A.R. & MACHINES

Die Grune Reise (aka The Green Journey) really is a great trip. As soon as I listened to the sample available here on PA I knew this was an album I needed to check out, so I did just that. Couldn't be happier with my decision, except if the rest of his albums were still obtainable so that I could hear more. This album is full to the brim (and beyond) with echoing/multitracked guitars, along with some percussion and vocals here and there, and it's really a unique album thus far in my collection. The combination of elements displayed here by Reichel is a lot of fun - we've got technical ability, playfulness, the bizarre, and maybe just a little bit of insanity. It's a great example of just how psychedelic and "out there" some Krautrock can get, and a good introduction into the less well known side of things.

The DVD which came with my edition is pretty great as well - a movie to go along with the music, which is fittingly bizarre and (more often than not, for me) incredibly confusing. Not confusing in a bad way, though.

For fans of bizarre, psychedelic trips - listen to the sample track graciously provided here on PA, and hopefully you'll be interested in this insane Krautrock masterpiece.

A.R. & Machines (or Achim Reichel) debut album is not just a classic kraut rock. Chronologically placed somewhere between early genre's works, this album is a strange, hypnotic and repetitive combination of guitar loops, unusual drumming and pop-elements. Heavily psychedelic, this work are more similar to some Brian Eno early works, but has nothing too much in common with many later classic kraut rock jazzy works.

Having similar aesthetics, this album sounds quite different even from genre colleagues of the same time. Some moments remind me Can though. And I believe that this album's diversity is its strong point. You can find there plenty of styles and sounds, from r,n,b to danceable pop moments, but everything - under deep sauce of psychedelia.

For me it was not what I expected to hear, and it took some time and many spins just to accept this work. Then, I could recommend it to everyone searching on kraut rock roots, or for fans of "different" early psychedelic prog as well.

In this album is a very mysterious feeling for such an eccentric and warped sound construction.

Suppose Achim might produce this anti-mainstream work with his strong intention to turn his back onto popular sound and style around 1970. The most important point upon his first work as A.R. & MACHINES is, that every pop phrase and style all around the album should NOT be straight or honest, but sometimes very quirky, sometimes very violent, aggressive, and sometimes very lazy and powerless (maybe intentionally). We can understand the concordance itself by listening to the first few "gorgeously sound-scattered" tracks. Even some ethnic and danceable percussive shots backwards can sound very cynical, not strict. Some heavy style standing between these percussive phrases can give me not comfort but palpitation, uniquely. His simple lyrics and lazy crazy voices can kick my empty heart to impress magnificently. Through his whole stage on this vinyl (or CD), his hot and dry material like air over desert may notify me what the real Krautrock should be.

Indeed there are lots of albums called as something of Krautrock textbooks, but I do consider we can add this intentionally whacked out (namely, wonderful or fantastic in our scene!) work as an atypical Kraut but a heavy Kraut-magma, into this subgenre library. Highly recommended.

I got this album along with the "Echo" album. This is a much better production than the earlier. After a couple of years, the band seems to have matured a little.

The first 3 songs are acually one 20 minute plus tune. I don't know why they did that, because it sounds like you are interupting something when you begin playing the second or third song. I wished they wouldn't have split it up like that.

"Vita is the first 3 part tune. It is up tempo and it is enjoyable. This band sounds a little on the Psychedelic side to me. Again,I don't care for the single idea with stuff throw in along the way so the band can say that they are experimental. They slow down and speed up. That is the extent of any real changes. No alternating time signatures or changes in direction.

"Aqua" also stays on one theme throughout and at the end we hear the sounds of the ocean slapping the shore for way too long.

The good thing about this album is that you can enjoy it while you are doing something around the house. It is not a bad record, so I am giving it 3 stars. It is good, but not essential.

I have been a little reluctant about reviewing this album, because there is a lot of material here. I have listened to it several times, but it doesn't stick with me a whole lot. You might say that it isn't that memorable. This is also my first experience at listening to KrautRock. I can honestly say that this will also be my last. I don't really like this style of prog at all.

First of all, the band stays on a musical idea far too long. Here is the concept. Take a riff start playing it over and over, then improv for awhile. This is the kind of thing garage bands do all the time.

The first song starts off with what sounds like an out of tune guitar. Achim Riechel begins playing the echo guitar and it develops from there if you will. I did like the last part the best, where it sounds like people are being shot to death. I wondered if it was a reference to the time of Hitler.

The second and third songs are connected, but Achim split the two up by title. Nothing too memorable at all here. The most memorable part was where the second song ended and the third song began, with children playing. They do some slow to fast stuff and it is not too bad, but that's about it.

"Echo of the Future" has some interesting electronic stuff on it. The band gets wild with it and it does sound kind of cool, but dated.

"Echo of the Past" has an acapella section that is way toooooooooooooooooooooo loooooooooooooooooooong! They could have shortened that part by at least five minutes.

I was disappointed with it. They could have injected so many more musical ideas than they did. Too much song for too little creativity. I have to give this Krautwork 2 stars, for lack of content.

This is A.R. & MACHINES third album and like the last one there are a lot of guests helping Achim Reichel out. I count 10 actually including Okko Bekker a Dutchman who was born and lived in Germany at the time.He plays sitar,tablas and other ethnic instruments.Certainly compared to the debut this is much less dynamic and innovative.It's like Achim decided to turn from those psychedelic and experimental sounds to more of an even keel with a prominant ethnic vibe.POPOL VUH came to mind at times. I'm going to use the English song titles for this review. "Why Peter Is Only On Holiday" opens with this rhythm that builds before settling down 1 1/2 minutes in as sounds come and go.No melody really when it calms down.Echo guitar starts to lead and bass helps out 3 1/2 minutes in.Percussion a minute later.I like this.It's building again after 5 1/2 minutes. "Tarzan's Adventures In The Summer Sale" opens with guitar and drums.Sax is prominant after 1 1/2 minutes.Lots of percussion too.Intense sound 2 1/2 minutes in.This is great! "10 Years Life Imprisonment" is pastoral to open before it kicks in after a minute.Lots of percussion and echo guitar.Vocals after 2 minutes followed by some excellent guitar 3 minutes in and later before 5 1/2 minutes.Some prominant bass here too.It builds to an intense sound 6 minutes in then settles late and blends into "The Frost-Giant's Daughter".Drums,vocals and guitar join in. "The Owners Of The World" really does seem out of place.It's quite commercial sounding with vocals being the focus. "Today It Is Warmer Than Outside" features some organ and echo guitar.It kicks in after a minute.Nice.It blends into "In German We Call It Conscience-Bites".Vocals around a minute.This is catchy stuff. "(I...Me Like I ...You)" is a short but cool tune.We get some organ,sax,electric guitar and even a rattle after 1 1/2 minutes. "Everybody Goes To Goa" opens with spacey winds as vocal expressions and a beat come in.A change as sitar eventually becomes prominant 2 1/2 minutes in.The sounds get louder as tablas help out.This is very ethnic sounding. I must admit i've struggeled with my rating here.I just can't bring myself to give it 4 stars even though there are some real highlights here.Just not enough of them i suppose.

A.R. & MACHINES is the solo project of one Achim Reichel.The A.R. are of course his initials while the MACHINES are those elctronics and tape recorders he used to create this psychedelic sound.This album was released in 1971 and the press at that time roasted him for it.Achim you see had been this teen idol who was very well known in Germany.He was the founder and guitarist of the most popular Beat band in that country called THE RATTLERS.He grew tired though of strumming his guitar to this simple 4/4 beat and was looking for something more challenging.It would be like one of the Jonas brothers deciding to make this experimental,psychedelic prog album.No matter how good it was you know he would be ridiculed for this non-commercial nonsense.Right? Well all these magazines that trashed Achim's debut album would later apologize as it was soon accepted that this was a tripped out masterpiece.He became known for the guitar echo which he came upon by complete accident."I was just trying something out with my guitar,when out of the blue the Akai X-3300 began to repeat endless cascades of guitar echoes.My guitar suddenly sounded like ten". He found his new direction. I've known about this band for years but until recently have been unable to find any of his recording.I have the EROC remastered version from 2007.The title of this album means "The Green Journey".Julian Cope would call this record "...the final result of a kind of higher awareness..." Brian Eno said this was his main source for inspiration for his "Another Green World" album. And how about that album cover! I'm going to use the English song titles. "Globe" opens with strange sounds then this catchy beat takes over.The song continues to change.Lots of electronics 2 1/2 minutes in.Great sound. "In The Same Boat" opens with this guitar riff as drums then vocals join in.It turns very psychedelic a minute in then that riff and beat returns. "Beautiful Babylon" sounds so cool to start out.Drums before a minute.It's all about the electronics before 3 minutes.It's laid back late. "I'll Be Your Singer-You'll Be My Song" is a short tune with vocals,strummed guitar and percussion.Psychedelic stuff. "Body" features percussion along with vocal and other sounds. "A Book's Blues" is bluesy with a beat,vocals and guitar. "As If I Had Seen All This Before" has a very freaky intro with cool vocal expressions that are manipulated.Electronics and a beat take over as guitar and drums join in.Great sound.It's crazy psychedelic 3 1/2 minutes in.The beat returns then it's far out again. "Cosmic Vibration" sounds so good the way the guitar echoes.What a trip this song is. "Come On People" is led by vocals and drums.Vocal melodies and clapping join in. "Truth And Probability" is the perfect drug track.It made me laugh and wonder and i wasn't even high.The sounds echo and check out the vocal expressions that are manipulated.Just hilarious at times.Insanity! A Krautrock masterpiece!

Meeting the spirits of krautrock ...

The civilisation makes everyone of us to a link in any chain which has its defined task, which has to function. Ponderous laws, regulations, commandments, prohibitions and instructions are controlling our life. Behaviours and thoughts were adopted like a ready-made meal out of the refrigerator. Creativity is not worth it? To improve life you need even power and goodness, first of all conciousness and fantasy. This is music for people with fantasy. It asks and answers, tells stories of yesterday, today and tomorrow. It paints pictures and holds your hand. Always in the way you hear it. Put on your headphones and close your eyes. Listen to the music and listen to yourself. And now you're already playing with us.

Achim Reichel's message on the LP backside is typical for the restless, rebellious times with a special atmosphere of departure in the late 60s and early 70s. Completely everything was challenged and put to the test. So this reflects the background for the development of krautrock with fascinating bands and albums as the result.

Being successful with THE RATTLES and later managing the famous STAR-CLUB in Hamburg, he also wanted to do something completely different. Unmistakeably influenced by upcoming electronic bands like TANGERINE DREAM for example he transmitted to a pioneer of this genre with his meditative improvisations. So five albums were produced under the moniker A.R. & MACHINES within the years from 1971 to 1974 but also efforts for other groundbreaking projects for example YATHA SIDHRA and the album 'A Meditation Mass'.

Now this vinyl from 1973 was recorded at Windrose Dumont Time studios by the wellknown engineer Conny Plank. Compared to the forerunner 'AR3' Reichel offers long jams again with his staff which consists of eleven musicians and Frank Dostal who is responsible for the lyrics. The band uses a wide range of instruments and the album manages a special melange of spaced out and jazzy elements - eclectic despite of the repetitive sequences.

The title Vita hits the nail right on the head with a joy of playing. The song radiates a happy flavour supported by an irresistible twin guitar, bass and percussion work. It looks like the instruments are hunting each others during 22 minutes of fantastic spacy jazz rock. This is provided with some ethnic additions per soprano sax, flute and sitar and the electric piano is swirling all around. This is sometimes sounding near to EMBRYO's work. The second jam Aqua is a lot more meditative and psychedelic first with sparkling piano and water, birds twittering and other animal voices. The song hurrries up in the second half to reach the 'aqua' respectively the ocean for being adrift on the sea of life ....

This album is definetely a masterpiece and belongs to the classics of krautrock. And just do what Achim Reichel advises - use your headphones!

This album is quite a masterpiece and a very lucky find. This was one of the most rare prog albums i have bought but well worth the search. The only place i could find it was on Doug Larsons imports. AR and machines is similar to Ash Ra Tempel, cosmic jokers, and Tangerine Dream in their style but the added bonus of some spacey psychedelic lyrics are a true treat that make AR such a joy to listen to. The sound scapes are beautiful and sure to take you on a glorious trip. I would go so far as to say AR and machines is the best spacey drawn out sound scape band in the krautrock genre (which places it at the top of all sound scape bands). If I listened to AR before all of the other aforementioned bands, I really don't think I would have appreciated their work nearly as much.

More Musick for the Brain

A.R. 3 was released shortly after the masterpiece double LP, Echo. In this album, Achim Reichel was in the middle of his progressive rock phase and very much at the top of his game musically speaking.

Compared to the previous two albums, A.R. 3 is generally jazzier and less experimental. Like always, it features the phenominal echo-styled guitar work of Achim Reichel, with the help of some other talented musicians. If this album wasn't made in Germany and entirely instrumental, one could easily mistake it as a "psychedelic/space rock" album, because it's made up of mostly kosmiche, spacey jams. It's the occassional vocal chants and keyboards which give it a nice Krautrock flavor. "The Owners of the World" is an extremely catchy song that could have easily become a radio hit during the '70s. Although this song is very out of place, it's still great nonetheless.

A.R. 3 doesn't quite live up after the high standards set from the band's first two albums, but I still deeply adore it. What prevents this album from getting a perfect five stars is because it isn't as innovative as their previous works, and just not as exciting overall. That's being said in a very nitpicky, review-like mindset, however, for normal, listening standards this is a superb album with no major flaws.

4.25 stars on my scale, indeed an "excellent addition to any prog music collection." Especially recommended for fans of spacey and psychedelic music, and essential to Krautrock enthusiasts. I recommend discovering A.R. and the Machines chronologically, but you really can't go wrong with any of the first three albums (which is all I have at the moment). Another great journey, happy listening...