YOU'LL NEVER COME BACK

TM's second album is definitely titled as risqué, mostly due to its title and rather ugly semi-erotic cartoon artwork, but the music proves the title wrong. Lead by the Drogies brothers (I'm serious, check it out for yourself ;-) this psych-jazz-rock septet has a very Krautrock feeling and can be assimilated to Kraan crossing Release Music Orchestra to remain in their German homeland. Indeed, there is a definite spacey-psychey attitude in their music, fitting well the legendary Metronome section of the Brain label. This album builds on the relative successful airplay of the debut, and was even better received by the specialized press

The opening side is a killer with only two lengthy tracks allowing for tons of interplay, solos, plenty of tempo changes and embellishments of all sorts. The 14-min+ Trash Man is really enthralling and suffers no lengths or over-long soloing tirades. The opening I See You was in the same register as well, with some good light improvisations. Some percussions can add some Latino influences, but I find it relatively minor and it's hardly over-powering. Pape's sax and flute bring out the jazz out of the group and exposes it to the forefront.

On the flipside, after the very fusionesque Tune In, we are clearly waiting for the monster 12-min+ title track, which starts out very slowly, almost cosmic, slowly moving across the galaxy, powered by a Fender Rhodes engine to the dissonant, almost free-jazz realm (avoiding its black hole, though ;-) then by activating the saxophone booster gliding and grooving to its great j-r destination. The closing Das Fest is just as beautiful, starting slowly, evolving to a quiet peaceful groove before exiting on a fade-out. The remastered version of this album on the Long Hair label offers a 12-mins bonus track called Music, which is slightly different (but not much) than the rest of the album as it develops into a raga, and features some plaintive vocals to remind us of the Indian subcontinent.

One of the better Krautjazz-rock (if you'll allow me ;-) album around, this easily beats most of Kraan's works past their debut album and their double live album. I suggest the progheads to start with this album (most of their early ones have just received a remastering, some with bonus tracks) and their debut before eventually heading towards their next album Blitz, which is fairly different.

THIRSTY MOON are a German band who play a Jazz Rock style of music with flute, sax and cello besides the traditional instruments. Lots of percussion as well.There are vocals (English) on two tracks. Lots to like here and I love the jamming hypnotic style they often offer up.

"I See You" opens with a catchy ryhthm with lots of percussion and keys. A change 2 minutes in as it settles down with vocals. A new melody a minute later that is quite relaxing and trippy with lots of guitar. Vocals return 4 1/2 minutes as sax comes in as well. Sax become more prominant 6 minutes in. "Trash Man" is the longest track at 14 1/2 minutes. Lots of tempo changes early as they switch gears a lot. Vocals before a minute. A complete change 2 minutes in as acoustic guitar and light drums take over. Back to a heavy beat 3 minutes in with strong vocals. Sax after 4 minutes. I like the organ after 5 minutes, great sound 6 1/2 minutes in. Sax is back a minute later. Guitar really starts to get aggressive 11 minutes in. Another good melody 13 minutes in with drums leading the way. Sax is back late. This song is excellent. Love the twists and turns.

"Tune In" has such a good intro. Great beat as sax plays over top. The tempo picks up 2 minutes in as sax continues to lead the way. A really good song. "You'll Never Come Back" has no melody or beat until 2 1/2 minutes in when drums and sax come in. The sound builds. Piano and bass 5 minutes in. It settles with cello after 6 1/2 minutes. It gets experimental a minute later. A good beat with sax 8 1/2 minutes in as sax starts to lead the way. Flute after 12 minutes to end it. "Das Fest Der Volker" is a fairly mellow track that builds.

This one took a while to click but now I wonder why it took so long. I like their ideas and style. An interesting and enjoyable listen. Quite the erotic cover art as well.

3.5 really

Thirsty Moon was one of the german bands from early '70s from Brain records label together with Emergency or Cornucopia who wanted to make a name in progressive/jazz rock field. Well, the second album You'll never come back from 1973 is definetly their best work from the catalogue and for sure an album that must be discoverd by younger generation. This one of those albums that aren't instantly catchy, I begun to fuly appreciated only 5-6 listnings. Combining jazz rock passages with some progressive moves and aswell interluded with long spacey instrumental sections with brass parts this album is a winner.. Trash Man is the perfect example and the best tune of the album. Only 5 pieces, two of them quite long where the musicianship is more then ok, lots of tempo changes, sax make quite a nice figure here. This is a pleasent album, with plenty of memorable passages, maybe nothing is groundbreaking or inovativge, but is well constructed and aswell a very nice voice from Harald Konietzko. The funny erotc cover art is aswell intresting like the music. 3-3.5 stars for me.

Led by the Drogies brothers, Thirsty Moon were a Bremen-based progressive rock outfit who played a spacey, fusion-prog mixture that featured elements of jazz, Pink Floyd-style cosmic rock and intense psychedelic flourishes. Often lumped in with the broad-ranging 'krautrock' crowd - a mistake - Thirsty Moon actually existed in the hazy area between full-on progressive rock and jazz-influenced psychedelia, making them a hard act to categorise. Their first two albums were very much remnants of the 1960's, yet by 1975's 'Blitz' the group had adapted towards a less experimental and more streamlined form of rock designed to capture the attention of radio programmers nationwide. However, for the real Thirsty Moon experience, it is both the group's self-titled debut from 1972 and 1974's superior 'You'll Never Come Back' that prove the key albums, showcasing the German outfit, albeit briefly, at their very best. Issued on the legendary Brain imprint, 'You'll Never Come Back' finds Thirsty Moon eclipsing the imaginative- yet-jumbled form of their debut album, and instead composing lengthy flights-of-fusion-fancy tinged with Eastern mysticism, the key proponent of 'You'll Never Come Back' being the fuller, richer production. The highlights include the fourteen-minute space-time marathon 'Trash Man', and even more so, the epic, cosmic psych-fusion of the wonderful title-track, a twelve-minute freak-out of rather beautiful sonic proportions. A lushly-realised slice of ambient progressive fusion, 'You'll Never Come Back' proves a masterful experience from a group who deserve a higher profile; fans of Ash Ra Tempel, Pink Floyd, Eela Craig, Agitation Free and Soft Machine are urged to investigate right away. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2013