FEATURED ALBUM: Atomic Rooster - Atomic Roooster

[Poisoned Youth]

Perhaps best known as being the Rooster album with Carl Palmer, there is still a great deal to like about their debut, which tends to be overshadowed by their follow up, Death Walks Behind You. Any fans?




Review from ProgArchives

This debut album by Atomic Rooster is something special. Coming out of the ashes of The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, Vincent Crane took drummer extraordinaire Carl Palmer with him to form Atomic Rooster. The sound of Atomic Rooster is heavy, progressive, bluesy and also soulful. They can perhaps be vaguely compared to Deep Purple, ELP, Beggar's Opera and a handful of other heavy, keyboard driven bands of the very early 70's.

Vincent Crane was something of a genius and, like many geniuses he was also a bit crazy! His lyrics are obsessed with death, like in the beautiful Winter which contains the lyric "what is the point of going on and on and on...?" There is some lovely Ian Anderson like flute in this song.

As I have already said, the sound of Atomic Rooster is heavily keyboard driven. The keyboards are mainly Hammond and piano. The other main instruments are bass, drums and very little guitar. The drum solo in Decline And Fall is so obviously Carl Palmer - he already had his distinctive style at this point. However, I'm not too fond of drum solos on studio albums. But it is short enough not to distract too much.

The material is strong and the lyrics are thoughtful and existential even if more than a bit bleak. My personal opinion is that this debut album is, together with Death Walks Behind You, Atomic Rooster's best album.

Very underrated and essential for anyone interested in the history of (Heavy) Prog - Southsideofthesky

[Sputnik]

Never been a huge fan of these guys. For the most part pretty basic R&R with not particularly outstanding songwriting, imo. Also really don't care much for the vocalist. However, the organ playing is to die for, Crane is fantastic in this band, so that kind of gives it a bit more interest. Doubt I'll ever be tempted to own it, though.

Bill

[Fracktured]

I had this years and years ago. Don't remember much about it and don't know where it ever got to. Probably sold it when I got rid of a lot of old vinyl years ago. Those clips make me think I'm not missing much.

[notallwhowander]

I'll give this a spin today, as it has been a while.

The lyrics, as I recall, are rather dark and bleak, but this was the era that dark-themed hard rock was being born. This comes together in a special way on the follow-up, Death Walks Behind You, but it is all here too.

Straight-forward hard rock? Yeah, but a prime example. If you are a fan of that heavy sound coming out of Britain from '69-'72, that sound of emergent Heavy Metal, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

[Scrotum Scissor]

While I like it well enough and absolutely love the 60s vibe of it, I think it kinda pales to the ensuing one. Their version of Mayall's "Broken Wings" has vocals to die for - Perfect for that song. Du Cann was at times an absolutely brilliant singer; he reminds me a bit about Edgar Broughton in that respect; not necessarily "technically" gifted (and neither did they claim so), but with amazing widt, depth and applies passion.

[polmico]

"Friday the 13th" is currently the ring tone on my phone. It'll get your attention.

There's something really great about the first three Rooster albums. I completely understand their limitations and get that they don't move beyond a certain style, but they absolutely nail that style.

For what it's worth, I really like the next two with Farlowe as well. Nice and greasy indeed.

[JJ88]

While I like it well enough and absolutely love the 60s vibe of it, I think it kinda pales to the ensuing one. Their version of Mayall's "Broken Wings" has vocals to die for - Perfect for that song. Du Cann was at times an absolutely brilliant singer; he reminds me a bit about Edgar Broughton in that respect; not necessarily "technically" gifted (and neither did they claim so), but with amazing widt, depth and applies passion.

Du Cann isn't singing on this as he was not in the band then, it's Nick Graham. Some confusion has crept in because there are versions of some songs which were re-recorded with Du Cann (although 'Broken Wings' was not among them, 'Friday The 13th' for instance is usually the Du Cann one), included instead of the Graham vocals on the original B&C album.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Du Cann isn't singing on this as he was not in the band then, it's Nick Graham.

I know, of course. I simply wrote all wrong. Graham's presence (and the obvious lack of stingy guitars) is the main reason why it sits out from Death.

Graham should have sung more when he was in Skin Alley. It would have helped their rather pedestrian output (after the rather good debut). You can also hear in graham's deep and Heavy, spoully voice why they'd later want to settle for Farlowe.

[mogrooves]

I rank it second after Death...

There's something really great about the first three Rooster albums.

+1.

For what it's worth, I really like the next two with Farlowe as well.

-1

[NogbadTheBad]

I prefer Death Walks & In The Hearing Of, there's a few good tracks on here, Broken Wings, Bandstead.

[strawberrybrick]

In Hearing Of is one of the rock's classic albums, let alone Atomic Rooster. But it all started here. Graham's albums with Skin Alley are pretty good too!

[Trane]

I'l a total sucker for these brass arrangements on a third of the tracks of RoOoster

"Friday the 13th" is currently the ring tone on my phone. It'll get your attention.

There's something really great about the first three Rooster albums. I completely understand their limitations and get that they don't move beyond a certain style, but they absolutely nail that style.

For what it's worth, I really like the next two with Farlowe as well. Nice and greasy indeed.

I'll be the odd one out in finding Death Walhs as the weakest of the first three Rooster....
and surely Made In England is my second fave after In Hearing Of... (N&G being the worst of the five)

[Progbear]

Never been a huge fan of these guys. For the most part pretty basic R&R with not particularly outstanding songwriting, imo. Also really don't care much for the vocalist. However, the organ playing is to die for, Crane is fantastic in this band, so that kind of gives it a bit more interest. Doubt I'll ever be tempted to own it, though.

Similar to my assessment but a lot harsher. They’re not especially interesting compositionally, but if you love hearing Hammond organ well played, Vincent Crane is a must-hear.

[Jubal]

I never understood the boobs on a rooster. Was that supposed to be some kind of warped commentary on nuclear technology?
As for the album, nothing on it grabbed my attention. Death Walks and In Hearing of were worthwhile, but this one ddid not impress me at all, especially considering my fave drummer when I first listened to it was Carl Palmer.

[PROGMONSTER]

Probably the best album I've heard from 1969. Some great stuff

[dropforge]

An early prog classic in my book.

[spacefreak]

Undervalued classic heavy rock album.

[Enid]

The song "Winter" sounds like Gentle Giant

[Zappathustra]

The song "Winter" sounds like Gentle Giant

Yes, indeed. It's like Minnear on the vocals.

[nosebone]

The "sound" is there, but I still could never get into this band. The tunes just don't stick.

[Zappathustra]

The next two are better, but this one has Carlo Palmeiro on the drums. Heavy, terrifying stuff that doesn't even allow the convenience of an electric guitar. Who needs one when Vincent Crane is on the hammond organ?

[grego]

I like it. Winter, And So To Bed, Bandstand are favorites.

[lovecraft]

Yeah, I'm with those who think the tunes just aren't up to much which is a shame as the sound they have is great. Where did all those fantastic compositional chops that he seemed to have in spades on The Crazy World of Arthur Brown album go?

[Levgan]

I know I'm in the minority, but this has always been my favorite Atomic Rooster LP. It's proto-prog lite compared to the heavier, punchier sound of DuCann-led AR, but on the other hand, the jam component is kept to a minimum here, which is a good thing in my book – leave that stuff to krautrockers and other intergalactic explorers. Always fun to hear a line like "all you want is sex with fame" from an obscure singer in a relatively obscure keyboard trio too.

[Levgan]

For me it's in the "so bad it's good" category. Hilarious.