MERRY-GO-ROUND

Considered by many to be the second last good GROBSCHNITT album before the departure of EROC. In fact consciously GROBSCHNITT elected after "Merry Go Round" to stop recording their signature fairytale - like music and move more in the spirit of the '80's. Considering this was one of the later 'SCHNITT albums it contains many of their most beloved melodies. "Merry-Go-Round" contains everything that you would expect with great drumming - bass - guitar interplay with fairytale-like keyboards and atmospheres. Songs are exceptionally well written and performed and if you are a completist then you can snag Repetroire's re-mastered version with bonus tracks. The careful observer will notice that Conny Plank did not do the sound engineering on this album marking the start of a direction change for GROBSCHNITT. "Merry Go Round" is a fabulous album all the way through and ranks up there with their best output in my mind.

This release finds Grobschnitt in a bit of a holding pattern. It's not bad by any means, but by now the frayed edges are beginning to show. Mist is now credited with "keyboard-castle" in the liner notes, having acquired a bunch of fancy new synthesizers. He uses them quite well throughout, and is easily the standout instrumentalist on the disc.

Songwriting is where this one leaves a bit to be desired. The title song is enchanting, but "A.C.Y.M." is little more than a semi-incoherent rant about the commercialization of the music industry inspired by seeing the Village People on TV. And the other tracks, well, there's a bit of up and down there. Like I said, nothing bad, but little stands out. "COKE-Train" is a bit amusing (about Coca-Cola making its way to China, perhaps "Bite The Wax Tadpole" might have been a more apropos title?) and "Du schaffst das nicht" is a fairly compelling, largely instrumental piece. But it's not Grobschnitt's finest hour by a long shot. Good, but not great.

SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.

MERRY-GO-ROUND is not one of my favorite GROBSCHNITT album. Released in 1979, it shows the band having a monentary lack of inspiration and doesn't seem what to do naxt and which way to go musically. I said ''momentary'' because the band was not done yet and would still release a good album in the future ''ILLEGAL'' even if this was GROBSCHNITT entering the 80s.

This album shoots in the same direction than ROCKPOMMELS ISLAND, only with a more ''modern'' straight sound.This is still about a lot of lush keyboards always played very tastefully and some gorgeous guitar moments offered by LUPO. The band is as good as ever with EROC accomplishing a monumental job behind his drum kits.

The problem lies with the quality of the compositions that don't meet the standarts of their earlier works, even from the symphonic period. I was not crazy about JUMBO and ROCPOMMELS ISLAND more because of personal taste as i know these 2 albums are of high quality anyway and cherished by the ''symphonic'' GROBSCHNITT lovers.

No, no we don't have any story of some young boy flying with a big bird battling evil, but that's not better when you have to go through social commentaries about the devilish modern society. Grobschnitt commenting about all the bad things Coca Cola brings to this world in COKE TRAINl or making a parody of VILLAGE PEOPLE on A.C.Y.M doesn't make it serious, at least this is not my idea of prog served with my breakfast.

Also, sometimes the vocals of WILDSHWEIN gets on my nerve when singing too much. I like GROBSCHNITT when they allow the music to expand and give room to the musicians to explore and shine which is not the case here as there is too much of WILDSCHWEIN singing around here.

Of course , my favorite track is the well-crafted instrumental DU SCHAFFST DAS NICHT,a beautiful 8ms athmospherique 8 mns trip. Also the title track MERRY-GO -ROUND is well above average. But this is definitely NOT the album for a new GROBSCHNITT prospect to start with. For that, start with their first album or of course the magnificent SOLAR FIRE.

2 STARS.

WHAT COMES NEXT AFTER SOLAR MUSIC (PART TWO) ?

This is of course a daunting task and the band will completely fail in their attempt IMHHO.

The opener is a mix between neo-prog sounds and "Supertramp". Rather strange and not the best of their music, I'm afraid. The closing part is very difficult to bear. Let's hope that the whole of this album is not made of the same mould.

The title track is very close to be a (very) poor man's "Genesis" song (in the early days of their life while they were three). It is extremely worrying to hear such a number played by "Grobschnitt". Their great rocking abilities and vigorous music seem to be a forgotten topic. Maybe a one shot mistake?

When the following song starts, the absolute nadir of their work arrives to your ears. The disco beat of "A.C.Y.M." is just intolerable. To go that low shouldn't be allowed. Their flamboyant music is now part of a history (at least as far as this album is concerned). There's only one option : yes, the next key you know.

I was afraid to get a German song with "Du Schaffst Das Nicht". But it won't be the case since it is almost an instrumental track. Some church organ to start with and frankly, it is just an average song featuring some funny screams (can't call this vocals) which are damaging the good content.

After the disco mood, here is the time for some reggae. Coke-Train is pitiful to be honest. I really wonder what came through their minds to record such a piece of rubbish. But by now, your finger knows what to do. Press next of course to reach another culminating height in the ridicule style. The closing number May Day is a synth pop track with poor melody. Gosh! Help!

This album is by no means a masterpiece. I rate the CD release with two stars because of the good live version for "Du Schaffst.". Avoid this album, especially if you don't know the band otherwise you might just be discouraged to check out for other releases which "Grobschnitt" fully deserves.

This album is a big joke. But not funny at all.

The last true Grobschnitt album before Eroc left the band a year after, even they left the sympnonic prog atmosphere from previous release to a more accesible prog rock with shorter pieces and rockier passagages. Merry go round issued two years after excellent Rockpommels land, in summer of 1979. Well , I surprised to see that this is not so bad as many considered to be, ok is not a fantstic one either and is little far then previous one in musical terms, but has some good parts. ZSome good moments one Du Schaffst Das Nicht, an almost entirely instrumental track of 9 min long with very nice parts wheere we can see thet they still keep the symphonic atmosphere like on previous effort, nice and well crafter tune. The title track is ok even no spectacular moments to be found, with more edgy guitar sound. Overall listenable, quite ok but far from the greatness of Rockpommel's land, less spectacular arrangements and less complex and inventive. 3 stars to this one.