TEA AT TWO

Musical chairs

It seems Austria will never be among the heavyweights when it comes to contributing to the prog genre, but Krautrock band Ixthuluh made a bold attempt in the late 1970's and early 80's to fly their flag. "Tea for two", the band's third studio album recorded in 1980, is generally hailed as their most accomplished and coherent. Quite why this is though, is hard for me to grasp!

By this time, the band revolved around guitarist Dita Lasser and drummer Ernst Matscheko, who brought in guest musicians as required. The assembled group would often swap instruments during lengthy jams, not always ending up with one with which they were familiar!

While the album consists of eight tracks in total, over half of it is occupied by two tracks each lasting 24 minutes. The first of these, "Forbidden fruits" is a never-ending jam with psychedelic and space rock influences, but a distinct lack of focus! "The long trail to Gila bridge" opens with some Shadows like improvised guitar, the entire track consisting of bass, guitar and drums only. During its (what seems like) week long tenure, the musicians swap instruments, resulting in what is technically known as a complete mess.

The opening "Welcome, touch me" is a sparse piece, devoid of any real melody, but featuring some reasonable guitar noodling. This gives way to the 12 minute "Sittin' on my lonely chair", the most rock based song on the album. Unfortunately, the prime achievement of the track is to highlight why the band tends to stick to instrumentals, the vocals being decidedly tuneless. Apart from the vocals, only guitar and drums are used on the track, leaving it sounding rather lifeless.

The shorter tracks are equally rambling, even the sax on "So sad" adds nothing to a bass loaded ramble.

I readily admit that this type of music is not what I favour. Normally however, I will willingly acknowledge the technical ability of the band members, even if I am left cold by the music itself. When however the band members start playing instruments they are unfamiliar with, they pass beyond mere indulgence, and leave themselves open to accusations of being disrespectful to their audience. In short, I can find no redeeming features here whatsoever.

social review comments | Review Permalink
Posted Tuesday, July 10, 2007 | Review this album | Report (Review #128019)

The third album of the Austrian Kraut rockers is a frequently overlooked piece of music which is to be brought only difficultly in a category. The fusion roots of the band are to be recognized rarely, i cannot name it RocknRoll and Austrian folk music is not ascertainable already at all. And the ... (read more)

Report this review (#73022) | Posted by slush | Saturday, March 25, 2006 | Review Permanlink

4,5 stars really In my opinion an incredible record. If you listen to it, you will not be disappointed: the e-guitars which change between rock and pure sound painting, a bass which works like the heartbeat or how the breath, or also like a mysterious animal and in between a saxophone so fully ... (read more)

Report this review (#72064) | Posted by | Thursday, March 16, 2006 | Review Permanlink

This album is the masterpiece of the group. Ixthuluh has earned a place in the annals of krautrock with this song collection. The album lives from outstanding electric guitars and the play with associated devices like reverb and delay. The extremely unconventional music arises how with Ixthuluh u ... (read more)

Report this review (#71745) | Posted by | Sunday, March 12, 2006 | Review Permanlink

Ixthuluh is an other pretty cool and cult psychedelic band which emerged at the end of the seventies from the krautrock scene. In this record the musicians deliver a kind of very free jam experience mixed with a great dose of psychedelic and uninhibition. This is their third, their most vigorous ... (read more)

Report this review (#71634) | Posted by | Saturday, March 11, 2006 | Review Permanlink

I have become attentive only here in Progarchives to this group some time ago. As a collector of a lot of kraut-recordings I have become curious naturally. And I was not disappointed, on the contrary. This music is straightforward and has handshake quality. This is recorded directly, without taki ... (read more)

Report this review (#71560) | Posted by | Friday, March 10, 2006 | Review Permanlink

I don't know much Prog, indeed, from Austria. In the 70s there was Eela Craig from Linz and as Krautrockers I only know Paternoster which have done, unfortunately, just one solely album. In this row also Ixthuluh is standing, even if this band to a broader circle has remained rather unknown. What ... (read more)

Report this review (#71072) | Posted by | Saturday, March 4, 2006 | Review Permanlink

What is that? I have found this group absolutely unknown to me while rummaging in the web when I have looked for old krautrock classics. And now I alredy listened to the material oftentimes and am surprised that this has remained so completely unknown up to now. The album is a collection of songs ... (read more)

Report this review (#70755) | Posted by golowin | Tuesday, February 28, 2006 | Review Permanlink

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