GET OUT TO THE COUNTRY

3.5 stars really!!!

Of all the brass rock group that started the decade, almost all of them were either UK or US, but the odd exception went for groups like Czechoslovakia's Flamengo's sole album, and in Germany, Missing Link (sounding a bit like Colosseum) and Emergency, who recorded four albums, but the latter group was only German by its base as it was formed by four Czech/Slovaks refugees, one Englishmen and a German.. But its line-up had considerably changed by their second album Entrance. For their third (and presently reviewed) album, the group mostly notably consisted of Richard Palmer-James (ex- Supertramp and future Crimson lyricist) on guitars, Berka on winds, Veit Marvos on keys and Peter Bischof on vocals & percussion and the brass section was reduced to founding member Berka. With an interesting gatefold artwork playing with light filters, Get Out Of The Country was released on the Brain (their new label after their first two on CBS) label in 73 and was self-produced.

The sextet performs a brass rock that comes often close to BS&T's soul-inflected and often insufferably cheesy material, but Emergency stay on the good side of most proghead's tastebuds. Starting out on the mellotron-laden I Know What's Wrong, where the interplay between all is quite impressive and the tempo quick, ending in a mini drum solo. Bischof's vocals are well heard and proper English pronunciation on Palmer-Lames' lyrics. The following Jeremiah is starting out in full dramatics, sort of fooling us, once the tune gets going, a Winwood-type soulish track that hesitates between prog and Spencer Davis Group. Next up is Take My Hand a typical cheese you'd expect from BS&T, that is borderline insufferable if it wasn't for excellent musicianship. Closing up the side is the Palmer-James pop track Confessions, which doesn't bring much to the album, even if you can detect a slight Supertramp tempo.

The flipside has three short tracks and the jumbo title track. Among the ditties, Bischoff's Early in The morning is a delicate semi-60's tracks that the Moodies could've written, the string arrangements and mellotron certainly helping as well. Next up is a the brassiest track of the album, The Flag, where the Winwood-like vocals, mega-horn arrangements and female choirs And RP-J's wahed-out guitars make this more of a Ford/Motown track than BMW/Munich one. The Following Little Marie continues the bad BS&T cheese and is arguably the most irritating track of the album. However, the monster title track starts out like a Colosseum monster (you'd swear this is a bit like Rope Ladder To The Moon), although Bischoff is no Chris Farlowe, but original member Berka's flute is doing wonders to our ears. There are a few lengths and semi-successful bravura moments from most of the musicians, but the Knaak on drums and Bischof on percussion pulls their straw from the lot and RP-J's closing guitar solo gets the last word.

While I'd never say that Emergency produced an album I would call essential, if you like proggy brass rock, they should not disappoint you much, but you've been warned of the cheesy BS&T side of the group. However the proghead shouldn't let not that deter him, because they (Emergency) are not quite as pompous as BS&T either.

Comprised of German and Czech musicians, Emergency were a brass-dominated jazz-rock band who released two strong albums in the early Seventies before initially imploding. A reworked version of the group (their third by that point) incorporated members of Twenty Sixty-Six and Then, heavy Krautrockers Orange Peel and even King Crimson shortly after, with the results of the new union being the 1973 release, `Get Out to the Country', issued on the legendary German label Brain.

Compared to the earlier LP's, `Country...' is initially underwhelming on the first few listens. Mostly gone were the long jams and honking power of the previous works, replaced by a polished and reigned-in sound, with a new vocalist, Peter Bischoff, that reminded of white soul singer Chris Farlowe of Atomic Rooster and Colosseum fame. The priority of the group had now mostly shifted to classy pop/rock tunes, often with blues, country and even gospel touches, but still given tasteful instrumental backings, and somewhat similar in parts to the more overtly commercial moments of Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago's early years, with fleeting moments of If as well.

`Country...' definitely gets the LP off to a superb start. Opener `I Know What's Wrong' and its frantic momentum holds plenty to interest prog fans, and the skittering drumming, swirling synths and slivers of icy Mellotron help it call to mind Scottish rockers Beggars Opera. `Jeremiah' slinks with a bluesy saunter, but the chorus is a boisterous country-flecked spiritual proclamation, `Take My Hand' is a gentle gospel flavoured soft-rocker that picks up in tempo with some wilder sax soloing in the middle, and `Confessions' is a chilled boogie.

The flip-side's `Early In The Morning' is a reflective Mellotron-laced ballad with a hopeful chorus ("When the sun is born again, I can start a new day far from pain" is a lovely lyric), `The Flag' is a funky n' punchy jazz-rocker, and `Little Marie' is swooning romantic pop with a smooth vocal and catchy chorus. Finally, there's plenty of drama and build to the twelve minute closing title-track, being mellow and floating one moment, punchy and driving the next. It reveals good use of reprising themes, has rousing vocals, and all the musicians are highlighted by standout solo spots.

While `Country...' mostly lacks the drifting atmospheres and open spaces of the earlier albums, there's still signs of greatness that pop up throughout the fine song-writing, where even the more pedestrian moments are still full of interesting little instrumental details at all times. While it's hardly essential, and newcomers should definitely explore the previous two albums first, there's plenty of charm to be found here, and the frequently joyful music helps make `Get Out to the Country' a real grower.

Three stars.