PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

I suppose this will be the last studio album from the legendary Krautrock band BRAINTICKET. Led by Belgium born Joel Vandroogenbroeck this band was formed in 1968 and has gone through many lineup changes over the years. Joel passed away in 2019, four years after this one was released. Krautrock from Switzerland? You bet! And pioneers at that, along with being very influential. In a way this album makes me sad because I feel that the original Krautrock spirit that influenced this band isn't here. And I think it left after those two 80's records they released. This thought is based on that comeback album from 2000 called "Alchemic Universe" where we get those modern techno rhythms and sounds that were quite disappointing.

"Alchemist Universe" would not have been a good way to end their careers, so based on that I suppose Joel just wanted one more shot at it, and this is it, worts and all, but better. It's interesting that Joel has dumped his former band here, or maybe they weren't interested, as he has enlisted the band HEDERSLEBEN from Germany to be his backing band. And HEDERSLEBEN is legit. Nik Turner has had them and Joel play on some of his studio albums coincidently. Lots of connections here. I wish they had followed HEDERSLEBEN's style, that trippy, beautiful, psychedelic sound. No, this is modern sounding, slick, polished and calculated. Just not dirty or psychedelic enough to be called old school Krautrock that's for sure.

Their best in my opinion is "Celestial Ocean", that trippy record with spacey keys dominating. That was album number three, while their debut "Cottonwood Hill" is about as "out there" an album as you'll find, especially vocally. And a lot of people point to their second album "Psychonaut" as their best. The only album by BRAINTICKET that is in my "best of" Krautrock list is "Celestial Ocean". Love the cover art for this 2015 release. And this is ambitious for sure, clocking in at almost 76 minutes. It's also a Sci-Fi concept album. On the back cover they give a brief little blurb about each track which is insightful, so I'll borrow from that source.

The album opens with "Dancing On A Volcano" parts one and two which alone takes up over 30 minutes of music. First part is like this tribal ritual followed by the theme of time travel including some "Cottonwood Hill" sections according to the liner notes. "Reality Of Dreams" has this spacey guitar/sitar section leading to a meditative mood with whispers. "Proto Alchemy" has a metal theme in the context of bubbling liquids. "Riding The Comet" is travelling through space, lots of speed. "East Moon" has grand piano playing a minimalist role before some hard rock and jazz/fusion arrangements take over with fiery solos. "Singularity is dramatic and about our present day lives. "Egyptian Gods Of The Sky" is powerful with visions of the night sky. "Brainticket Blues" ends it with lots of bluesy flute from Joel.

A good album, and I'm happy Joel got to do this before his passing.