Wild, Ambitious, Scary
Scott McFarland | Manassas, VA United States | 03/22/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This band's first three LPs are all masterworks, and this may be the most impressive of them - it's the most ambitious, certainly. Guitar riffs and psychedelic jams mix with melodic song elements into prog-rock "suites" and side-long pieces that have plenty of meat on their bones. Again, Hendrix is a primary influence and this is a cleaner, two-guitar take on his later sound if you ask me. With fine playing by all and great ideas strewn about. Side 3 is so dark and scary that I hesitate to play it; Sides 1, 2, and 4 I'll gladly listen to any day of the week.
"
Kaleidoscopic and thunderous
Jeffrey J.Park | Massachusetts, USA | 02/07/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This 1971 album by German experimental band Amon Duul II is considered a classic from the "Krautrock" genre (along with the 1969 debut Phallus Dei and Yeti (1970)) and features a superb blend of excellent melodies and lengthy, psychedelic "excursions". Although subsequent albums would be stripped back somewhat starting in 1972 (Carnival in Babylon) and present a focusing of the Amon Duul II sound, this album shows Amon Duul II at the height of their psychedelic, eclectic, best.
There is a large assortment of musicians on this album including John Weinzerl (guitars/vocals); Chris Karrer (acoustic/electric guitar; violin; and vocals); Lothar Meid (electric bass; acoustic bass; and vocals); Peter Leopold (drums and percussion); K.H. Hausmann (electronics/sound engineer); Falk Rogner (Hammond organ/electronics). Additional musicians include a sitar player and one individual on Hammond organ. These guys are generally pretty good players, and the group focus is on psychedelic jamming and experimental sounds and not so much on integrated ensemble work. With respect to the vocal styles used on the album (in English and German) they are very unusual, yet work well in this context.
The three tracks on the album are arranged into lengthy song cycle suites, the longest of which is well over 25 minutes in length, with total album length at just under 70 minutes in length. Eclecticism is the key word here, and delicate, acoustic passages suddenly lapse into heavier psychedelic (and electric) jams that are vaguely reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane (well to my ears at any rate). In general, dynamic contrasts are used pretty effectively. Thunderous instrumental riffs played in unison on the bass and heavily distorted electric guitar are used effectively on a few pieces, lending the music an almost menacing feel. I love the bass work on this album (which is pretty heavy and way out in front) in addition to the electric guitar playing. Electronic experimentation is used frequently, and synthesizer - like textures are generated by manipulating the organ (most likely). The experimentation can get pretty "out there" at times (discernible structure is thrown out the window) and there is some pretty cool phasing. The guitar is not immune and it too has been electronically altered at times. There is also a bit of what sounded like a mellotron in there too although I can't be too sure - the music is mostly a dense, swirling mass of sound and at times it is difficult to isolate specific instruments. The Hammond organ sound however is very distinct and Falk more or less follows the approach Rick Wright (Pink Floyd) used on albums like A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). Come to think of it, the influences of late 1960's Pink Floyd are all over Tanz der Lemminge.
The remastered CD by Repertoire is pretty good and features excellent sound quality and lots of informative liner notes along with band photos.
Tanz der Lemminge is very highly recommended along with Phallus Dei and Yeti. For those folks that liked this music, the blazing, psychedelic masterwork After Bathing at Baxter's (Jefferson Airplane, 1967) might also prove enjoyable along with the incredible Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Pink Floyd, 1967) and A Saucerful of Secrets."
The Greatest!
Michael R. Roden | Moscow, Ohio | 02/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Tanz Der Lemminge (Dance of the Lemmings) is still one of the greatest psychedelic albums of all time. I bought this album, and every other Amon Duul 2 album, as they were released in the 70's. They changed my life. Along with albums like Wolf City and The Stones Satanic Majesties Request. Who knows if it weren't for these albums the direction of my artwork might have never been the same. Now I am the producer/artist of Thru Black Holes Comix. We still recite some of the cosmic phrases that are part of the lyrics on this album. -Michael R. Roden"
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1