You guys have me convinced I need to hear this one again. I don't have any personal notes to review, and it's been ages since I last heard it (15 years maybe?). The references that are being tossed out is not my own recollection. Pulling down the CD now for tonight....
Personally, I thought they were pretty awful. Second Birth in particular was just dire. I am personally surprised that such a woeful band (with a godawful singer; people who complain about Dave Lawson and Lee Jackson need to hear this guy) somehow racked up four albums. Weirdly, the only one that even had any promise for me was Staircase to the Day, which most people say is their worst. I thought that “Starlight Starbright” and the title song were decent, but the rest (of that album and the rest of their catalogue, for that matter) was dispensable.Originally Posted by Jay.Dee
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
I never really understood GT's aura either... I made a CDr compilation out of their four albums, and I didn't even fill it out.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Adore Gravy Train. One of my absolute faves from the era.
Somewhat oddly, their debut is the least interesting to me yet many seem to rate it very high. I like it, but they really came alive on the second for my taste, and the Dawn albums are both filled with sensational songs. Staircase maybe less so, but its high points are through the roof for me.
That kind of explains why you feel so stinged by Abjornssen's comment. TBH, in my book, GT's first two are ok, but no more, but hardly unearthed gems, IMHO. The latter two are are subpar, though the two longer tracks on Staircase are saving the latter.
Now, for Colosseum, let's face it the first two are excellent, DoT is very patchy (almost poor by comparison)
I'm not sure Asbjornssen really weighted that comment when he wrote it and that it would stand up scrutiny... There are many cases when I don't really agree with him, wondering what he saw in the album he writes about. He's not perfection, and I've caught him writing a couple lines about albums he's not heard using the conditionary tense
When he wrote about Emmanuel Booz, he clearly hasn't heard his latter two albums, for ex, though he listed them .
But I'll never thank him enough for his two books.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Nah. I'd feel the same way about the Out Of Focus "went far beyond" comment even if you removed Gravy Train from the examples. I disagree completely with your comments about Gravy Train, but this thread isn't about them and it's really nothing to do with the point that Out Of Focus didn't go far beyond much of anything for me. Which doesn't mean I don't find a certain charm in them.
Love both of Asbjornsen's books!
I adore early 70s proto prog for its vintage charm , but to be honest there's not a lot of amazing music from those third tier bands.
no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone
I really did not like this group, but it's been years since I listened to them and I don't remember it at all.
Second Birth is their worse.
Great track !
For me their best - I have all 5 studio albums of OOF on Cds.
Of GT, I think the first two are quite decent, the second one ( Ballad Of A Peaceful Man) is a tad better. Second Birth, and Staircase to the Day I haven't listnened for quite a period, but never thought much of them.
We'll at least agree on that!
I take you mean GT; not OoF
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Love Second Birth. Killer hard rocker, great hooks, wonderfully developed songs.
Maybe the thing for some here about GT is a lot of their stuff just is more about quality song-craft as opposed to "progressive rock?"
The second is seriously proggy but even there that isn't why it's great, IMO. I'd put Barratt's better songs up against anything from the era. In fact, if I ever get to the point in my musical life where I don't appreciate this, I should probably just give up on listening to music.
Nice track, though the rhytm is a bit plodding in the beginning.Love Second Birth. Killer hard rocker, great hooks, wonderfully developed songs.
Maybe the thing for some here about GT is a lot of their stuff just is more about quality song-craft as opposed to "progressive rock?"
The second is seriously proggy but even there that isn't why it's great, IMO. I'd put Barratt's better songs up against anything from the era. In fact, if I ever get to the point in my musical life where I don't appreciate this, I should probably just give up on listening to music.
Alright, as promised, I gave this one a deep listen. Took me two nights and I played the first CD 3 times straight, and the second one twice. It's just one of those albums that require a lot of listens. I'm hearing this album from a different perspective than what I'm reading above, save perhaps Cozy's initial volley. Not surprising, since I do think the album is entirely unique. In any case, here are my notes:
When I was first introduced to Four Letter Monday Afternoon in the 1980s, it had been described to me as a Krautrock version of Soft Machine. A local friend at the time, who is a huge fan of Soft Machine, vehemently disagreed with such an assertion, and found it somewhat offensive to compare. And while I can understand his perspective, it's also not a wild stretch to make such a claim. There is a bit of Canterbury whimsy within some of the songs, most notably 'Where Have You Been' and 'When I'm Sleeping' (bonus track). And taking the comparison further, there are long stretches of experimental rock with a jazz underpinning. But the keyword here is Krautrock, and it's clear that Out of Focus were heavily influenced by their own local contemporaries more so than what was happening in England. There's a considerable amount of stinging psychedelic guitar, echoed flutes, horn charts, and jamming Hammond throughout. And it remarkably stays within the rails for most of the duration (Side 4 the sole exception), with plenty of melodic interludes, despite being improvisational in nature. I could see this album as the logical conclusion of where Xhol Caravan was heading post Electrip, though that group decided to trip out further instead. Deep divers will also hear bands as diverse as Eiliff, Roundhouse, and Kollektiv. Honestly, I think Four Letter Monday Afternoon is entirely unique, even different from their own work, and is a great example of the exploratory spirit to be found in Germany at that time.
Can't agree. When you have a song like that, no need to rush things.
It's not about rushing, it's about sounding a bit dull. Perhaps let the drums kick in a bit later, or play a bit lighter.Can't agree. When you have a song like that, no need to rush things.
Never heard the music before even though I have seen the name "Out of Focus" a lot. Based on the YT clips above, I *love* the sound. Whether it holds up to repeated listenings, well, I guess I would have to listen repeatedly. A lot of your comments suggest it doesn't. But it's now officially on my list for further investigation.
The first time I saw the name "Out of Focus" I thought it would be amusing if they ever opened for Jan Akkerman's group.
But some of the comments suggest they do
Which is why I plan to give Out of Focus some unbiased and undivided attention over the next week or two. I will report back with my findings.But some of the comments suggest they do
Here's what I thought of it back in 2010:
This, the third and final Out Of Focus album, finds the German collective at their very best. It completes their shift away from psychedelic rock into more jazz/free form oriented material and sees the original band expanded here to an astonishing 11 piece force to be reckoned with. A major change to the band's sound is the addition of a brass section which really bolsters the sound into a bright, rich and varied feast for the ears.
On LP it was a double album running over some 94 minutes, and is reissued here by Esoteric's Reactive imprint as a double CD. The original concept is preserved, and the first CD consists of the album `proper'. More interesting though, is the 3 part rolling improvisation `Huchen 55' which occupies the entire 48 minutes of CD2.
Based in Munich, Out Of Focus were a lesser known name in Krautrock circles, but their work stands up extremely well to modern ears. From psychedelic beginnings they end up here as a band determined to explore the furthest reaches of their music. The addition of a multitude of extra players brings to mind at times the original Keith Tippett Group and their subsequent contribution to a short-lived expanded Soft Machine, and whilst it's fair to say that the Softs influence is felt here, these musicians are accomplished enough to over-ride any direct comparisons and to tread their own path.
The original first LP begins with the 18 minute `L.S.B.' which moves through a variety of well constructed changes without ever getting boring, the added instrumentation making a welcome improvement to the Out Of Focus sound. `When I'm Sleeping' somehow manages vocally to conjure up images of Peter Banks era Yes, although the vocal sweetness on display here is rather an exception to the rule. `Tsajama' for example, suffers rather badly from some ill-advised scat vocals, there won't be too many people buying this album for the singing, which like previous OOF albums is somewhat secondary to the music. It's really all about the instrumental interplay, and the rolling, evolving compositions which have never sounded better than here.
The second disc `Huchen 55' is one extended piece which most fully realises the vision. The three sections are woven together and bookended by a recurring thread played on flutes and ushering in open-ended group performances which sound like they come from a jam session which is quite possibly still going on to this day. It probably reflects most what the band was like live with no time restrictions. What is very appealing about it, is that it moves and transforms magically through various satisfying musical evolutions without ever losing momentum or becoming dull. I am reminded of Xhol Caravan's epic work here, music which was elusive, sublime, yet immensely satisfying. It is this disc to which I am likely to return time and time again and I urge you to do so too.
Out Of Focus recorded more material at these sessions much of which was subsequently issued and was found to be of a very high standard too. This however completes the sequence of the three albums issued in the band's existence, and which are all newly reissued by Reactive. For many is their finest hour. `Huchen 55' is one of those pieces you can have on repeat all day as it melts into the room, and for this alone it is unreservedly recommended
Hey I happen to love those scat vocals
I can't help but singing along wirth them.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
When I'm Sleeping is not included in the original LP. It was added in the CD reissues.
That Beebfader review does a great job of summing up my feelings on this album better than my own words ever could.
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
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