EMMA MYLDENBERGER

3.5 stars really!!!

WTF might just be your first reaction the first time you insert an EM disc into your deck and press play. The average proghead will be wondering how such a group relates to prog rock, and the least that we can say is that his concerns are judicious but ill-founded. There is a solid tradition of folk group in the 70's to look up to pre-medieval music and pull in some ancient rhythms or melodies and update them with rock or electricity (much like Fairport Convention did), but not in every case as can be seen here. In fact, of the huge majority of these groups, most of them come from three lands, UK, France and Germany and names like Gryphon, Third Ear Band, Amazing Blondel, Ripaille, Malicorne, Parzival, Ougenweide and a few more are those who have the least elements of rock in their music. Hailing from the Upper Rhine river (Heidelberg), the acoustic sextet played the medieval music with much more scruples than Ougenweide or Parzival did.

With the first two tracks, temptation for the EM newbie proghead might be to unhook from this almost pure pre-classical music, but one has to wait for the third track, the 7-mins Emmarokkoko, where the subtleties and adventures become evident and take on a progressive twist. While EM stays on acoustic mode and go through a multitude of moods and progressions, their longer forays can remind a much happier (no gloom and doom in this combo where two beautiful women play violin flutes and percussion) Univers Zero. The following Under The Lime Tree might sound familiar to you, but the other highlight Opus VI is sometimes reminiscent of Third Ear Band. Eines Morgen and Vaters Dartens are among the better tracks after the two longer ones, pushing the music in a progressive manner, but nothing worth expanding on.

Among the five bonus tracks is the French traditional Colchiques, but somehow I wish they hadn't or kept in an instrumental. The other four from a 77 hometown concert and slightly more in line with their folkier and more trad songs, so therefore do not look for more adventurous material because of concert enthusiasm and experimentations. You'll find that some groups were almost more catholic than the pope was and EM might just be one of them. Not quite as good as the following Tour De Trance of the following year, this debut album is still quite worthy of investigation albeit a little far removed from the subject of the site.

EMMA MYLDENBERGER belong to the mass of the decent folk-related bands emerging from German ground during the 70's.This sextet was formed in 1977,hailing from Hirschberg in the region of Baden.From where the band was inspired to choose such a name remains yet a mystery to me.In 1978,just one year after their formation,they released a self-titled album (later re-issued by Garden of Delights on CD).

Closer to Medieval Folk than progressive rock,''Emma Myldenberger'' is an album for those out there searching for high-class folk material.The musicianship is dominated by the use of traditional folk instruments like mandolin,violin,banjo,sitar and flutes.The rock elements however are narrow limited to the presence of acoustic guitars and some percussion.The whole atmosphere will travel you in ancient times,led by the nice acoustic instrumentation,the Medieval flute work and the ethereal female vocals.It must be noticed that the acoustic guitars and the mandolin are very often in somekind of battle with the violins and the flutes,bringing a somewhat prog feeling to the album.Be warned however that this album is totally acoustic and it is reasonable that it will appeal mostly to fans of Folk and Ethnic music.As I have already mentioned in other reviews,rock music is my basis and this album contains from a few to almost none rock parts.Though I enjoyed it a bit,I certainly recommend it more to collectors of Folk music than an average proghead...Thus,2 stars for me...

Why such a low average rate (2,86) for this charming folk rock album? Well, acually the low rating comes from the fact that the other of the two collaborators (preceding myself) have given only two stars, while most of the ratings without reviews are four stars. Anyway, this German band -- not a person named Emma Myldenberger! -- existed in the late 70's and made two albums under that name, and later one album as Radio Noisz Ensemble. This is their debut, which is, in my opinion, better than second album, Tour de France.

The acoustic music is quite instrumentally oriented, the scarce vocals sung in German are shared by a female and a male member. Sean Trane has mentioned references such as AMAZING BLONDEL, RIPAILLE, MALICORNE, and the German acts OUGENWEIDE and PARZIVAL. Likewise, E. M. favours Medieval influences and uses e.g. recorder, flute, mandolin, sitar and glockenspiel. There aren't much of rock elements here, but interestingly I sense some slight jazziness, comparable to the English folk rock masters PENTANGLE. This comparison is also helped by the female vocals and the fine double bass sound.

There may not be any absoulute highlights but I do enjoy the atmosphere and the medieval-inspired sound of this album. Worth checking out if you enjoy the bands mentioned above.

3' stars. And since Sean Trane rounded the same downwards, I'll keep the balance by rounding it up.