Grobschnitt S/T Brain Gatefold Original Vinyl Krautrock

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Grobschnitt (1972)

Grobschnitt (which translates to Rough Cut) were one of the seminal German bands of the 1970s. Their popularity peaked in the latter part of the decade with their trademark zany stage presentation, elaborate light shows and "Solar Music" jams that would quite frequently go on for hours. What really makes the band unique to the German scene is their bizarre sense of humor. Indeed, their self-deprecating silliness makes them much easier to take than Eloy's frequently annoying (and badly written) cosmic musings. Sure, Rockpommel's Land is pretty goofy, but if one looks at it as a children's fable, one can forgive the album's lyrical shortcomings.

That preamble brings me to Grobschnitt's debut album. For a band's first album, this is quite a remarkable beginning. Similar in style to the Krautrock bands of the period, i.e., Wallenstein, Spermull, and Mythos, it's a much rawer affair than what would follow in just a few years. Happily, it's also one of the band's very best albums! "Symphony" opens the album in grand style, and at 13 plus minutes, one can hear influences as diverse as Pink Floyd, Santana and Deep Purple. The track's opening theme is quite heavy and wouldn't be out of place on Deep Purple In Rock. From there it morphs into a nice Latin American-like groove in which guitarist Lupo emulates Carlos Santana very convincingly. The fact that Grobschnitt employed two drummers at this point reinforces the Santana comparison, especially in their frequent use of ethnic percussion. Then the track becomes spacey and quiet, and ever so slowly builds in intensity until the crescendo finale. The second track, "Traveling", also opens very heavily, before locking into that Santana groove once again. I am very much reminded of Abraxas here. The shortest song, "Wonderful Music", is a bit hokey, and with its cheesy hippy lyrics and recorder soloing, reminds me of Jefferson Airplane on a bad day.

"Sun Trip", the longest track, closes the album, and is the most typically "German" of the bunch. "Solar Music" more or less evolved from "Sun Trip", though on this album, the band's spacey improvisations are considerably more aggressive. After a bit of German narration, the piece kicks into high gear. I guess if I were to make a comparison, it would be to Nektar's A Tab in the Ocean. Needless to say, it kicks butt, while it also slows down in the middle for some interesting cosmic psychedelia. The CD reissue on Repertoire Records includes a live bonus track, "Die Sinfonie", and at 29 minutes, really shows the band's excellent improvisational skills. It's the same piece of music that opens the album, but played completely different. I find most bonus tracks to be album filler, but for anyone into Grobschnitt, this song will be historically valuable. Recorded live in 1971, it shows many sides of the band that would be developed during the next few years. Grobschnitt's debut is a great start to a varied career. It may not appeal to the same audience that enjoys Jumbo or Rockpommel's Land, but taken on its own terms, I find it to be just as strong as any of their albums. Give it a shot. - Steve Pettengill [October 2001]

Green Label Brain. Cover is Good. Vinyl is Good (minor surface scratches no skips)