ROCKPOMMEL'S LAND

Grobschnitt is symphonic prog band from Germany that also released some mighty space influenced symphonic prog (the 'Solar Music' suite). On Rockpommel's land the band delivers its second concept album, which is quite an improvement over 1975's 'Jumbo'. Grobschnitt combines (often light and gentle) melodic symphonic prog (almost like Camel's 'Snow Goose') with a children's story-line in order to create that happy-sad melancholy childhood feel. The enthusiasm of the band and the stream of great melodies is endless supply here and the album just never slows down. The band does occasionally rock out, but the guitars remain surprisingly gentle compared to the heavy metal guitars of 'Solar Music Live'. The story is about the young boy 'Ernie' who escapes his home to head for Rockpommel's land with the help of the bird Maribu in the hope to release the children's friends Mr Glee. Silly as it may seem, the story does ad a lot to the melancholy and legitimacy of the music. If you're not allergic to its humorist vibe and the expressive vocals of 'Wildschwein' this surely will end up among your favorite symphonic prog albums of the seventies.