WINTRUP

Kraan soon became famous for their inventive style of playing and in 1972 their were voted as the best newcomer group in Germany.Six months after the recordings of ''Kraan'', around the fall of 72', they reentered the Studio 70 in Munich to prepare their second album.Under the title ''Wintrup'', this would see the light the following year again on the Spiegelei label.

The challenging sound of Kraut/Jazz Rock with evident Ethnic hints is still present and, while a bit more vocal-oriented, this work follows the lines of the debut with some great structured parts as well as more loose and freestyle parts, based on a jamming mood.Instead of delivering self-indulgent sax manipulations, Pappert show his tremendous talent in the album, using the sax either for producing ethnic tunes of an Arabian taste, a bit close to AREA's style, or collaborating with the rest of the band in nice and heavy interplays.The psychedelic influences are still apparent in the guitar moves of Wolbrandt and most of the tracks are characterized by massive, energetic grooves, sudden, intricate breaks and impressive, loosy solos.Gone are the more spacey passages of ''Kraan'' and the band replaced them with some more pleasant parts of a funky approach, mixed with the powerful jazzy flavor of their proposed Progressive Rock.The later tracks of the album show a turn towards more Heavy/Kraut/Psych Rock realms with scratching guitars, dominant vocals and rhythmic parts and limited sax workouts.

Setting ''Wintrup'' next to ''Kraan'', this one looses the battle just by an inch.Very good Heavy/Kraut/Jazz Rock, featuring one of the more inspired sax performances ever to be presented in a Prog album.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.