NO MORE LOVE

Wallenstein 1977 ; classical Pianist Jurgen Dollase and Bassist Jurgen Pluta from the previous album's line-up have enlisted new members Gerd Klocker (Guitars) and Nicky Gebhard (Drums/Perc.) and dispensed with their Violinist altogether. So much for the 'Symphonic Rock Orchestra' vision lasting for too long.... The band have now signed to a major, RCA (Germany), and obviously it's within their walls where Dollase signed along the dotted line and commercial considerations were taken into account. Actually, the new music does have moments of the once decent band they were, amidst the instrumental passages of the longer cuts. But the vocals here let the whole package down. All said, 'No More Love' displays a rather 'fresher' sound than previously, with Dollase adding the sounds of Clavinets and more synthesizers, alongside his ever-present Piano, and all members contributing the aforementioned vocals (lots of 'massed' voices to be heard, especially on the choruses). As more often than not, the famous studio wizzard Dieter Dierks handles the production. Dierks has mostly dealt with the 'heavier' sounding Euro-Prog acts of the day (Omega, Jane, Nektar, to name just 3) and his main success to this point has been working with 'The Scorpions', and he seems to have mastered how to give a final product an accessible, radio-ready sheen, whilst maintaining a band's subtle and dramatic Progressive tendencies. This is both a good and bad thing, I guess, depends on who he's producing. The 6 tracks on the album vary considerably in quality, from commercial - the opening song 'Seventy-Seven' is an anthemic little ditty that serves as a possible hit, but ends up missing the mark, and the throwaway track 'Jo-Jo' (eek !!) won't do much to alter their popular status either. 'I Can't Loose' is a song that falls somewhere in the middle - too 'safe', too pleasant. The more faithful Prog-Rock workouts (admittedly, with emphasis on the 'Rock' part) are the tracks 'Backstreet Dreamer', which features a superb introduction, rocking verses, and an interesting middle section showing off processed guitar sounds and glistening keyboards, driven along with an energetic rhythm section. The longest piece 'No More Love' (8.27) is centered around Dollase's excellent Keyboarding, and is a mid-paced affair with many changes that flow seamlessly together. There is a mighty section where Dollase plays an extended synth solo backed with some Latin percussion. A fine composition for sure, and up there with their best. Lastly, 'On An Eagles Wing' is easily as good, bursting at the seams with a powerful Clavinet and searing Guitar duel, Dollase and Klocker against each other in a final bid to win whatever stakes their lives depended upon......but who knows, Dollase sacked the lot of them after this album..... 3 stars - Good, but non-essential, I enjoy it as much as its predecessor SS&S......

If I could give this lost gem of an album six or seven stars, I would, believe me. Wallenstein's 1977 recording No More Love is a transitional one, and though it points to the future, it also points to the past. It is still progressive, but a sound that would be more accessible for non-progressive rock listeners. This is not to say that it is a commercial sell-out like the later Blue Eyed Boys album- I have never heard such a wonderful bunch of songs. There is something so right about this record, it seems to achieve for me what many other group's albums only hint at-there is not a note in any of these songs that I would alter in any way, even if I could. There is depth, as well as a really great emotion with the whole album-in a single word- wonderful.

No More Love still has that trademark Wallenstein classically inspired and delightful keyboard work courtesy of Jurgen Dollase, and also some tasteful interplay with guitar in a likewise trademark fashion, though things are a bit lighter than on previous records. Though both instrumentally and lyrically, this record makes you sit up and take notice, and is very thought-provoking.

No More Love is the kind of record that is intelligent, but also catchy in the same breath, and not a bit of it is trite. Whenever I listen to this record, it makes me want to get up out of my chair, and go out and tell all the people out there who have not heard it, all about it! There is not just emotion here, but almost a kind of musical sincerity to it all-though the band are obviously going through some changes with No More Love, here they are aiming to expand their audience in a legitimate fashion.

I feel that this record deserved to be given a bigger promotion by the record company at the time, and is something I feel could have been huge, given the right backing. Alas, not long into it's release, Dollase sacked the rest of the group, and the record has been obscured by time, which really is a shame -there would never be another quite like it, by Wallenstein, or anybody else. Unfortunately, there has not been a legitimate release on CD; if you can find this record, get ready for something emotional and uplifting that will make your day, no matter how it is.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, makes music like this anymore. If you have stumbled across this music, consider yourself a privileged person. Five deserving stars.

I quite appreciated the first three albums from this German band, but the last one was not decent at all. So, I was rather curious about the content of their fifth work : «No More Love ».

Needless to say that '77 was not the best times of prog in the rock history? And one can feel this while listening to this «Wallenstein» effort. I would say that it doesn't hurt. But no more. Their best years are definitely behind. The worse is probably reached while « Jo Jo » is being played.

But to be honest, there is nothing great on this album. The closing «On an Eagle's Wing » is the most complex track of the whole (but it is not difficult). It offers some pshychedelic reminiscence as well as a strong jazz approch. The whole seems quite improvised (even if it isn't).

This album doesn't hold great songs like during their first three albums. Two stars is my rating. Below average.

Wallenstein from Viersen and Mönschengladbach in Nordrhein-Westphalen, Germany made nine studio albums between 1971 and 1981 and the kept up a high tempo of producing music. "No More Love" from 1977 is the band's fifth album, made two years after their last record "Stories, songs & symphonies" in 1975. The cover picture of "No more love" doesn't look like ordinary prog albums and some of you would probably fear the music would take an inappropriate step towards pop music. I can gladly say that is not what happens here! The cover picture has two figures, a man and a woman without sexes and looking like barbie dolls. Otherwise the cover is very white.

Jurgen Dollase plays keyboards and sings, Nicky Gebhard drums, plays percussion and sings, Gerb Klocker plays guitar and sings and Jurgen Pluta plays bass and sings. This is obviously a four man gruop where everybody sing, that is amazing of course. What's so fantastic here is that Wallenstein's music continues to sound amazing in my ears; they play perfect symphonic rock with great typical seventies sounds.

"Seventy-seven" is a great starter where a powerful symphonic melody plasy with the different vocals in the band(8/10) and the longer "Backstreet Dreamer" is a longer wonderful track(7/10). "I can't loose" is an honest track with a lot of love(8/10) and the title track "No more love" is very emotional with a great intro and a song that will grow until the end. A fine example of awesome seventies symphonic rock(9/10). The two ending songs follows in the same way and both "Jo Jo" and "On a Eagles Wings" are worth their (7/10) listenings.

This music is very pleasant to my ears. Well, it's not very new thinking and experimental, but its continues the sweat obvious symphonic rock it had started with six years earlier. I would recommend this record warmly, beacuse it's a great prog record! Four stars!