BANQUET

Having been hit for six by Deep Purple's In Rock at the tender age of 15 and thereby shaking off the classic music shackles I had been brought up with, I was always on the lookout for something having the same vibe.

This album fit the bill, not in terms of structure, there are only rudimentary similarities, but this album has POWER. It rocks! Straight-in-your-face. But with orchestra. What? How can that work? I don't know, it just does.

I've heard this album being described as jazz-rock. No way, jazz-rock this is not, not even close. Having a horn section among the orchestral backdrop doesn't even move it in that direction, this is rock, plain and simple. I believe that people are just being fooled into thinking that there's more than there is, but, to be honest, more would have spoilt it.

I love this record to bits. The orchestra that groooooves along is the icing on the cake of very simple but effective rock song structures. The keyboard player Peter Hecht is responsible for the orchestration, and he couldn't have done a better job.

Just for giggles: As a number of Lucifer's Friend members were playing in the James Last Orchestra at the time, they actually got the JLO to play here. I think it's the best thing they ever will have played. I can only state that because living in Germany, there was no avoiding this tasteless ensemble on some medium at unfortunate times.

The song 'Spanish Galleon' just whizzes along on the basis of a handful of chords, masterfully propelled by the rhythm section.

All the songs are top-notch, there isn't one I have the slightest reason to skip or fast-forward.

As far as rock bassists go, Dieter Horns must have been one of the most competent ones around, not just on this album, but on the other Lucifer's Friend records too. The man is phenomenal.

I recommend this album to anyone who enjoys a bit of straight ahead power rock, with background orchestra for a progheads alibi.

My five stars are no exaggeration, I really think this album is that good. Sometimes feeling and power just rule over complexity, even in prog circles.