tisdag 23 januari 2018
THE BLACKBIRDS/NO DESTINATION STFID 2113 (-68) UK
Band formed 1965 by four guys from Saarland, Germany. After two years of regional success, among other things winning popband competitions and performing in local TV-shows they got a one-LP deal with the notorious UK Saga budget label resulting in this issue. It didn't sell and nor did the follow-up, the more progressive krautrockish 1971 "Touch Of Music" (OOP 5-34), then with guitarist Werner Breinig as only remaining member. Though continuing playing live and releasing a couple more 45:s with differing settings they never hit the big time and dissolved 1983. I've seen this album described as early kraut rock. I get that because the band is German and the effort sounds experimental at parts, but it's still far from Faust or more typical "kraut" outfits. I hear a German interpretation of British sixties pop and rock, sung in broken English by a band who doesn't seem to take it all that serious...or maybe they were earnest and it just appears offhand because of Saga label's usual mean treatment of their artists - live in the studio, almost unproduced without guidelines and hardly any overdubs or concerned mixing. Anyway I'm charmed. Pressing and audio are surprisingly good for Saga inviting me to the studio for better or worse. All songs penned by the band. I wanna call it psych pop though most of the songwriting is rather ordinary pop with psych elements coming from the high-pitched vocal outbursts and all prominent organ - sometimes sounding like from a cantor on acid. Don't know if to call it good or bad. In any case beside Saga collectors it may also do it for hammond organ lovers and/or garage freaks. Favorite tracks - the instrumental "Space" with lots of weird organ in a lounge atmosphere and "She" for its doomsday feeling. This UK was the only issue on vinyl. 2005 German CD on Long Hair (LHC 38) came with four bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here, heavy vinyl and laminated flip-back cover with colored band image on rear. I've also seen non flip-back copies having black/white band pic. Since there's also rear notes in German on this you'd think it was aimed for export, but you never know with Saga so I'll leave that open. (ÖGÄ*) (SÄGÖ*)
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