TOMORROW'S GIFT

These talented Germans sound like a band struggling to stay calm with the ordinary Psych/Blues/Hard Rock style, which was pretty popular in 1970, and simultaneously trying to push the limits of Rock music to a next level.The album yet contains the basic elements of Hard/Blues Rock, characterized by the powerful grooves, the mindblowing guitar solos, the tremendous energy of the rhythm section, the dominant Hammond organ parts and the sharp riffs, while next to these you get a singer who sounds a lot like JANIS JOPLIN.But things are actually way more complicated.Along with the basic rockin' passages you will get series of driving flutes with both Kraut and symphonic leanings, Classical-inpired keyboard textures (even some lovely clavinet appears in one track), massive sudden breaks, elaborate and refined interplays and impressive changing tempos.The daring face of the group does not stop here.The longer tracks even contain the fundamental color of early German Kraut Rock: long, powerful and pounding jams, based on furious, psychedelic grooves with guitars and organ in the forefront and yet another solid performance by the tireless rhythm section.

Among the best ever Kraut Rock debuts.A fascinating mix of Psychedelic, Hard, Symphonic and early-70's Progressive Rock, that is sure to satisfy even the most demanding proghead out there.An instant and highly recommended purchase.

"Jazzi Jazzi" opens with keys as a beat comes in with silliness going on all around it. "Der Geier Fliegt Vorbei" opens with keys and bass as flute-like sounds comes in. It's building as drums come in. Check out the fuzzed out bass ! Amazing sound here. A change after 3 minutes as the tempo slows and it becomes experimental. It sounds better after 4 minutes as it becomes darker and more solemn. Great sound the rest of the way. Fantastic ! "Allerheiligen" opens with deep bass sounds and synths with drums. Some fuzz a minute in (and later) as drums pound away. It settles after 2 1/2 minutes with intricate sounds.

"Wienersatz" is just over 2 minutes of pure psychedelia. People are talking as drums and bass sounds come and go. Synths come in as silly vocal melodies arrive. Haha. "Naturgemass" is the almost 17 minute epic. This also is very psychedelic to start out as sounds come and go with no real melody. Drums and bass start to make some sense as dissonant piano comes and goes after 8 minutes. It settles and then starts to slowly build with synths and a trippy beat. You can hear water and nature sounds in the background. The last minute of the song is powerful and dissonant with some fuzz. "Didden Fur Dunden" is very strange and psychedelic. This song is one freaked out trip man. For some reason I see a connection between the fried egg on the album cover and this song. Haha.

A must for Krautrock fans. Easily 4 stars. I have to comment on the 2 bonus tracks. I must say I usually don't say anything about bonus material because it's not part of the original album but for these two 20 minute jams i'll make an exception. Both tracks are live and from two different concerts. They also were recorded before their first album was released. So we get a taste of the female vocalist. Yikes ! The first track though is beyond incredible with the fantastic organ runs and trippy sound.The guitarist as well rips it up for a long time. The second song isn't as good but it sure has it's moments.

This is really too bad as the music is a good bluesy prog not unlike the better known Affinity and is also fronted by a goodlooking and good singing broad.

Anyway, the self-entitled album from TOMORROW'S GIFT was their debut, and a double album released on a very short lived label called +Plus+ (owned by IKARUS member Jochen Petersen). Here you get early prog, much in the British style, with only the ridiculous accented vocals of Ellen Meyer herself to reveal this isn't British. "Prayin' To Satan" is that prime example, get a load on how she sings the word "Satan"! There's some gems here too like "Breeds There a Man" and "King in a Nook". The former even features the use of clavinet, I guess that shouldn't be any surprise, since Hohner, famous for accordions and harmonicas, made clavinets, and the company was based in Germany. But then this album also has its pitfalls. Double album but not enough good material to warrant anything more than a single album set. The most problematic is "The First Seasons After the Destruction". At 13 minutes, it degenerates in to a pointless wankfest, and that boring drum solo sure doesn't help manners any. The other lenthy cut, the 8 minute "Sandy Concert" is another pointless piece, with Jochen Petersen guesting on sax here. It's basically a sax solo with a riff repeated ad nauseum.

Not the best album on the +Plus+ label (that goes to the self-entitled IKARUS album from 1971, who was definately a better band). Anyway, this album would be a masterpiece if they rid of the wankfests on the lengthier pieces, other than that, only a good, not great early prog album.