YETI

It starts excellently. Soap Shop Rock part 1 really sounds like a piece of dirty blues rock that you won't be able to tidy up even if you use an entire shop's worth of soap. Part two is ok as well and starts like it's taken from a Floyd live outtake from the same year. The track features some talking vocals and noisy guitar playing, also Chris Carrer's violin stand out. The vocals took me quite a while to appreciate, which can be blamed on an overdose of metal and sympho listening. Be warned, but be open as well.

A couple of short psychedelic tracks follow of which Archangels Thunderbird is the most remarkable. It has a very cool and groovy guitar riff that rocks the house. Also the vocals are surprising, sounding not entirely unlike a crazed version of Jefferson Airplane. The first half of Cerebrus features ethnic percussion and Indian influenced acoustic guitars, quite a typical feature in kraut rock (and psychedelic rock in general). Pale Gallery has a surprising sonic texture that was easily 10 years ahead of its time. I'd rather expect this on a post rock album from Tuxedo Moon or the likes then on something from 1970.

Then the alum takes a turn from the short composed pieces that preceded to improvisations Yeti Improvisation is a mind-blowing psychedelic jam with a short electronic start followed by a brief section with abstract guitar sounds that all post-rock bands have shamelessly nicked and made endless variations on. Well, you certainly can't blame Amon Düül II for a lack of creative and innovating ideas. Yeti Talks seems like a continuation of the same improvisation or an outtake from a similar jam. It has a great early Floydian vibe and while not as stellar as the Umma Gumma live tracks, it comes close. Sandoz in the Rain ends the album with another Indian flavoured ethnic track.

The 2 bonus tracks on the 2001 reissue are good for fans but don't add anything essential. Between the Eyes has a riff that reminds me of Gilmour's Narrow Way.

I've come a long way with this album, at first mild appreciation for its innovating stance, and now recently full appreciation, after submerging myself to the marvels of Kraut rock, of which this album is a sure masterpiece.

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