CARNIVAL IN BABYLON

Right! Here we go. This is my first ever review on the archive. I always admired Krautrock bands singing Deutschen sprechen. It sounds so much more authentic. This album however is really hit and miss. Germans singing in English are like nails down a chalkboard to my brain. (I love the German language by the way). The first track 'CID in Uruk' is by far and away the best track. There's some really odd Renate Knaup (I assume it's her) choral vocals on this. Brilliant and unusual first track. This is a great little tune. It's a pity the others don't match up. On the other tracks her voice is as flat as a pancake. I love their first three albums but this takes a bit of getting used to. Listenable certainly - but Amon Düül were going through big changes here. And as for Chris Karrer's vocals - they're as wobbly as a big lime table jelly. Not too impressive at all. It's not that bad an album - If I was you I'd just start with their earlier ones. The problem with pro- 1973 Amon Düül is that they tried too hard. Everything sounds pre-planned and scored . That's not what they were all about. It's not a bad album. It's quite nice actually. But it shouldn't be nice if they'd done it properly. It's all a bit pedestrian to me.