PSYCHEDELIC MONSTERJAM

Nuemeier, Genrich & Schmitd as they are collectively known blast their way through 80 minutes of mindblowing experimental music here including 3 improvisational adaptations of early Guru Guru tracks. Although the Guru Guru tracks are easily recognizable the overall focus here is on free form spaced out improv so it shouldn't really be considered a classic Guru Guru reunion per se although it is hard to consider it otherwise because the whole thing nods back to the innovative spontaneous jazz mentality that the early Guru Guru albums were rooted in. If you are one of those vestiges of that era you might be a little bit dissapointed at times. First off , they're playing with updated instruments and not the primitive contrived electronic devices that made Guru Guru sound so weird & wonderful both live and in the studio ca. 1970-71. While the adventurous spirit is still here don't expect a version of "Stone In " or " Electric Junk " that you might have heard back on the earlier studio and live recordings. Also, those who have not bothered with Guru Guru for 30 years might be taken aback by Nuemeier's world music aspirations that started to become increasingly evident from 1973s " Don't Call Us We Call You " the final Guru Guru album on which Genrich played save for a brief appearance on "Mani und seine Fruende" from '75.

No matter, if you are fan of spaced out, drugged out psych explorations regardless of what quadrant of space and time you have emanated from Psychedelic Monsterjam is a timeless Krautrock gem. Unfortunately a physical copy of the CD might be difficult to locate. Limited to only 500 copies it is readily available for legal download on a number of sites on the web. Go nuts.

PSYCHEDELIC MONSTERJAM is a relatively unknown project of three prolific musicians from the german psych and kraut scene. Somewhat astonishing if you consider that two of them had a very successful time with GURU GURU and joined each other after 30 years to play together once again! And incomprehensible because their live gigs had always been a joyful experience. Now this second PSYCHEDELIC MONSTERJAM album, limited to 600 copies, contains some live recordings from the year 2005 with extraordinary space kraut jams in the vein of GURU GURU and ASHRA. Unfortunately the agency is closed now but there is a little hope this isn't the final word.

The listeners are invited to the intergalactic travel with spaced out soundscapes and Mani Neumeier's percussion add-ons. You feel like gliding through the outer space from one planet to the other. But after some minutes of weighlessness the travellers are getting tempo bringing the rhythm branch into action. A very trippy tune developes whilst Ax Genrich gets in with fantastic guitar delay effects. Beyond Acapulco has an outstanding trance groove whereas Dave Schmidt (SULA BASSANA) is using his spacebass as the second solo guitar. The twin guitars are coming near to Manuel Göttsching's typical repetitive guitar style and spiked with Neumeier's american native vocals the song is haunting and grows to a dynamic finale.

Gofinger is really surprising because nobody might expect they are ever playing a jazzy rocking piece. And even this is successful with a very good drive. The band members and first of all Ax Genrich are demonstrating their qualities again. Urug comes in a very experimental krautrock atmosphere - ambient and spacy elements which are lacking of any rhythm first but then gliding into a three minute part with a repetitive bass work.

LSD & Uschi Nerke seems to be a reminscence of the old wild times. Uschi Nerke has been a presenter of Radio Bremen from 1965 to 1972 and she deserved to announce a lot of new experimental prog bands on television. The movies always had been provided with a special psychedelic trippy visualisation. So the begin of this song is a confusing one wheras no-one knows in which direction the trip is going to - very gripping. The track is meandering through vague dimensions for a long time but the three musicians are free from giddiness with their excellent interplay and deliver a furious end once more. The audience is enthusiastic.

PSYCHEDELIC MONSTERJAM have arranged a diversified album of live recordings - far more than 'simple' psychedelic jams. The band is confirming its name by all means - difficult to describe so I absolutely recommend to listen to it. Don't miss the train - sorry - the intergalactic travel agency of course.