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Tibet - Tibet CD (album) cover

TIBET

Tibet

 

Symphonic Prog

3.76 | 85 ratings

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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Regarding the rumors this Musea reissue is actually a re-recording that may or may not have been made by original members, I think that can be dispelled: the 1994 re-release was taken from a surviving vinyl LP and the sound cleaned-up. Beyond that, the material appears to be the real thing, recorded & mixed in Germany during the autumns of 1976, '77, and '78, and credits all original band members.

Of course after all that trouble, is the music worth it? Well, it ain't bad. Tibet does have the characteristics of a group just a few years behind the rock 'n roll curve with plenty of talent and good ideas but by the time they'd released anything, the whole progressive thing had pretty much run its increasingly tenuous path. Granted, Tibet may not have been interested in outdoing anyone, but you can't blame the general listener who by 1979 were more & more distracted by the likes of Queen, Van Halen, The Police, and Rush. Another introspective, meandering slice of organ-rock wasn't going to start any earthquakes. In fact there are a few moments when this album sounds more like something from the previous decade, with distant but distinct ripples of Jefferson Airplane and early Deep Purple. There is also a rabble-rousing, sports minded, get-up-and-fight attitude from lead singer Klaus Werthmann much like Rob Halford's cantankerous provocations that works well against the tailored music. But at the end of the day, we have a fairly good album that was as passé then as it is now. Normally in Prog archeology that's no curse, and for those still discovering the full spectrum of 1970's progrock - particularly artists as Camel, Birth Control, Babe Ruth, and Eloy - this will be a perfectly fine item. For the rest, well...

'Fight Back' is a reasonable rocker whereas 'City by the Sea' exudes notable pomp and pleasantries from the keys of Kumpakischkis & Ballin, expanding for ocean-worthy 'White Ships and Icebergs' and its familiar progisms. More nautically oriented stuff in melodic 'Seaside Evening', and 7+ minute 'Take What's Yours' is a very good quick-tempo jam in the manner of Santana with the band's percussion knitting well. 'Eagles' builds nicely with organ, Karl-Heinz Hamann's pointed bass lines and Fred Teske's patient traps, and anthem 'No More Time' finishes.

Nearly great, almost original and a few cards short of inspired, Tibet tried very hard, and for that they get my respect.

Atavachron | 3/5 |

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