Search - Amon Duul I :: Psychedelic Underground

Tribal Noise.......

riot67 | detroit | 11/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There's nothing like this in the annals of recorded rock. Amon Duul I (not to be confused with Amon Duul II) held an extended jam session and this is the results (along with a couple other recordings). Sure the later Amon Duul II was a better/tighter band but this recording is unmatched in it's originality. Mostly an extended noisey/tribal percussion workout it sounds fresh even today. Those seeking Amon Duul II look elsewear because Amon Duul I bears no resemblence to the latter..."

Damaged German Psych

busotti | 03/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Amon Duul grew out of a commune scene in Germany, but frictions among bandleaders led to schism into two different bands, Amon Duul I and Amon Duul II -- apparently all the drugs stifled any new ideas on what to call the bands. Amon Duul II was certainly the more technically accomplished of the bunch, and their first 3 records are classics of the "Krautrock" sound (with Yeti having special significance to Amazon's music editor). By 1972 they were firmly ensconced in a more progressive rock direction and their output became more uneven.



Amon Duul I were the more drug-addled and trance influenced result of the split. Imagine a bunch of 1969 hippies listening to raga records, dropping LSD then just going at it loudly on electric rock instruments, bongos and maracas. The percussion is loud, tribal and loose; the guitar riffs distorted, minimal tabs that play off the rhythms. There aren't any lyrics to speak of, its chanting, or perhaps moaning. The record is imperfect, but full of ecstatic moments that come through to those of us not living a chemical lifestyle. This isn't a set of studio musicians reading from sheet music and it makes no pretense as "art", but a bona fide demonstration of what the real underground really sounded like circa 1969. This is what you pull out when people start reminiscing about the Fifth Dimension, Sgt. Pepper and Hair, but haven't heard of the Fugs, ESP records or the Back From The Grave series.



There will always be those who decry this sort of thing because technical ability isn't the point; perhaps they ought be listening to jazz and classical music (which I am not putting down) instead of Steve Vai and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. The "sessions" which produced this material were mined again and again for other Amon Duul I records: Collapsing, Disaster, and Experimente. The final record, Para Dieswarts Duul (1970), was something else entirely. Aside from more professional recording, that version of Duul went for a more laid back folk psych sound, standing well-above the usual cliches and downright beautiful at times."