SOMMERABEND

Sommerabend came just an year after Novalis sophomore record and pretty much follows the new pattern of the previous album: melodic symphonic progressive music with a soft, laid back tone, but their third effort comes even more sophisticated than Novalis (the album). Now reduced to one guitar player, the quartet delivers what is considered their best work to date, and I tend to agree with them. I think the CD fame is very well deserved.

There are only three tracks: the instrumental opener is a 9 minute suite that is quite nice, although in the whole a little without direction and a main theme. It sounds a little like several small pieces put together. Good, but not that remarkable. However, the second one, Wunderschatze is definitely their most beautiful and poignant tune ever: along its 10 minute running time you have dreamy keyboards, a driving rhythm section over gentle acoustic and electric guitars, a soulful duet vocal and several mood swings that come and go smoothly until the grand finale. This song alone is worth the price of the CD. They never sounded so vulnerable and powerful at the same time. A real masterpiece of prog heaven. The third track is the self-titled Sommerabend, a 20 minute opus divided in five parts. Although never reaching the power neither the beauty of the previous track, it is a good symphonic epic that has several excellent sections.

All ion all I found this LP to be extremely enjoyable and full of great moments. Again the only weak point here is its short time, even a little longer than on Novalis (1975). However, if you like good melodic, laid back and strong symphonic prog you must get to know this album. Without almost any experimentalism or quirkiness of so many countrymen at the time, Novalis is hardly what you might expect from a Krautrock band of the 70s, but they did an excellent job in terms of beautiful music anyway. And this is probably their most accomplished progressive work ever. 4 strong stars, no less.