GERMAN '74 ORIG HEAVY SWIRLING PSYCH PROG ELOY INSIDE Hard KRAUTROCK Tull

$

103

TOP RATED =CLEAN= 1974 GERMAN ORIGINAL

              FINAL COLLECTION COPY

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                                              = 2ND LP =

                   ~ ELOY ~

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          GERMANY - HARVEST RECORDS - C 062 - 29479

BEAUTIFUL GERMAN 1974 FIRST PRINTING ...nearly impossible to find THIS clean as the dark gatefold cover shows wear on almost ALL copies = here an archive copy from no less than 44+ years ago...

Rare and sought original 1974 first pressing in laminated gatefold cover...the second Eloy is full of fire, driving with HEAVY acid-Krautrock progressive hard rock jams...stretched-out amid thrilling gushing organ and distortion guitar, topped off by a singer who sounds like Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull ....

From the hard-rock of their self titled debut, Eloy quickly moved towards a more progressive space-rock form in a revised line-up led by founding guitarist Frank Bornemann for their second album. Recorded in September 1972 and sounding like a cross between Hawkwind and Pink Floyd, Inside was at the time merely a moderate success commercially, yet in retrospect can be seen as an important achievement which deserved better support.

At its heart, Inside is constructed from a winning combination of melodic, semi-Symphonic Prog songs and lengthy hard-psych/prog jams. The core songs display memorable melodies, typically inventive arrangements and meaningful lyrics. This side of Eloy's playing would be developed further on later albums, but here the jams impress more being hard psych classics. Essentially these comprise mesmeric repetitive riffs played out by bass and drums while guitar and organ alternate improvised leads and rhythm support.

Bornemann's sizzling guitar playing is fluent and fluid, equally at home providing gutsy support or ripping into a solo, yet it is keyboard player Wieczorke who steals the show. With a classy performance, Wieczorke rings the neck of his trusty Hammond, sometimes angry and gritty, at others light and ethereal, pushing it to the limit in a way familiar to fans of Keith Emerson to provide most of the instrumental highs, even when chugging along as ostensible support to Bornemann. The rhythm section of Stöcker and Randow do an excellent job in support, especially Stöcker's bass driving the jam sections forcefully yet rhythmically.

Inside was the first album on which Bornemann performed the duties of lead singer - and it shows. He would improve with age, and would learn studio techniques to assist, but here his vocals are much like Ian Anderson of early Jethro Tull.

With four lengthy tracks, beginning with dark and menacing astral travelling of 17 minute 'epic' Land Of Nobody, primarily a vehicle for Wieczorke to take centre stage with his flamboyant improvisation and experimentation, taking in some riff-tastic themes and head-down grooves along the way. Brilliant title track Inside has a lovely tick tock feel, with a gripping sinister riff-theme before heading off into the stratosphere. Future City has a nice loping percussive beat and a guitar-led instrumental jam but is overshadowed by impending final track Up And Down, a classic Eloy combination of languid haunting spaciness, a seering workout dominated by fat overdriven organ chords, and a sublime laid-back slow-smoking bluesy-complex number.

All in all it must be considered a near-masterpiece from the early Krautrock beginnings.

Side I

Land Of No body (17:14)

Side II
Inside (6:35)
Future City (5:35)
Up And Down (8:23)

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people..

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record