AGEMO'S TRIP TO MOTHER EARTH

Pink Floyd, Beatles and Zappa seem to be the principal influences for this dutch band, but possibly none of them really as the album is very fitting in its time. Lot of music was sounding so in 1968 across the world. Listening more carefully I hear also echoes of Gong, Wishbone Ash. In particular the girl speaking on the second track reminds me the witch on Gong's trilogy (which came after this album), while the guitar solo followed by the organ at the end of the same track is very "early floyd".

"I Put My Hands On Your Shoulder" is a psychedelic epic. The harmonica gives it a touch of Grateful Dead, but it's very close to Syd Barrett too. Again, being this album released in 1968 I don't think that speaking of "influences" is correct. They had probably the same influences of Barrett and the others. The Chaotic part of this long track is less chaotic respect to things like "Interstellar Overdrive". The spoken part, partially in Dutch(it's the translation of what the speaker says in English), makes me think to Hawkwind, too. The long drums solo doesn't have anything to do with Nick Mason, of course. When the other instruments there's a flavour of American Psychedelia: a bluesy bass over which the guitar is quite Hendrixian.

"You Did It Too Hard" is back on the chords of Zappa with good sax and hypnotic rhythm.

"A Point In His Life" is opened by a long harpsichord solo. Very hypnotic as well. Then just a speaker telling a story with some guitar (looped maybe) in the background....silence...bass. Another bluesy moment in crescendo then an unusual guitar solo. Very good for a '68 party.

"Refound" Is quite a "regular" song, without excesses based on a clean guitar and with some flute.

The closer "Reborn" starts with a female choir of "flower-power" flavour. The spanish mood of the guitar between the choral parts reminds to Pink Floyd's More, but all the song is very floydian.

It's a good debut album on which the band has placed some good ideas, but it lacks a direction. The band had actually ideas not clear enough....of course a psychedelic band in 1968 is not expected to be made of "clear minds".