DAEVID ALLEN & EUTERPE: GOOD MORNING!

Amongst the sleeve notes of this 2nd solo album proper, Daevid exclaims ' At last .... a band without a Drummer ! Hooray ! ' This album is the product of Daevid's getting together with a Spanish troupe of acoustic musicians called 'Euterpe', whilst he was based in Majorca. 'Euterpe', by the way, is the name of a Greek God of Music..... and there is no Drummer !! The music is as whimsical and dreamy as anything Allen has created (before and after). Most of this material is purely 'personal' sounding and stream-of-consciousness stuff. It is surely Spacey and Psychedelic, original and weird. Even if Allen is an out- to-lunch sort of character, his individual ideals, beliefs and approach always sound way ahead of their time. And he does have a valid perception of the world in which we live in. The musical illustrations presented here by Daevid and his 'bunch of Catalunatics' only occasionally display some form of melody, and for the most part, have a strange structure, if indeed any at all. For these traits alone, the album stands its own ground. I came across this record during the mid-90's, and haven't listened to it that often, but it's certainly excellent. I adore the cover-art - it's so Gong. The highlight and masterpiece track off the album is the big one on side 2 - 'Wise Man In Your Heart' (11.35) - featuring none other than his trusty Gong-mates Pierre Moerlen (Perc.) and Mike Howlett (Bass). This tune alone is amazing. A phenomenal, mesmerising Glissando Guitar heavy travel, with a superb rhythmic backing, and kozmik rant from Allen. This composition is precious and reason alone for tracking down this release. Those familiar with the extended, Space-excursions from Gong, 'You' (in particular), along with the more Jazz-oriented Moerlen- led ensemble, will discover a perfect marriage between the two styles. The title track is another strong piece of music. I'm not really convinced it belongs in the Canterbury camp, but Space-Heads and Gong- Freaks should enjoy this excellent album regardless.