Search - Agitation Free :: Live '74: at the Cliffs of River Rhine [Import]

Intense mind - scrambling psychedelic rock!

Warren W. Nelson | Mooresville, NC USA | 12/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the third Agitation Free album and it is an overwhelming psychedelic experience! This is German space-rock reaching a pinnacle with extended modal and harmonic guitar jamming evolving into effect loaded sound experimentation touching base with everything great in kosmic music. There is wonderful instrumental integration soaring into euphoric melodic passage or multi- dimensional areas of alternate space either through experimental manipulation of the amazing guitar work or the deep and conscious altering effects of some of the then current ventures into electronic sound (1974). This, to me, easily ranks with some of the finest krautrock albums of the time; Tago Mago, Yeti, Ash Ra Tempel's first, and Zeit. The first side contains some of Agitation Free's most intense guitar jamming and exploration somewhat similar perhaps to what Acid Mothers Temple are doing today giving way on side two to full electronic experimentation using mostly guitar and synthesizer ever weaving, evolving, and unfolding into a rapturous symphony of melodic sound texture. This album is an absolute MUST for anyone into psychedelia, electronica, or krautrock!"

Agitation free LIVE---BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS

W. T. Hoffman | Pennsylvania, United States | 02/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"FIRST THING...AMAZON HAS THE WRONG SONGS LISTED FOR THIS ALBUM!! The song list for this album is as follows. 1.THROUGH THE MOODS 2.FIRST COMMUNICATION 3.DIALOGUE & RANDOM 4.LAILA 5.IN THE SILENCE OF THE MORNING SUNRISE (Bonus track) 6.BIG FUZZ........This is the same album that Garden of Delight put out a few years ago, (AT THE CLIFFS OF THE RIVER RHINE) along with a VERY cool live bonus track AGITATION FREE preformed in 1972. This is one of those albums you'll be enthralled the whole time it's on. Most these songs come from AGITATION FREE II. Same songs as you hear here, but with a HUGE difference. These songs breathe FIRE! The only analogy that comes to mind, is to compare the Grateful Dead's AUXOMOXUA from 1969, with the live versions of the same songs on LIVE DEAD '69. I had heard that this was an amazing album, but I never bought it, cos the G.O.D. version was pricey, IF you could find it. I found it now, and I'm happy I did.



One of the coolest things about this album, is how pristine the sound quality is. You would never think you were hearing a radio broadcast of a live concert, until you hear the applauses at the end of the first, and fourth songs. The source tapes were maybe digitally cleaned, because you cant even hear any amp hiss. The band's soundscape, is lead guitar, rythym guitar, bass, keyboard/synth player, and drummer. Each band member, takes turns "leading" a song. With the first song, the lead player transistions thru mode after mode, then lets the rythym player take the rheins. After more colorful tonal-chord changes, the drummer and bass player explore the song's boundries. Mostly the keyboard playing layers a wash of synth strings, on any mode or key they are in. Each player has amazing intuition for what the other players want to explore. Its done with such grace and near transcendental communication, that it sounds like one brain moving ten hands. AGITATION FREE LIVE when they're at their best is a cross between 69-72 Grateful Dead, mixed with GONG, from 1972-1974.(Gong's prime PHP/Daevid Allen period.) To listen it to know.



A note about the EXTRA TRACK, that you dont get on the Garden Of Delights version of this CD. It's from 1972, and also showcases the band's jamming abilities. However, it starts out with a lot of sythesizer work, and drum cymbals. That typical airy, spacey "BERLIN" cosmic sound segways to twin guitar talk, but in 1972 the band had less facility on their instruments. In 1972, AGITATION FREE were given to more of those strange keyboard/drum interludes of space music. This style is not on display, with the 38 minutes from the 1974 LIVE album. The sound quality on the bonus track, is a "B+" compared to rest of the album's "A+" sound. It's not bad, just some backround talking, and some hiss. Hey, I'll take any LIVE AGIT FREE music I can get now. If you are a fan of the LIVE instrumental work of GONG, GRATEFUL DEAD 1969-1972, or "Eat a Peach" era Allman Brothers, with a dab of Canterbury jazzrock, then you have found a keeper. AGIT FREE dont sound like the other jazz-rock Krautrock bands EMBRYO, OUT OF FOCUS, or Missus Beastly. This album has NO FLUTE, or SAX, the SINE QUA NON of Krautrock. I am glad, that I didnt buy the G.O.D. version of this CD. This edition has the 9 minute bonus song from 1972, and affordable. But if you wait too long to buy this, it might not stay in print. Was 'ne Shande."