OUGENWEIDE

I have serched the records of this band for some time, and I'll certainly look for more, though this was not the most mind blowing experience. Highlights for me were the slightly Celtic sounding hypnotic "How Can I Keep My Maiden Head", which could be danced around the fireside forever (if the song would not end). Good album still, and recommended for fans of folk music and those interested of 70's Germany hippie rock scene. Have to look out the other records of this group too!

While I wrote reviews of the original albums in the album's respective page (so please look there for detailed reviews), what one must know is that this is about the best way for everyone to acquire their music, no matter if you are a newbie or a veteran of the group. Maybe the absence of an English translation of the liner notes stopped from enjoying equally this third 2on1 compilation, but this might also be due to the sheer repetitious nature of their music over the years. If I find Frÿheit

An excellent (and cheap) manner to get comfy with this out-of-the ordinary band, but it is advisable to not listen to the full disc in a single shot for fear of overdose: rather divide your listening sessions to the original albums separately. Outstanding value, this is the textbook case of the perfect 2-on-1 re- issue. For those interested in delving further in Ougenweide's discography, the same kind of 2on1 compilation exist with Ja-markt and Noch Aber 1st Abril coupled together. While Ougenweide remained pure and true to their original objectives, I find that by Ousflug, they'd said everything they had t say at twice, so personally I won't go further than these first sixth, which are way more than enough to enjoy the group's oeuvre.

Like its predecessor Frÿheit, Ousflug starts very strongly and progressively as Tobacco-Lob is a modern piano-lead piece that looks towards folk rock, but for the next three tracks, the album takes an instrumental turn with two older "dance" tunes, before taking an extended tour on a Celtic jig (Maiden Head).Schöne Hexe is taking an unexpected turn with a sitar and both Olaj and Minne taking turns in vocals, and is an album highlight, but the next two (nearly) instrumentals are fantastic; first the title track with its scats over a gentle but ever-changing chamber rock, while Orschel Halfmacher is hesitating between drone-prone medieval and chamber prog with one or two small choirs, but Gentle Giant is not far away. The last three tracks are still quite interesting although they pale in comparison, but the wordy Atze, the lament Malenzit, etc.. But the closing Lügenlied returns to a rockier format (after a few meanders) with an electric guitar and the lengthy instrumental turning into a jig around the end.

For the pure proghead, Ousflug might just Ougenweide's rockiest album so far with a whopping five instrumental tracks, but by all means don't go hope for a Tull album, even if you will find a few Tull hints.

You might be startled a bit as the needle hits the wax, if Ougenweide had suddenly turned to Brittany for its music as the bagpipes of Die Bauern have a Stivell/Ar Bras flavour, despite the higher German dialect. Drums, electric guitars and bass, as well dramatic vocals give plenty of "rockier" interest to the proghead, while the following two short ditties go back to more realistic ancient pre-classical folk music. They even add some synth in Ich Denke Hind Un Her or electric piano in Friedenstaube to the rock instruments. Zittert Blode Toren and Schwarz Rot Gold are even sounding a bit like Jethro Tull, the flute helping somewhat.

But there are still the usual tracks that tend to remain as authentic as possible, including the haunting dronal Mann Ross Wagen, Brigittenau (this comes closest to being the title track) and plenty others are there for the trad fans. Just another typical Ougenweide album, albeit a bit rockier, but certainly just as constantly good as the previous ones and no worse than the coming Ousflug, making it difficult to name one as a starting point, though!!

Of major interest to fans, is that Ougenweide manages to sound the same live than in the studio, while being "rockier" as well. Some of the added lengths in the original tracks is often due to solos or duo, such as the 11-mins+ eponymous track, with percussion solo and duo, amongst others. Other tracks take on a new dimension like the highlight Swag outer Hand. Another crowd favourite Der Fuchs (the foxes) closes the album in a grand fashion in all of its 9-minutes glory.

This double live album received also the Bear Family record label reissue (into a single disc) and now boasts a lightly modified artwork to fit the reissue series with Ougenweide's new logo, and one might find the 67 mins duration a little short, both for a double live vinyl and a single live disc. It's too bad Ougenweide did not look in their drawers to give us a few bonus tracks.. I'm sure it would've been possible and positive it would've been appreciated.

The arbitrary "best-of" does not fully intersect with the tastes of this folk-prog and German prog fan, and songs like "Im Badehaus" come across as too smarmy in style, although one might wonder if the lyrics bear that out. Other tracks are pleasant enough slightly psychedelic amalgams of male and female vox but nothing more, although the classic "Totus Floreo" is clearly much more, almost Ougenweide's Gaudete if you will, even if its only a capella for the first half minute or so.

Unique as far as I know among German bands for their merging of traditional northern European folk with prog elements, Ougenweide is well served by this compilation, which probably contains all you will need as a fan or completist.

While I wrote reviews of the original albums in the album's respective page (so please look there for detailed reviews), what one must know is that this is about the best way for everyone to acquire their music, no matter if you are a newbie or a veteran of the group. While Ohrenschmaus is just an excellent, dynamic (and typical) album of theirs, the other one, Eulenspiegel is really the most charming and narrative of their discography.

An excellent (and cheap) manner to get comfy with this out-of-the ordinary band, but it is advisable to not listen to the full disc in a single shot for fear of overdose: rather divide your listening sessions to the original albums separately. This release being absolutely indispensable for the progheads, I can only wish that the label will put reissue the next four albums as well in the same format, especially the double-live album by itself and the next two coupled, Fryheit with its follow up Ousflug.

The group's fourth album pretty well picks up where the previous three had left it. The group now will attack the Eulenspiegel myth and work it into the concept of the album. While this Protestant against Catholics/Spanish domination is not German per se (the Dutch and the Flemish also count it as theirs), this widely known story/myth of a blond boy almost single-handedly driving the Spanish occupants out of the Low Countries through trickery is rather common. Again the young boy of the Wulff family is appearing on the sleeve dressed as a fool, symbolising Till Eulenspiegel's cunnings.

When compared with the previous three albums, Eulenspiegel is well in the musical continuity as its predecessors, but also marks a progression. The group's pieces, telling a story through their Middle High German lyrics, become more narrative, giving more drama and some tracks become fascinating and even haunting. Tyllurius and Der Hofmaler are astoundingly beautiful, drawing small chills down the spine as the solemn ambiances and spellbinding melodies are riveting you to the depth of your sofa. Later on Vermachtuis is another pearl from the same nursery takes us to heaven, as is the (almost Pentangle-like) Wol Mich Der Stunde track. And if that was not enough the second last track is the album's most flabbergasting moment with vocal cannons and outstanding musicianship.

Compared to their previous album, I'd say that the album is a tad more Tull-esque (maybe due to a slightly more present flute) and Gryphon-esque (the odd crumhorn and the ever stronger medieval ambiances) and a bit less Malicornesque. Again what strikes (as in all Ougenweide albums) is the power of the electric bass, often being the driving force of the sextet. Eulenspiegel is probably my fave Ougenweide album, but I would not say it is their most representative, due to a slightly more restricted musical spectrum. But where eclectism lost, the story gained.

After a rather difficult start (the opening track is thankfully short, but sounds eerily badly played), the album settles quickly into its groove with the jumpy Kommt (the middle section is superb) and the reflective Freitags with its dominating piano. The album climaxes with the superb Bald Anders, which is constantly evolving and twists your hearing sense silly. After the charming Owe Wie Jaermerliche (where Minne Graw's voice reaches treble peaks), the instrumental Engelboltes is sending the listener to heaven again, with delightful drumming, great flute work. Around the end of the album we are treated to a superb Der Schlemihl track and a short outro.

Yet another great album that only confirmed Ougenweide's reputation as a adventurous group, reaching into pre-classical and medieval music (much like Malicorne did in the same years) and if the album is also essential, once linked with the following Eulenspiegel album, it becomes a must-have.