Ege Bamyasi - Can - album review

After releasing the epic double album Tago Mago in 1971, Can did something slightly different for their next release.  1972's Ege Bamyasi has a more direct and concentrated sound, although it is not as vast a departure from its predecessor as some might think.

In places the sound is more raw and minimalist, elsewhere the instruments are captured in a more "live" feel, especially the drums, which are such an integral feature of the Can world of the early 70s. Known for primarily being made up of shorter, more succinct songs, this album does in fact feature two lengthier compositions, more in keeping with the content of Tago Mago.  Also, many of the tracks are based on the same highly rhythmic foundation.

The "water" sound-effects at the beginning of "Sing Swan Song" are one of the highlights for me! The song itself is slyly hypnotic, and it is one of those Can numbers which only fully reveals its subtleties when listened to very closely and attentively.

It is reputed that this record, perhaps more than any other Can LP, was highly influential on subsequent generations of music, particularly the purveyors of post-punk, alternative and electronic music. This is something which becomes apparent a short way into the work.  Its directness, and what might be termed the deceptively melodic minimalism and sparseness of the arrangements. "One More Night" springs to mind in this regard. The likely effect of Ege Bamyasi on people over time is rather difficult to articulate, which perhaps only underlines its brilliance.

Possibly the best-known song on the album is "Vitamin C", a very infectious creation with hooks in abundance.  The chorus is sung with more vigour and "passion" than is often associated with Can's work of that era. Like much of the group's output, it largely defies conventional description, partly because there is very little with which to realistically compare it.....

The longest song on the set is "Soup".  The "introduction" section appears to presage the laid-back material which would characterize areas of Future Days, then it briefly threatens to resemble something approaching a conventional rock song, but reassurance arrives as it reverts to Can-type, the most experimental piece of work on the record, with heavy use of electronic effects.  The opener, "Pinch", is over nine minutes in duration, but is much less "out there" in nature.

Then back to more concise and compact territory to close out the record. "I'm So Green" is one of the many Can tracks to prompt the observation "it's incredible to think that this was recorded as long ago as (insert year)". Then again, it doesn't really sound like anything recorded in more recent times either. To use a cliche, a song which operates "out of time".

"Spoon" is another number which can be clearly seen to have inspired and enthused musicians of later years, that is the 80s and the 90s. The percussion feels more mechanical, and this song appears distantly related to the Manchester scene of the late 80s/early 90s, although this could be just a coincidence or an indirect link.

Ege Bamyasi does not, for me anyway, quite possess the capacity of Tago Mago to induce open-mouthed awe and wonder, but it is another captivating illustration of Can's singular genius and originality.

Strawbs - From The Witchwood - album review

Of the many sub-genres which featured on the British rock scene in the period beginning in the late 1960s, those of progressive folk, or progressive folk-rock, spawned some interesting, inventive and highly listenable music. Prominent among the acts which fell into these categories were Strawbs.

To many more casual observers, Strawbs are best-known for having Sandy Denny and Rick Wakeman in their line-up at different times, and for their rather quirky hit single "Part Of The Union". However, closer evaluation of their 1970s work reveals a highly talented group.

One record which stands out for me is their 1971 album From The Witchwood, which showcases strong songwriting and musicianship, and acutely tuneful, compact sensibility.  The production capabilities of Tony Visconti also help to ensure that a cohesive and lively ambience prevails throughout.

Tracks such as the opener, "A Glimpse Of Heaven", mix authentically folk-inflected sections with more exotic instrumental flourishes. Rick Wakeman's keyboards add some texture and occasional dynamism to the arrangements.

Some of the lyrics tackle "traditional" folk topics, centering on rural life and pastoral imagery, but they very rarely descend to the "maypoles and apple scrumpy" territory which characterizes some British folk and folk-rock of the period. Crucially, most of the compositions fall short of being over-earnest.

The captivating, and slightly eerie, title track is one of the highlights of the record. "Thirty Days" carries distinct echoes of the Beatles' work circa 1964/65, by dint of its melody and its vocal harmonies. "Flight" is another number whose vocal sound is rather Beatlesque in flavour.

The contribution of Rick Wakeman is perhaps most keenly felt on "Sheep", and on "The Hangman and The Papist", with their prominent organ components.  In addition to its dramatic words, the latter is another song with a strong melody. And the consistently strong running order is sustained by "Cannondale" and the beautiful and striking "The Shepherd's Song", with its eclectic and surprisingly effective mixture of influences.

From The Witchwood closes with two intriguing and affecting songs.  "In Amongst The Roses" typifies the contemplative and enigmatic leanings of the album's subject matter. "I'll Carry On Beside You" is more upbeat and strident, and features an intricate piano "engine" courtesy of Wakeman. Like many of the pieces on the LP, it is performed with conviction and vigour, and this is important.

Overall, this record is a strong and purposeful collection of songs, well-crafted, controlled and appealingly organic in their execution, the relatively sparing use of electric guitars strengthening this impression. Combining the lyrical and poetical hallmarks of folk music with the odd infusion of rock energy, and the occasional "experimental" passage, it is a most satisfying listen, which still sounds fresh and credible today.

Vive La Trance - Amon Duul II - album review

It is the early albums made by the German rock group Amon Duul II which tend to define their influence, their legacy and their popularity, but my listening allegiance has lately shifted decisively towards their subsequent output.

Later releases, those released between 1972-1974, exhibit more melody, additional flair, and greater variety.  They also sound less forbidding - an easier and more pleasant listen, to be honest. Their level of invention, musical intricacy and elusive mystique has proved a revelation to me in recent times. Prominent among this batch of LPs is Vive La Trance, issued in 1973.

Much of this record is eminently accessible to mainstream listeners, but the adventurous impulses remain. It surprises and disappoints me that Vive La Trance is not singled out for greater attention when their discography is being appraised. Unless I have misjudged things completely?

The production on Vive La Trance has a fluency and freshness which permits the music to breathe and sparkle. The greater utilization of keyboards and other instruments (saxophone, violin, cello and so forth) supplements and enriches what might otherwise have been a stodgy recipe of guitars, bass and drums.

As the opening song, "A Morning Excuse" very much establishes the tone, with its bright and rhythmic foundation. I would have to say, though, that the highlights of the album are the tracks "Fly United" and "Jalousie".  The former is a very diverting piece with several haunting melodic touches, and a highly effective vocal arrangement. Indeed, the satisfying mixture of female and male voices is a hallmark of this record. "Fly United" has an enigmatic beauty which is hard not to find captivating. "Jalousie" is a highly tuneful and seductive affair, driven primarily by a confidently expressive Renate Knaup lead vocal.

"Mozambique" is a politically charged piece, which is hardly surprising for a German "progressive" act of that period, but the lyrics are perhaps more strident and blunt than one had grown to expect from Amon Duul II. "Trap" is another one of those numbers which make Amon Duul II sound uncannily like a New Wave act of the early 1980s, with its energetic, uncluttered flavour. Those looking for more experimental fare will be catered for by "Im Krater Bluhn Wieder Die Baume" and "Apocalyptic Bore".

Another thing to mention about this album is the largely sparing and tasteful use of guitars. The laboured and heavy riffs are few and far between, and there is considerable emphasis on melodic, dynamic and intertwining guitar parts which have an earthiness, but also a delicacy.

Vive La Trance has an enchanting and beguiling air of mystery and freedom which is difficult to resist. It still sounds vibrant after all these years. Give it a listen, and you will be impressed and entertained, believe me.

Pink Moon - Nick Drake - album review

Nick Drake's final studio album, Pink Moon, released in 1972, has a character all of its own. The terse or brief song titles, and the fact that this was the singer-songwriter's last record, have led people to jump to certain conclusions.

The songs have sparse and stripped down arrangements, consisting mostly of the voice accompanied by acoustic guitar. There is none of the decorative instrumentation or trimmings present on Nick's two previous records, Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter.

It is true that some of the content of Pink Moon is bleak, but it is not unremittingly so, and the general perception of the LP's mood is no doubt compounded by the hypnotic and metronomic nature of a few of the tracks - "Place To Be" springs to mind in this regard. In a few cases the tempo and rhythms suit the atmosphere, but elsewhere things are less straightforward.

Some of the numbers, such as "Road", have a more pronounced "folk" feel to them, and the sparer sound allows Nick's acoustic guitar technique to show through.  I suspect that the word "ascetic" is used with some regularity when Pink Moon is discussed.The melodies are understated and uncomplicated, and the vocal delivery sometimes indistinct, as if the offerings are not really meant for public consumption.

For me the outstanding track is "Things Behind The Sun", which carries the odd echo of Five Leaves Left, in its greater complexity. It is also longer than the other compositions here. "Parasite" is quite unusual for the Drake catalogue, in the relative "crudeness" of its imagery.

Melancholy is the word so regularly, and often blithely, associated with Nick Drake's work. In the confines of Pink Moon, "melancholy", when understood in a broader sense, assumes its own identity, as if it is a realm in itself, existing in parallel with the real world. Without adopting a stereotyped view of Drake-songs, one can see a poetic beauty about this "other" world. People who have been there will doubtless identify with some of the sentiments expressed, even if they are done so cryptically.  This, together with the musical approach, helps to give the album an acute, occasionally unsettling, intimacy.

Pink Moon lacks the conventional "entertainment" value of Nick's other work. It is much more direct, but no less affecting.

Eldorado - Electric Light Orchestra - album review

They may not be too fashionable, but I retain a fondness and respect for the music of the Electric Light Orchestra. My brother got into them long before I fully appreciated their merits. Jeff Lynne's pop craftsmanship and gift for melody were the band's major assets. Refreshingly ELO did not set out to change the world;they simply aimed to make good music.

In declaring my liking for ELO's work, I would stress that my tastes have gravitated more and more to their earlier records, in the main the period ending around 1976/77. This phase of the group's career combines some progressive and experimental elements with impeccable pop/rock influences, most conspicuously The Beatles.

Prominent amongst the early releases is 1974's Eldorado. A concept album, it seemingly explores the dreamlike visions of a person striving to flee his dull existence. It was also their most lush and "polished" album up to that point, from a production and sound standpoint. It is possible to contend that other ELO albums contain stronger individual songs, but few hang together like Eldorado does. 

As befits any self-respecting concept album, this record is bookended by an overture/prologue and an epilogue/reprise/finale. The first proper song is "Can't Get It Out Of My Head". To coin a phrase, this one is more deceptive than it sounds, and which in its ability to implant itself in the psyche more than lives up to its title. It contains a few evocative lines, and was a hit single of some magnitude in the USA.

"Boy Blue" appears to relate a tale of a conquering hero returning to his hometown. There are some mildly interesting lyrics and some pleasant instrumental flourishes, but somehow this song fails to genuinely grab me or animate my imagination.

"Laredo Tornado" is a different matter. There is plenty to hold the interest, including sections which almost verge on the funky (not a word commonly associated with this band!). Jeff Lynne's facility for tunefulness is on display, and effective use is made of electric piano and what sounds like a clavinet. The strings on this track have real personality, presumably because they were performed by the band members rather than the session "orchestra".

The next number, "Poorboy (The Greenwood)" may have been intended as a "cousin" of "Boy Blue". It sounds vaguely similar , but has greater dynamism. The song's "protagonist" evidently sees himself as a Robin Hood type figure. The backing track features the familiar piano-bass-drums set-up which would proliferate on ELO records, although the drums sound sinuous and agile.  The group's drum sound would only become ponderous and excessive a bit later on.

With its blatantly Beatlesque leanings, "Mister Kingdom" is one of the LP's high points. The words directly address the "concept". The chorus is quite stirring, and the orchestration remains just the right side of ostentatious.

"Painted Lady" is somewhat unusual for Electric Light Orchestra, with its almost bluesy or jazzy flavour. Not a very imaginative song for me, and it does feel a little out of place among the more abstract and ethereal excursions which predominate on Eldorado.

A curious piece on more than one level, "Illusions in G Major" clearly owes a lot to Jeff Lynne's rock n roll heritage.  It also reminds me of one or two songs which appeared towards the end of the life of The Move. The lyrics are intriguing, and are possibly the most exotic or surreal on the record.

The title track features a simple but enticing melody in the verses, albeit offset by a dose of bombast in the choruses. I imagine that in studying the lyrics to these songs, many people will allow themselves a knowing smile, having recognized visions and dreams similar to those in their own supernatural wanderings.

So, one or two tracks are functional, but they function as part of the greater whole. An intriguing and entertaining journey, and a brave attempt at doing something different. Not a masterpiece by any means, but it is still one of ELO's most noteworthy achievements, and also serves as a healthy slice of escapism...