AGUIRRE

This album is very confusing due to the different releases of it which feature completely different music. The version I am reviewing is supposedly the 'original soundtrack'; it consists of three versions of the title track (III being a bonus track only available here), two tracks on every release I believe ("Morgengruss II" and "Agnus Dei"), and a 17-minute version of "Vergegenwartigung" that is completely different to the slightly shorter version on other releases. The title track and the "V-song" (for short) were recorded after In den Garten Pharoas and Florian Fricke's work on Tangerine Dream's Zeit but before he sold his Moog to Klaus Schulze. The rest of the music was recorded in the post-Moog period of 1973-74. This soundtrack to the Werner Herzog film was not released until 1976.

Besides this I've only heard the group's first two albums. Apparently some of the songs here appear on other albums. "Aguirre I" is both haunting and beautiful. Often mistaken for a Mellotron, the main instrument here is something called a 'choir-organ'. As far as I know, only the German bands Popol Vuh, Amon Duul II and Embryo ever used it. Some great Moog later on in the song. This is better than any ambient or New Age music. This is what I call "New Age with balls." Classic track. "Morgengruss II" has beautiful acoustic guitars mixed with country- style electric guitar. This makes me want to check out the post-Garten albums.

"Aguirre II" is basically the same as the first part but instead of Moog it goes into an acoustic part with more country-style electric guitar. Most likely these two parts were recorded years apart. "Agnus Dei" starts off in a meditative, post-Garten mood. Mainly piano, drums and some electric guitars. "Vergegenwartigung" is on some releases made up of three songs from other albums. Here is the original version which is an ambient mood piece. The spaciest and most avant thing on the album. This actually sounds like Zeit-era TD. Eventually you hear the choir- organ from the title track get reprised periodically.

"Aguirre III" is, next to the first part, the best track on the album although it's a bonus. Similar to In den Garten Pharoas, it mainly consists of Moog, choir-organ and percussion. This album/soundtrack features some great music but beware the very different versions; some have songs not on this one and vice versa. Some good instrumental music which may not be to everyone's taste. I will give this a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.