Terry Riley

Terry Riley’s “A Rainbow in Curved Air” released in 1969. This blogs name was derived from this release. This record is perfect imo…flawless. I was immediately enamored with the evolving tape-looped themes and the organ when I heard this the first time…like 5 years ago maybe…but those sweet organs.

I’m not going to talk this one up or down, as I have found people really ‘feel’ this release or are like “whats the big deal”. I admit that this release has grown more and more on me over the years, but there’s no denying that throughout all this discovery of new lps and gems that I keep coming back to one pretty regularly. So when it came to name this record sharity blog there was no question what it was gonna be. …. .. enjoy!

–> Enjoy!

Lard Free

Lard Free’s 1973 “s/t” debut on Vamp. Gilbert Artman’s kraut’ish project. All kinds of minimal electronic music interwoven jazz’ish/rock….woof! Seriously hot stuff here. Check ‘Warindbaril’…recognize that miles davis bassline anyone?

Here’s a tidbit from ProgArchives:
“Lard Free’s debut is stunning , full of energy and deeply enjoyable. If you can picture Sabbath’s Geezer Butler (first two albums) playing with King Fripp, Brian Eno and maybe a less virtuoso Bruford making an album , you might have an idea of what this album sounds like! Sometimes the Eno/Fripp influences are overpowering the rest of the influences but this is relatively minor. Those long instumental tracks rolling around a superb bass and repetitive drumming is simply fascinating, may sound to some as jams but not quite as this is more to do with minimalism (Terry Riley style).

Hartman’s group is along with Heldon one of main bands that drew heavily on Krautrock to the point that they are often categorized as such although both bands/projects are French. So if you are into Krautrock , you know what you have to do!”

–> Enjoy!

Cluster

Cluster’s 1972 release “Cluster II” on Brain. I nabbed this well thought out review from ProgArchives:

“This album closes Moebius & Roedelius early radical experimentations in electronic, guitar/organ works. Compositions are always made of repetitive patterns, simple motifs, noisy and cerebral. However it features a better implication in term of “structures”. The electronic exercises are shorter, more controlled. The album starts with a spheric music that surronds you, then it introduces a continuous organ line with perpetual static electronic “tones” and guitar’s distortion. This tune van evokes the unit of perception. “Im Suden» used a hypnotic electronic bass pulse / guitar patterns to produce hallucinations inside your ears. Gradually it alternates the sound level of each part. Fascinating and visceral “Brain” music. “Fur Die Katz” combines modulating electric sounds with many electronic noises and effects in the background. The atmosphere obtained is very creepy, calibrated for a real discharge of intensity. “Live In Der Fabrik” is made of a repetitive, concentric, duplicated electric sound with a kind of abstract electric bass sound. Very industrial and chaotic. We can also hear modulating frequency harmonies, feedback in the performance space. “Georgel”is a haunted, dark organ work, irrevocably moving to a serie of changing, beating pitches. A sonic meditation, a pleasant cerebral massage. One of the most incredible, stimulating albums I’ve heard.”

–> Enjoy!

Wolfgang Dauner

Continuing in my quest for Wolfgang Dauner LP’s I’ve come across this fine, fine gem “Output”. Output was released on progressive jazz label ECM in 1970. Dauner plays Piano, Syntheziser [Ringmodulator], Keyboards [Hohner Electra-clavinet C]. He’s joined by bassist, cello, and guitar player Eberhard Weber, and on percussion, and voice Fred Braceful.
Output combines avant, electronica, and low key freejazz. Its definitely more avant electronic than anything to me. ‘Nothing to Declare’ is the only cut on here that has obvious jazz underpinnings.
I absolute love this record. I remember Jim O’Rourke talking about this record in some interview quite a few years back. I tried looking for this back then to no avail but this was before the emergence of Ebay and all the glorious cataloguing that is available via the computras today. I have yet to hear a stinker that Dauner was involved in but this and Oimels have to be my favorites so far. Two very different records pushing in different directions but most important pushing.

–> Enjoy!

Dom

Dom’s “Edge of Time” originally released on Melocord in 1972, and reissued on Second Battle in 2001 on CD with four bonus tracks (featured in the download). Describing this album is something I’m probably not up to the task to do. Its a free flowing, jazz’ish, psychadelic, kraut’ish, avant, folk…etc. endeavor. Often uber fused groups that tried to be to many things suffered from not definitely being really good at any one thing. This is not the case with Edge of Time where there’s a genuine authentic quality throughout and it doesn’t sound contrived or lost.
The well placed organic instuments only add to the otherworldliness feel admist the psychadelic sonic palette. These are long songs and its easy to get lost in them. Think Pink Floyd around “Saucerful Of Secrets” and than a dash of Ash Ra Temple and early Tangerine Dream about it too. I freakin’ love it!!!

btw, I think Tortoise sampled “Silence” …wouldn’t surprise me.
–> Enjoy!

Paternoster

Paternoster’s “S/T” was released in 1972 on CBS. Paternoster was one of the few prog rock bands to emerge out of Austria, aside from Eela Craig and Kyrie Eleison.
Musically they’re an early ’70s prog band with psychedelic leanings. Hammond organ is the only keyboard used, and the guitarist uses that late ’60s psychedelic fuzz lead. I have always heard this album described as being “very depressing”. Well, I hadn’t noticed that. Actually the only thing depressing sounding is the vocals from Franz Wippel himself, and of the lyrics. Take away the lyrics and the vocals, there is really nothing depressing about the recording. What you really get is early ’70s organ-driven prog, with vocal passages that bring to mind Procol Harum, and the more energetic passages that bring to mind The Nice. Some of the songs have lots of electronic effects that resemble such Krautrock acts as Ash Ra Tempel or early Tangerine Dream, injected with the early ’70s prog sound you expect from these guys.
I quite like the distinctive vocals but they’re not for everyone. Last week I couldn’t stop playing this record and so she is.

–> Enjoy!