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Thread: Gong - Angels Egg

  1. #1

    Gong - Angels Egg

    Next time remind me to listen to this first instead of You.....Wow....It doesn't even compare. You is a pretty amazing hippy, space prog masterpiece while Angels seems to be an uneven
    mesh of ideas that never fit together. Don't get me wrong, there are some lovely moments like Flute Salad and Oily Way....Anyone else agree or disagree...

  2. #2
    Progdog ThomasKDye's Avatar
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    Both Angel's Egg and You are similar and yet different albums (Flying Teapot isn't worth anything, IMO) … "Angel's Egg" feels like a number of psychedelic snippet songs, whereas "You" has three shortish song songs with the rest being super-elevated space jams. Angel's Egg's attempt at "space music" seems to come and then go quickly, as if they were just dipping their toes into it.
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  3. #3
    False Number 9 Pr33t's Avatar
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    This one's nearly as much of a classic for me as You is. The hippy dippy song based material is just as much a part of the Gong identity as the glissed out jams, and equally as relevant.

  4. #4
    I agree with you, OP. I've always found ANGEL'S EGG to be a slightly sub-par album, by 70's Gong standards. And "YOU" has always been my personal fave.

  5. #5
    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    My first Gong album. I think I prefer it to You. Its more caleidoscopic

  6. #6
    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ThomasKDye View Post
    Both Angel's Egg and You are similar and yet different albums (Flying Teapot isn't worth anything, IMO)
    Different fish for different pots -- I much prefer Flying Teapot and Angel's Egg over You. But then I heard them first so I've always associated Gong with hippy-dippy weirdness not the fake-jazz of You.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by rcarlberg View Post
    the fake-jazz of You.
    I think you have got to be confusing You with something like Gazeuse!.

    "Sprinkling of Clouds" sounds more like a heavy metal band jamming with Terry Riley than it does any form of "jazz."

    You is pure, organic space rock on fire with some jazz and funk influences. Nothing "fake" about it. Accept no substitutes.

    I hear it as possibly the best of the trilogy. And that's saying a lot as I love the other two.

  8. #8
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    I much prefer 'You'. 'A Sprinkling of Clouds' and 'The Isle of Everywhere' for me blow away anything Gong had done previously.

  9. #9
    chalkpie
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    I dunno - I dig it a bunch. Pierre is the shit on the traps.

    Try this: Listen to Dionne Warwick's Greatest hits and Angel's Egg back-to-back and I think you'll like it a whole lot more.


  10. #10
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    My 2 favorite Gong albums but You is a masterpiece.
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  11. #11
    Recently Resurrected zombywoof's Avatar
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    I love them both! Two equally essential sides to that crazy coin called Gong.

  12. #12
    Progdog ThomasKDye's Avatar
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    "Angel's Egg" is only "less" than "You" for the unbearability of "Prostitute Poem" with Gilly Smyth in full-tilt Yoko mode. On the other hand, I find the brief "eyes in a suitcase" stuff in "Perfect Mystery" from "You" to be quick and cute.
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  13. #13
    Progga mogrooves's Avatar
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    I dig Angel's Egg , but I'm "givin' my luv to You", as it were, and for that reason.....
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  14. #14
    I think Gong has some great material but that they never released a great album; Angel's Egg being a good example of the band's unevenness .

  15. #15
    On "You", the Trilogy Gong was moving away and setting themselves free from Daevid Allen's leadership. Because it had been decided to compose the album during a week of seclusion at Steve Hillage's rented cottage, a lot of the music was born out of jamming and Allen found it very difficult to impose his words onto material that had never been thought of as songs. The genesis of "Angels Egg" was totally different. A very large portion of the material was generated without Allen's initial involvement during the ParaGong period, and Allen successfully reworked it to fit his concepts when he returned, which was easier because some of the material was always thought of as songs (a case in point being "Oily Way", which already existed under this title with Blake doing all the singing rather than just the chorus), and the instrumental bits weren't as extended those on "You".

    To me, both are fantastic albums for largely different reasons. "Angels Egg" is filled with underdeveloped but almost uniformly excellent ideas. "You" develops its ideas more and is possibly the ultime space-rock album, but precisely because of that, being based on just 3 or 4 very long tracks (depends on whether you consider "Isle Of Everywhere" and "You Never Blow Yr Trip" as one long stretch or not), it's not as rich and varied as "Angels Egg" with its many shorter, but mostly segued, tracks.
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  16. #16
    As someone who came into Gong via Expresso / You then heard Gong etc. then heard Flying Teapot and finally heard Angel's Egg.. I like all three of the trilogy.. but like others think they fully developed "Gongness" with the You release.. Angel's Egg has so many classic moments.. opening song Other side of the sky, the segue into Castles in the Clouds.. Flute Salad /Oliy Way Outer Temple Inner Temple.. etc.. and what's not to like about Percolation... and as far as Teapot... again for me.. that album may sound a little off it still contains classic moments Zero the Hero and the Witch's Spell and of course Flying Teapot and Radio Gnome Invisible..

  17. #17
    I really believe that "Castles in the Clouds" is a precursor to Hillages "Green"...

  18. #18
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  19. #19
    Recently Resurrected zombywoof's Avatar
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    I gave this one a proper spin last night (CD, headphones, dark room, etc) and I absolutely loved it. What some may call an 'uneven' album, I have a different word for: eclectic. This one really covers a lot of bases including jazz, rock / pop tunes, space rock, and a few I can't define. Though Side 1 kind of loses steam near the end ("Selene", though a cool tune, is not really one of their strong points in my opinion), Side 2 is where it gets serious. I have trouble faulting *any* album that has "Oily Way" "Outer / Inner Temple", the absolutely charming marimba-based piece "Love is How You Make It" and that Hillage screamer called "I Never Glid Before". How many bands, of any era, can produce such a solid side of varied music so convincingly? By contrast, I find "You" to be a little too narrow for my tastes and more jammy (though still completely excellent), while this one is definitely more focused, especially on that legendary second side.

    That's not to say Side 1 isn't great. I love how "The Other Side of the Sky" draws you into a relaxed state of mind to prepare you for what's to come. It's perfect late night, headphone 'chill out' music. "Sold to the Highest Buddha" has that lovely unexpected 6/8 bit that always, always catches me off guard at how seamlessly they pull it off. Then there's "Castle in the Clouds" which is essentially Hillage soundscape stuff! The remaster also adds that fun little protest tune called "Ooby Scooby Doomsday" which I just love to crank up and play loud. So full of attitude, yet fun at the same time. I love this band!

  20. #20
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    'You' was my fave Gong for a long time, but over the years, AE has has taken that spot over. There is so much in there to find. And 'Selene', seemingly out of place on the album, is one of Daevid's most powerful songs live !!l

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Prehensile Pencil View Post
    I agree with you, OP. I've always found ANGEL'S EGG to be a slightly sub-par album, by 70's Gong standards. And "YOU" has always been my personal fave.
    I concur as well. Already by the third tune there's a feeling of a "stop" in things, and it doesn't really start again until "Oily Way". Of course, "Niver Glid" and "Phone Book Coda" are two of their greatest tunes overall, but there's too much filler on this.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
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  22. #22
    Angel's Egg = my fave Gong album.
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