LAGGER BLUES MACHINE [AKA: TANIT]

One of the harder to categorize bands of the early 70s was the interesting Belgium based LAGGER BLUES MACHINE from Brussels which was founded in 1970 by brothers Christian Duponchell (organ) and Jean-Luc Duponcheel (drums) along with Jose Cuisset (guitars) and Michael Maes (bass). This early lineup was firmly rooted in the heavy psych world of the 60s with some proto-prog touches but was basically a raw free-form jam band that toured extensively with its most famous gig having been a Brussels festival in October 1970 where they played with Warhorse and Wishbone Ash. This was also the gig which was recorded and later released as an archival live album.

In 1971 when Vincent Mottoulle (organs) and Carmelo Pilotta (flute, saxophone) joined the band, the focus shifted to a richer progressive rock sound borrowing not only from the jazz-rock fusion of Soft Machine's "Third" and guitar angularity of King Crimson but also on the strong emphasis of instrumental interplay much like that of Moving Gelatine Plates or Eiliff but in the rhythm department displayed much from the sensual bubbling zeuhl bass driven marches of Christian Vander's Magma. Despite the uptick in compositional interplay, LAGGER BLUES MACHINE still maintained a rather jam oriented romp through their instrumental gymnastics that carried through some of the heavy psych guitar and 60s hypnotic organs.

After several years of intensive touring the band was noticed by CBS records as they became one of Belgium's most important bands and finally in the year of 1972 they recorded and released their sole studio album which was eponymously titled. While brevity wasn't their goal with four of the five tracks near the seven minute mark all the way to the fourteen, in the nonchalant stroll through the progosphere, LAGGER BLUES MACHINE managed to take many detours into various strains of not only prog but heavier rock, blues, pure jazz and more detached psychedelia.

The opening "Symphonie - Part 1" doesn't waste any time with the band's progressive romp through the almost entirely instrumental album, a wise decision considering the few vocal appearances displayed represent a weak spot that shouldn't have been included. Where vocals do occur they are merely supplemental instruments to the greater musical drive. Described as symphonic jazz-rock, LAGGER BLUES MACHINE opens with a unique mix of twin hypnotic organ attacks enhanced by spooky flute sounds, avant-jazz sax runs and well adapted percussive accompaniments. The instrumental interplay is the strongest feature of this band where no musician steals the show but rather contributes to a greater sum of the parts.

A tad more art rock oriented than many of early prog's contemporaries, LAGGER BLUES MACHINE eschewed easy pigeon-holing and the seemingly aimless drifting through the challenging instrumental workouts meanders through symphonic, jazz-rock, hard rock and organ dominated heavy psych. The beauty of the album is the sophistication of the compositions, all of which will please the most hardened progheads out there. The weaknesses include the aforementioned weak vocals although they are quite sparse as well as the lackluster production which according to a review by Ashratom is much better on the original 1972 vinyl release than on the 21st century reissues. And to be honest, the vocals aren't always that bad, there are just some awkward moments.

Personally the sophistication of the music trumps any of the weaknesses. Despite the admittedly weak production job, the album exudes a raw underground sound straight from the heart and that actually appeals to me. This was a talented group of musicians that in some strange ways reminds me of an Anglagard type approach before the 90s prog revival would relaunch the prog revolution twenty years in the future. While this may not be the most essential of prog albums from the 1972 year when too many to count albums rank high on the must have list, if you are seeking extremely intricately designed obscurities that has amazingly instrumental workouts then you can't go wrong with this sole studio release from LAGGER BLUES MACHINE.