ROCKPOMMEL'S LAND

'Rockpommel's Land' released in 1977, was Grobschnitt's Prog-swan song before they moved into main stream Rock. The record has a perfect production, good ideas and arrangements, but is missing the humour and down-to-earth side of 'Grobschnitt'. It's a concept record with a Tolkien inspired Fantasy story line about a little boy, a big bird with magic power and then some... ( BTW on stage the bird was hilarious and brought back some of the fun missing on the record)

Side one opens with 'Ernie's Reise' a dynamic track, starting with guitar and organ, then the main theme, followed by a first break, a trademark 'Grobschnitt' double lead run. The track evolves into a slow groove, supporting Danielak's bluesy vocals. After an echoed guitar solo by Kühn and a reprise of the main theme starts a longer passage for piano, supporting a narration part of the story, interwoven again with double lead lines over waving synth chords. Interesting ideas, but slightly too long.

'Severity town' is the masterpiece of the record, a beautiful theme introduced first by glockenspiel and then by piano, followed by a second theme (sung) that is supported by a chord progression that reminds 'Carpert Crawlers'. The track becomes then heavier and evolves into a heavy funk, with great bass and double lead work, ending with another narration part over a 'Genesis' like passage, the introduction of the 'Anywhere ' theme, and the advice to either turn around the record or to eat a hot dog....

I decided to turn the record around and got instead of a hot dog, 'Anywhere ', a FM acoustic guitar ballad ( pull out your lighter and wave it from left to right with watery eyes) saved only by the guitar of Kühn.

Side two ends with the 20minute showdown 'Rockpommel's Land', a track with good ideas, but being too long.The track opens with an athmospheric intro, the 'march of the stonefaces', with genuine troll vocals, evolving first into a slow groove, followed by a shuffle with great double acoustic guitar work. A 'funny' (pitched up voices) Goblin choir, leads into a longer passage, based on double leads, followed by a slow passgae that prepares and mounts to the climax,a theme played by Kühn on Electric.

On the 'Repertoire' CD,is a great bonus 'Tontillon' : an instrumental, build around the main theme of 'Severity town', played with a great funky e-piano sound over a slow groove with brillant soloing by Kahrs.

The last important studio record of 'Grobschnitt'.