DE HOMINE URBANO + GREEN MAN

This Danish band was founded in '68 and made two albums: "De hombre urbano ('70) and "Green man" ('71).) In 2000 both albums were released on 1 CD entitled "Ache: De hombre urbano + Green man". The music is based upon splendid keyboardplay (many floods of Hammond organ) and some fiery electric guitar. The first album contains two 'side- long tracks', the atmosphere is typically end Sixties and early Seventies (the Early British Progressive Rock Movement like JULIAN'S TREATMENT, RARE BIRD, BEGGAR'S OPERA and ATOMIC ROOSTER, the German Krautrock like early JANE, ELOY, RAMSES and TRIUMVIRAT) and early Earth & Fire) with lots of soli and long, exciting interplay between guitar and keyoards, like jams. The second album includes shorter songs but the climates are in the vein of the first LP. If you listen to this CD, it's incredible that the magnificent keyboardplay is delivered by an unknown Danish musician. Essential for Hammond organ freaks!

The Danish symphonic prog rock band Ache released their debut album De Homine Urbano in 1970 and in 1971 their second album Green Man was released. This is a CD re-release with both albums for one albums price. There are no extra features but it is still a good initiative. De Homine Urbano consists of two long epic tracks while Green Man consist of shorter songs,

De Homine Urbano is a very organ driven affair which reminds me of a lot of the early seventies prog rock bands from England. What is a bit different is that the guitar from Finn Olafsson is very dominating when it comes to the soloing. He plays with the bluesy late sixties sound. The album consist of two side long compositions where the first one De Homine Urbano is music for a modern ballet. The second one is almost in the same style. There are lots of sections in the songs so they never get boring. Vocals are used sparcely.

The music on Green Man is organ driven like many other early seventies prog rock albums. Equatorial Rain starts the album off with some very simplistic vocal melody lines but the song has many good instrumental parts. This is the way most of the album sounds. There are no deviations from the style. Maybe that should be Ache´s reworking of The Beatles We Can Work It Out/Workin' which is by far the worst song here. The quality in the compositions are generally very good though.

The musicians are very good and it´s a joy listening to them play. Finn Olafsson´s guitar solos have to be mentioned as they are great but I also enjoy Glen Fisher´s drum playing a lot.

The production from the in Denmark Famous Johnny Reimer is very good and it brings out the best in the music. Johnny Reimer is mostly known in Denmark for being the father of the Smerfs and being an entertainer in the light pop/ rock scene in Denmark. The production is the same on both albums.

Both albums are good early seventies organ driven symphonic prog rock albums and they are both a worthy purchase. Buying this CD version will give you both albums which is such a treat. 3 stars for this album.

'De Homine Urbano + Green Man' - Ache (60/100)

I've said a fair bit about Ache's first and second albums in their own respective reviews, and I've recommended both, albeit for different reasons. Whereas De Homine Urbano was an enticing debut with an intriguing 'rock ballet' angle to it, Green Man succeeded as a more conventional effort. Stylistically, the two albums feel quite different from one another; it's surprising really, considering the two albums both came out in 1970. The particular details of each album may be left to their respective reviews; looking at the two together, we get a taste of one of the many early 70's progressive acts that could have 'made it', but didn't. The quality is certainly here, but especially with the streamlined style on Green Man, I've left feeling like the band's potential wasn't exploited well enough.

De Homine Urbano bit off more than it could chew to be certain, but those weaknesses could have been worked on, bringing the organ-dense brand of symphonic rock to uncertain heights. The nineteen minute title track of that album in particular sounded mysterious and pleasantly dark, and even if the album's second half wasn't as sound, it still stands as one of the first progressive rock compositions to hint at what the style was capable of. Before the end of the year was through however, Green Man was released and presented an Ache that had succumbed to the trends of the time- pop melodies, a psychedelic tinge and blues-influenced riffs were their new staples. Even then, Green Man was a more solidly presented album, but it never did anything with the potential I heard on the debut.

Both albums are worthy pieces of early progressive rock, but neither are excellent and both face a share of issues. Put together, their respective qualities would have probably ended up making a great album. I suppose the closest we're going to get to that is this compilation.