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Highlighting in album tracklistings denotes 'contains Mellotron'. On 'multi-part' tracks I've tried to indicate which parts contain 'Tron, although this isn't always possible.
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
The 'T' ('Tron, of course...) rating (0-5) is an only slightly more objective indicator of an album's Mellotronness.
By the way, if you know of any Mellotron albums that aren't listed here, please look at my albums page first! Thanks.
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7" ( 1968) ***½/TT The First Cut is the Deepest Walking Out |
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Koobas (1969, 37.32) ***½/TT½ |
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| Royston Rose Where Are the Friends? Constantly Changing Here's a Day Fade Forever Barricades A Little Piece of My Heart Gold Leaf Tree |
Mr. Claire Circus |
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The Koobas (who also released one single as The Kubas) were an original Merseybeat outfit, actually managed by Brian Epstein, who struggled on until the end of the '60s, mutating into a psych band en route. The First Cut Is The Deepest was their last single, and is a psyched-up version of the Cat Stevens song (from his New Masters album of the previous year). Starting with a heavily-tremeloed guitar, the instantly-recognisable melody is sung almost solo, before the full-on psychisms of the chorus, 'Tron strings to the fore. I've no idea who plays the thing, but they do a decent-enough job, and the song's pretty good, too. Worth hearing.
Their sole album, Koobas, is a late-period psych effort, quite possibly released after the band's dissolution; while not essential, it's worth hearing for aficionados of the era, with plenty of echo effects, spooky spoken passages etc. Oh, and some decent songs. On the 'Tron front, Where Are the Friends? starts with some MkII 'Tron 'accompaniment' tapes, probably cello/violin moving chords, with some twinkly piano (presumably real), while Fade Forever has a groovy flute part and brass on Barricades. Strings on Mr. Claire and brass on Circus finish things off nicely, making for quite a 'Tron album, at the end of the day.
After the band's split, bassist Keith Ellis went on to an early version of Van der Graaf Generator, although the nearest any of the others got to fame was drummer Tony O'Riley joining Bakerloo (?!). It seems you need two different releases to collate their 'Tron tracks, which is a shame, but despite only ever being second division, they weren't a bad band, and much of their recorded legacy stands up today. [n.b. The BGO version of their album apparently collates all their 'Tron tracks].
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Konk (2008, 43.55/68.08) **½/T (T½) |
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| See the Sun Always Where I Need to Be Mr. Maker Do You Wanna Gap Love it All Stormy Weather Sway |
Shine on Down to the Market One Last Time Tick of Time All Over Town [Rak adds: Watching the Ships Roll in Eaten By Your Lover |
No Longer Fa La La La La Nothing Ever Changes By My Side Hatful of Love See the Sun (alternate) Brooklyn (demo)] |
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If The Kooks are UK indie's latest brightest hope, I think we should probably all give up now. I can see that some of their songs (Do You Wanna, the better-than-average Down To The Market) will make their teeny fans leap up and down in unison at gigs, but in the cold light of day, they're a bit... thin. They desperately want to be The Kinks, not only choosing a similar name, but going as far as to record at Ray Davies' studio, and naming their album after it, but they're onto a total loser if they think they have even an echo of Ray and Dave's talent, I'm afraid. Their second album, Konk, is a largely flaccid collection of second-rate, derivative indie, from a band who've made the fatal mistake of capturing the zeitgeist, which usually means that in a couple of years' time, they'll be yesterday's news. I could be wrong, of course - we shall see... Incidentally, for some reason probably unrelated to artistry, Konk is also available in a double-disc version, Konk/Rak (spot the knowing reference to the '70s glam-rock label), as if twelve tracks weren't quite enough, thank you very much.
Although they've refused permission for Streetly to use their name in their advertising, The Kooks are early proud owners of one of the new M4000 Mellotrons, which would make you think they'd splash it all over their album, non? Non, it seems; their guitar-based pop/rock doesn't leave much room for Mellotrons, although anyone with a bit of imagination shouldn't have too much trouble squeezing it in here and there. As for owning a machine with 24 sounds on board... We can only assume they went for one because a) it's brand new, and b) they can afford it. Wonder who actually owns it, though? Anyway, I think the screechy noises in Gap are probably guitar, but there's an indeterminate sound (distant church organ?) on Sway, and Shine On opens with a nice flute part, but that's it for the regular release. The mercifully considerably shorter Rak adds flutes (possibly the new 'Ian McDonald' version?) on opener Watching The Ships Roll In, adding a half T to the album's total rating.
So; you're only really going to want this if you're under 25 and love British indie-pop, as the rest of us know where they've got it from and would rather listen to that. The double-disc version is over an hour long and is utterly interminable, so with only two decent 'Tron tracks over both discs, I believe we're looking at a resounding 'don't'.
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Light of Worlds (1974, 36.02) ***/T½Street Corner SymphonyFruitman Rhyme-Tyme People Light of Worlds Whiting H & G You Don't Have to Change Higher Plane Summer Madness Here After |
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Light of Worlds found Kool & the Gang at the cusp of their ultra-commercial period, as they moved away from the brash funk of their earlier albums. Its mixture of funk (Street Corner Symphony, Rhyme-Tyme People), smooth(-ish) soul (You Don't Have To Change) and musicianly instrumentals (Whiting H & G, Summer Madness), making this a far more palatable listening experience than I'd been expecting. Regular readers of this site will know I'm no great fan of this area of music, but this is so far ahead of, say, The Stylistics' tepid soul slush that they can't even be compared.
Khalis Bayyan plays Mellotron strings on several tracks, using the same technique throughout, that being to volume-pedal chords in softly, attempting to emulate the real strings that were presumably out of the band's financial grasp at the time. No one song is stronger than any other on the 'Tron front, so this really isn't an album you'll want to hear for that. Should you have an interest in raunchy '70s funk, however, I believe this is the last halfway decent Kool & the Gang album, and it actually has one very good track in Summer Madness, with some lovely synth work. Buy according to taste.
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New York City (You're a Woman) (1971, 43.17) ***½/TT½ |
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| New York City (You're a Woman) John the Baptist (Holy John) Can You Hear it Now (500 Miles) The Ballad of the Hard Rock Kid Going Quietly Mad Medley: Oo Wee Baby, I Love You Love is a Man's Best Friend Back on My Feet |
Come Down in Time Dearest Darling Nightmare #5 The Warning (Someone's on the Cross Again) |
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A Possible Projection of the Future/Childhood's End (1972, 38.45) ***/TTT½ |
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| A Possible Projection of the Future The Man in Me Fly on Please Tell Me Why The Monkey Time Let Your Love Shine Swept for You Baby |
Bended Knees (Please Don't Leave Me Now) Love Trap Childhood's End |
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Act Like Nothing's Wrong (1976, 37.21) **½/T |
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| Is We on the Downbeat? This Diamond Ring She Don't Ever Lose Her Groove I Forgot to Be Your Lover Missing You Out of Left Field (Please Not) One More Time In My Own Sweet Way |
Turn My Head Towards Home A Visit to the Rainbow Bar & Grill Hollywood Vampire |
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By the time New York City (You're a Woman) came out, Al Kooper had already served many years as 'sideman to the stars', particularly with regard to Bob Dylan, with whom he played in the mid-'60s. It was Kooper's fourth solo album in as many years, displaying a pot-pourri of influences, with blues and soul to the fore, all squeezed into a vaguely singer-songwriter direction; maybe, just maybe Billy Joel may have sounded like this had he avoided the temptation to turn on the schmaltz quite so often. Kooper sings and plays guitar and keys, bringing in the cream of the session scene of the day to back him, with the end result sounding incredibly professional; it's really nice to hear talented musicians playing in real time with any electronic tweaking (remember that?), even if the music isn't really to my personal taste.
Anyway; to the Mellotron: Kooper used UK outfit Spring's MkII, aided and abetted by Gus Dudgeon (who, sadly, died summer 2002). The title track features what turns out to be fairly typical 'Tron use on the album; strings, quite high in the mix, not exactly apeing a real string section, but giving the impression of one to the unenlightened. In fact, the only track to do anything majorly different is Come Down In Time, which has more flute than strings. Nightmare #5, while having the usual strings (and a little flute) is, to my ears, the best song on the album, with a haunting lyric concerning a hitchhiker who gets more than he bargained for.
The following year's rather portentously-titled A Possible Projection of the Future/Childhood's End carries on in a similar vein, meaning that if you like Kooper's melting-pot of influences, you'll probably like it, but conversely... He must've been using an M400 by this time, as he pulls off the difficult trick of using the cellos extensively and actually making them audible (it's all in the mix, obviously). He gets flutes and cellos in all over the place, and while some of the album's strings are definitely real, some (Please Tell Me Why, Smokey Robinson's Swept For You Baby) sound more 'Tronlike, with the most obvious part being on closer Childhood's End. This album's actually a bit of a 'Tron monster on the quiet, with most tracks featuring it very audibly, with loads of polyphonic cello parts that don't really sound like anyone else. I'm not so sure about the music, but the 'Tron work is superb.
Kooper quotes Act Like Nothing's Wrong as one of his favourites, but to my ears it's a rather bland, heavily soul-and-blues-influenced effort, although that's obviously the effect the man was going for at the time. On the 'Tron front, there's some strings on the waltz-time ballad Out Of Left Field, played by Kooper himself, but this doesn't even come close to New York City... for 'Tronness. Oh, and if the cover scan is a little indistinct, this is the album with Kooper's head airbrushed onto a woman's body, with the back of the sleeve being the reverse pic.
There may well be more Kooper use; more news if I hear any more of his output. As far as New York City (You're a Woman)'s concerned, there's a good bit of Mellotron, but none of the use is particularly innovative (thus the lowish rating), although A Possible Projection... ranks far higher on the Mellotronic innovation front. They're rather of their time, but if you like the sound of his style, the songs are good and you could do a lot worse, which is more than I can say for the rather dull Act Like Nothing's Wrong, I'm afraid. For (well) over-forties everywhere.
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Vol. 1 (2006, 36.36) ***/TT½ |
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| Pakoon Sunnuntai Ulappa Hän Asuu Näillä Kulmilla Tuhkaa Universumi Leikkipuistossa Talven Jälkeen |
Lintuveljekset Hei Poika Kummitus Aurinko |
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Gleaning much useful information about Samae Koskinen isn't the easiest of tasks as, like so many other 'local stars', there isn't much about him online that isn't in his home tongue, in this case, Finnish. It seems he's also the main player in Sister Flo, also unknown outside Finland, which probably makes him one of the country's current superstars. The aptly-titled Vol. 1 is a perfectly respectable modern pop/rock album, although I suspect knowing Finnish probably helps in its appreciation, as, like so many similar, the devil's in the lyrics. While there's nothing wrong with the record, it's far too mainstream for my tastes, but compared to some/most of the dreck you hear on the radio, it's a work of genius.
Koskinen plays Mellotron himself; I strongly suspect it belongs to Finland's premier Mellotron owner/player Esa Kotilainen. Anyway, we get strings on Ulappa, Leikkipuistossa, Talven Jälkeen and Kummitus, with flutes and strings on closer Aurinko. It's possible there are flutes hidden away on another track or two, but impossible to confirm one way or the other. So; unlikely to appeal to non-Finns, but good at what it does, with plenty of presumably real Mellotron.
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Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit (1971, 43.45) ***/T |
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| Blue Grass Sammy's Alright Anna Just for the Box Hold on Fool's Life Yellow House Dying Fire |
I'm on the Run Colours |
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After Free's initial 1971 split, Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke teamed up with Japanese bassist Tetsu Yamauchi and (already) keyboard gun-for-hire John "Rabbit" Bundrick in the snappily-named Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit, whose sole self-titled album sounds a lot like, well, Free, to be honest. Free without Paul Rodgers, mind, which isn't the same thing at all, although the mix of musical styles is highly reminiscent of their parent outfit, shifting from hard rock (Blue Grass) through countryish blues (Anna, Yellow House) to laid-back blues-rock (most of the rest). I don't actually know who sings lead, with both Bundrick and Kirke credited with vocals, though I suspect the former; whoever it is, they do a decent enough job, while never being in any danger of impinging on Rodgers' wholly-deserved reputation.
Rabbit's Mellotron work is somewhat thin on the ground here, with a few string chords on Blue Grass, and a slightly fuller string arrangement on Dying Fire; given the time this was recorded, he may've used an early M400 (released the previous year, I believe), although it's possible it's a studio MKII. So; Kossoff, Kirke, Tetsu & Rabbit is a rather ordinary album, to be honest, sounding even more dated than Free do these days, with little Mellotronic input, although it has its moments.
Free were soon to reform, although bassist Andy Fraser left after recording Free at Last, paving the way for both Yamauchi and Bundrick to join the band for their swansong, Heartbreaker. Rodgers and Kirke, of course, went on to form the immensely successful Bad Company, while Kossoff declined into heroin addiction, finally tragically dying at the age of 25 in 1976.
See: Free
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Aamu Joella - Morning By the River (1995, 57.07) ***½/T |
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| Kuusaa Aamu Joella Terveisiä Astorille Niskalassa Niksahti Naavan Ikävä Menninkäisen Itu Juhannus Säkälässä Yllätys Kymijoella Metsähanhi Sateen Jälkeen |
Kuuyö Lämmin Kesävalssi Naapurin Likan Häävalssi Jonglööri Patruunan Marssi Ja Polska Kiessit Sininen Metsä Aamun Nousu Järvi Fantasia |
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To my knowledge, Esa Kotilainen is one of a tiny handful of Mellotron owner/players in Finland; quite a heavy responsibility, you might think, especially given that he's played on a good few dodgy albums in his time. Aamu Joella - Morning By the River, though, is far from dodgy, although it is a little difficult to categorise. Most of the album falls into the 'Scandinavian folk' bracket, although all the tracks are written by Kotilainen himself, presumably 'in the style of'. Much accordion work abounds (Kotilainen's first musical love, apparently), but then Menninkäisen Itu kicks in, giving its folk themes a rock, nay, almost metal treatment, before sliding smoothly back to the accordion on the next track. The album's entirely instrumental, and frequently drum-free; if it wasn't for that almost ever-present accordion (not my favourite instrument), this would be gorgeous. Am I missing the point?
Anyway, Esa's Mellotron is on several tracks here, though in a distinctly supporting role, it has to be said. The title track, Sateen Jälkeen and Jonglööri have almost non-existent flutes, although the ones on Kuuyö and Lämmin Kesävalssi can be heard rather more clearly, though that would seem to be your lot. Overall, you're unlikely to find this very easily (I have no idea whether or not it's still in print), but if you like the sound of what it does, it's cautiously recommended, though not for its minimal Mellotron use.
See: Balls | Hector | Sarcofagus | Wigwam
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Mother Head's Family Reunion (1994, 47.32) ***/½ |
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| Socialite Mother Head's Family Reunion Where Did Our Love Go Natural Thing A Love Divine Soul to Soul Reach Out I'll Be There Testify |
Used A Woman and a Man Livin' Easy Cover Me |
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Something to Say (1997, 42.10) **½/½ |
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| Something to Say What Makes a Man Bitter End Faded Let Me in Rust Ready Aberdine |
Holy Man Camoflage Turned Out |
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Although Richie Kotzen played with the dismal Poison in the early '90s, it wouldn't be fair to hold it against him - it was clearly a job, and we've all done jobs we didn't like, although I've no idea whether he liked it or not. Mind you, he later played in Mr Big as well, so maybe his taste is rather suspect... I think Mother Head's Family Reunion is Kotzen's fourth solo album, coming straight after his spell in Poison, which apparently ended when he shagged the drummer's ex (ex, note), and found his luggage on the runway with the rest of the band on the flight. Were things really that casual in US airports back then? Anyway, it's a reasonable slice of soulful '70s-influenced hard rock, nothing like the glam rubbish with which he'd just been involved, thankfully. I'm not going to pretend I'm blown away by this stuff, but it's perfectly good at what it does and doesn't offend me. Good keyboard work across the board (board? Geddit? No?), with some nice Wurly and clav work, complementing Kotzen's incendiary guitar work nicely, although only one Mellotron track, with faint strings from Richie Zito on Used.
Kotzen's other Mellotron album is 1997's Something to Say, where he lets his Glenn Hughes-ish penchant for 'soulful rock' get the better of him, sad to say. While the album has a few decent tracks, there are too many slushy ballads (notably Aberdine) for comfort, leading to a dissatisfying listen overall. Kim Bullard is the guilty party on the 'Tron front, with an occasional string part on the aforementioned Aberdine, but nothing you can't live without, to be honest.
So; Mother Head's... is decent enough hard rock album with a soul edge, not least on his reasonably good version of Reach Out I'll Be There, although Something to Say is maybe a bridge too far, with pretty minimal 'Tron on both.
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December Makes Me Feel This Way (1997, 47.35) **½/TT½ |
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| Sleigh Ride Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Winter Wonderland White Christmas Santa Claus is Coming to Town The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) I'll Be Home for Christmas |
Little Drummer Boy December Makes Me Feel This Way Silver Bells Eight Candles (a Song for Hanukkah) O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) Auld Lang Syne |
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Dave Koz is a saxophonist, although don't go to him looking for Charlie Parker comparisons. Saying that, he's far better than the horrible Kenny G, too, though I wouldn't go to his catalogue looking for anything especially interesting. Going by 1997's December Makes Me Feel This Way, Koz is in the mainstream entertainment business; he has also had radio and TV shows, and I'm sure he knows his stuff. Looking at the track titles here tells you everything you need to know about this album; it's a Christmas record, with the obligatory American Chanukah/Hannukah song. Mostly instrumental, Koz emotes his way through familiar material, actually having a go at a jazz arrangement on Auld Lang Syne, just to show he can do it.
Phil Parlapiano plays Mellotron, although, strangely enough, only on the second half of the album. He kicks off with string and flute parts weaving their way through I'll Be Home For Christmas and the title track, with more strings on Little Drummer Boy and O Tannenbaum and more flutes on Silver Bells. So; a surprising amount of Mellotron on a festive album that no sane person should even consider owning, although knowing you lot, I wouldn't be surprised if a few of you are tempted by those five highlighted tracks... I can warn you off all I like; there's nothing I can do to stop you.
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Trans Europa Express [a.k.a. Trans Europe Express] (1977, 42.46) ****½/TTEuropa Endlos (Europe Endless)Spiegelsaal (The Hall of Mirrors) Schaufensterpuppen (Showroom Dummies) Trans Europa Express (Trans Europe Express) Metall auf Metall Abzug (combined as Metal on Metal) Franz Schubert Endlos Endlos (Endless Endless) |
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Kraftwerk's sixth album (under that name, anyway), continued the work of its two predecessors in its retro-futurism, combining state-of-the-art electronics with 1930s haircuts and suits, not to mention their ironic 'Brave New World' lyrics (sample from previous album: "Radioactivity, it's in the air for you and me"). Actually, that's not how it went at all, originally; Kraftwerk's four albums after the seminal Autobahn (****) were all released in German- and English-language versions, and possibly French, too, creating some discographical confusion, not least with this release. Relatively few people outside Germany have heard the originals, but Showroom Dummies sounds so much more, well, sinister as Schaufensterpuppen, doesn't it? Maybe you'll just have to take my word for it.
Trans Europa/e Express is an absolute classic, and far more 'progressive' than you might expect, with the nine-minute opener Europa Endlos and the title track suite, occupying most of side two. Incidentally, the German version lists eight tracks, while there are only seven on the English; Metal On Metal comprises both Metall Auf Metall and Abzug, which is essentially a reprise of the title track. There's a shedload of humour to be found within the grooves, especially on Schaufensterpuppen, which when heard in English is utterly deadpan, though not quite as much as The Model from the following year's Die Mensch Machine (The Man Machine) (****½). The band had been making heavy use of the Orchestron, a 'pro' version of Mattel's Optigan, since Autobahn, and most of the strings and choir here are from that, but the various parts of Trans Europa Express feature a reiterating Mellotron string melody, sounding noticeably different from the rising Orchestron string line.
So; a classic, helping to unleash a new, ultra-modern sound into the world, for better or worse. Highly amusingly, early-'80s New York rap star Afrika Bambaataa, who remixed Trans Europe Express, initially refused to believe they weren't black; I mean, how much more whiter-than-white Teutonic do you want, for God's sake? Anyway, you need to own this album, whatever your listening preferences. Apart from the albums mentioned above, I'd also recommend Radio-Aktivitat (Radio-Activity) (****½) and Computer Welt (Computer World) (****).
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The Guilt Trip (1993, 127.34) ***/T½ |
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| Overture Stupid Summer Got What I Deserved Wish I Were in Heaven Not Guilty Wisdom Sits Stubb's Hallucination The Drowning Heart Welcome Home |
Swallow Up Jonah Hello Music The Murder of God You Don't Know The Wall of Sleep The Guilt Trip Wait for the Hate Natasha Disappears Big of You |
My Friend Daniel The Maximus Poems The Seven Seizures Thank You Music Kathleen, I'm Sorry God Will See You I'm Your Fan The Bosom Friend I Love You |
Next Time, Try Compassion Charlotte's Brain Mudd Hutt Four The Well Hung Jury Won't Get Far Without Me Ball Five She Won't Let Go I've Seen The End Coda |
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Songs From the Pink Death (1998, 47.10) ***/T |
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| The Funny Scene Buddy Holly Will Never Die The Opium Wars Have Long Ceased Don't Come Around The Parasite Song The Pink Death Song of Love It Never Stops Being Absurd Eddie Called Back on the Carphone |
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away The Hot Dog Song It's Alright if She Don't Love You Right |
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(Mark) Kramer is a renowned NYC-based producer/musician/studio and label owner whose production work and side-projects are legendary amongst fans of low-fi US noise/indie crossover stuff. After playing for Shockabilly, The Butthole Surfers, Bongwater and others, Kramer opened his Noise New York studio in the mid-'80s, using it for his own multifarious projects alongside his commercial work (I use the term loosely), including Galaxie 500, Low and White Zombie.
1993's sprawling double-disc The Guilt Trip was the first album released under his own name, although Who's Afraid?, his collaboration with Gong's Daevid Allen, appeared the same year. It's a bewildering mix of styles, encompassing psychedelia, low-fi, post-rock, drone-rock and probably several dozen other sub-genres of the strange, not to mention the good old guitar wig-out hard rock of Mudd Hutt Four and Ball Five. Hugely ambitious, it's almost true to say there's something here for everyone, or at least, everyone who loves alternative rock from the '60s to the '90s. Kramer plays obviously real Mellotron on three definite tracks, with strings on Overture, You Don't Know and the title track; it could be hidden away elsewhere, but it doesn't seem that likely.
I haven't heard the following year's The Secret of Comedy, but 1998's more sensibly-lengthed Songs From the Pink Death takes Kramer's psych sensibilities and hones them into an under-fifty minute resumé of his take on the style, shucking off the experimentation of The Guilt Trip. It's certainly an easier listen, if only because it's so much shorter, but expunging the longer effort's flights of fancy leaves the album a little more predictable, at least by Kramer's standards. He plays Mellotron again, with wonky flutes on opener The Funny Scene and nothing else obvious, unless that's background flutes on The Hot Dog Song.
So; a couple of albums for the sonically reasonably adventurous, The Guilt Trip giving better value for money, if you can work your way through over two hours of it. Not much Mellotron on either, though, so I really wouldn't bother on that account.
See: Daevid Allen & Kramer | Damon & Naomi | Linda Draper | King Missile | Low
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Mama Said (1991, 53.04) ***/T |
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| Fields of Joy Always on the Run Stand By My Woman It Ain't Over 'Til it's Over More Than Anything in This World What Goes Around Comes Around Difference is Why Stop Draggin' Around |
Flowers for Zoë Fields of Joy (Reprise) All I Ever Wanted When the Morning Turns to Night What the Fuck Are We Saying? Butterfly |
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Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993, 46.45) ***/½ |
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| Are You Gonna Go My Way Believe Come on and Love Me Heaven Help Just Be a Woman Is There Any Love in Your Heart Black Girl My Love |
Sugar Sister Eleutheria |
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Circus (1995, 51.03) ***½/T½ |
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| Rock and Roll is Dead Circus Beyond the 7th Sky Tunnel Vision Can't Get You Off My Mind Magdalene God is Love Thin Ice |
Don't Go and Put a Bullet in Your Head In My Life Today Resurrection |
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5 (1999) ***/T |
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| Live Supersoulfighter I Belong to You Black Velveteen If You Can't Say No Thinking of You Take Time Fly Away |
It's Your Life Straight Cold Player Little Girl's Eyes You're My Flavor Can We Find a Reason? |
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Baptism (2004, 58.40) ***/½ |
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| Minister of Rock'n'Roll I Don't Want to Be a Star Lady Calling All Angels California Sistamamalover Where Are We Runnin'? Baptized |
Flash What Did I Do With My Life? Storm The Other Side Destiny |
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A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield (1994, 6.18) **½/½[Lenny Kravitz contributea]Billy Jack |
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Lenny Kravitz released his first album, Let Love Rule in 1989, at the grand old age of 27, following it two years later with Mama Said, another amalgam of rock, funk, soul and blues, veering wildly between styles from track to track. Major hit It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over is a cheesy funk tune, What Goes Around Comes Around has a strong soul influence, Stop Draggin' Around is pure Hendrix-inspired funk-rock... You get the picture. No actual balls-out rock, but you can't have everything, I suppose. Mellotron on two tracks, with flutes right at the outset, on Fields Of Joy, and a distant string part on What The Fuck Are We Saying?, but nothing you couldn't live without, to be honest.
Are You Gonna Go My Way, another two years on, opens with probably Kravitz' best track (personal opinion, natch) in the title track, a Hendrixy slice of all-out rock, with a groove to die for, with a similar, though more Zeppelinesque effort in Is There Any Love In Your Heart later on. 'Tron strings on cheesy ballad Believe, quite clearly doubled with real strings; actually, that reminds me that I heard, somewhere down the line, that he's quite fond of doing that, for fuck alone what reason. What's the point of using a Mellotron, then... Oh, never mind. Same bizarre trick on Just Be A Woman, but that's your lot.
Circus, yet another two years on, is a far rockier proposition, opening with the excellent Rock And Roll Is Dead, barely venturing into 'dodgy soul ballad' territory at all this time, although the pace slacks off rather towards the end of the album. Two good 'Tron tracks this time round, with strings all the way through God Is Love, and not a lot less on closer Resurrection, making this album easily his best yet; in my humble opinion, of course...
More of the usual on the cunningly-titled 5. His fans may disagree, but to my ears it's the usual mixture of rock, funk and soul again, hinting at more contemporary Hendrix, Stevie Wonder and others, but without ever really being Kravitz himself; it seems that he's the sum of his influences, without actually transcending them too often. He uses more modern technology this time round, without letting it take over; loops and samples fit seamlessly with '70s funk guitar, Rhodes and Moogs, without moving into dreaded 'R&B' country. Only one 'Tron track here, with a reasonable background string part on Black Velveteen.
After 2001's Mellotron-free Lenny, it's back on '04's Baptism, though only for one track. The album lies somewhere between the rockier approach of Circus and his earlier work, though it still seems to be thankfully free of too much over-emoting. The Mellotron on the rather good opener, Minister Of Rock'n'Roll, only consists of a rising string line towards the end of the song, so don't go too far out of your way for this one.
Ultimately, Kravitz strikes me as having fairly limited talent, but has sustained a career for the better part of 20 years by dint of hard work, image, knowing just who to, er, 'borrow' from and the occasional memorable hook. That sounds a bit harsh in the cold light of day, but playing several of his albums back-to-back hasn't suddenly revealed a previously-unsuspected well of classic material, more a previously-suspected surface skim of rather average, zeitgeist-surfing danceable rock, quite startling in its ordinariness. A few good tracks doth not a career make, Mr. Kravitz, except that they appear to have done exactly that. Anyway, as far as I can work out, that makes two decent Mellotron tracks over his entire career, both on the same album, which also seems to be his most dynamic. So, get Circus if you see it cheap, but approach everything else with caution.
See: Vanessa Paradis | Cree Summer | A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield
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An Invisible World Revealed (1971, 43.43/70.36) ***½/TTT½ |
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| Lady of Attraction With Little Miss Trimmings Odyssey in Om Green Fly Looking at Time Last Doors [CD adds: Pollution |
Session 1 Session 2] |
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Krokodil's third album is reputedly their only progressive effort, and probably the only one worth hearing. You can tell that they're coming from a folk background, to which they've added some wigged-out psych and what sounds like a Mark II Mellotron which figures, given the date. Some of the material slightly outstays its welcome, if I'm going to be honest, but the overall vibe is pretty good, with the folk stuff colliding head-on with some dark, distorted guitar work straight out of the Edgar Broughton Band songbook. Probably.
As for Terry Stevens' 'Tron, Lady Of Attraction has a few brass chords, with some superb pitchbend work, far smoother than even the best set-up M400, plus a quick burst of strings, while Green Fly has some nice upfront strings. The druggy Odyssey In Om is the album's 'Tron highlight, though, with a rich, almost unaccompanied Mellotron strings part with some stoned-out narration over it, in the obligatory German accent. More of the same later in the song, this time underpinned by flutes, with a strings melody tagged on, making for a very worthwhile 'Tron effort.
I get the impression that the version of the album I've reviewed is a mid-'90s German bootleg, and it's since received a proper release. This version has three bonus tracks, two of which (Sessions 1 and 2) are tedious studio jams; there seem to be two further extras on the official release, but I've no idea whether or not they're any better than these. Either way, cautiously recommended on the 'Tron front.
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CDS (1996, 14.19) ***½/TTT Tattva Dance in Your Shadow Moonshine Tattva (Lucky 13 Mix) |
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K (1996, 61.35) ****/TTT |
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| Hey Dude Knight on the Town Temple of Everlasting Light Govinda Smart Dogs Magic Theatre Into the Deep Sleeping Jiva |
Tattva Grateful When You're Dead/Jerry Was There 303 Start All Over Hollow Man Part 1 Part 2 |
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Strangefolk (2007, 50.26) ***½/TT |
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| Out on the Highway Second Sight Die for Love Great Dictator (of the Free World) Strangefolk Song of Love/Narayana Shadowlands |
Fool That I am Hurricane Season Ol' Jack Tar 6ft Down Blues Dr Kitt Persephone |
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Kula Shaker burst onto the UK scene in 1995, heralding a wave of late-'60s influenced bands without Oasis' terminal plagiarism problem. As the son of actress Hayley Mills, singer/guitarist/chief writer Crispian Mills was never going to be short of a bob or two, which instantly rose hackles with the notorious snobbery-reversal of the British music press, as did his rather unwise comments concerning the religious use of the swastika (perfectly true; the Nazis reversed an ancient Hindu symbol. Just don't say so in interviews).
For all that, K is a glorious technicolour blast of an album; vibrant, uplifting pop/rock with some great keyboards (not a synth in sight). The album's best track (and major hit), opener Hey Dude doesn't feature any 'Tron, but the three tracks that do are all worthy of attention, especially lesser hit Tattva, with some great overdubbed flutes and strings and a superbly creaky pitch-bend at the end (can't fake that effect!). The album's only real letdown is that they didn't use the Mellotron more; several other tracks would probably have benefitted from its use. Saying that, it's easy to reach 'Mellotron overload'; maybe they were right to hold back a bit.
Kula Shaker also stuck their 'Tron onto the odd b-side track; the Tattva CD single, along with the track itself and the 'Lucky 13 Mix' (originally their first single, in late '95), also features Dance In Your Shadow and Moonshine, both loaded with 'Tron strings. In fairness, you can see why neither track made the album, though they're both reasonably good, but Dance In Your Shadow rips Norwegian Wood fairly heavily, and Moonshine just doesn't have quite enough of 'it', whatever you take 'it' to be. Their version of Deep Purple's version of Joe South's Hush has a live version of Govinda on it, and to my surprise, you can hear 'Tron strings quite clearly on it, although it seems they're samples (reviewed here). There are several other single-only tracks from their first album period; I reckon there's at least fourteen other tracks I haven't yet heard. Excluding live, radio session versions and remixes, that still leaves four of five new unheard songs; now I'm aware of the band's extensive singles catalogue, I'll pick the others up when I see them. Kula Shaker released one more album before imploding, '99s Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts (**½), but it isn't a patch on their debut, and what's worse, they don't use the 'Tron. Avoid.
After a softly-softly 2004 reformation, the band released their third album, Strangefolk, in 2007, and while it wouldn't be true to say they've recaptured their initial magic, it's a vast improvement on their sophomore effort. The late '60s are still Mills' chief inspiration, and he still avoids 'doing an Oasis', making a very listenable album in the process, top tracks including the propulsive Die For Love, Song Of Love/Narayana and the fey title track. Bassist Alonza Bevan plays the (real?) 'Tron this time round, with strings on Die For Love, flutes on Song Of Love/Narayana and Dr Kitt, with distant choirs on Hurricane Season.
Anyway, buy? Not if doomier-than-thou is your bag; K is a fun album and Strangefolk is a worthwhile effort. Buy.
See: Sampledelica!
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Korrekt (1999, 72.20) **½/T |
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| Der Wald vor Lauter Bäumen Mörderballade Aller Herren Länder Menschenfleisch Pech und Schwefel Der Trojanische Pferdedieb (1. Teil) Himbeerbaby Stein Das Perfekte Verbrechen |
Froschmann Stärker Als der Mond Der Trojanische Pferdedieb (2. Teil) Der Kaiser Soll Mir Sagen Wer ich Bin Nicht Mal das Je Besser Desto Eher Die Peitschen Der Trojanische Pferdedieb (3. Teil) |
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Heinz Rudolf Kunze is one of those artists who mean zilch outside their home market, often because they (quite rightly) sing in their native language. Kunze might have become known in the English-speaking world had he sung in translation, but with a potential German-language audience topping ninety million over three countries, why bother? Better to be a big fish, maybe... Born in the mid-'50s, he released his first album in 1981, keeping up a consistent workload ever since, 1999's Korrekt being something like his sixteenth album, although I don't know how many of its predecessors might be compilations or live efforts. It's perfectly harmless pop/rock, with the occasional fashionable dance rhythm used to show he's not an old fart, although to the listener attuned to something a little more demanding, its appeal palls somewhere around the middle of its opening number. It isn't helped by its excessive length, particularly the near eleven-minute Die Peitschen, which seems to go on for ever.
Matthias Ulmer's credited with Mellotron, although I have to question its veracity; without any grotesquely obvious samples, though, I don't feel I can quarantine this one. Anyway, we get pitchbent strings on Mörderballade and Aller Herren Länder, with a more 'regular' part on Nicht Mal Das, although it's possible it's hidden away on another track or two, too. All in all, then, you don't need to hear this, even if you speak German. I'm not at all convinced the Mellotron's real, either, although I suppose a well-maintained M400 could possibly perform those pitchbends.
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A Giant's Lullaby (2005, 64.27) ****/TTT |
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| Flight of Shamash Chair of Life Black Hole I Dreams of Butterflies Black Hole II Spirit of Time Desert Blues Sometimes |
A Giant's Lullaby Dark Horizons |
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Kvazar are a prog act who've been around since the late '90s, although 2005's A Giant's Lullaby is only their second album (the problems of truly independent music, folks). While clearly (and admittedly) influenced by the Swedish '90s wave (you know, Änglagård et al.), they also throw in all kinds of other stuff, including Celtic folk (opener Flight Of Shamash), jazz (several tracks) and a near-ambient feel in a few places. If the album has a fault, it might be fair to say it's a little overlong; music this intense and varied usually comes better in small packages, but that's looking for something to complain about, to be honest.
Mellotron (real? Who knows?) from Anders Jensen Deaya and Ronny Johansen, with strings and choir on Chair Of Life and Dreams Of Butterflies, strings on Spirit Of Time and Sometimes and choirs on the title track, never overused, always tasteful. Thank you, Kvazar. This is a surprisingly original album in a genre riddled with third-rate copyists (and they're the good ones), well worth your time and money, with a reasonable amount of Mellotron to boot. Most worthwhile.
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The Fountain Beyond the Sunrise (1977, 49.32/60.43) ***/TTT½Out of DimensionThe Fountain Beyond the Sunrise Reign Voices The Last Reign Autumn Song Forgotten Words Lenny [CD adds: Mounting the Eternal Spiral] |
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Complete Recordings, 1974-1978 (2002) |
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The Blind Windows SuiteOuverture |
Live 1975A Pane of Glass |
The Fountain Beyond the SunriseOut of DimensionThe Fountain Beyond the Sunrise Reign Voices The Last Reign Autumn Song Forgotten Words Lenny Mounting the Eternal Spiral |
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Despite actually being Austrian, Kyrie Eleison were a fairly typical German mid-'70s prog outfit, with a sound not dissimilar to Grobschnitt, maybe, though far less accomplished. Their first recordings, The Blind Windows Suite, were finally made available in the mid-'90s and are, frankly, hopeless. It's not so much the rehearsal room-quality sound (which was, in fact, where it was recorded), but the complete dearth of decent musical ideas that scuppers the record, along with Wolfgang Wessely's quite awful vocals. There's really no point laying into the record, but I honestly wouldn't bother unless you're an utterly fanatical prog collector.
Their one album released in their lifetime, The Fountain Beyond the Sunrise, was a considerable improvement on their earlier effort, although it's not going to win any awards for originality. New vocalist Michael Schubert was only a slight improvement on his predecessor, with some extremely dodgy English pronunciation, but the standard of playing and composition was up all round. Keyboard player, main man and chief writer Gerald Krampl plays Mellotron on most tracks, although he sensibly doesn't overuse it, making it all the more effective when he does. Strings, with occasional flutes and cellos are the order of the day, played with a Tony Banks feel in places (Lenny), with admirable restraint. The bonus track, Mounting The Eternal Spiral only has a few string chords, and is probably the expanded album's weakest track, or maybe it just seems that way after an hour.
In 2002, a 3-CD set was released by the estimable MIO Records, Complete Recordings, 1974-1978, containing both the above albums and a previously-unheard live recording from 1975, er, Live 1975. I was expecting this to be as dodgy as their first recordings, but the band had obviously pulled their socks up in a serious way in the intervening few months, and the material's actually not at all bad, though not exactly classic. I was also surprised that Krampl had bought his Mellotron by this point, which spices the material up nicely. Near-30 minute opener A Pane Of Glass is possibly the album's best track, but all except the clearly ELP-inspired Get Ready Eddy, a studio demo stuck on the end, are worth hearing.
So; the easiest way to get any of Kyrie Eleison's material is to buy the 3-disc set, but I'm not sure if the overall quality is high enough to make it really worth the effort. There's certainly some nice Mellotron work to be heard on two of the three discs, but much of the songwriting falls into the 'make it as long as possible 'cos it's prog' trap, although there are quite a few nice ideas scattered across discs two and three. More Ts than *s, I think.
