| # | Artist | Song (click to play) | Album | Year | CD label | My Gnosis Rating |
| 1 | Grobschnitt | The Clown | Jumbo | 1972 | Repertoire (also Germanofon) | 12 |
|
Accessible symphonic progressive with some elements of space rock (though
not much on this album). Dual lead guitar play easy going and melodic
lines that sometimes remind of Quicksilver, Man, or Wishbone Ash. The
vocals of Eroc are very pleasant, though sung with an unusual style.
All of the Grobschnitt albums that I have heard up to 1978 are very
good and recommendable.
Grobschnitt | ||||||
| 2 | Achim Reichel (A. R. & Machines) | Every Raindrop Longs for the Sea | A R IV | 1973 | LP only | 10 |
| In addition to his guitar loops, Achim enlisted several other musicians in on the jam session for several very long experimental tracks. Pretty nice stuff. Although no complete albums by Achim Reichel have been released on CD, there is a compilation CD out that samples bits from all of his early albums. | ||||||
| 3 | German Oak | Airalert | German Oak | 1972 | Witch & Warlock | 8 |
| An instrumental underground hard-rock progressive album who's concept is WW2 from the viewpoint of Duesseldorf, where the band is from. The sound quality is more of less like a basement tape, which adds to the dark and gloomy atmostphere of this bluesy hard rock. An interesting album, though not one I feel compelled to listen to much, hence the lower grade. | ||||||
| 4 | Cosmic Jokers | Galactic Joke (excerpt) | Cosmic Jokers | 1974 | Spalax | 11 |
|
A psychedelic jam session of krautrock heavies, Jurgen Dollase (Wallenstein),
Manuel Gottsching (Ash Ra Tempel), Klaus Schulze, and others. The result is
2 side-long tracks that is akin to early Ash Ra Tempel and early Amon Duul II.
One of the best examples of psychedelic krautrock.
Klaus Schulze Official Website Manuel Göttsching - Ashra | ||||||
| 5 | Triumvirat | Illusions-Dimplicity-Last Dance | Illusions on a Double Dimple | 1974 | EMI/Electrola | 15 |
|
Triumvirat play an accessible keyboard dominated progressive that is IMO,
the best in that field, at least on their 1974 & 1975 classics. Keyboardist
Jurgen Fritz had an arsenal of the best keys & synths that only Keith
Emerson & Rick Wakeman could rival. In some of Triumvirat's material, I
hear fleeting similarities to Novalis, Yes, ELP, Wallenstein, and Pell
Mell. There is a certain magical quality to this album that I find
impossible to describe, which has made it one of my all-time favorite
albums for the past 25 years. The vocals are delicate and dreamy. The
drums have taken on the role of a melodic instrument with some very
original sounds. Unfortunately, this album is very hard to find on CD,
currently, but, is "supposed" to be re-released by EMI, but, I won't
believe it until I see it.
Triumvirat - Official Homepage | ||||||