DIE GRÜNE REISE (THE GREEN JOURNEY)

The A.R. stands for Achim Reichel, who was a member of "the German Beatles" The Rattles. Machines refers to gadgets he uses to alter the sound. Just him on guitar and vocals with a drummer and a percussionist. I'm not exactly sure what the gadgets are he's using(Echoplex? Ring modulator?). Generally there is a echo type effect throughout where you hear a guitar or vocal sound in one channel and then hear it again within a second in the other channel. Occasionally the guitar is altered to almost sound like a synthesizer. The cover of this album is similar to Guru Guru's Hinten. I prefer this one because I rather look at a woman's lips than a man's ass.

"In The Same Boat" has a typical eatly '70s hard rock riff. "Beautiful Babylon" you can listen to on PA. It's one of the better songs. Some synth-like guitar effects at the start. Nice guitar playing with bongos. Later drums and guitar in a slower tempo. "I'll Be Your Singer, You Be My Song" is the first song with vocals. A folk-rock type song. "A Book's Blues" is truth in adverstising. A straight blues song.

"As If I Have Seen All This Before" is the best song. Good guitar throughout with bongos. Later bongos stop and then drums. More synth-like guitar effects. The drums stop then some blues- rock guitar and the drums come back. More synth-like guitar effects. "Cosmic Vibration" has interesting guitar and percussion starting in the middle with more synth-like guitar effects. "Come On, People" is a hippie singalong.

The last and longest song "Truth And Probability" is the only track where the effects are more important than the music. It's a very trippy song but it doesn't hold up on repeated listens. Overall this is an interesting album but there is a lot of better Krautrock out there. 3 stars.