WOLF CITY

This is one of the better ADII albums. I would recommned Wolf City over Yeti or Tanz Der Lemminge for a newbie. I would never start with a double-album trying to get into any group...but that's just me. This album is not as crazy as the first three, but it is more edgy and 'proggy' than most of the band's later albums. In other words, a great place to start your journey into one of Krautrock's more interesting groups.

Most of the band members share vocal duties(including only female member Renate). Jimmy Jackson is here and he plays 'choir organ' throughout the album. This is often mistaken for a Mellotron. Jackson also uses it on Embryo's Rache and Popol Vuh's Aguirre albums. I think he was one of the only human beings to ever use the damn thing! There is some tabla and a bit of sitar on "Wie Der Wind...". Some violin later on. This song has great synth throughout. "Deutsch Nepal" has a great riff. Some nice piano and 'choir organ' here. I love the vocals spoken in German with the "ah-em" throat clearing. Every time I hear this song I picture a general from WW1 with a spiky helmet doing the vocals.

"Jailhouse Frog" is one of the highlights. It starts off in typical ADII rockin' territory but goes into a piano part. Some 'choir organ' comes in and we briefly get a polka beat before the guitars come back in. "Green-Bubble-Raincoated-Man" has so many ideas coming and going for just a 5-minute song. "Surrounded By The Stars" has lots of acoustic guitar and changes throughout the piece. Some good violin playing in this song. The title track is probably the most mainstream sounding song here but it's still good.

I like the cover art. It looks like an ancient Babylonian sculpture. This is the last really good album these guys did. After this their sound would get more streamlined and slick sounding. I would say get this first then proceed to the any of the first three albums. 4 stars.