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DON'T CALL US - WE CALL YOU

Guru Guru

Krautrock


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Guru Guru Don't Call Us - We Call You album cover
2.92 | 41 ratings | 3 reviews | 7% 5 stars

Good, but non-essential

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Studio Album, released in 1973

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Africa Steal The Show (12:22)
2. Round Dance (8:35)
3. Clichés (5:08)
4. Das Zwickmaschinchen (4:42)
5. Guru Guru Ltd. (11:39)

Total time 42:26

Bonus disc from 2006 remaster:
1. Clichés (6:56)
2. Ooga Booga (34:18)
3. Der Elektrolurch (16:28)
4. Medley: Rocken Mit Eduard/Somethin' Else/Weekend/Twenty Flight Rock (10:40)

Total time 68:22

Line-up / Musicians

- Ax Genrich / electric & acoustic guitars, banjo, vocals
- Hans Hartmann / bass, acoustic bass, piano
- Mani Neumeier / drums, congas, gong, cymbal, vocals

Releases information

Artwork: Wandrey's Studio

LP Atlantic ‎- ATL 50 022 (1973, Germany)

2xCD Revisited Rec. ‎- REV 067 (2006, Germany) Remastered by Eroc with Bonus CD with Live recording from German Rock Festival, Rheinhalle Krefeld, 1973

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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GURU GURU Don't Call Us - We Call You ratings distribution


2.92
(41 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(7%)
7%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(27%)
27%
Good, but non-essential (54%)
54%
Collectors/fans only (12%)
12%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

GURU GURU Don't Call Us - We Call You reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Sean Trane
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk
3 stars Well even if you can still hear some traces of the wild experimental early Guru, it is clear that this is a new group, which decided to move on, but has yet to find a proper new direction, but will take a couple more years and a break up to find it, really! Still directed by drummer extraordinaire Mani Neumeier, backed with guitarist Ax Genrich and new bassist Hartman (replacing Trepte was definitely no easy task), the group recorded their fifth album in the summer of 73, the first for their new label Atlantic. With a kitsch artwork and a dumb name (but we know this never stopped Germans to make good rock music), this album was (as mentioned above) a change in direction.

Even with the 12-min+ opener Africa Srteals the Show, the double Guru shows right off the bat that they've taken a much more commercial approach: often corny, sometimes grotesque and cheesy in some cases. I must say that this Guru period is still a problem for me to accept fully, as I tend to dismiss these albums as a troubled transition period, where the group will even disband and reform a bit by a stroke of luck. Don't get me wrong, there are some fine moments in all these albums, but there are also times when the German cabaret spectre and the Oktoberfest beer binging music. Coming back to the lengthy opener, the track gets lost in an average drum solo, but gets saved by bells percussions. While the music is well played, it is completely patchy, disjointed and directionless, even going through a bluesy passage calling to their Kanguru album, even if most of the time evoking fun times. The next track (Round Dance) is starting out with the old space rock, but it is rather tamed compared to the wild stuff of their debut, but offers a bit of nostalgia, but follows it with pseudo Amerindian chants (they hit European's imagination that year with their last uprising of Wounded Knee) and then a guitar work out with Genrich gets a chance to let loose a bit. Completely patchy, but maybe my fave track on the album.

After such a bizarre first side, one had to hope the second one would make more sense, but not really: the three tracks are just as lost as before. The opening track, the aptly-named 200 Clichés sounds like some Hot Tuna, but fails to show the bass and guitar genius, even if the drums are superior to Jorma's group. The following track takes the almost grotesque side of Gong (but lacking the genius or humour) and extends it with a Latin feel guitar, tries to sound like a Pixie (almost manages too), but will remain a Pothead. The closing track Guru Ltd starts Flamenco then veers JL Hooker- blues, before heading to early Tuna again, then a folky Floyd, followed by a cheesy country banjo piece, etc. Gather you'll have understood by now. Finishing in bubbly Hare Krishna chants with a kazoo. Shhhiiitttt!!!!.. Not funny!

While this album is much more even than its predecessor, it fails to have any real highlights either, no tracks sticking out as particularly special. At the end of this album, another original member Ax Genrich will leave the group providing another real blow. Prestigious and experienced guitarists will try to fill his shoes: Nejadepour (from Eiliff) and the immense Conny Veit (from everything, really), but to no avail. Not really essential for the average proghead or the casual fans, but if you are a confirmed fan of Guru, this is still a worthy album for you.

Review by Bonnek
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
2 stars By the time of their 5th album, Guru Guru was a band in transition, searching for a new identity and new forms of expressions. They hadn't entirely shed their psych-tripping kraut side yet, and unfortunately also their goofy rockabilly side keeps popping up here. At the same time the band tried their hand at some jazz rock and world music. The result is eclectic to say the least.

Not only does the sound and style change from track to track, the band also confronts the listener with several contrasting ideas within the course of just one song. It is a bouncy ride mostly and dreamy psych section contrast with rockabilly parody, country, jazz-rock, ... and whatever. None of it is really convincing to me and it all sounds like the creative production of a bunch of drunken students having silly fun in the studio.

There are some acceptable parts here but apart from the first 4 minutes of Round Dance I don't see any reason why you should check this out. However, if you liked the first half of the preceding album this may still have some appeal.

Latest members reviews

3 stars " Two more sides of freak rock", as one German music magazine refered to this album when it was released in 1973. Nevertheless, the band actually started to sound tighter and livelier partially as a result of the addition of the jazz influenced Hans Hartman who replaced Bruno Schaab on bass. M ... (read more)

Report this review (#114710) | Posted by Vibrationbaby | Friday, March 9, 2007 | Review Permanlink

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