DIE GRUNE REISE (THE GREEN JOURNEY)

A real gem for Krautrock, a band that has been just about lost and forgotten. This is one of those few albums where the main flaw is that the ambition of the band outstretch's the said band's ability. That being said, this is only because this is a truly ambitious project, even more so for being a debut. The issue is that some of the songs simply do not hold up to what they are trying to create. The perfect example is the final song 'Truth in Probability' which is an exercise in not snapping your headset, grabbing a bottle of wine and forgetting that you ever perceived experimental was a good thing. This hurts twice as much in that it is not only the final song of the album but the longest, ultimately leaving you with an unknown sour taste lingering in your mouth. Don't let this be a testament to the rest of the album however, which I feel holds up wonderfully. In fact, I wouldn't change a single aspect of side A. Period. This album teeters out towards the end which ends in an abrupt mess of self-righteous pho-musical experimentation. My suggestion is to get this album and listen to half, even the first two songs on side B are okay (though I don't feel they hold a candle to side A). An excellent addition regardless, grandly ambitious and for the most part a great enjoyment.