kraan

sarahs ritt durch den schwarzwald

Desde un principio quería dedicar la aldea al kraut y al canterbury pero como no me queda mucho tiempo me conformo con un regalo de estos de vez en cuando. Recuerdo cuando nos juntábamos en nuestra fiebre alemana a escuchar a los favoritos, 'psychedelic underground', 'opal', 'ash ra tempel' y el debut de Kraan, que en directo son todavía más infecciosos, son lo que siempre me llevaba. Por muchos que viniernan despúes este es un disco único, imaginativo y libre, con sus ritmos intuitivos y texturas árabes que despiertan en uno, un fuego y energía que te va consumiendo por dentro.

the skygreen leopards

the skygreen leopards - disciples of california (jagjaguwar, 2006)

Disciples of California, continues in the alchemical tradition of change and inward-revolt. On it, the Skygreen Leopards mix pop melodies, minimal country truisms, jingle-jangling Californianism and angular folk with something the band refers to as "our horse called Dire Arrow," which roughly translates into family friendly (sans the "American Censorship" connotations).Indeed Disciples of California is a "friends & family" record. The theme of fraternity is not only represented lyrically but was also part of the recording process. It's the first album recorded outside the band's own studio (note: they NEVER recorded outdoors as some have reported) and it's also the debut of the SGL's rhythm section, the Skyband (featuring Jasmyn Wong on drums and Shayde Sartin on bass). Working in a studio with additional musicians allowed the band to record the basic tracks live, giving the music a ragged, stumbling, and honest life in contrast to the cut-up and cleansing methods much employed in previous days. Recorded in just a few sessions at Jason Quever's (Papercuts) San Francisco studio, the Leopards took full advantage of his arsenal of soft machines to create a batch of spacious three minute pop tunes. Lyrically and conceptually, Glenn and Donovan continue down their twisted path. The ghosts of girl-beauties, whispering trees, swimming-hole cousins, crippled horses and human-faced animal-saints all join the dizzying parade.

El colectivo Jewelled Antler es con seguridad el mayor regalo de lo que llevamos de milenio, en todas sus vertientes y encarnaciones, recorren desde el folk y la tradición, parajes subterráneos, bosques primaverales, ciudades abandonadas, rincones entre tus sueños y pesadillas... con ellos cualquier cosa es susceptible de ser posible, y los leopardos del cielo verde son su reencarnación más accesible, campestre y bella. Con y sin permiso de Loren Chase y Steve R. Smith, Glenn Donaldson (Bithle Sons, Thuja, Franciscan Hobbies, Buried Civilizations, Ivytree, Birdtree, The Famous Boating Party, Horticultural Compass, The Knit Separates y Once & Future Herds) siempre ha sido mi favorito , en su sexto larga duración junto a Donovan Quinn (Verdure, Horticultural Compass, Once & Future Herds) continuan adornando los árboles, envolviendo preciosas melodías con la espontaneidad que los ha hecho especiales y con la sinceridad para la que no hace falta disfraz. Parece que el camino es de regreso y que ya no tienen interés alguno en sorpredente, sólo que te sientes en la hierba a disfrutar. Quizá ya hicieron su mejor disco pero sigue habiendo canciones memorables: 'Places West Of Shawnapee' , 'Jesus Was Californian' o Disciples of California

polytoxicomane philharmonie

polytoxicomane philharmonie - psycho erectus (nasoni, 2004)

Polytoxicomane Philharmonie is a bunch of weird guys from Germany, hidden somewhere in the woods around Frankfurt, enjoying every minute of life and also making music now and then. According to their (nick)names they are not that serious about what they are doing, anyway the line-up has changed a lot during the last years. Their music can not be described in one word: psychedelic, space-rock, jazz-rock, kraut-rock, ambient and even a bit folky. A track like Fuddle Pie & Puddle Fie can be easily compared with the works of Frank Zappa, both textually as musically.There are female and male vocals and very often it is all about the spoken word, like in Sulphur and La Chanson Verte. Lokus Pokus has an Eastern exotic flavour, while the horns make it evolve towards jazz-rock, not seldom the music of Soft Machine comes to my mind during this track. Besides, there is manual for the cd on their site, mentioning the different rhythm patterns (7/4, 11/4, 6/4, 15/8 and so on..), you have to be a keen musician to understand everything. And maybe this is the problem for this kind of music, so much is happening, perhaps too much, which makes it less recognizable and some tracks begin to resemble each other. Naturally, a lot is due to this particular music style, often the tracks are escalating in nervous playing saxophones (cfr. also Gong), like for example in ‘Chanson Verte’, in the second part of the song you can hear suddenly some spacey Porcupine Tree-like music. In fact I encounter a lot of nice fragments, interesting guitar solos, but without true highlights, luckily there are no real drawbacks neither. I am convinced that ‘Psycho Erectus’ will certainly appeal to certain progressive rock fans, especially those that are into the small world of RIO, Canterbury scène and other experimental rock.

Poco más se puede añadir de Polytoxicomane Philharmonie, en 'Sulphur' , 'Fuddle Pie & Puddle Fie' , 'Chanson Verte' son (a veces demasiado) Gong, Magma, Henry Cow, el 'In Search of Space' de Hawkwind o 'Hot Rats' de Frank Zappa, todos esenciales en aldea f. , pero no te engañes que debajo de las setas comienza un único y flotante free festival: jazz nocturno, folk danzarín, rio, space-rock, el underground alemán del que provienen... como eran las palabras mágicas, ¡ah sí! 'Lokus Pokus' y que empieze la función.

spires that in the sunset rise

spires that in the sunset rise - this is fire (secret eye, 2006)

La música de estas cuatro norteamericanas -como dicen en el

tanned tin- es el rumor del aire en los árboles de un bosque plagado de duendes. Instrumentos caóticos ante los que más vale rendirse, cantos de sirena que hacen perder el rumbo... Todo vale para crear las cortinas de humo tras las que se esconden estas cuatro chicas procedentes de Chicago. Huidizas, misteriosas y sensuales como cuatro brujas preparando un aquelarre.

Magia, misticismo, oscuridad, sensualidad, libertad, caos, melancolía, espiritualidad... son muchos los adjetivos que se dan cita en las arpas, pianos, banjos, chelos y guitarras -por encima- de las de Chicago, por las que servidor no podía esperar.

Blues, wyrd- folk, el rock alemán más tentador y expansivo, ritmos deliberados y liberados en una ceremonia que es más sugerente y estimulante, 'Spike Fiddle Song' (!!!), prefieren susurrarte al oído antes de salir por la noche al bosque, algo ha cambiado, 'Sea Shanty', 'Clouds', 'Bee Forms' y el bonus que nunca se encontrará de 'First Utterance', 'Morning Song'. Entre el cielo y el infierno, allí esperan Kathleen Baird, Georgia Vallas y las hermanitas Taralie y Tracy Peterson, sigue por la senda oscura y las encontrarás invocando a la naturaleza.

Clouds
Morning Song

maurice mcintryre

maurice mcintyre - humility in the light of creator (1969)

Humility may have been McInytre?s first session as a leader, but the music and musicianship yield the mark of a completely mature player from the outset. Adding to the indispensability of the date is a who?s who of AACM heavyweights on hand to lend their talents to the already boiling creative pool. The record conveniently divides into two programmatic halves. The first ?Suite: Ensemble Love? includes the haunting title piece a tune of almost tone poem dimensions that encapsulates an incredible depth of emotive urgency into it?s scant running time. It is arguably McIntyre?s finest recorded moment as his full-toned tenor expounds around bowed bass and malleted drums. On several other pieces within the suite Jones gruff vocalizations reference Native American chant forms by way of Chicago?s South Side. Upon repeated listens his contributions which at first sound churlish and haphazard begin to make sense within the context of the other instruments, particularly McIntyre?s concentrated saxophonics.?Suite: Ensemble Fate? swells the group to octet size. Solo and ensemble passages unfurl as McInytre switches between his reeds. Structured passages of melodic and harmonic certainty alternate with emancipated sections of free form blowing. The AACM penchant for ?little instruments? colorations and textures are also incorporated into the wide-open sound canvas. Favors? bass serves as a rhythmic lightning rod in tandem with Uba drawing in the twining traps of Barker and Ajaramu along with the rest of the electrically charged ensemble. McIntyre woodsy tenor solos assuredly above building an exposition of fiery sonorities before Smith and eventually Stubblefield chime in behind him. Throughout, the very essence of ecstatic energy discourse is uncorked and imbibed from freely. Midway mood eventually dampens through a somber statement from Myers and an somber interplay between drums and bass, but the coda to the composition regains steam in a final blowout.

Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, uno de los primeros integrantes de la Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) que Muhal Richard Abrams fundó a principios de los sesenta, tiene en su primer album como líder: Maurice McIntyre (saxo tenor, clarinete, campanas, pandereta, bocina); Leon Smith (trompeta, fliscorno); John Stubblefield (saxo soprano); Claudine Myers (piano); Malcahi Favors (bajo); Mchaka Uba (bajo); Thurman Barker and Ajaramu (batería); George Hines (vocales), una espiritual y aventurera obra que eclipsa lo demás de su escasa discografía. Avant y free-jazz en la búsqueda de las tradiciones nativas de África y Oriente Medio tras la senda de otros grandes viajeros: Archie Shepp, Yusef Lateef o Roscoe Mitchell. Aquí el espíritu y la libertad abrazan por completo a la obra, entre disonancias y percusiones la voz de George Hines evoca a ceremonias religiosas en lo alto de una montaña ('Ensemble Love, Kcab Emoh'), a un trance en el que te ves atrapado a través de una borágine de estímulos ('Ensemble Love, Life Force') o al apacible sosiego que es la libertad en sí misma ('Ensemble Love, Humility in the Light of the Creator').

forest (rare earth XIV)

forest - forest (uk, 1969)

Issued by Harvest in 1969, this is one of the definite debut folk albums of all time. "As the 1960s progressed, almost every musical genre was affected by the psychedelic boom -- and folk was no exception. Forest, whose two Harvest albums have long elated listeners and eluded collectors, featured prominently among them, and have become synonymous with so-called 'acid folk', inspiring -- alongside Vashti Bunyan, COB and a handful of others -- the current wave of successful underground folk acts. This, their debut album was recorded at Abbey Road early in 1969 and featured completely original material, with their strangely-sculptured melodies and partially improvised accompaniment. Originally called The Foresters Of Walesby the band abbreviated their name to Forest and were fortunate enough to meet John Peel at a local gig and he encouraged them to play in London. After a triumphant gig in Notting Hill's All Saints Hall at Christmastime 1968, Forest were offered a management deal with Blackhill Enterprises, home to amongst others, Pink Floyd and Roy Harper. It wasn't long before offers of record contracts came their way and the band eventually signed to EMI's nascent Harvest label.

Cuando uno se adentra en frondosos y escondidos parajes sueña con perderse, en un día suerte, en un bosque y escuhar entre los árboles: 'Lovemaker's Ways', 'Bad Penny', 'Sylvie (We'd Better Not Pretend)', 'Glade Somewhere' o 'Fanding Lights', rústicas, sombrías y medievales melodías que un trío de trovadores multinstrumentistas recogió para Harvest y que Radioactive ha recuperado en limitados lp's como ya ha hecho con otras gemas, también BGO ha unido su debut con su otro album 'Full Circle' de 1970. Las mágicas noches en el bosque se esculpen en psych-folk, acid-folk, mandolinas, clavicordios, flautas, armonios, percusiones, armónicas, 12 cuerdas y pianos, así se adivina la sombra de The Incredible String Band, Dr. Strangely Strange y Trees, se cuela el surrealismo, lo arcano y lo pagano, los trovadores del folk lisérgico... pero los bellos y delicados arreglos con ese tono silvestre a lo Clive's Original Band iluminan la oscuridad de un sueño del que no quieres despertar.

Martin Welham: vocals, 12 string guitar, harmonium, piano, pipes, percussion, organ
Derek Allenby: mandolin, harmonica, pipes, harmonium, percussion, vocals
Hadrian Welham: guitar, mandolin, vocals, pipes, cello, electric harpsichord, harmonium, percussion, mandolin, organ

floh de cologne

wir stehen am rande

circulus

circulus - clocks are people (rise above, 2006)

Filled with visions of feckless scarecrows, errant knights and the quiet joys of candlelight, the debut full-length album (The Lick On The Tip Of An Envelope Yet To Be Sent) by these medieval minstrels, Circulus, gave those brief hot summer months of 2005 a soundtrack of ancient wind instruments, 70s Moog synthesisers and ghostly harmonies.Now they are back and have moved five centuries into the future, creating a Baroque-Rock album of the highest caliber. Clocks are like people should see Circulus jump forward in terms of success as well as era’s.The much improved and accomplished songwriting/production on ‘Clocks Are Like People’ shows Circulus in a more laid back and comfortable light. Key tracks ‘Song Of Our Despair’ and ‘Wherever She Goes’ have radio written all over them, whilst the Elizebithan harpsichord workout of ‘To The 'Fields’ or the Moog soaked wonders of ‘Bouree’ prove that the have lost none of their creative appeal.

Los rituales de Michael Tyack (vocals, guitars, saz, cittern) a la medianoche custodiados por Lo Polidoro (vocals) Sam Kelly (drums, vocals) Ollie Parfitt (moog, synthesizers) George Parfitt (bass) Will Summers (flutes, recorders, crumhorn, shawm) Victor Hugo Llamas (bongos, percussion) invocando a Comus en The Lick on the Tip of an Envelope Yet to Be Sent ya no se adivinan por ninguna parte, los días más oscuros del medievo ya han pasado, silbando 'Bouree' al cobijo de un árbol y del avant-folk, la psicodelia, la edad media y Pentagle, los campesinos son un poco más felices, será por 'Dragon Dance'... mejor que hablen ellos:

In the Englad of our day the forests have mostly disappeared, yet still on many a village green and many a country lane a faded image of the sacred ceremony lingers in the rustic pageantry of Circulus We believe there is nothing more fantastical than psychedelic medieval rock for procuring a good harvest.