| # | Artist | Song (click to play) | Album | Year | CD label | My Gnosis Rating |
| 1 | Schicke, Fuhrs & Frohling | Wizzard | Sunburst | 1977 | Laser's Edge | 12 |
| SFF's second of three releases. Not as great as their first, but still very good. The music is all instrumental with heavy emphasis on keyboards and electronics. The 2 CD collection on Laser's Edge is a must have for symphonic rock fans, especially those who just cannpt get too much mellotron. | ||||||
| 2 | Missus Beastley | Patscha Menga Underground | Dr. Aftershave And The Mixed Pickles | 1976 | April (not on CD) | 11 |
|
This Missus Beastley album is a collaboration with Embryo featuring
Christian Burchard, Roman Bunka, and Maria Archer of Embryo. The music
is progressive fusion with ethnic elements ala Embryo or Dzyan. There
is an unmistakable influence from 1970's Miles Davis, as well. This
album is far more experimental than the prior 1974 MB album. Soon
after this album sax/flute-player Jurgen Benz formed Munju.
Dr. Aftershave And The Mixed Pickles - For Missus Beastly | ||||||
| 3 | Can | Smoke (Ethnological Forgery Series No. 59) | Flow Motion | 1976 | Spoon | 7 |
|
Before this album, the band must have spent an extended vacation in
Jamaica, because most of the album has a strong Reggae element, ala Bob
Marley and the Wailers. But wouldn't you rather hear Bob wailing about
freedom and revolution (oh, yea, and gange, too). The song sample here
is one of the few moments that is not dominated by the layed back
reggae sound - more of an experimental rhythmic jam.
The Can Page Spoon Records -> Can | ||||||
| 4 | Ash Ra Tempel | Echo Waves (excerpt) | Inventions for Electric Guitar | 1975 | Spalax | 9 |
|
An echoing rhythmic guitar excursion. In the same vein as Achim Reichel
or Gunther Schickert, this album uses guitar in the role of a sequenced
synthesizer. In fact, this album is just multi-tracked guitar played
by Manuel Gottsching. More of a meditative and reflective album than a
rocker.
Manuel Göttsching - Ashra | ||||||
| 5 | Kraan | Luftpost | Let It Out | 1975 | Intecord (& Germanofon) | 12 |
|
Karthago's keyboardist Ingo Bischof joins Kraan on this album and remains
a permanent member through the mid 1980's. Some brush this album off as
patchy or a turn towards commercialism compared to the earlier albums,
but, to me this album is a great representation of the Kraan sound - an
accessible jazzy progressive with memorable melodic themes.
Official Kraan Website Kraan | ||||||
| 6 | Popol Vuh | Einsjager & Siebenjager (excerpt) | Einsjager & Siebenjager | 1975 | High Tide | 14 |
|
This is the album that made me a Popol Vuh devotee. It was almost a religious
experience the first time that I heard the side-long track of rippling piano
with awe-inspiring lead guitar. Simply beautiful. This gets my
recommendation as the starter album if you have not yet explored their
music, especially if get the 2 on 1 CD that also includes the excellent
_Letzte Tage Letzte Nachte_.
Popol Vuh | ||||||