Saturday 1 March 2014

Electric Sandwich [1973]



Seriously Sehr Gut

This is more like it: jazz rock and progressive elements, the opening instrumental China is superb with bass and percussion immediately laying down a rhythm for the space rock guitar to eventually ride, with effects increasing the psychedelic aura and space rockets zoom in and out of the vortex generated. Well, something like that. A German ensemble and coming from session backgrounds, the whole is quite eclectic and certainly doesn’t follow from the template of this opening piece. Second Devil’s Dream is more rock blues and showcases vocalist Jochen Carthaus’ gritty depth before skewing off to its jazzier mood. Third Nervous Creek is riff-driven and metalish with more Carthaus grit and a little bit of squeal, before this moves off to a classical guitar drift – these guys liking their shifts and skills. But it is clever and engaging, and this track moves on again to some jazz sax before returning to the opening riff. Carthaus is at his emotive and rousing best on Archie’s Blues, and Jorg Ohlert scorches with guitar lead. The most conventional number on the album for its consistency as just blues, but beautifully so. Closer Material Darkness reminds of Van der Graf/David Jackson. in the use of the sax, and Carthaus’ vocal is a cross between Burton Cummings, David Clayton-Thomas and Chris Farlowe. Bonus track On My Mind sounds like Steppenwolf!

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