POPOL VUH

This is the debut album from Popol Ace(then called Popol Vuh) from 1972. The first time I heard it, it really did not appeal to me, but after bying it some years later, the album have really grown on me, and have become a personal Prog favorite of mine.

For starters it's a great Mellotron album, and a great vocal album. Jan Teigen is one of the great Norwegian Rock-vocalists, and is relentless here. Great drama & power in his singing, almost singing in Opera-style sometimes.

The opening track "Hunchback" is a CLASSIC Progressive tune, blending Jazz and Classical into the rock mix, with fluteparts a la Ian Anderson. Many different tempo changes and timing in this awesome tune, which is my favorite track on the album.

"Joy and Pleasure" is the next song out, a typical 70's funk/Rock song. Not bad, but not so good either.

"All we have is the past" follows, and is a beautiful ballad a la Crimson's "Epitaph" and Genesis' "Seven Stones". Great lushing Mellotron, and excellent, emotional vocals from Teigen.

"Leavin' Chicago" is the weakest track on the album. A kind of Honky-Tonk Blues/Rock tune that's not particulary good.

"For eternity" is great, mostly instrumental parts and very little singing. Excellent Mellotron-Chello and flute here, in a very atmospheric piece.

"Sucklin' Pig" is a Jazzy, psychedelic rock instrumental in 7/8 rythm. Cool Fusion-drumming and psychedelic jazz playing on Rhodes piano and on flute. Great tune.

"Medicine" is the final track, and is a hard rock/Prog/Psych song with lots of atmosphere and cool psychedelic guitar solo to great effect. Awesome singing again from Teigen, and Mellotron on many of the parts. Epic.

I can only give this album 4 stars because the album is not excellent the whole way through, but the songs that ARE good, are really good ones. I recommend all Proggers to give it a listen.

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