BRAINSTORM

While still Fashion Pink, the band gained popularity as a stellar live act but one fateful day the band was involved in a serious accident which left them injured and dismayed so of course they decided to change their name to Fashion Prick! With German labels sniffing out new talent the new name was deemed unacceptable when it was at last their turn for a record deal and the new name BRAINSTORM was quickly adopted before the release of their first album "SMILE A WHILE." This album has it all really. "SMILE A WHILE" is one of those rare releases that manages to successfully stew many ingredients into the cauldron and have the end result a musical delicacy that retains its tastiness decades after its release. While heavily inspired by the free jazz greats of the era such as John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders, the wild complex polyrhythms bring the top dogs of the jazz fusion era to mind and BRAINSTORM has been rightfully called the German equivalent of France's Moving Gelatine Plates. Add the passion of rock with Hendrix inspired blues rock and the Krautrock influences that incorporate ÜBER bizarre harmonics and you are in for some serious royal treatment with this one.

The sheer diversity of style is the album's strongest attribute with different styles of jazz intermingled with rock, blues and even tango! The Kraut elements are never far behind as slinking 60s organ runs collide with Soft Machine frenzied distorted sax runs and Hatfield and the North styled vocal jazz styles before the supergroup ever came to be (courtesy of Soft Machine no doubt.) The tracks also vary in length from the feisty barely over 2 minute "Snakeskin Tango" to the 15 and a half minute epic Krautjazz title track that goes through no less than six movements. "SMILE A WHILE" is a true gem for the audacious audiophile who loves a good musical workout. With adventurous tight groovy rhythms chock full with 5/8 and 7/8 timings and beyond, the jazzy prog fusion workouts are replete with unpredictable variations in dynamics, tempo and style. It simply amazes me that this brilliant gem from 1972 hasn't been more highly regarded. Yeah, it's the ghastly album cover is to blame i'm sure. Not only do the members don grandma's underwear with a rather bland blank background but the album is filled with other photo ops with the group posing in their ridiculous regalia. For sure i give the album cover artwork a dismal 1/2 star on the dismal scale of doom but the MUSIC is what counts and BRAINSTORM whipped up a veritable musical smorgasbord of rock and jazz fusion like no other. I'm amazed at how much i love this one and can't recommend it enough. Just close your eyes when you reach for it and pull it out of the packaging!

Anything i've heard that was recorded by Radio Bremen sounds fantastic, and this is not the exception. So yes the first two tracks are from the debut "Smile A While" and sound different from what will follow. These two songs called "Zwick Zwick" and "Das Schwein Trugt" sound like SOFT MACHINE somewhat with the sax and flute taking turns leading the way in these almost improv-like sounding jams. They can seem a little samey but I like them, just not as much as the tracks that follow. "Your The One" is a Joe Cocker cover and they use vocals here. No they aren't the best but they are passable.They do the song justice with better instrumental workouts including a bass solo before 4 minutes. "My Way" kicks in just before a minute then settles back with vocals that aren't so good but I love when it kicks back in after 2 minutes to a Canterbury style with some excellent vocal melodies. Some rare prominant guitar from ex-JUD'S GALLERY's Enno Dernov who mostly plays bass here.

"There Was A Time" is almost 14 1/2 minutes long. This sounds pretty cool a minute in then it turns a little experimental with avant sounding sax and sound. It's not until after 3 minutes that they settle in and the audience claps at the avant playing they have just heard. Yes this sounds excellent when they settle into this Jazzy groove with the sax playing over top. Vocals before 5 minutes. Prominant organ will follow after 6 minutes. Cool tune. "Affenzahn" opens with one of the band members talking to the audience in German then it kicks into gear. I like the guitar early on then the flute leads the way. The organ takes over followed by flute once again with the guitar helping out. "Himwind" is the longest song at over 21 minutes. Great sound 5 minutes in when the flute settles to the background. Sax and flute then start to lead the way with that jazzy drumming also standing out. It settles down then gets a little avant after 10 minutes. Yes SOFT MACHINE comes to mind with the sax dominating the sound. A drum solo follows. "Marilyn Monroe" is a vocal track of almost 10 minutes before this recording ends with the short "Snakeskin Tango" from the debut.

Gotta love the Garden Of Delights label for digging up these previously unreleased live albums. If your as big a BRAINSTORM fan as I am you need to get this one, a valuable live document from the band at the height of their playing days.

Though with one of the worst album covers in existence, it's what is inside this album that counts. Smile A While is wild and woolly European fusion at it's best, what i like to label "bonkers, but brilliant". Their approach to jazz-rock on this record is mostly unbridled and frenetic, though at times they can slow things down and even get a bit moody, though never loosing your interest for a moment. The early seventies atmosphere created by Brainstorm on this debut of theirs is spot on, and very special-it is like a true time journey connecting with it.

The vocals are average, but what makes up for that is the group's instrumental prowess, highlighted by frenetic runs with electric organ, sax, a bit of guitar, along with some tasty flute soloing, and great serpentine bass lines. The quirky and complex drumming of Jo Koinzer leads the way, being one of the single most under-rated fusion drummers on the planet.

Whether tracks are long or short, it's an exciting trip, though they hit their creative peak on the long title track, where they have more room to jam and branch out, instrumentally.

All in all, this album has stood the test of time for me, and i never tire of it-5 stars.

"Smile A While" (actually I did smiled after taking a quick glance on nic kitsch cover) starts with a nice blast of "Das Schwein Tr'gt" (which is also a funny title) with beautiful reeds unisono and fuzzy organ sound. Tha mellow Canterbury tune is breaked by jazzy "Zwick, zwick" with fantastic nervous pulse and fine rough solos. The "Bosco Biati WeiB Alles" suit is a great example of European fusion with bit of Wyatt's influence - on the contrast with "Snakeskin Tango" with amusing scream. Album ends with 15-minutes suite - however in this point I feel a bit bored, looking for more interesting themes or bass lines that doesn't happen.

The CD reissuie comes with fine booklet, with biographical essay and some photos, and bonus tracks, including live and some from previous episode (when group existed as Fashion Pink).

"Himwind" opens with atmosphere that gradually intensifies. It settles back and vocal melodies come in around 2 minutes then it kicks in. Great sound here. I like the flute and mellotron. Guitar to the fore after 4 1/2 minutes then it settles back with vocal melodies to end it. Amazing opener right there. "Herbst" is led by acoustic guitar and flute. Beautiful stuff. It picks up 2 1/2 minutes in. "My Way" is led by reserved vocals and atmosphere early on. Vocal melodies before 2 minutes as it picks up. So good. The guitar is abrasive 3 1/2 minutes in. Vocals are back around 6 minutes as it calms down. More abrasive guitar then it picks up. Killer stuff.

"Aftenzahn" has a good instrumental intro, in fact the whole song sounds incredible. Flute leads after 2 1/2 minutes as keys pulsate. Guitar and bass standout before 4 minutes. "There Was A Time" has liquid keys and drums to start. Sax and bass join in, and I should mention that the sounds are sparse at first. It picks up around 2 minutes with sax. Great sound.Vocals after 3 minutes. Love the distorted organ 5 minutes in. Sax leads after 6 1/2 minutes to end it. Man every song sounds so good. "Marilyn Munroe" is a laid back vocal track at first.It picks up around 2 1/2 minutes but not for long as spoken words take over. This is so cool. It's picking up before 5 1/2 minutes before settling back with vocals.

It seems that the album cover from the debut has turned a lot of people against this band which is a shame because these guys are brilliant musicians and they play a style that I just can't get enough of.

"Das Schwein Trugt" hits the ground running and you gotta love the distortion. It settles before 1 1/2 minutes as the sax solos tastefully. It kicks back in at 3 1/2 minutes as we get some nasty organ that comes and goes. "Zwick Zwick" opens with the drums, flute and sax standing out. It's just a pleasure listening to each one of these guys play. The distorted organ after 3 minutes brings SOFT MACHINE to mind. "Watch Time Flow By" is a vocal track and he really sounds like his singing has been influenced by Robert Wyatt and Richard Sinclair. A beat with flute helps out. "Bosco Biati Weiss Alles" is Jazzy with prominant bass, sax, drums and more. A drum show 3 1/2 minutes in then some distorted organ 5 minutes in followed by a calm with vocal melodies. Nice. It kicks back in again as contrasts continue. We get an intense finish.

"Snakeship Tango" has some crazy sax then vocal expressions as a catchy soundscape takes over. "Smile A While" has these deep bass sounds with atmosphere to start. It picks up 1 1/2 minutes in and builds with the sax leading then flute. This is great ! Vocals 2 1/2 minutes in are brief then the flute leads again. More fuzz after 6 minutes. Nice. A calm before 8 1/2 minutes then the sax starts to lead. It settles with flute after 10 minutes and we get reserved vocals before 12 1/2 minutes in this laid back section. It kicks in again as he sings "Smile a while" and we get more fuzz late. Killer stuff. "You Are What's Gonna Make It Last" is catchy with vocals and some guitar too. I like it ! "Don't Forget" is the very short closing instrumental. I have to mention the first bonus track called "Thesen & Antithesen" because it sounds amazing and it goes on for 14 minutes.

A very solid 4 stars and one that SOFT MACHINE and MOVING GELATINE PLATES fans might want to check out. Enjoy the cover boys !

The album shows the interesting transformation of Fashion Pink from a Psych/Blues Rock band to a Progressive/Jazz rock beast.The short opening tracks see them playing decent Psychedelic Rock with lots of organ and flute by Bodenshon and decent vocals,not far from bands like early CARAVAN and JETHRO TULL.Moving on Fashion Pink develop a more complicated sound with strong Jazz leanings and a tension for improvisation,like the highly experimental ''Number six'',yet they never denied their psychedelic roots,the driving organ and melodic flutes are still alive and well and the guitar remain a trademark of the band.Towards the middle of 1971 they had fully transmitted into a complex Jazz Rock act with Schaeffer grabing the saxes for good and FRANK ZAPPA being a notable inspiration,while now the best comparison would propably be OUT OF FOCUS.Powerful organ grooves,sax attacks,lovely flutes and jazzy guitars compose a good sound-picture of the totally instrumental 10-min. ''Brainstorming''.The following and closer of the album 14- min. ''Thesen-Antithesen'',again an all instrumental number, is even more demanding with great guitar/organ/flute interplays,complex guitar and flute work always in a jazzy mood,psychedelic and nervous organ playing and improvisational saxes.The later sound is actually a very good introduction to the real Brainstorm band,recording a year later.

''...to Brainstorm'' is a very good archival release of the pre-Brainstorm days and the listener can see it as a living document of a company of young guys trying to search for a personal and inventive music approach.Recommended,especially for the two long and most progressive tracks,but the rest of the album will also appeal to fans of Heavy/Blues/Psychedelic Rock.

I'm sorry, that was me being sick all over my Mac after looking at the front cover. What on earth were they thinking on??!! Easily the worst record sleeve in the history of music. I mean, for crying out loud, what they're wearing is what I found in my mums washing basket when I was 10 years old. Gross... simply foul.

Luckily for Brainstorm, the music is far,far better, otherwise I'd be running after them with a Panzerfaust. In a funny way it reminds me of 'The Two Ronnies' (which, for Europeans - was a hilarious British TV comedy duo from the mid 70''s). Jazzy Krautrock is the order of the day, but it's played brilliantly. Such a shame. One of the finest Kraut Albums I've heard - yet annihilated by the sleeve.

Every time I look at this album I feel like throwing it in the bin - then when I listen to it - it turns out to be great.

What was a definite 4 star has been downgraded to 3 simply because of the abysmal cover. I mean - can you imagine showing this to your friends?

3(-), no, this is not the way how it should be done.