OK here we are again! Many many thanks to Ryan for uploading that Staff Carpenborg album! This week I'm looking for another that has never been on CD - "Spuren" by Talix, 1970 Germany. If you can help us out with this one you will join the pantheon of 8 Days In April gods!! Thanks also to all who helped out otherwise last week!

Sweet Slag - Tracking With Close-Ups (1971)

The rip of this that's floating around in cyberspace has something hinky about it, I must have downloaded about 10 copies before giving up and buying the dang thing! Anyway, this is a real fine piece of jazzy/proggy rock, spearheaded by a brilliant guitarist named Mick Kerensky. I wonder what became of him? Saxophones, clarinet, flute and other instruments fill out the sound along with a pounding rhythm section. The music is brooding and bitter sounding, like they're pissed-off and scared at the same time, it's all very intense. Best track for me is Babyi Ar, inspired I'm sure by the famous poem Babi Yar by Yevtushenko. You really shouldn't miss this one if you like your music relentlessly dark, weird and angry!

Part 1 Part 2

Fat Mattress - Fat Mattress (1969)

Fat Mattress was formed in 1969 by ex-Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding, who switched to guitar and vocals. The album didn't make much of an impression on the buying public at the time, possibly because the music isn't remotely similar to what Redding did with the Experience, but this is really a terrific record, more in the psych/folk vein. The songs, most of them, are just great. Chris Wood of Traffic plays flute on "All Night Drinker", really adding a nice touch. This is stripped-down sixties hippy English rock, no bombast, no pomposity. Best track for me is "Bright New Day", with it's uplifting message and beautiful melody, it should have been a hit.

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Jane - Here We Are (1973)

This and their first album [posted 9-29-05-check the archives] are stone classics. Powerful organ and heavy guitar that just scream! It's really space rock, as far as I'm concerned. Not in the Hawkwind way but more in the Pink Floyd way. Great songs, drums that could crush a brick wall and good vocals. The opening track "Redskin" has one of the coolest kraut-grooves I've ever heard. "Out In The Rain" is great. "Moving" is a space rock classic with an organ tone that will shred your speakers. The last three tracks form a sort of "suite" as they are linked together. And they are gems! Even the short and soft "Dandelion" fits the album mood perfectly. This one is a gem! Includes bonus tracks.(progarchives.com)

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McPhee - McPhee (1972)

An Australian band from Sydney, which played between 1970-72. Their album is a highly-rated heavy progressive offering with demented guitar, wild organ and some beautiful female vocals. As it was released on the independent Violets Holiday label it's now extremely rare. Five of seven cuts are cover versions which don't stray much from the original arrangements and the production quality leaves a fair bit to be desired at times. The covers comprise Spooky Tooth's "The Wrong Time", Neil Young's "Southern Man", Ritchie Haven's "Indian Rope Man" (many of you will know the Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger version), "Superstar" and Lennon/McCartney's "I Am The Walrus". The two originals are Benny Kaika's breezy "Sunday Shuffle" and the final cut, a 10 ½ minute freeform jazz-flavoured instrumental, penned by Tony Joyce, called "Out To Lunch". Interesting! (Dreams Fantasies and Nightmares)

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Birth Control - Plastic People (1975)

Plastic People was the 6th release for this German progressive outfit and in my opinion marks a real highlight in progressive rock music. Plastic People offers a highly refined and professional sound, with some absolutely scrumptious musicianship. Electric and complex progressive rock which does really not sound all that underground as so many German 70's acts did. I would slot this album somewhere in the Pink Floyd, Camel, Nektar school of progressive rock. Birth Control are joined here by the 2 lads from Hoelderlin (Christoph Noppeney & Jochen von Grumbkow) who add some sweet cello and viola along the way. Songs are nice and complex and well constructed offering some nice tempo changes and departures into the land of the Plastic People. Instrumentation is clearly a stand out here and I love the keyboard sounds throughout which do not always dominate but instead nicely compliment the rest of the instruments. For those who love nice complex drumming with great musical excursions then this will whet your palate. Plastic People is a very complete album and I would highly recommend this album to all progressive rock fans. (Wonderful World Of Progressive Rock)

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Faithful Breath - Fading Beauty (1973)


Boy, reviews are really mixed on this one, with comments ranging from "prog classic" to "embarrassing"! Apparently, German group Faithful Breath went on to become a full-fledged Metal band, but their first two releases are prog, this being their first. Consisting of three long tracks, this is lush, full, symphonic progressive rock with tons of Hammond organ, Mellotron, and guitar-soaked instrumental passages. Ambitious and atmospheric with imaginative lyrics. Judge for yourself, I guess!

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Octopus - The Boat Of Thoughts (1976)

Strong debut album by this German quintet, one of the better items on the Sky label. In the continuum of female-fronted prog bands, this one does follow on in the tradition of Frumpy, Ruphus, Joy Unlimited, Earth & Fire and the like. As the title suggests it flows at a mellow pace. It is very thoughtful. Don't expect any guitar pyrotechnics. Put the headphones on and dissolve your mind into dream mode. This record does not have a bad track on it.

Lead vocalist Jennifer Hensel does have a rather gruff alto voice that won’t be to all tastes, but which is definitely unique, and which suits the music well. This is high-energy prog with a bit of a hard-rock edge. Instrumentally, this relies on heavy interplay from guitarist Pit Hensel (no relation) and keyboardist Werner Littau. Littau’s organ work is the primary force, he also adds lots of spacey Moog synthesizer and a few layers of Mellotron. Of course, the nine-minute title suite is the apex of the music here, but not the only game in town. “The First Flight Of The Owl”, “If You Ask Me” and “We’re Losing Touch” all feature superb stop-on-a-dime changes. (progarchives.com)

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Gomorrha - I Turned To See Whose Voice It Was (1972)

Another fine album taken from the archives. New rip @ 320.

Doomy and aggressive yet brimming with a cosmic folkiness, this near-masterpiece of psychedelic German rock was released in 1972, marking the high point and the climax of Gomorrha's short career. Dominated by a churchy Hammond organ played by Eberhard Krietsch and the spaced out acid guitars of Ali Claudi and Ad Ochel, the lyrics are suitably bizarre, concerning life, death, religion and visionary dreams with a lot of quoting from the Book of Revelation by English singer Peter Otten. Bassist Mike Eulner and drummer Helmut Pohl anchor some tasty psychedelic jams that are played in the fashion that only the best Krautrockers can pull off. This is a brilliant mix of psychedelic and progressive rock that never gets raunchy or heavy. Head-melting electric guitars, Hammond organ freakouts mingling with quiet acoustic passages and weird lyrics make this an album that should be in any Krautrock fan's collection.

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Ok there it is for this week. Later!