tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55626318396416892512024-02-20T15:47:15.429-08:00This Trip is Really NecessaryKrautRock, Progressive Rock, Space Rock, Jazz, Psychedelia, Ambient and DroneGugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-64551603958728741632009-06-19T14:39:00.000-07:002009-07-15T14:40:51.116-07:00Bloodrock - Bloodrock (1970)1969 saw the first rumblings of heavy metal with debut releases from bands like Black Sabbath and Grand Funk Railroad. Bloodrock, a Texas-based quintet, also released their debut during this time (and like Grand Funk Railroad, they were managed and produced by Terry Knight). Bloodrock may not be as well remembered today as the aforementioned groups, but their first release remains a cult favorite amongst fans of hard rock. Their sound is reminiscent to Deep Purple, with electric guitar and organ dueling over a throbbing beat. However, Jim Rutledge's gruff, whisky-throated vocals lend a rural tinge to the group's music that sets them apart. As expected for a heavy metal band, the songwriting themes tend to be pretty ominous: "Double Cross" is a gleeful hymn to revenge, and "Timepiece" recounts the final thoughts of a death row prisoner about to be sent to the gallows. The band doesn't always know when to edit their jams ("Timepiece"), and some of the songs feel more like a collection of riffs than fully thought out compositions ("Wicked Truth"), but the group's powerful attack helps smooth over the rough spots to make an engaging slab of proto-metal. The album's highlights are the final two songs: "Fantastic Piece of Architecture" uses an a combination of Doors-like funereal organ and piano to create a creepy atmosphere, and "Melvin Laid an Egg" blends pile-driving riffs with gentle bridges of piano and harmony vocals to bring its surreal lyric about a freak show dwelling capitalist to life. Overall, Bloodrock lacks the crossover appeal to win fans outside of its cult<br />reputation, but it remains an interesting listen for those interested in the development of heavy metal.<br /><br />Tracklisting:<br />1 Gotta Find A Way<br />2 Castle Of Thought<br />3 Fatback<br />4 Double Cross<br />5 Timepiece<br />6 Wicked Truth<br />7 Gimme Your Head<br />8 Fantastic Piece Of Architecture<br />9 Melvin Laid An EggGugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-41447081266644204592009-05-24T14:43:00.000-07:002009-07-15T14:43:52.987-07:00Aucan - Brotes del Alba (1980)AUCÁN are a late 70’s band from Argentina who blend symphonic rock with folk and classical influences. The original line-up was an all-family affair consisting of the four Perez brothers: Eugenio and Miguel both handling vocals and guitar, assisted by younger brothers Diego on drums and Pablo on bass, keyboards and vocals. They released two albums in 1977 and 1980 and then split up.<br />Both the eponymous first release and the better-known “Brotes Del Alba” are made up of smooth, well-structured melodies with frequent folk incursions, lots of acoustic instrumentation and elegant guitar passages. Perhaps on account of the more prominent keyboards, the second album is slightly more symphonic and features several guest musicians who bring the band’s sound up a notch with their use of cello, mini-moog, oboe, English horn, harmonica and baroque flute among other instruments. Lyrics are sung in Spanish. Nothing groundbreaking here but well executed overall.<br /><br />Songs / Tracks Listing<br /><br />1. Llegando A Casa (3:35)<br />2. Primavera De Una Esquina (6:45)<br />3. Cancion De Mi Padre (3:40)<br />4. Hacia El Destierro (5:10)<br />5. Tres De Octubre (6:40)<br />6. Mi Amor Y Yo Contra Todos Los Que Rayen (3:15)<br />7. Misterio Azul (6:45)Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-45547465856528358262009-04-29T14:42:00.000-07:002009-07-15T14:42:45.347-07:00Jane - Live At Home (1976)Jane got together in Hanover in autumn 1970. Although repeated line-up changes in the subsequent years resulted in an inconsistent musical style, Jane attracted a massive following, not only in Germany but also at their shows in Austria and Switzerland, counting among the top sellers in the German music scene of the Seventies. Their eleven LPs, released between 1972 and 1982 on the German rock imprint, Brain, sold over two million copies. Their debut, Together, and the concept album, Fire Water Earth & Air (1976), are considered milestones in German rock history just like the live cut, Live At Home, from August 1976. Even experts rubbed their eyes in surprise when Jane rented the Niedersachsenhalle in Hanover for the recordings of their live album.<br /><br />Track Listings<br /><br />1. All my friends * (4:58)<br />2. Lady * (3:38)<br />3. Rest of my life * (4:42)<br />4. Expectation * (5:32)<br />5. River * (3:51)<br />6. Out in the rain * (6:22)<br />7. Hangman * (11:55)<br />8. Fire, Water, Earth & Air * (4:00)<br />9. Another way * (5:41)<br />10. Daytime * (9:41)<br />11. Hightime for Crusaders * (5:07)Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-35376159929869090542009-04-29T14:40:00.000-07:002009-07-15T14:42:08.965-07:00Fear Falls Burning - The Carnival Of Ourselves (2006)vidnaobmana is dead, long live fear falls burning - or some such. after twenty or so years dirk serries, the man behind vidnaobmana, want to break away from the strict confinement of vidnaobmana and the ambient world it was part of, and return to simplicity of making live music. i assume he already had much of the gear he now uses, guitar and sound effects, but he now just plays his things live. tinkling on the guitar, feeding it through his bunch of sound effects and record it all. that simple? yes indeed, that simple. that is what dirk serries now does as fear falls burning, and so far he produced a cd, a double cd and now a highly limited lp on a new imprint of the dutch tonefloat label. the music of fear falls burning has connections to the world of post-rock, a particular area of post-rock, that of slowly moving sounds - no drums (although that would be an interesting thing to investigate for fear falls burning). a highly ambient form of post-rock. both sides have just one long piece. the one on side a starts out with mere tinkling, and over the course piece slightly atonal resonances are dropped in, which work their bit on the background, and once all the elements are in place things slowly built in power and crescendo. maybe the quick fade out at the end is a pity. the piece on the other side is more on one level. all the elements are in place from the beginning and modulations take place in the various sounds, sometimes fading in a bit more of one or the other, but it's throughout a solemn piece of music. this is the better piece of the two. slowly meandering about, like a walk in a rain covered forest on a cloudy autumn day. so far the best thing i heard from fear falls burning!<br /><br />Tracklisting:<br />A I (18:42)<br />B II (19:16)<br /><br />No more download due a kind request from Charles (crazy-diamond & tonefloat).Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-52559538531504366912009-03-31T14:47:00.000-07:002009-07-15T14:47:52.677-07:00Guru Guru - Live ´98 in Finkenbach (1998)"We`re not cosmic rock, we`re comic rock."<br />Mani Neumeier, 1973<br /><br />A free form jazz mentality, avoiding musical clichés and commercialism, has always characterized the music and philosophies of German freak `n roll band GURU GURU who have categorically occupied their own special stage within the realms of modern music. From it`s LSD induced origins in the late `60s to it`s present day configuration which still rocks and grooves with intensity, countless personnel changes have occurred making it more of a succession of musical ventures and concepts under the moniker GURU GURU, which came about as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the BEATLES and their guru worshipping of the late `60s. GURU GURU were one of the first bands to become associated with the German Krautrock movement from that era along with bands such as XHOL CARAVAN, AMON DUUL and CAN. However, the band was not partial to the absurd stereo-typing and preferred the terms "acid space" or simply, "acid rock" which better described their loud, trippy, improvisational music.<br /><br />The constant driving force behind GURU GURU since it`s inception as THE GURU GURU GROOVE BAND in 1968 has been the unusual intellect and masterful musicianship of drummer MANI NEUMEIER. During the first half of the 1960s he embraced the jazz interpretations of JOHN COLTRANE, THELONIOUS MONK, MAX ROACH and other jazz mentors from which he would develop his own style of impulsive drumming. During this period he played with various traditional jazz groups in Zurich, Switzerland culminating with work with Swiss jazz pianist IRENE SCHWEIZER. It was during this time that he hooked up with bassist ULI TREPTE with whom he shared the desire to create louder more adventurous music which would follow the paradigms of JIMI HENDRIX and FRANK ZAPPA. Joined by guitarist EDY NAGELI, they played their first gig in Heidelberg, Germany in August 1968 and shocked audiences who had been familiar with Neumeier`s work in the more mainstream European jazz scene.<br /><br />Tracklisting:<br /><br /> Guru Guru Live<br />1.01 Der Euro Kommt (5:57)<br />1.02 Idli Killer (3:46)<br />1.03 Space Baby (8:49)<br />1.04 Jet Lag (4:52)<br />1.05 Moshi Moshi (4:10)<br />1.06 Kleines Pyjama (4:32)<br />1.07 Ooga Booga Spec. (10:41)<br />1.08 Incarnation Stomp (6:41)<br />1.09 Der Elektrolurch (12:43)<br /><br /> Supersession Live<br />2.01 30 Years Celebration (5:29)<br />2.02 The Ghost Of (3:48)<br />2.03 House Of Wah Wah (5:29)<br />2.04 Odenwald Ritt (3:12)<br />2.05 Canguru-Jam (6:07)<br />2.06 Pfad (7:18)<br />2.07 The Owls Go To Bed (11:00)Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-38568345786383683682009-02-28T14:43:00.000-08:002009-07-15T14:43:18.552-07:00Kraan - The Famous Years Compiled (1998)The finest recordings from 1972-1991 by this jazz-influenced German prog act. This is the first time any of the band'smaterial has been on CD. 14 tracks, including 'Sarah Auf DerGanswies' and 'Weeyeya'. 1998 Intercord Tontrager Gmbhrelease.<br /><br />Tracklisting:<br /> 1. Rockets (Dancing in the shade 1989)<br /> 2. Stars (Andy Nogger 1974)<br /> 3. Bandits in the woods (Let it out 1975)<br /> 4. Just one way (Wiederhören 1977)<br /> 5. Wintruper Echo (Nachtfart 1982)<br /> 6. Weeyeya (Soul of stone 1991 - different mix ! )<br /> 7. Kraan Arabia '88 (Live 1988)<br /> 8. Wintrup (Wintrup 1972)<br /> 9. Ausflug (Flyday 1978)<br /> 10. Berliner Ring (2 Schallplatten1983)<br /> 11. Andy Nogger (Andy Nogger 1974)<br /> 12. Jerk of life (Live 1975)<br /> 13. Nam Nam (Live 1975)<br /> 14. Sarah auf der Gänzwies (Kraan 1972)Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-42739922210396409472009-02-27T14:45:00.000-08:002009-07-15T14:46:43.599-07:00Area - Radio Caroline (1987)Area is Lynn Canfield, Henry Frayne, and Steve Jones. Radio Caroline is a set of modern angst with sparse instrumentation and dark timbres. Canfield is an exceptional torch singer. Her expressive vocals dominate the soundscapes and, thus, the entire CD. The atmospheres support her husky and breathy voice quite effectively. While Frayne and Jones are accomplished musicians, Canfield is the real attraction here. She is a serious talent and belongs in the same league as Martha Davis, Eda Maxym, Hannah Reimann, Mary Deschamps, and the other great torch singers of the new millennium.<br /><br />Tracklisting:<br />1 This One (3:29)<br />2 Head Above Water (3:34)<br />3 Sweet Revenge (5:40)<br />4 Michael Writes His Parents (4:26)<br />5 One Desire (3:12)<br />6 Transmitter (3:36)<br />7 Resistance (3:28)<br />8 Long Faces (3:50)<br />9 After The End (4:12)<br />10 Crystal (4:02)<br />11 Higher Than Heaven (5:47)<br />12 Sincerely Charlotte (3:44)<br />13 Parachute (3:18)Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-16616472323732466562009-02-18T14:44:00.000-08:002009-07-15T14:45:27.352-07:00Steve Reich & The Smith Quartet - Different Trains (1988)Reich s Different Trains is fast becoming his most popular work, certainly on disc. This is at least the third recording of it, though if we discount the orchestral version, the Smith Quartet s main competition is from the group who commissioned it (and so much other core modern repertoire), the redoubtable Kronos Quartet.<br /><br />The Smith Quartet also has a formidable reputation in the world of contemporary music and these excellent performances can bear comparison with the best. Indeed, there is a very complimentary note by Reich in the booklet to this new release, praising the Smiths and the interest the group has taken in concentrating on his music.<br /><br />Different Trains contains all that is familiar about Reich s style. You will find it hypnotically mesmerising or maddeningly repetitive, depending on your viewpoint. It is certainly one of his more personal statements, drawing upon childhood memories for its basic inspiration. Technically it has its roots in the earlier compositions It s Gonna Rain (1965) and Come Out (1966) in its use of carefully chosen speech patterns that intermingle with live and pre-recorded string quartet sounds. However, the speech extracts that generate the musical material here are what matters. Three very different train journeys are conjured up the first (America: Before the War) shows us the boy Reich being shunted between his separated parents in Los Angeles and New York in late 1930s and early 1940s. The second part (Europe: During the War) shows what train journey he might have taken as a Jewish boy had he lived in Central Europe during the same period. The third part (After the War) tries to present an essentially optimistic picture of a brighter future. The voice extracts feature his elderly Governess, a retired Pullman porter, Holocaust survivors and a mixture of train sounds recorded in the 1930s and 1940s. It s essentially a multi-media piece that can include video footage; the Smiths have even performed it suspended above the tracks of Cologne s Hauptbahnhof, which I bet Reich would have loved. Easier to admire than love, there s no doubting the superb playing here, the Quartet captured in vivid sound.<br /><br />The short Duet is dedicated to Yehudi Menuhin and scored for two solo violins, four violas and four cellos, here double tracked by the Smiths. It s more reflective and gentle than some Reich (including the other works here) and makes an admirable contrast, a sort of reposeful interlude.<br /><br />In the energetic Triple Quartet, another Kronos commission, the Smiths go a stage further in being triple tracked. The basic inspiration here is the finale of Bartók s Fourth Quartet, so we get an abundance of Bartókian ideas put into the minimalist melting pot; dissonance, pulsating rhythm and repetition of short melodic cells an ideal starting point for Reich s style!<br /><br />The disc is pretty short measure, though one could argue that with this sort of music a small amount very well performed is preferable to a huge unpalatable dose. Recording really is exemplary and notes by Reich himself all one could ask for. Given the Kronos s different coupling, Electric Counterpoint, one could make the case for this disc as the near-ideal representation of Reich s considerable contribution to the string quartet genre. If you re into Reich, don t hesitate.<br /><br />Track Listings<br />01 - Triple Quartet I<br />02 - Triple Quartet II<br />03 - Triple Quartet III<br />04 - Triple Quartet Duet<br />05 - Different Trains America - Before The War<br />06 - Different Trains Europe - During The War<br />07 - Different Trains After The WarGugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-21040951584305991112009-01-14T14:47:00.000-08:002009-07-15T14:47:18.965-07:00This Trip is Really NecessaryEach track on X or 'Ten' (since it's Schulze's tenth release) is titled after famous German personalities, but it's the provocative electronic music within the names that makes this one of his best albums. On this two-CD set, Schulze's sequencer is joined by electric guitar & drums that pleasingly bring an earthy, simplistic feel into his pastiches. Still captivating & alluring with his multi-keyboard. Six tracks packaged in a standard double jewel case. 1990 reissue originally released in 1978. Brain.<br /><br />Tracklisting:<br /> Sechs Musikalischen Biografien<br />1.1 Friedrich Nietzsche (24:50)<br />1.2 Georg Trakl (26:04)<br />1.3 Frank Herbert (10:51)<br />1.4 Friedmann Bach (18:00)<br />2.1 Ludwig II Von Bayern (28:39)<br /> Conductor - Wolfgang Tiepold<br /> Orchester - Sinfonie-Orchester Des Hessischen Rundfunks Frankfurt<br />2.2 Heinrich Von Kleist (29:32)<br /> Cello - Wolfgang Tiepold<br /> -<br />2.3 Objet D'Louis (21:32)Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-52494524586114507052009-01-14T14:44:00.000-08:002009-07-15T14:44:43.019-07:00Klaus Schulze - Moonlake (2005)The title “Moonlake” refers to Schulze’s love of the Austrian Moonlake and the monumental fascination radiated by this lake and its surrounding landscape. All of this is perfectly reflected in the intensity and power of his latest album.<br /><br />“Moonlake” is nevertheless a typical Klaus Schulze album, one that in the words of Schulze “unites tradition and vision”.<br /><br />Klaus Schulze has revolutionized electronic music.<br /><br />Music is and will always be a kind of self-therapy, not just for Schulze alone but also for people who are willing to let themselves fall with open ears and hearts...<br /><br />There is a noticeable focus on percussion on “Moonlake”, which hasn’t been found on Schulze’s albums for some time. While rhythm was often used as an element to supplement the music on his earlier albums, it takes on a more dominant role on “Moonlake”.<br /><br />The album also marks the introduction of Schulze playing the Mini-Moog (with distortion and Wah-Wah!) in the studio for the first time. Previously Schulze had only ever used this set up live on stage.<br /><br />This working process gave Klaus Schulze the necessary surge of adrenalin to create a vibrant and lively album, which hides many surprises, such as the ethnic elements found in the track “Playmate in Paradise” for example.<br /><br />Klaus Schulze: “The ethnic element comes from Thomas Kagermann, better known in earlier times as Fiddle Michel. He actually comes from the folk scene. However, today he is very open to what I am doing. It’s the counterpoint to conventional electronics, which allows you to expand considerably. When you are working exclusively in the electronic field you often get caught in a box. By means of using uneven patterns perhaps, which are looped but have a groove in them, there are completely new moments and aspects”.<br /><br />Apart from the first two tracks, “Playmate in Paradise” and “Artemis in Jubileo”, which were recorded ‘live’ in the studio, there are also two actual live performance pieces on “Moonlake”.<br /><br />“Same Thought Lion” and “Mephisto” were both recorded in Poland on November 5th 2003 during a concert in Posen for Gert Hof’s huge light show. These edited tracks are now available for the first time for a larger audience to enjoy.<br /><br />Just as with every other Klaus Schulze album, “Moonlake” is a new venture, an experiment and a unique document of a musician who has followed his inner voice and intuition for decades. An artist who creates worlds which cannot be compared to anything else.<br /><br />Tracklisting:<br />1 Playmate In Paradise (30:07)<br />2 Artemis In Jubileo (17:49)<br />3 Same Thoughts Lion (10:38)<br />4 Mephisto (15:23)Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5562631839641689251.post-42314525107797931342008-12-21T14:35:00.000-08:002009-07-15T14:36:28.414-07:00Dakota - Runaway (1984)In 1984 Dakota released the album that many holds as their best one and I can only agree with them. "Runaway" is an AOR album that should have got more attention when it was released back in the 80s. It was released in the same time as their label mates in Night Ranger, The Fixx and Glen Frey and not to mention 2 other acts that released a single called "Runaway". I think this album deserves a better destiny.<br /><br />So now 20 years later I have the digitally remastered version of the album in my hand with 2 bonus tracks and what more can I say than that you don?t get much better AOR albums than this that is filled with pure 80s AOR in such high quality. If you?re into acts like Survivor, Franke & The Knockouts, Le Roux, Preview, Aviator, Allies and Toto you just gotta have this in your collection.<br /><br />This classic record is filled with pure winners from the start to the end and many of the songs are classic AOR tracks with a fantastic sound. It was mixed by Humberto Gatica and you will recognize some of the players that were involved in this album such as Paul Jackson JR, Steve Porcaro, Richie Zito, Neil Steubenhaus and Bill Champlin to name few.<br /><br />The album opens up with the classic AOR tune "Runaway". This is a perfect AOR-song that has everything from big hooklines, fluffy keyboards and harmony vocals. Pure ecstasy in my opinion.<br />"Heroes" is a nice mid-tempo song with great piano/keyboards in the background through the whole song. In some moments it sounds very much like Meat Loaf going AOR.<br /><br />"Into The Night" goes in the same style as "Runaway". The sound is huge and filled with awesome hooklines a?la Survivor. Bill Kelly sings like a GOD on this one and the background vocals are as good as on "Runaway".<br />"Angry Men" starts off slow with Bill sounding like Dave Brickle but turns out to a rocker in the chorus. The whole song smells Survivor for a long way and I?m sure that Peterik and Sullivan would have loved to have this song on the "Vital Signs" album.<br /><br />The only track that don?t reach the same heights as the rest is the pretty boring "Over And Over".<br />The bonustracks are really good also. "Believin`" is a straigh ahead AOR-rocker with lovely keyboards and a strong chorus with great background vocals. "More Love" sounds kinda like a Franke & The Knockouts tune.<br />If you don?t have any albums with Dakota and are into AOR then this is the album you should start with. I have to say that it?s a treat to hear Bill Kelly sing like he does and it?s a shame that he is quiet in the band now and only helps out with the background vocals on the latest Dakota album.<br /><br /><br />Tracks<br />1. Runaway 5:03<br />2. Tonight Could Last Forever 4:41<br />3. Heroes 4:13<br />4. When the Rebel Comes Home 4:17<br />5. Love Won't Last 4:11<br />6. Into the Night 4:52<br />7. Angry Men 4:37<br />8. If Only I'd Know It 4:27<br />9. Over and Over 4:29<br />10. Believin' bonus track 4:19<br />11. More Love bonus track 3:22<br />12. National Runaway Hotline Radio Spot 0:35<br /> <br />Total Running Time: 49:06Gugelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18336225728536798098noreply@blogger.com0