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Various Artists (Concept albums & Themed compilations) - Krautrock Meeting CD (album) cover

KRAUTROCK MEETING

Various Artists (Concept albums & Themed compilations)

 

Various Genres

3.53 | 5 ratings

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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
3 stars In the late Seventies my favorite record shop Moonlight Records in The Hague (the owner was drummer Bob De Jong from Dutch prog band Pythagoras) started to sell Krautrock/German progrock. I was mesmerized by line-ups that featured lots of Hammond organ work, a wide range of keyboards and varied instrumentation (flute, acoustic guitar, violin). After a first listening session I bought albums from Jane, Grobschnitt, Eloy and Novalis, I was so delighted about their music that within a few weeks I had almost bought the entire Krautrock/German progrock section, from the aforementioned bands to Ramses, Triumvirat, Birth Control and Hoelderlin. At about 25 years later I have bought my first DVD featuring Krautrock/German prog bands and I am very pleased with it.

The 2-DVD Krautrock Meeting contains a concert with 6 bands (each played at about 30 minutes), recorded late 2004 in Bonn, Germany. So don't expect footage from the Seventies or Eighties or all bands in the original line-up. On this 2-DVD you will witness Krautrock veterans with often rugged faces and grey or thin hair but how inspired and professional they played that evening, THUMBS UP!

DVD-1 starts with Epitaph, they play bluesrock with echoes from Cream, Eric Clapton and Wishbone Ash (duo guitarwork). Guitarplayer Heinz Glass does a good job on his silverplated Fender Telecaster.

Then legend Guru Guru, they offer varied songs: bluesy in Living In The Woods, swinging in Izmiz (with strange small blow instruments, sounds funny), sultry in Kleines Pyama (powerful saxophone play), heavy and bombastic in Moshi Moshi (heavy guitar riffs and fiery saxophone with hints from King Crimson) and hypnotizing in the final song Der Elektrolurch, the singer wears an exotic, very coloured mask and climbs and the back of the guitarplayer while he plays a solo, these guys had fun!

Next is Karthago, they play bluesrock that is loaded with the powerful sound of the Hammond organ. The band plays pleasant and dynamic, nothing special but very entertaining.

Finally Jane, my favorite band on this 2-DVD. The line-up features drummer/singer Peter Panka (he looks like Jack Bruce from Cream) and the early keyboard player Werner Nadolny (later replaced by Manfred Wieczorcke who came from Eloy). Jane turns out to be the absolute highlight on this 2-DVD, what a wonderful melodic sound, based upon compelling interplay by the keyboards (strings, organ, synthesizers and Mellotron samples) and guitar (powerful and sensitive), to me it sounds as 'symphonic bluesrock'. They play the songs Daytime, Windows/Spain Medley and Out In The Rain. For me this gig from Jane is almost worth buying this 2-DVD, especially the final track Out In The Rain delivering beautiful sampled choir-Mellotron, very moving guitarwork and great vocals, SPLENDID!

DVD-2 opens with another legend, Amon Duul II. I know this band from their 'free-form' psychedelic albums but during this gig the music is mainly rock- based (along the reggae song Speed Inside My Shoes) with good duo-guitarwork. The female singer Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz has lost some power and often tended to sound unbalanced/out of tune although her presentation is very warm and enthousiastic.

Finally another personal highight: the known band Birth Control. They played three songs: Just Before The Sun Will Rise (dynamic progressive bluesrock featuring good soli and interplay by swirling organ and fiery electric guitar), Back From Hell (floods of organ, wah-wah drenched guitar and duo vocals, including special guest Peter Föller) and the epic 'crowd pleaser' Gamma Ray (on a propulsive rhythm it is 'solo time' with a percussive break, a bass solo accompanied by distorted clavinet, a spendid build-up guitar solo and a duel between the singer and the guitar, evoking Gillan/Blackmore and Page/Plant). To me Birth Control sounds as a great end of an impressive Krautrock Meeting, not really progressive in the vein of ELP, Yes or Genesis but as Krautrock sounds, unique!

erik neuteboom | 3/5 |

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