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Birth Control - Backdoor Possibilities CD (album) cover

BACKDOOR POSSIBILITIES

Birth Control

 

Heavy Prog

3.58 | 123 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer
3 stars This is a rather different album than previous ones from this German band.

This one has little to do with "Heavy Prog" IMO. When you listen to "Physical And Mental Short Circuit" it is very close to "10CC". Not in the vocal harmonies ("10CC" are unbeatable on those ones), but the song construction had this complexity & extravaganza which was so typical.

And almost all of this concept album is of the same vein. But the funky side of "Film Of Life" is not my cup of tea (but you know that, I guess). Still, this song is almost a mini-opera on its own. This was also a characteristic of the four CC's. Constant theme changing, from prog to jazz to funk. What a programme!

Do you want more jazzy stuff? Here is "Legal Labyrinth". It sounds pretty much as a "Santana" tune ("Welcome" period). Great guitar & percussion. Like the master.But at this point, this album is too versatile to my taste. Church organ and bombastic (pompous?) approach; this is the receipt for "Futile Prayer" (indeed.).

This album is really going into lots of different moods. Let's go to the Oriental side with "The Farrockaway Ropedancer". Just add some jazz touches to get the whole picture. Good organ (pretty discreet so far) and strong bass playing are the most appealing.

My favourite song on this album is the short but beautiful "Le Moineau De Paris". A fantastic instrumental number fully guitar oriented and which displays a lot of emotion. The guitar work is absolutely grandiose. Extremely good song, should I say.

On the contrary "Cha Cha D'Amour" is the worse you can get here (no wonder with such a title). And the more elaborate "Behind Grey Walls" is a pleasant combination of different styles again. The least we can say about this album, is that it doesn't lack in mood diversity. A bit too much, I'm afraid. Still, I prefer a band that shines through their creativity than other s ones who are playing the same sort of music throughout one (or more) album.

Be eclectic while listening to "Backdoor". You will need some open mindness to fully appreciate it ("No Time to Die" is another of these complex song with loaaaaads of theme changes). Very original and totally unexpected from "Birth Control".

Three stars.

ZowieZiggy | 3/5 |

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