CAROL OF HARVEST

This is a nice obscurity from late 70s Germany. Honestly, there isn't really much "folk" in this is record, but it is a pleasant slice of mellow prog. The first track, the oddly-named "Put on Your Nightcap", is a sixteen minute melancholic epic full of dramatic synths, soaring female vocals, melodic leads and acoustic guitar. It overstays its welcome by about eight minutes, but it is reasonably compelling and sets the tone for the rest of the songs. There is not much variation in the rest of the album's tracks, as the band sticks closely to the above formula, mid-tempo melancholy. The synth sounds are very late 70s and remind me of Tim Blake's sounds on Hawkwind's "Levitation" album. The use of acoustic guitars extensively does add a pastoral feel to the music, in an Ant Phillips kind of way, and the lead guitar playing is typical of the Bornemann/Gilmour/ Latimer melodic camp. Beate Kraus's lightly-accented vocals are pleasant, if a little forced at times, and remind me of the singing on the excellent Rebekka album from the 80s. The lyrics are pretty good for a second language, if not particularly interesting. A minor gem of late 70s prog, sort of a sympho/folk hybrid that's worth seeking out.