VERLORENE WELT

FLAMING BESS' was decidedly late to the table when they released their first two albums in 1979 and 1980, which remained their only recordings until a relatively more active period beginning in 1996. "Verlorene Welt" largely follows in the footsteps of its predecessor "Tanz der Goetter", extended pseudo-improvisations of an ultra listenable light jazz-disco-symphonic blend. If its beats somewhat betray its time frame, the tastefulness of its melodies and the professionalism of the playing more than compensate.

The main improvements are in the greater emphasis of acoustic guitar which serves to anchor the otherwise somewhat flighty characteristics of these pieces, and actual female vocals integrated into many arrangements. While most of the German lyrics remain the province of the narrator Woh Galach, Marlene Kruckel imparts a sultry dance club sensibility to "Aufbruch", "Zay" and "Ballade". But sometimes she sounds like she may have inspired EPIDAURUS' dire reunion album from the early 1990s, which has invoked musical PTSD in more than a few of us. Another shortcoming is that the elongated spoken parts are not deftly excised as they were in the remastered debut, and even appear mid track at times. And "Mythos", while enjoyable in a mid 1970s PASSPORT manner, sports a tune so entwined with OLDFIELD's "Tubular Bells" that the word "inspiration" falls dramatically short of describing the relationship. But then you have the creative caressing of Barry Peeler's picking in "Kristallplanet" which is suffused with an attachment to the beauty of the musical concept and probably the poetic muse as well.

I can't quite accord this the same honors as the group's debut, but it does cheerfully channel the late 1970s CAMEL sensibility into its own modestly successful artistic vision. This should ensure that there will always be fans who willingly lose themselves in the FLAMING BESS world.