BLUE APPLE

A classic Krautrock album. First of all, this cover art sucks, this bubble butt stinks! But it's a good album. Okay, Gift was formed in 1969, Germany, as a school band. The joke quickly becomes a Krautrock band. Blue Apple (1974) is the second and last effort from these guys. While the two first tracks are just fine rock pieces, Don't Waste Your Time is awesome. The vocal lines are cool, and the organ is amazing. I like the guitar intro riff, repeated sometimes during the track. The bass tune is cool. The drums are fine, but could be better. The great surprise is Psalm, the fourth track, and better than the previous one! This one, ranges between an acoustic atmospheric catchy song and a psychedelic rock, with awesome riffage. Everything's Alright is another good track, but too repetitive. I must admit that without the organ, this album would be uncatchy.

Go To Find A Way did a great work opening the Side 2. Awesome right from the intro, the mellotron, moog, organ and stuff are very well executed. This song features a great guitar solo, by the way. Reflections is half weak, half good. The first mellow part sounds dead, but the second part really captivate and shows the real strenght of the song. Left The Past Behind is the last track of the album, and the virtuocity of the members makes a very funny ending. A good addition for any Krautrock or oldschool British Hard Rock collector.

This was the second and final studio by Germany's own GIFT. Released in 1974 there was some changes as the lead singer quit and one of the two lead guitarists also left. So they get another lead guitarist who also is now the lead singer and they replaced the original singer's spot with a keyboardist. So a different flavour here for sure with those keyboards that include piano, mellotron, organ and moog. I like the singer from the debut better but this new guy is good, in fact I do prefer the debut to this one by quite a bit. Interesting that on the RYM site the two albums are in a dead heat with a lot of ratings for each.

I'm sorry for this review for the fact this awful album cover has to be on the front page here for a while. I want to give my top three but I want to mention the opener, the title track just for the fact that it is so catchy on the chorus that it constantly got stuck in my head. Not a fan. First top three is "Don't Waste Your Time" another energetic vocal track, lots on here. But this is the best of those. The guitar lights it up before 2 minutes and we get some organ as well.

Second top three is "Got To Find A Way" and it's the longest at over 6 1/2 minutes. This is uptempo with organ and guitar over top. Vocals 1 1/2 minutes in. Guitar solo of course but this is the most proggy tune on here and I really enjoy it. "Reflections Part 1" sounds really good when it kicks into gear before a minute. As usual we get a guitar solo but man this has to be my favourite track of the bunch. There is a part 2 but it starts out sounding nothing like part 1 at first but then quickly changes to being exactly like part 1.

I can't even say blue apple without getting stuck with that song in my head. Another good record from these guys but I much prefer the self titled debut which has better songs and vocals despite missing the keyboards.