016 Svart (CD) with Taivaanvuohi. Booklet has historical liner notes.

7/31/16 (review)

Being (1974)

A long time friend, musician, and album collector once told me that Wigwam's Being is his single favorite progressive rock album of all time. That took me aback, as the album didn't really even register with me much on first listen some 20+ years ago. But on subsequent careful listens, you can certainly understand ones passion for it. It is a highly stylized, complex, and dense work that requires an enormous amount of focus and attention. This same friend is also a co-leader of a contemporary progressive rock band, who have released a couple of albums that are much respected, and it's very clear to me that Being has been a huge influence on his songwriting. I won't mention who this band is. I'll let you all try to figure it out :-)

There's much debate among Wigwam fans on which is their finest hour. I tend to fall into the Fairyport camp, preferring the more loosely structured proto-progressive sound, but Being is certainly a close second.

Ownership: 1974 Love (LP). Single sleeve version with printed inner bag. Acquired in 2026.

First copy: 2010 Esoteric (CD). Booklet reprints all the original lyrics and liners, along with a short essay written by founding member Jim Pembroke. Acquired in 2012.

3/28/12 (review); 10/7/23; 6/11/26

Also own: Fairyport

Previously owned: Tombstone Valentine

3/28/12 (new entry)

Taivaantemppeli ~ Finland

Jazz Liisa 02 (1973 / 2016)

This will be my first report on what I, and many others, consider the most significant archival find since Long Hair dug out the SWF Sessions. As the label suggests, these are as significant for Finland as the John Peel tapes are for the UK. All of these are "live in the studio" (Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki), and were recorded in front of a modest audience, and broadcast on national radio. What a break for all of us that these recordings were maintained for future generations (though some were apparently re-recorded back over unfortunately). Each recording is being released on vinyl separately, with two recordings combined for the CDs. Perhaps unbelievably, the sessions were set at 40 minutes flat, so it ended up being the perfect length for LPs and 2-for-1 CDs.

Taivaantemppeli, which translates to The Temple of Heaven. I think I could stop right there, and have everyone's curiosity piqued. It appears the band were a loose collective born out of Unisono, and may have not been a touring concern. The broadcast was recorded on November 21, 1973. Taivaantemppeli play in a decidedly edgy rock / jazz format, similar to other northern European bands of the early 70s. This isn't breezy fusion, but rather the rough edge sound that modern listeners crave. The primary composer is Make Lievonen, whose name I recognized for releasing a very obscure fusion album in the late 70s. He was also the bassist in the Unisono Quartet. But the two main solo protagonists are what makes this album special: Pekka Rechart on electric guitar and Matti Jakola on flute. Rechart in particular lights it up, and possesses a delicious fuzz tone guitar sound, reminding me a bit of Elonkorjuu. Jakola's flute provides the softer edges, but wails at all the right times. Not to be overshadowed, Olli Ahvenlahti's piano and Rhodes work adds just the right amount of atmosphere and backbone. And the hand percussion only fuels the fire. For certain, the compositions are rather straightforward, and much time is given to soloing. But this is an instrumental rock album as played by experienced jazz warriors. The final track 'Lisa' is sublime, mixing both atmospheric flute with a heavier guitar based climax. Much of this recording reminds me of Wolfgang Dauner's Et Cetera, and that's high praise indeed. Overall a can't miss item for fans of early 70s jazz rock.

Ownership: 2016 Svart (CD). Both albums as displayed in this post. Booklet with historical liner notes.

Unisono Quartet - Jazz Liisa 01 (1973 / 2016)

I'm not going to feature the first Jazz Liisa album separately. I recognized the name Unisono from a later fusion album. This is a bit different and it is very good for what it is: A straight instrumental jazz album. Piano based, with plenty of sax soloing, and a bit squonky towards the end at that. I do like it, but it's not terribly distinctive, and gets away from my personal interest area. As 40 minutes of bonus material to Taivaantemppeli, it's great to have, but I wouldn't buy the LP if that's what I was collecting. 

7/30/16 (acquired / review / new entry); 10/20/25

Kosmose - Kosmic Music From the Black Country. 1973-1978 Belgium (archival)

I've been sitting on this double CD from Kosmose for a few months now (I bought it based on a recommendation from UMR's good friend Achim from Germany). The CD is well over 2 hours of music, and could have been released as 3 separate albums. I knew it would take a focused listen - one with a lot of patience. I had to dedicate a single night to it. As Kosmose member Alain Neffe says "We were using improvisation techniques drawn from avant-garde jazz, but with a rock sound, and an electronic sound, experimental, noise based...". If this rings familiar, then yes indeed, it is very much the philosophy of the original Kosmische Krautrock sound. We're talking 1970 era Tangerine Dream here. Where everything and anything was possible - and it's all extremely psychedelic. At that point even Pink Floyd stopped going in the late 1960s.

Perhaps the oddest aspect of this release is the time and place. The recordings come from 1973 to 1978 (dates unknown mostly, only the 'Eighth' song is specifically placed at 1977), though it sounds a few years earlier than that might imply. And Belgium has no such history of freaked out psychedelic music like this, especially from the French speaking Wallonia section. Of course its neighbors do - France and the mother country of Krautrock naturally enough. Kosmose were also using film techniques to create the entire experience as one might expect from the Zodiac Free Arts Lab in Berlin circa 1969.

Really an extraordinary historical aural document, though not exceptionally great. For those who are predisposed to the earliest incarnation of experimental Krautrock, this archival album comes as an assured recommendation. Everyone else might need a bit of indoctrination first. It is not an easy listen admittedly but does get better as it goes, primarily because the album requires a mindset change - that does/will occur over the 2 hour length. Without the proper background, I would probably be the first to raise my hand and complain. But if curious to tackle further, I would suggest you have taken in (and accepted) albums like Tangerine Dream's Electronic Meditation, Annexus Quam's Osmose, Amon Duul II's Phallus Dei, Xhol Caravan's Motherf*ckers & Co, Can's Tago Mago, and Organisation's Tone Float first, then digest this monster of a set. Conditionally recommended to those who love this sort of avant garde psychedelic reckless abandon. I do.

Personal collection
CD: 2015 Sub Rosa

The packaging is an excellent 2 CD digi-pak set from Sub Rosa. And priced competitively. Comes with a full set of liners (in both French and English), photos, track instrumentation, etc... Incredible value really. The double LP set includes tracks ('Second' through 'Eighth'), but leaves off 'Ninth' through 'Twelfth' from the CD (there is no 'First'). So there's roughly 50 more minutes on the CD version. That's a significant loss too, so bear that in mind vinyl collectors. You may want both!

Last listen: February 5, 2016

Baumann / Koek - s/t. 1978 Germany

Though the natural reaction would be to assume that Peter Baumann was involved here, it turns out that this Baumann was a gentleman named Walter. Along with his friend and cohort, Ata Koek, originally hailing from Turkey. The duo had a fascination with synthesizers and, even though they were from faraway Bavaria, they made the journey to visit the premier synthesizer store in Bonn and purchased a used ARP 2600. After that, they were hooked and added a few more analog toys, recorded an album at home, and mixed it at Conny Plank's studio. Then self-released the album in a run of 1000. I'm guessing these guys had a bit more coin than the usual pauper musicians...

Given the time and place, and the hardware of the era, it is difficult to escape the shadow of Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. And when you name one of your tracks 'TD-Mem', you're just begging for comparison. But there's more than style-copy here, and given Koek's background, one will pick up some Middle Eastern themes along the way. And honestly who can complain about those fat analog sequencers blaring away? Music like this is timeless, and there seems to be endless doors to open within the big house it occupies. 'Sequencer-Roll' is a throwaway track in a Hooked-on-Classics sort of way, but the rest is great listening for fans of Berlin Electronic music.

Historically speaking, while countless artists did mimic the almighty Schulze and TD, Baumann/Koek were one of the pioneers to do just that. Outside of the "inner circle" (Michael Hoenig, Manuel Gottsching, Peter Baumann, etc..) there wasn't as much electronic music in the Berlin style as one might think when first hearing it in 2016. Other artists would soon follow (Wolfgang Bock, Cultural Noise, etc...). And of course in the 2000 era, there was an entire movement that recreated the genre in their own image (Redshift, AirSculpture, et al...). These guys were ahead of that curve.

Don't overlook this one.

Personal collection

LP: 2016 Bureau B

The original album was initially a private press and later they appended "Well Known Records" to the jackets. An ironic label name if you think about it. The Bureau B CD comes in a fine digi-pak with an historical essay in English and German. No bonus tracks, but excellent sound.

Sacri Monti. 2015 USA-California

Sacri Monti are a new band from the San Diego area (north near Carlsbad), who play a very aggressive form of heavy psychedelic music. The reality is no one actually performed with this energy in the late 1960's, maybe Blue Cheer at the beginning, but this is far more focused and pertinent. Perhaps filtered even. And while you know Sacri Monti has digested the "stoner" genre in total, they somehow manage to avoid all the pitfalls that befell lesser groups who have tread similar paths. The guitars are heavy on the wah pedal, and the organ is thick as molasses. Killer solos, and compositions that actually seem to be... well... composed. There are no "slabs of fuzz distortion" or "vocals on the 6th whiskey" here. Just south of that actually, which is why it works so well. It's borderline Monster Magnet, but then they reel it back to the year 1970 just in time. "Just in time". Yes, that. Great start and I'm most curious what they come up with next.

Ownership: CD: 2015 Tee Pee

7/28/16 (new entry)

Proyecto A ~ Spain

Proyecto A (1970)

Proyecto A were a band from Barcelona lead by a one Frank Dube, and who could arguably be considered Spain's first progressive rock band, predating Maquina and Pan y Regaliz by at least one year. The music is at the meeting point of late psychedelia and early progressive rock, with a strong dose of horn rock. A surprisingly sophisticated sound for an album coming from Spain during the Franco era (especially as early as 1970). Mucho use of fuzz bass and guitar, along with the aforementioned fine horn section. The album tracks are planet names, and it's a concept album inspired by the recent moon landing as well as Gustav Holst's famous work. Borderline between the very good and excellent fence line here, but weighting favorably given the pioneering spirit, just like the album's inspiration itself.

---8/8/26

I wasn't as aware of the late 60s and early 70s 45 scene when I wrote the above review. In retrospect, Proyecto A's album is like the best two siders one can hear. It's psychedelic funky horn rock heaven. Fuzzy guitars and tight horn charts. When taken in this light, the music elevates a full point.

Ownership: 

1970 RCA (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2006.

2015 Sommor (CD). Includes Proyecto B. Booklet features full liner notes (in English, Spanish, and Catalan). Acquired in 2016.

2006; 2009; 3/19/16 (review); 8/8/26 (update)

Proyecto B (1974 / 2015)

In addition to the original album, the CD and LP reissues include a full unreleased second album called Proyecto B which is from 1974. The irony of the material presented is that whereas the 1970 debut was a groundbreaking work for Spain, Proyecto B would have to be considered charmingly antiquated for 1974. There's a bit of Hullabaloo and lounge crooning interspersed amongst the late psychedelia aspects. Whereas fellow travelers The Canaries had progressed to Los Canarios doing a double LP full blown symphonic work called Cyclos, Proyecto A were well on their way to doing The Hustle (do it... doo do doooo doodoodoo do doooo de doo). Despite what it may seem, I still found the music highly enjoyable and the melodies are quite engaging. And there's still plenty of period fuzzy instrumentation to sink one's teeth into. A superb addition to the original LP, and fascinating archival material. 

---8/8/26

Same observation as above, most of these tracks would have made for killer 45's. The melodicism is at a very high level. I did not realize that the genesis of the jazz rock group Iceberg was the foundation for this second Proyecto A album. The liner notes of the CD don't discuss why this album was never released. It sounds considerably better than the debut, and is for certain a studio recording.

Ownership: 2015 Sommor (CD). As noted above.

3/19/16 (review); 8/8/26 (update)

7/27/16 (new entry)

Circles - More Circles. 1984 Germany

In comparison to their debut, More Circles not only moves Circles much further ahead in time to their current era, but also about one country to the west. There is no doubt the duo was heavily influenced by one Richard Pinhas on a track like 'Several Steps...'. Some of these compositions could have been outtakes from Heldon's Interface or Pinhas' own Chronolyse. While I was amazed at how the debut captured the zeitgeist of the original Krautrock scene, here they seem to have completely embedded themselves into 1979 France. If you're like me, and your idea of a good time is listening to loud fuzz guitar up front with synthesizers providing the backdrop, well then... grab yourself a copy of More Circles. One will also pick up a distinct Tangerine Dream influence circa Phaedra, especially with the echoed "bird calls". In addition to this, there are also some far out avant garde ideas as well ('Mental Dart' in particular). Final track 'Spiral Dance' reminds one of classic Neu! Overall, an uncompromising piece of music.

Personal collection
CD: 2016 Mental Experience (Spain)

Exact same situation as with the debut: The CD reissue is taken from vinyl (masters are gone), but remastered nicely by Alan Freeman (Ultima Thule) and includes his full liner notes as well. An excellent reissue. Also to mention, Alan Freeman reviews each album individually per release, which is a nice touch. 

Circles - s/t. 1983 Germany

What drew me to the debut by Circles is it isn't some sort of ordinary 80s electronik album. For one, there are few sequencers and zero Moog solos. And it certainly isn't "minimal synth". No - rather Circles seems to have channeled their inner Can, especially their instrumental years around 1974 and 1975 - that happened to be documented many years after these recordings via The Peel Sessions (and my personal favorite era of the band). Lots of psychedelic guitars, psychotic echoed vocals, flute, sax, trumpet, and even some steady metronomic drums (perhaps almost too rock oriented compared to the ultra disciplined Can). Some of the spacier moments recall Cluster's II album. It's amazing to me how well Circles' debut album captures the early 1970s Krautrock spirit. There's absolutely nothing Eighties about it.

Personal collection
CD: 2016 Mental Experience (Spain)

The CD reissue is taken from vinyl (masters are gone), but remastered nicely by Alan Freeman (Ultima Thule) and includes his full liner notes as well. An excellent reissue.

Cybotron - Sunday Night at the Total Theatre. 1977 Australia

This one's interesting. For years it had been presumed this was a legitimate release made to look like a bootleg. When the internet discographies started out, and the tribal knowledge began to dwindle, this was often (as you see on sites such as RateYourMusic) listed as a bootleg. Well, given that the reissue was licensed from none other than Maxwell himself, it appears the in-the-know crowd was right all along. This is an authorized bootleg. And as some have pointed out, the story that now proliferates about gaining a new found audience via a bootleg probably has some credibility. It's a pity there aren't liner notes to accompany (at least for the LP reissue), to set the record straight as to why they did it this way.

Musically it's closer to Maxwell's Monster Planet than the more dynamic debut from Cybotron. Though part of that is the somewhat lo-fi recording, perhaps another reason why the band chose the "bootleg look". In addition to the two side long space journeys, one half of a rare single from 1978 is included, and is certainly the best sounding of the 3 tracks, though it's not even 4 minutes long.

A good album to own if already a Cybotron fan, or for those who enjoy 70's Berlin School electronic music in the Klaus Schulze tradition. Not top tier by any means, but enjoyable on the whole.

Personal collection
LP: 2013 Dual Planet (USA)

Under the Dome ~ Scotland

The Demon Haunted World (1998)

No country took more to the classic 1970s Tangerine Dream trio than did the United Kingdom. Especially during the Berlin School renaissance of the 1990s, when a flood of bands came onto the horizon. Under the Dome weren't one of the headliners, though they most certainly held their own against some of the bigger names of the era like Radio Massacre International, Redshift, and AirSculpture. Neu Harmony was the CD arm for premier electronic music mail-order house Synth Music Direct and were one of the leading lights of the day.

Under the Dome on their debut The Demon Haunted World combine haunting and desolate atmospheric tones with crunchy and wedgy sequences. Each of the four tracks navigate through a variety of moods and textures, and in that way, are almost progressive rock like. I found the shorter tracks (short being a relative term here) to work best, like the thumping Moog Modulater (simulated) opener 'Flüssiger Vier-Takter' (8:34). The third piece 'The Bridge' (13:35) starts off in tranquility mode, but eventually the sequencers arrive to ensure this isn't going to be a waltz in the park. The appropriately named closer, 'Hell' (24:00), has some of the darkest textures since Klaus Schulze's Cyborg. I was hoping for a sequencer blitzkrieg to burst out of the depths, but they stayed mostly subdued and mid-tempo throughout. Worth noting there is quite a bit of guitar here (no real soloing though), adding much needed color to the usual barrage of electronic keyboard equipment. All in, The Demon Haunted World is a finely crafted Berlin School album.

Ownership: 1998 Neu Harmony (CD). Booklet with recording details. Acquired in 2004.

2//04; 8/30/12; 7/22/16 (review); 10/24/25

Wot No Colin? (2003)

---Jul 2005

Wot No Colin?, which came near the end of Under the Dome's recording career, is a high energy sequencer fest with some very fine electric guitar leads. If you drew a straight line from Tangerine Dream’s Encore to Pergamon, rather than traverse through the rock era that was Cyclone and Force Majeure, you would encounter this particular Under the Dome album. Fitting then, that this is a live album too. Look for some unexpected experimental sections with heavy echo on the sequences. Under the Dome were one of the best of the retro EM bands coming from the United Kingdom during this time, and Wot No Colin? is a good representation as to why.

Ownership: 2003 Neu Harmony (CD). Acquired in 2005.

7//05 (review); 6/21/06

Also own Bellorophon.
 

7/22/16 (new entry)

Easter Island. 1979 USA-Kentucky

Easter Island is an album with a mixed reputation among prog aficionados, but from my perspective, Easter Island is practically the definition of my USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock (1970's/early 80s) list. I do think subjugating oneself into the mindset of the era does enhance the experience. Tons of time changes, counterpoint, multiple harmony layers, mellotron, 70's analog production, and sundry razzle-dazzle will keep the most ADD among you tuned in. I've come across the term "commercial" in reference to this album. Hardly. Unless one thinks 'Gates of Delirium', Mirthrandir, Cathedral, or Yezda Urfa are commercial of course...

Ownership: LP: 1979 Baal; CD: 2016 Belle Antique (Japan). Very rare album in original form, though you'll often see pressing numbers that are lower than the reality. I've seen plenty over the years, but it's never been cheap. Apparently those with a "gold tear" are rarer than the silver, but honestly they probably just ran out of paint. My LP has the silver tear. The first CD reissue was known as Now and Then. There is almost no "Now" on it, just a short synthesizer prelude and postlude. The Japanese CD reissue on Belle Antique replicates the original to the exact detail (and has a gold tear). This version features two live bonus tracks from the late 70s, but they are very rough sounding, and not worth the purchase price alone.

Tyll - Sexphonie. 1975 Germany

Tyll were one of a handful of Krautrock groups on the Kerston label (Gaa, Epidermis, Proton 1 concert), a label known more for schlager, classical, and church music. Sexphonie is a very disparate album and each track is different from the other. You'll hear fiery fusion workouts, folk rock, world fusion, straight up hard rock, and even some politrock (tongue in cheek apparently) sung in German. Steadfastly using the native language, Tyll will remind the listener of groups such as Drosselbart, Prof. Wolfff, and Franz K. The latter gets a further comparison due to the copious use of heavily affected electric guitar.  On the spacier tracks, label mates Gaa are a fair comparison. And in many places I also hear the unique composition style of Lily's excellent V.C.U. album. Perhaps a bit too scattered to be a classic, but definitely one of Krautrock's more interesting footnotes.

Personal collection
CD: 2016 Mental Experience (Spain)

In 2016, we finally have our first authorized reissue. Mental Experience, Guerssen's Krautrock specialty label, have released the album on CD and LP. It sounds like it's from the master tapes, and features liner notes from Alan Freeman, including an interview with Tyll's founder Teflon Fanfara (what a name!). Excellent all around, though no bonus material was found apparently. Nice to finally be able to ditch my CD-R burn, as I was never able to secure an original LP.