ROCKPOMMEL'S LAND

ROCKPOMMELS ISLAND is viewed by a lot of prog fans and Grobschnitt lovers as their main achievement and even by some as one of the best prog album ever recorded.I wouldn't go that far as ROCKPOMMEL ISLAND follows the symphonic formula of JUMBO which i think doesn't really suit the members of this band.But once again, that's just me!.

GROBSCHNITT was definitely a very serious band by 1977 having forgotten about all their craziness and sheerful playing from their beginning. With ROCKPOMMEL ISLAND, even pomposity was on its way. The band decided to record a concept album ( like every good serious prog band). So we have the ''pleasure'' to be introduced to littlle ERNIE, a young boy running from home looking for a fantasy world he will reach by going to the ROCKPOMMEL ISLAND.Of course, he wouldn't have been able to do it alone if it hadn't been helped by the big bird MARABOO. Thanks, Maraboo!! After that, the young boy will meet Good and Evil. Do i really still keep telling more? No ? Thanks.

To make it more ''reall'', the band even went for a ROGER DEAN-cover, no less. Now we are in serious symphonic territory. Not all the band members were crazy about this new GROBSCHNITT formula as EROC the drummer and POP0 the bassist wanted to go back to the earlier sound and ''rock''. ROCKPOMMEL ISLAND is once again the brainchild of keyboardist MIST with LUPO the guitarist helping a lot.So do we have another CLOSE TO THE EDGE here?

Definitely not! this album has a lot of similarities with JUMBO.This is well recorded, well played, every second of the music has been well thought making sure every detail has been perfected.Meaning that the music has no spontaneity at all, all freshness of the past is a distant memory.Once again this is a German band trying to produce YES , better GENESIS music but not able to perform it with their own personality.

There are 4 tracks, 3 ''epics'' and the short 4mns ANYWHERE. I don't know if there is a better track than others as they all sound similar. They all have beautiful guitar breaks and magnificent keyboard arrangements and lush arrangements. There is a lot of hard work on ROCKPOMMEL ISLAND, you can feel it. GROBSCHNITT tried hard to record the ultimate prog masterpiece; i guess they succeed as this album did well commercially and it is considered as a prog treasure by a lot of prog aficionados.

Is it because i am not a great GENESIS fan, but i can't really take off when listening to this album. I remember how i couldn't wait to get this album a long time ago after reading all those glorious recommendations by friends and reviewers and the look at the cover design sure made me think i would be there for a real treat. I am listening now to the last part the 20mns title track, that's beautiful music for sure with grandiose organ, dreamy guitar and all but something is not working, but once again that's just me.

You know what is my biggest pleasure on this CD i have? the bonus track! TONTILLON is a beautiful instrumental with a fantastic theme played on electric piano powered by a great EROC on drums. Now, i am finally taking off on my way to heaven!!!

3 STARS.

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