BROKEN DOOR

Yes - this is prospering a lot ...

For a self-released debut this album is really well done and might compete with every professional production without a doubt. Limited to 500 copies 'Broken Door' is a very rare and searched vinyl coming from the early german prog rock history. Many thanks to the Garden Of Delights label which released this diversified album on compact disc in 2003. PROSPER was a band from the northwestern part of the german Ruhrgebiet, founded in 1973, first undergoing some heavy line-up changes until five musicians finally managed to consolidate. The music is somewhat jazz rock respectively fusion dominated, mainly forced by Evert Brettschneider, a jazz guitarist who seemed to be influenced by John McLaughlin, Gary Boyle and Robert Fripp whilst recording this album. Other attractions to point out are the compelling use of several key instruments like e-paino, mellotron, moog and a very nice twin guitar work during some parts.

Beginning is an excellent opener working as a mix of jazz rock and psychedelic with wonderful piano accompaniment and some mellotron impressions - immediately followed by the short twin acoustic guitar song Burning in the sun with good english vocals. Broken door, the title song, remembers me at Eloy a little bit whereas Dance of an Angel sounds like pure jazz rock in the vein of Isotope or Soft Machine. And then - somewhat contrary - Your country is provided as a very psych drenched song with reminiscences to american westcoast bands and country folk influences. Great guitar work! Birds of Passage comes as a melancholic acoustic guitar driven song with sparkling piano. The mandatory but short drum solo is put into Master's inspiration and Where the Sun touches the Water finally rocks with a jazz orientation, initiated and closed by some storm and water imitating samples.

Unbelievable - another nearly unknown gem of the prog history in Germany which deserves to be famous - a big hand for this album and a must have for jazz rock and kraut fans! 4 stars really.

Here is a real cool album that I am sure 70's Prog jam fans will love from start to finish! Proposer is not a typical Krautrock outfit from the 70's and sound a lot more British than anything else. Musically Prosper is a mix of King Crimson with bits of Mahavishnu, Ash Ra Temple and Pink Floyd. Overall a pretty strong stylistic album with tons of uniqueness and a tendency to wind out into a jam rock approach. There are some pretty trippy parts with wild guitar solos and complex support (bass, drum and keyboards). Lead Vocalist Fritz Fey has a very fitting voice and supports the quirkiness of the music. Prosper were heavily influenced by jazz and incorporate strong learnings into their music giving an almost Canterbury feel to the album. I love the keyboardist and the sounds he adds on all the songs (Highlight for me is "Dance Of An Angel"). Highly recommended gem form the depths of Progland Germany.

The lineup that recorded this album was actually the second incarnation of this band.The original drummer left to play in AERA while the bass player moved onto WALLENSTEIN before PROSPER recorded this their first record.These guys sound like a top of the line Jazz / Rock / Fusion band playing within that Krautrock style. I love listening to the guys playing on this album.The drummer is so intricate and fluid but powerful like many of the great Jazz drummers.The bass is prominant and fat like I like it.The guitarist really impresses me, in fact he shouldn't be one of those unheralded and unknown axe-men. And I can't forget the electric piano and mellotron. It's like this album was custom made for me.

"Beginning" opens with atmosphere including mellotron and it's building. A guest female violinist joins in as the bass throbs. Great sound after 2 minutes with guitar. It's more intense 3 1/2 minutes in then it settles back before 5 1/2 minutes with piano and drums standing out. Nice. It's intense again with guitar before 7 minutes then back to the piano and drums again to end it. Mellotron too. Fantastic track ! "Burning In The Sun" is a short vocal and acoustic guitar piece. A mellow tune.

"Broken Door" is fairly dark with low end sounds as the raw guitar solos over top. Amazing ! Vocals and mellotron before 2 minutes. Killer track. "Dance Of An Angel" is dark with a beat early on then it kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes. So good with that Jazz flavour. Love the bass and electric piano, and the drumming is lights out as the guitar solos over top. It settles back before 6 minutes as it turns dark again. Man that's another incredible song.

"Your Country" sounds nothing like the rest and yet it's great as well. It's like they decide to go all ALLMAN BROTHERS on us.The vocals and intricate guitar standout in this catchy track. "Birds Of Passage" is interesting with the mellotron, bass, acoustic guitar and cymbals all creating a cool atmosphere throughout. "Master's Inspiration" is a short drum show.

"Where The Sun Touches The Water" opens with wind and electric piano as guitar and drums join in as it slowly builds.The wind continues at gale force until it dies at around 2 1/2 minutes. Guitar, drums and bass sound incredible before 4 minutes. Electric piano too.That strong wind is back to end it.

This is one of those "Where have you been all my life" moments. A treasure.

Self-published by the band, Prosper's debut Broken Door really deserved more attention. Bridging three distinct musical worlds of the 1970s - the avant plains of Krautrock where the tripped-out psychedelic spaciness of the 1960s never quite went away, the gorgeous melodic realms of the softer symphonic bands like Camel, and the whimsical, jazzy territory of latter- period Canterbury - it's an album which prog fans are certain to find something new and unexpected to enjoy on every listen-through. Gets within a hair's breadth of snagging that fifth star, that's for sure, and it's a real shame the band don't seem to have persisted after this release because who knows what they could have accomplished with proper support.