IN ACTION / IN SYNTHESIZER SOUND

This is both their albums on one CD.

The music is some synth adoptations (not the word I would use, but I have to be both kind & informative here)( of old classics from the likes of Beethoven, Grieg, Mozart, Haydn & other classical music composers. It is branded symphonic prog, but I prefer to call it elevator music. Well, if Ekseption is your cup of tea or you have tried hard to find their two albums; this is an album you will love. It is good value for money if this is your cup of tea. I would rather down a mug of bleach, but that is my personal opinion.

And my opinion is that this is elevator music and nothing more. There is no creativity in this music, just adaption with a syntheziser. Therefore two stars.

2 stars

After reading the bio on this band, I was intrigued beyond belief; finally an early 70s recorded German band that was in the vein of early Triumvirat, my favourite band of all time. And upon listening to the music on their two studio albums from 1971 and 1972, respectively, the music of The Pink Mice has been a delight and pleasure, to say the least.

I can appreciate classical music in a very big way, and the group go to great lengths to transcribe and play sections of it from some composers I truly admire-Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Grieg, Haydn, to name a few. Nothing is more "Classical Rock" than The Pink Mice. Both albums stand up as strong efforts, without either one being a "weak sister" of the other. While they don't broaden out their music in long suites the way Triumvirat used to, they don't really need to, as their direct transcriptions of pivotal sections of important classical music pieces get "to the point" in an effective, and attractive way. What an improvement this group is over the Lucifer's Friend sound that preceded it.

The Pink Mice were a class act, and are undeserving of the pitifully low ratings they have garnered in these quarters. They are excellent musicians and obviously knew how to strike a chord, figuratively and literally, with the classics. I feel that I am getting the best of both worlds when I hear their music, a devotion to important sections of classical pieces in a rock format. I am in wonderment that I never heard the band until just very recently, considering how close to great home turf they are for me, musically. I can't help but admire these guys. 4.5 stars, really.