TAYLOR'S UNIVERSE & KARSTEN VOGEL: EXPERIMENTAL HEALTH

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that Robin Taylor can't make an aveage album but only ones that I would rate 8 out of 10 or higher. He's such a gifted composer and guitar player. He also plays keyboards and bass on this album. This 1998 release is I believe the first to feature fellow Dane Karsten Vogel (SECRET OYSTER) on sax. He will go on to play (I think at this point ) 16 of Robin's albums. There are guests helping out with flute, trombone as well as extra sax, keyboard and guitar parts.

"Man On The Mountain" is the only song that makes me think of SECRET OYSTER. I love when it kicks into a fuller sound with sax. We get some angular guitar after 1 1/2 minutes then the guitar lights it up before 3 minutes. Heavy guitar, sax and drums a minute later then it settles back with sax after 6 1/2 minutes. My favourite track right there. "Elephant Kiss" has this fairly dark rhythm with the flute playing over top. It kicks in after a minute. Love this part but it's brief.In fact from here on out the style of music keeps changing over and over. "Inner Space" is led by cymbals and sax early. Guitar and drums come in then it settles back as contrasts continue.The guitar is more aggressive 3 minutes in. Sax comes in late to end it.

"Base Camp" has these funny spoken words while we get dissonance in the background. "Notkai" is relaxed with guitar, bass, drums and sax. "Milo's Dakdar" is a great tune with the drums and sax standing out. "Kindergarten" has an experimental intro. Bass, sax and drums then breakout after a minute. It's heavier around 2 1/2 minutes. Excellent track. "Therapy" has some darkness and attitude to it. A voice comes in yelling after 3 minutes. A calm a minute later then it kicks back in before 5 minutes with sax. So good ! "Charly & Juliet" is powerful with guitar and dissonant sax. A lonely sax melody ends it. "Experimental Health" has this sampled conversation then there's silence. A repetitive piece of that converstion is played over and over as it gets louder. Music joins in along with experimental sounds. It kicks in around 6 1/2 minutes then stops around 8 minutes as silence ends it.

A very solid 4 stars for this one. We get a good blend of experimental and melodic music here but more of the latter.